ACTS 3

1 One day Peter and John were going tothe temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon

2  Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter he asked them for money.

4  Peter looked straight at him as did John. Then Peter said, Look at us,

5  So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

6 Then Peter said Silver and gold I do not have,but what I have I give you, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth walk.

7 taking him by the right hand,he helped him up, and instantly the mans feet and ankles became strong.

8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and  jumping and praising God.

9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God,

 10 they recognized him as the same man who sat begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to them.

11  While the beggar held on to Peter and John all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomons Colonade. 

 12 When Peter saw this He said to them. Men of Israel, why does this suprise you ? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk ?

13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go.

14  You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

15 You killed the author of life, But God raised Him  from the dead. We are witnesses to this.

16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him as you can all see.

17 Now brothers I know that  you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.

18 But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets saying that His Christ would suffer.

19 Repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

20 And that He may send the Christ who has been appointed for you, even Jesus.

21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore all things as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.

22 For Moses said The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people you must listen to everything he tells you.

23 Anyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among the people.

24 Indeed all the prophets from Samuel on as many as have spoken have foretold these days.

25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God has made with your fathers. He said to Abraham through your offspring all people on earth will be blessed.

26 When God raised up His servant He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.

You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, We are witnresses of this. Acts 3:15

 I am the Living One; I was dead and behold, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to death and Hades. Revelation 1:18

IN THE NAME OF JESUS

 Thomas J. Grace

1. 1 Peter and John enter  the temple it is the House of God and where they would go to worship God, but what do they think about the high priest there who had Jesus crucified. The Pharisee        heard about the events of the past few days but had not yet decided what action to take. Jesus had not told them to stay away from the temple even though their is no record of a resurrection appearance at the temple, it is the place the apostles believe Christ will return to. Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.    

2.       2 A man lame from birth cared for by now over forty years old is carried to the temple gate and allowed to ask for money, he would not be allowed inside the temple because he is lame. 3 Once again we are told Peter and John will enter the temple how many more believers in Jesus Christ will enter the temple and speak about Christ in the courtyards to lead others to believe in Christ.  5 The lame man expects to receive something was he expecting something special and new that was different from the money he would expect from each person he spoke to. Was he waiting for a miracle, did he believe already that God would heal him.  Certainly he had heard of the lame man Jesus had healed in John chapter 5 at he Bethesda pool, and many other healings. At the temple he must have seen Jesus walk by someday but today he expected something as he saw Peter and Johm 6 Peter speaks to the lame man In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

3.      Peter gives two commands rise, walk he was very adzact he did not want to leave the man merely standing in one spot. We must also be this way in our prayers telling our Lord completely what our needs are. Even Peters address of Jesus Christ of Nazareth also very adzact to identify our Savior that Peter is making a request of. We must be certain to identify our Lord in our prayers as our one and only Savior, for now today their are and have been many false Christ and there can be no mistake as to you we are praying to our only Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth. 7 Peter takes the mans hand and lifts him this should not be done unless you are certain God has healed a person before you try to stand someone up. The feet and ankle bones received strenght although Peter held the mans hand the Power of God went to heal the correct body parts without direct contact from Peter.  And the man stood walked and leaped Peter said rise and walk this man was able to leap as we see Gods promise Ephesians 3:20 Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Paul had not wrote this yet but it was always true and will be forever, we must trust God to do great things in all our lives.

4.      9 Many people saw him walking and heard him praise God, this news would spread quickly to those who would believe. 10 The people knew this man and recognized him as the man who asked for money for many years, and they were amazed . In verse 7 Peter holds the mans hand now the healed man is holding both Peter and John now a large crowd has gathered to hear how this has happened.  As in Chapter 2 crowd gathers quickly then it was because of a gift of the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues. Now the crowd is there to see and hear a healed man, someone they knew and could see and hear. This would be more understandable proof of Gods power.

5.      12 The healed man does not speak it is Peter who says it is not by our holiness or power that has healed this man. 13 The God of our fathers Peter addresses the crowd in a familiar term as we should do when we begin to tell others about Christ, make the story of Jesus simple and familiar to your listeners. Peter tells God has Glorified His Son Jesus Christ that He is now our Savior with the Father in Heaven. This is Christ whom you denied and delivered to Pilate who was determined to release Christ, but the crowd shouted out Crucify Him Crucify Him. The road to salvation is being mapped out here first recognize that Christ reigns in heaven with the Father, second admit you are a sinner. Peter did not accuse these people to hurt them but to show them the error that was made and to confess this sin and know the Savior that would forgive and cleanse them.

6.      14 They did deny the Holy One and ask for a murderer be released by Pilate. With thousands of people Jesus had helped and He brought no harm to anyone the crowd choose a man guilty of murder instead of the Son of God. 15 The prince of Life is killed, God had raised Him from the dead, we are witnesses of this. Peter tells of the resurrection our next witness statement the belief that God has Raised Jesus before you may believe Christ can do miracles you must believe in the miracles that happened to Him, the resurrection and His place in heaven today, and His soon return to rescue us from this world, the final defeat of satan and the eternal life and rewards we will receive.  16 It is through faith in this name Jesus Christ that this man is well before you we see it is Christ that gives you this faith that allows you to believe we know Peter has this faith but this man also had faith in the name of Christ given to him by Christ to believe and be healed. It is possible that some of the three thousand had spoken to him about Christ earlier he might have become a believer while Christ was alive.

7.      17 Peter begins to excuse the actions that led to Christ crucification telling them they and their ruler acted in ignorance not knowing who Christ was their Savior. Would it not be easier with all the miracles and sermons by Christ to know Christ then or more clear to all of us today with all our churches, books and broadcasting proclaiming the Christ is our Lord and Savior. In all times it is by faith given to us by God that we believe, not by seeing miracles in the past or by large cathedrals or churches do we believe, but only by the power of God is His Son Jesus Christ revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. 18 The scriptures clearly tell how the Savior would suffer Isaiah chapters 50 and 53 and Psalm 22 tell how Christ would be suffering. This was Gods plan that Jesus willingly accepted in order to bring salvation and eternal life to us. 

8.      19  Peter ask them to repent this will be much different than the repentance of the past as will the forgiveness that will wipe out their sins. Repentance will not only change the way they do things that are sinful but belief in Christ will change their lives as they know their Savior and have their sins wiped out without a sacrifice. Isaiah 1:18 Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission. A new repentance a new life brings new and greater rewards. A time of refreshing will come being forgiven and knowing a Savior is a great time of refreshing and joy suddenly being aware of your eternal life reassures us and gives us peace. 20 This was done so that Christ can come into your life and be your Savior. The changes in your life would not be possible without Christ in your life on a daily basis. 21 Gods time to restore all things to the way He had first created them when God would have direct fellowship with man as when He walked in the garden of Eden with Adam. Isaiah 65:24,25 Before they call I will answer, while they are still speaking I will listen. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. There will be a new world and a life for us as God intended for us before the world began. 

9.      22 Peter tells them about Moses prophecy of Christ in Deuteronomy 18:15 You must listen to everything He tells you. They did not listen or believe as they saw all the miracles Jesus did. 23 What a serious warning that every soul that does not the prophet will be destroyed . 24 All the prophets have foretold of the days and life of Christ. The life of Christ  is a promise from God His greatest gift to all mankind to be recieved with joy and the price of rejecting such a great gift will be severe. Peter tells them we are the children of this promise from God that men like Moses and David waited for and spoke about. Jesus had said John 5:46 For had you believed Moses you would have believed Me for he wrote of Me.

10.      26 God after the whole life of Christ which should have led all of us to believe, now goes even further for us to know that Jesus is the true Son of God gives us even greater proof that  He is our Savior by raiseing Christ from the dead. Once again we are told He will turn us  away from our wicked ways.  

11.       We today have so much more to believe in the whole word of God all of the prophets Peter spoke of and the Gospels and all of the New testament to share with of the true meaning of Gods love and the whole life of Christ and the promise of Christ return. Shall we risk the warning that Peter has told that crowd about rejecting Christ or will we believe and know Christ as our Savior, and make Him Lord of our life and be with Him for eternity.

CHRIST LOVES YOU. AMEN. COME LORD JESUS