Sermon Tone Analysis
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Public Reading of Scripture
Prayer
Introduction
The early believers in Jesus devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42).
This devotion to the things of God was lived out every day.
They attended the temple together every day (Acts 2:46).
The Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved every day (Acts 2:47).
God is present every day.
Not just yesterday, not only tomorrow, but even today.
Every day belongs to God.
As a reminder of this, times of prayer were built into the Jewish schedule of worship at the temple.
The temple itself is known as a place of sacrifice and offerings, but it was a house of prayer — that’s how Jesus described it.
Do you remember when Jesus entered the temple courts and began to drive out those who were selling things there?
As he was driving out the merchants he quoted the Scriptures in Isaiah where, “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers!” (Luke 19:45-46).
Prayer is important, and it remains an important daily practice of the early believers.
Not only individually and in homes, but also together and in the temple.
The hours were counted beginning at sunrise.
The ninth hour was about 3:00 PM.
It is called the “hour of prayer.”
And at this hour or prayer, a miracle is recorded — the first miracle performed by the apostles in the book of Acts!
Luke does this in his writing, often recording God’s activities at times of prayer.
The message is unmistakable: God’s power is available through prayer.
God acts through prayer!
God STILL acts through prayer!
As Peter and John are going to pray, they encounter what verse 2 presents as a contrast between:
I. Brokenness vs. Beauty
We are introduced to a man who is lame — that means, he is crippled.
He is disabled.
He is unable to walk.
This wasn’t a later development in his life, for the scriptures say he has been lame from birth (lit.
“from his mother’s womb”).
He wasn’t dropped as an infant.
He didn’t suffer an accident as a child.
This is no fault of his own!
He was born this way — He was born…broken.
This brokenness made for a very difficult and dependent life — dependent on the mercy of others to survive.
For him, he was dependent on the mercy of the religious — of those who claim to worship the one, true living God.
We are introduced to this man as he is being carried by others, and laid at the gate of the temple where he would ask alms of those entering the temple.
Alms were gifts that were given to the needy.
He was our homeless man with the cardboard sign asking for money, work or food.
This was his identity.
This was his life.
This happened, verse two says, every day.
Brokenness vs. Beauty.
The contrast of this man’s condition with the place where he was laid is vivid.
The temple court could be accessed by multiple gates, but the scriptures tell us this broken man was laid at the gate that is called “Beautiful.”
This was the main and largest gate, made of the most expensive bronze, located on the east, facing the sanctuary.
As the sun rose in the morning just imagine how it would shine on this bronze gate and the east of the sanctuary.
This sight would be especially beautiful.
(IVP Background Commentary/Keener).
So it is, the Psalmist says:
But not this man!
He was laid at the gate, and could go no further.
While others were inspired by Beauty, he was reminded that he was broken.
This brokenness for him, was a barrier for worship.
And not only was this man broken - he was also broke!
(CCE).
The only financial means he had was what he was given.
He begged for help from those passing by.
Begging in our culture is viewed as unpleasant.
Begging in his culture was also viewed as unpleasant!
(Keener).
Beggars had to beg boldly or stay poor.
They could not be shy about their needs (Keener).
So he asks Peter and John for help.
Now, Peter and John had been going into the temple every day.
It is possible (and even probable) that they had passed by this man before.
He was well known by the people there.
So what got their attention this time?
This man would have been there long enough that even Jesus would have been at the temple while this man was there.
And yet, we have no record of Jesus interacting with this man or healing him before now.
So why now?
We can’t answer questions about God’s timing.
But we do trust that what God does in his timing, he does for a purpose.
God has a purpose, even for brokenness.
Perhaps it was for this very moment, that this man remained broken, so that he might be healed in Jesus’ name?
Perhaps it was to show how hopeless this man’s condition was?
If Jesus had passed him by on his visits to the temple, Jesus would have been his only hope.
So his only hope was gone.
His only hope had passed him by.......or did he?
Our circumstances are every bit a part of our testimony.
What we are experiencing now, be it trials or tribulations, are not evidence of God’s abandoning us, they are testimony builders for what God will do in His timing for his purposes.
This is not an insignificant miracle.
This healing and its aftermath take two full chapters in Acts.
It causes quite a stir, and it ultimately leads to the first opposition the apostles will face in their ministry for Jesus.
It is certainly no accident that it is associated with the hour of prayer, as a reminder that all ministry, healing, and waiting is dependent upon God.
So what made Peter and John notice this man this time?
The answer is that this man reached out to them on the basis of his need (Keener).
He asked.
He asked for help.
What things do we not have because we have simply not asked?
In his asking, the text brings out a second contrast.
That of:
II.
Help vs. Health
For this man, there is a difference between help and health.
He asked for help.
He is given health.
He asked to receive alms.
He asked to receive money so that he might survive another day.
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