Chapter 3, Acts 3: 1-26, Rise up and walk

 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we commit this time to You. We pray for understanding and application of Your truth into our lives. We pray for guidance, direction, discerning Your will, and spiritual nourishment. We pray for the Bread of Life and Living Water, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

VV 1-10, Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. ² And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; ³ Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. ⁴ And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. ⁵ And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. ⁶ Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. ⁷ And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. ⁸ And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God:¹⁰ And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

Following the footstep of Jesus Christ, Peter performed his first miracle. A day in ancient Israel began at 6 am. The 9th hour was 3 pm, the hour of prayer. A devout Jew prayed three times a day, at 6 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm. Peter and John encountered a congenitally paralysed beggar at the beautiful gate of the temple complex. The gate was called Beautiful, but the beggar was anything but beautiful. He had no muscle development, no motor power in his legs, and had never walked. The man was begging for money but not for health. The beggar looked at John and Peter expecting them to give him cash. Peter declared, ‘’in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk’’. Peter took him by the right hand and lifted him up. The man arose, walked, leaped, and praised God for healing him. On seeing this, the people marvelled with astonishment and excitement.

VV 11-16, ¹¹ And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. ¹² And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. ¹⁴ But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; ¹⁵ And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. ¹⁶ And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Solomon’s porch, portico, or colonnade was in the outer court of the temple complex. Peter addressed the astonished crowd with a full sermon. He acknowledged and gave glory to the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, as the healer of the paralysed man. The Holy One, the Just, and the Prince of Life are titles for Jesus of Nazareth. The religious leaders murdered Jesus of Nazareth, but God resurrected Him. The apostles testified and bore witness to this event.

VV 17-21, ¹⁷ And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.¹⁸ But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. ¹⁹ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. ²⁰ And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: ²¹ Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

The Jewish leaders killed Jesus out of ignorance. Jesus’ death fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. Peter commanded everyone to repent, receive the forgiveness of sins, and be converted. ‘’The times of restoration of all things’’, speak of the second coming of Christ.

VV 22-26, 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Peter quoted Duet 18: 15, ‘’The Lord thy God will raise up for thine a Prophet like me from thine midst, from thy brethren’’.

The ‘’Prophet like me’’ spoken by Moses was fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth. Every soul who did not believe in Jesus will be destroyed. The Old Testament prophets had prophesied the coming of Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, hundreds of years ago. The Jews were descendants of the prophets and the patriarchs to be a blessing to all people. God raised Jesus of Nazareth to bless them and turn them from their sins. God had spoken to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, Hebrews 1:1-4.

Hebrews 1:1-4, “God, who at various times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom he also made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they’’.

Application:

The congenital paralysed man arose, walked, leaped, and praised God for healing him. Have you praised and thank God for healing you?

All the people who saw this miracle were amazed. Are you amazed when you read about this miracle?

Peter gave all the glory to God. Did you give all the glory to God for your salvation?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your word by Your Son Jesus Christ who fulfilled scripture and turned everyone from their sins. Thank You protection, healing, salvation, justification, sanctification and eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.