Get up and walk

Steve VanDalen

What if? • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Acts 3:6

Healing

Compassion

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Peter and John meet a lame man at the beautiful gate and he experiences healing.

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Intro

We can often struggle, with our calling especially in light of our schedule. So often our gifts go by the wayside to meetings, or life or other things. Instead we have to be prepared for God to use our lives to change the lives of others. Hope. Our role is to live as a new creation in fellowship with God.

Vs. 1-3

The New King James Version Chapter 3

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, 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 from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.

This is an amazing account put forth by Luke. First we see that John and Peter still stuck t tradition and custom for a while after they knew God. At this time the Jewish custom was to pray at 9am, noon, and 3pm, and that the consistency was key. That’s a good schedule. What is important hear is not where or how often they were praying but that they were praying. What I love here is that this mindset in prayer led to these men being prepared. Boy scouts. The truth is that so often in life we are not prepared for the ministry situations that God brings. The first lesson today is that if we are in a consistent prayer life with God that will allow us to be more prepared. Now there is some question as to what and where the beautiful gate was, most feel it was the East gate of the temple, at this place there laid a man that had been crippled since birth. We will meet him soon. What is interesting is that this men sought his completeness and healing around the people of God. When we examine the world we see so often that people have expectations when Christians come in the room. What expectations do we have? Do people think we are generous? Now alms was big in that culture because of their emphasis on charity, so that contributed to this expectation. As the scene unfolds we see that there will soon be a face to face meeting.

Vs. 4-7

The New King James Version Chapter 3

4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: 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.

As Peter and John are staring at him it is important to note that this moment was pivital. When eye contact was made that is when both sides knew something was going to happen. Eye contact. We also see here that peter and john had compassion on the man. They had walked by a hundred times and not seen, that is so important for us that when God moves our hearts with compassion He will give us vision as well. Sensitive hearts. What I love is that Luke says here that in this moment the lame beggar defineatly expected something. That is when Peter said one of the most poetic and profound things. SIlver and gold I have not get up and walk. Wait, what? The man had a need met that he was not expecting, and Peter gave him something that the apostle was not expecting.

A few things here, first we see that God used their routine to change lives. So often we get stuck in a rut and feel like God can’t use us. The truth is that we so often want a way to break out of the routine, instead they used the routine. Get us out of here. See that’s the thing if we wre in a routine for the sake of routine that might need to be shook up, but if our routine is for God’s glory then we will see things change. God uses our routine. The next thing here is that they used the authority of God, if you are going to tell someone that cannot walk to get up and walk you had better be sure that God is moving. It is ok to be bold and fail but we must learn from that. Peter knew what would happen. Praise God. Lastly here we see the unexpected nature of using the Holy Spirit. See Peter did not wake up that morning with a plan to go to he beautiful gate and tell this man to stand up, it was a decision made on the spot. This flexibility only comes from that preparation that was done in prayer. Pray to prepare. We have to be flexible willing to follow God when He calls, to do that we have to be willing to live in a place of hope with Him. Finally here it was the power of the name of Jesus that caused his bones to set back and receive strength. It was not until Peter put God out there that the man was healed. Don’t ever forget the power of that name.

Vs. 8-10

The New King James Version Chapter 3

8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

When the man was healed he went with Peter and John to the temple, he leaped and jumped and walked. He used his new freedom and went with them to pray. This is so amazing to me that he used his healing immediately and went to praise God. Used healing. There are so many times where God heals us yet we do not thank Him. 10 lepers. Sometimes that thanks can even come in our lives as we live as new creations, no going back. How did he bring glory to God? Everyone in the temple recognized him. They saw him as the beggar by the gate. If people know us by our weaknesses, then will they see us as changed.?

I am new. Let’s consider that as we live.

That is the lesson of this passage that we never know when Jesus will bring us a beautiful encounter and we must be prepared to be used or to receive the blessing of God no matter how mundane my life may seem.