Sermon Tone Analysis

Just look at him… Oh man, he’s breaking your heart watching him… His friends took him out of his stinking bed and prepared him for another shift.

And they carried him to his usually spot, at the Temple gate.

It was just another day, the sky wasn’t any bluer the birds didn’t sing any louder, the sun didn’t shine any brighter...

And they left him there, by the Temple gate, with his useless legs out on a dirty rag.

A poor crippled man.

He never felt his legs, he never moved them.

Never ran as a boy, never walked as a man.

And today seams to be just a day, no better and no worse then all the other days of the tedious life of this poor crippled beggar.

Another boring useless day?

No, not today.

This is your day isn’t it?

He didn’t know yet, but today would take him from living a vegetative obscure life and obscure death, and would boost him into eternity.

Who was he, we don’t know.

The Bible reveals nothing about his life up to this day, and nothing about his life after this day.

But this day would be written about and read about by millions of people all over the world.

Acts 3:1.2 READ

This story - the healing of this congenital cripple man - is the story of my life and your life.

It demonstrates that Jesus Christ is truly raised from the dead, that He ascended into the heavens, seated at the right hand of God, that He is the Lord of all and Savior of his people.

And it demonstrates Jesus power and authority to continue to perform miracles in history after His ascension to heaven in 31 AD.

And the pinnacle of all miracles is saving sinners like me.

Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth.

And so in Acts 3 we find this type of miracle the apostles performed in the Name of, and by the authority of Lord Jesus Christ.

I will like to make some points about this Bible passage.

On that day, Peter and John went into the temple.

They had to go through the Court of the Gentiles and through the Court of Women to get to the Court of Israel, where they would join with other Jewish men for prayer.

On their way, they went through the Gate Beautiful, which opened to the Court of Women.

This beautiful gate was huge - 50 cubits high and 40 cubits wide.

Overlaid with Corinthian bronze, it was truly a work of art.

It might have also been known as the Nicanor Gate, named after a wealthy man from Alexandria, Nicanor, who supposedly donated it.

Here Peter and John encountered a congenital cripple who was begging for alms.

In Bible times, poor beggars were found often by rich people's houses as well as by busy streets and anywhere else people would pass.

They were especially found near the temple gates and this still true today.

Beggar gypsies are around churches in Romania; the same in France and UK.

Paris and London’s churches are literally homes for many beggars.

Chased by police, they return always back.

In my last trip I saw a large number of beggars.

There are so many beggars there is no way one could respond to all of them.

The solution is not to “see” them.

But the beggars made this difficult.

Those who are movable would press themselves on you.

They would approach you, tugging at your sleeve and pleading for help.

Those not able to move would call loud for charity.

The beggar would be aggressive, something like the salesmen as you walk through the appliance section at Sears.

You would concentrate on not seeing them as they converge on you, and you hurry to get through the section before you are trapped.

Beautiful gate but repulsive beggars all around it - what a contrasting picture!

Go away beggar, I cannot see this place because of you… I came to this church, and I entered trough this beautiful gate to enjoy myself, to admire the view, to listen nice music and good sermons… But you, miserable beggar, you ruin my day!

Let’s take a closer look at the crippled man as a type of a sinner This particular beggar was 40 years old and had been a cripple all his life.

He did not suffer an accident and become.

He was born that way.

He doesn’t know how wonderful is to walk.

Actually, he never tried to walk.

Look at him in his childhood - every kid running, jumping, climbing… he can’t.

Frustration.

As a teenager, he is looking depressed how others go for a diner with their girlfriends.

He can’t.

He will never find a girl willing to date and marry a crippled man, unable to work and to sustain a family.

No social security benefits or a monthly pay check from Medicare… He had to beg to support himself.

Not easy, isn’t?

To beg… to stay like this in a visible spot and to keep your hand opened: “Please, give my some money, please”… (Go away, go to work for yourself, oh, you can’t?

OK, ask your relatives to help you, I have my own problems!)….

“This unfortunate man had long desired to see Jesus, that he might be healed; but he was almost helpless, and was far removed from the scene of the great Physician's labors.

His pleadings at last induced some friends to bear him to the gate of the temple, but upon arriving there, he found that the One upon whom his hopes were centered, had been put to a cruel death”.

AA 57.2

The Spirit of Prophecy tells us the crippled beggar knew about Jesus.

He heard something about Jesus: Jesus TEACHINGS and Jesus miracles… However, either he didn’t trust this news about the divine healer; either he postponed a meeting with him.

So the day when he finally decided to ask his carriers to bring him to Jesus, he realized that Jesus was crucified.

And after Jesus teachings and Jesus miracles, he understood something about Jesus’ SACRIFICE.

But the time passed, the Holy Spirit came into apostolic church and the apostles begin fulfilling the great commission:

to preach Jesus expiatory death and his resurrection!

And the crippled heard again something new: Jesus’ teachings, Jesus miracles, Jesus resurrection, and now he understood that Jesus DIED for everybody sins, including his!

He knew by then the religion basics.

And now I would like to ask you a question: what is worth it for all this knowledge?

Is it any good for this hemiplegic man to know religion?

Is it any good for us to have knowledge, to know about Jesus’ teachings, Jesus miracles and Jesus sacrifice, while we still crippled?

Paralyzed?

Unable to walk?

It is any good for a paralyzed man to sit in his wheel chair in front of his TV set, watching a show with a former crippled guy now cured and walking?

The Scripture tells us that he was carried to that beautiful temple gate daily and placed there to beg alms.

A devout worshiper will toss him a coin or two, showing mercy to a miserable beggar.

This was considered to be commendable, especially to self-righteous Pharisees.

Keep in mind: the beggar is placed not into the Temple, but outside, at the gate… Inside the Name of the Lord is praised.

Inside = worship.

Outside = begging.

I’m afraid that many worshipers, still outside in their spiritual experience.

They are staying and begging at the gate.

Pleeeease Lord, give me this, give me that, be with me, conduct me, help me.

Religion as a lifetime continuous begging.

Asking God to give us blessings, but from the courtyard.

From an outside relation with Him.

Because, inside is the Sanctuary and you have to enter bringing a sacrifice and praising God.

Outside is more convenient…

Is your experience as well?

Just staying outside of an authentic relationship, staying at the gate and begging little bit of this, little bit of that… Being unhappy when not receiving, and being satisfied with a little coin of blessings from time to time…

Staying out because we think God did so little for us.

We used to say “God did wonderful thinks for me”… 20 years ago!

How about now.

Nah!, not now…And inside we compare ourselves with others, and we are resentful ... It seems that God helped, healed, and enrich others but not us...

And God did so little for us because we didn’t ask him for real!

Seriously!

Not just playing religion.