Devotion for 8 June 2011 Anno Domini (Wednesday after Ascension)
“1 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. 4And 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. 6Then 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.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.” (Acts 3:1-11)
The text today describes an event that occurred following the Ascension of our Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem. Peter and John, often associated together in the Gospels, are about to enter the Temple by the gate Beautiful. Let us read the account from the text itself:
“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” These two walk together in complete accord having witnessed the fulfillment of all prophesied about Christ up until His Ascension. Those who know Christ well, and love His Word, have few differences with others who know and believe as well. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3) Divisions and splits in churches do not occur as a result of strong faith and belief, but rather the opposite on the part of one or more parties. These are the same two whom Christ sent to prepare the Passover. “And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.” (Luke 22:8) John, being the younger of the two Apostles, always defers to Peter in their ministries. How much better would the ministry operate when younger men of less experience and knowledge would defer to the older and more learned of those who have preceded them in faith?
“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.” Peter and John were drawn to the Temple at the hour of prayer for a purpose perhaps unknown to them, but determined by God. Just as Christ must needs go through Samaria to Jacob’s Well to meet (by presumed happenstance) a woman who needed Him desperately, so these two proceed to the Temple , not only for prayer, but in answer to the seemingly hopeless prayers of a man lame from birth. Who knows what a day shall bring in the life of a child of God! He had to be carried and laid at the gate, but after the encounter with the healing powers of Christ (through the hands of His Apostles) this man not only walked into the Temple, but leaped and praised God in his going. Should we not respond in the same manner to that surprising Grace of God?
The man, over forty years in age, has no idea who Peter and John are other than simple attendees at prayer. Little does he know that they carry with them the ‘answers’ to his prayers. “Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.” Do we ask too little of God? Do we seek forgiveness for a nagging sin, but omit the whole of our lives of sin? Do we ask the great Physician to treat the symptoms of our malady rather than the Cause of it? He is the One who is able to address the Cause and Cure.
“And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.” When we speak the healing Gospel, how much more effective if the we can maintain eye contact with the hearer. When we are gravely serious in our conversation, we look intensely at the party being addressed. Peter is serious, and he peers intently at the man along with John for they both share the same Spirit here. “And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.” When we speak with conviction, the listener will pay heed. Yes, the lame man was about to receive ‘something’ of them, but more than his finite mind could have imagined.
“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.” True, the ministers and people of God often possess little of the world’s wealth, but they possess the One who owns the world and all of the stars of heaven! What we have is the healing Gospel. It is the answer to every personal and national ill. The man is ordered, not by the force of man’s power, but that of Jesus Christ, to rise up and walk.
“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” Yes, the same hand of Peter which was lifted out of the Sea of Galilee by the Lord Jesus Christ when Peter’s faith had failed him. But Peter’s faith does not fail him now. He is bold and sure in Christ for he has witnessed the power of the risen Christ and He that Ascended to the Father. Now that hand that was once slack is now strong and sturdy in lifting another out of his weakness. The man immediately experienced a complete healing. His feet and ankle bones received strength and became seemingly stronger than all around him if his joyful response is an indicator of that fact.
“And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” He did not slowly and painfully rise up – he, rather, leapt up, walked, and entered the Temple. He most likely entered the Temple in a far different frame of mind and physical behavior than anyone else on that day. He had something to rejoice about, to pray about, and to praise God about. He entered the Temple leaping! When is the last time that you, my friend, could not refrain from leaping for joy in Christ? Do you enter the Temple, at the hour of prayer, leaping for joy? As the sweet words of William Walford remind us:
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
“And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 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.” When we are touched by the Grace of God, others will know of it. When they have known the worthless (to man) drunk or loose woman who has suddenly risen from the depths of depravity and is now joy-filled and leaping for joy in Christ, they realize God has moved in a mighty way in that life. They are made thirsty by the salt of such a living testimony for that same water of life which has so blessed. They knew him or her before, and now their imaginations are strained to know that this is the same person! Actually, it is not, but a new creature altogether in Christ!
There was quite a parade at the Temple that day. What had begun in prayer, ended in praise. The man who had begun his day a helpless and paralyzed creature ended his day a man leaping for joy and praising his Lord. It was the first Apostolic miracle to be performed. “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.” When God touches your life in such a manner as this, you will attract attention. The world is satisfied to leave you lying by the way at the gate. They will pay you no heed and will seldom drop a crumb in your cup. But when the Lord of Life has touched your desperate soul, the change will be noticed by all around. Our lives, changed by Christ, should attract the attention of unbelievers and make them thirst for that same Gospel which has filled you with the Water of Life!
“1 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. 4And 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. 6Then 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.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.” (Acts 3:1-11)
The text today describes an event that occurred following the Ascension of our Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem. Peter and John, often associated together in the Gospels, are about to enter the Temple by the gate Beautiful. Let us read the account from the text itself:
“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” These two walk together in complete accord having witnessed the fulfillment of all prophesied about Christ up until His Ascension. Those who know Christ well, and love His Word, have few differences with others who know and believe as well. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3) Divisions and splits in churches do not occur as a result of strong faith and belief, but rather the opposite on the part of one or more parties. These are the same two whom Christ sent to prepare the Passover. “And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.” (Luke 22:8) John, being the younger of the two Apostles, always defers to Peter in their ministries. How much better would the ministry operate when younger men of less experience and knowledge would defer to the older and more learned of those who have preceded them in faith?
“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.” Peter and John were drawn to the Temple at the hour of prayer for a purpose perhaps unknown to them, but determined by God. Just as Christ must needs go through Samaria to Jacob’s Well to meet (by presumed happenstance) a woman who needed Him desperately, so these two proceed to the Temple , not only for prayer, but in answer to the seemingly hopeless prayers of a man lame from birth. Who knows what a day shall bring in the life of a child of God! He had to be carried and laid at the gate, but after the encounter with the healing powers of Christ (through the hands of His Apostles) this man not only walked into the Temple, but leaped and praised God in his going. Should we not respond in the same manner to that surprising Grace of God?
The man, over forty years in age, has no idea who Peter and John are other than simple attendees at prayer. Little does he know that they carry with them the ‘answers’ to his prayers. “Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.” Do we ask too little of God? Do we seek forgiveness for a nagging sin, but omit the whole of our lives of sin? Do we ask the great Physician to treat the symptoms of our malady rather than the Cause of it? He is the One who is able to address the Cause and Cure.
“And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.” When we speak the healing Gospel, how much more effective if the we can maintain eye contact with the hearer. When we are gravely serious in our conversation, we look intensely at the party being addressed. Peter is serious, and he peers intently at the man along with John for they both share the same Spirit here. “And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.” When we speak with conviction, the listener will pay heed. Yes, the lame man was about to receive ‘something’ of them, but more than his finite mind could have imagined.
“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.” True, the ministers and people of God often possess little of the world’s wealth, but they possess the One who owns the world and all of the stars of heaven! What we have is the healing Gospel. It is the answer to every personal and national ill. The man is ordered, not by the force of man’s power, but that of Jesus Christ, to rise up and walk.
“And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” Yes, the same hand of Peter which was lifted out of the Sea of Galilee by the Lord Jesus Christ when Peter’s faith had failed him. But Peter’s faith does not fail him now. He is bold and sure in Christ for he has witnessed the power of the risen Christ and He that Ascended to the Father. Now that hand that was once slack is now strong and sturdy in lifting another out of his weakness. The man immediately experienced a complete healing. His feet and ankle bones received strength and became seemingly stronger than all around him if his joyful response is an indicator of that fact.
“And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” He did not slowly and painfully rise up – he, rather, leapt up, walked, and entered the Temple. He most likely entered the Temple in a far different frame of mind and physical behavior than anyone else on that day. He had something to rejoice about, to pray about, and to praise God about. He entered the Temple leaping! When is the last time that you, my friend, could not refrain from leaping for joy in Christ? Do you enter the Temple, at the hour of prayer, leaping for joy? As the sweet words of William Walford remind us:
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I'll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
“And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 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.” When we are touched by the Grace of God, others will know of it. When they have known the worthless (to man) drunk or loose woman who has suddenly risen from the depths of depravity and is now joy-filled and leaping for joy in Christ, they realize God has moved in a mighty way in that life. They are made thirsty by the salt of such a living testimony for that same water of life which has so blessed. They knew him or her before, and now their imaginations are strained to know that this is the same person! Actually, it is not, but a new creature altogether in Christ!
There was quite a parade at the Temple that day. What had begun in prayer, ended in praise. The man who had begun his day a helpless and paralyzed creature ended his day a man leaping for joy and praising his Lord. It was the first Apostolic miracle to be performed. “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.” When God touches your life in such a manner as this, you will attract attention. The world is satisfied to leave you lying by the way at the gate. They will pay you no heed and will seldom drop a crumb in your cup. But when the Lord of Life has touched your desperate soul, the change will be noticed by all around. Our lives, changed by Christ, should attract the attention of unbelievers and make them thirst for that same Gospel which has filled you with the Water of Life!
