Bold Authority
Acts 3
We have seen the ascension of the Son, the descension of the Spirit, the first of Peter’s sermons, the addition of 3000 to the church, and a bold movement of believers in the beginning of the establishment of the church.
So we left off with Peter delivering his powerful message of Who Jesus is, and what He had done and what they had done to Him.
Peter says in 2:21:
It shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This book is for both the Jew and the Gentile, all access by faith in Christ.
Then he made some pointed remarks about the religious leaders, stating that they had crucified the Messiah who was sent by God.
When they heard this they were cut to the heart, and they asked, what must we do?
Peter told them to repent and be baptized.
And that day, 3000 were added to the church.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common, and they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, the breaking of bread, and the prayers, and day by day, God added to the number of those who were being saved.
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Acts 3:1-10
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
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One day we were walking as a family on the seawall by American Village. This would have been around 2011/2012 timeframe.
My boys would have been around 10/14/16. They are now 20/24/26…so this gives you some perspective on time.
My 10 year old is now 20!?!? How does that happen?
They were walking ahead of Hisami and I, and I began to imitate each one of them. I could do one of them the best, or so I thought. Later I would see a video of that son and I walking together, without me trying to imitate him, and do you know something…when I was imitating him, I was imitating my own walk…no wonder I could do it so well!
This is true not only of a literal walk, or of mannerisms, but also of our spiritual walk.
There is a reason the word says in Proverbs 22:6,
train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.
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How do you train up a child in the way He should go?
Ephesians 5:1-2 says
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Mom and dad, your children are watching, and most likely they are learning as much or more from what you do as they are from what you say. It is so important for us to be imitators of God, and this is an active part of training up our children,discipling them.
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Peter and John
Here are some Apostles in our text today in Acts chapter 3, Peter and John, did they walk with God? Did they watch Him? Did they receive training from Him?
Absolutely!
John is known as the beloved disciple.
The three closest were Peter, James, and John. This is who was with Jesus in the Garden when He was praying on the night He was betrayed.
John 13:23 says:
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side,
This is commonly thought of as being the disciple John.
John and James, both the sons of Zebedee were with Jesus from the very beginning of His ministry.
They would have heard all His teaching, walked miles and miles with Him.
Peter is the one who said in John 21:17,
“Lord you know all things…you know that I love you.”
When the news of the empty tomb came, it was Peter and John in John 20:4, who were running to the tomb.
These men walked with Jesus, and were now walking in Jesus name, because they knew Him, loved Him, and were filled with the Holy Spirit, poured out by Him.
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3:1 says
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
So here were Peter and John. Two of Jesus beloved disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit. They were going to the temple not just to pray, but to witness.
This is the ninth hour, which is known as one of the hours of prayer.
It is also the hour that Jesus bowed His head and gave up His spirit…3 PM.
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2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.
If you look at Acts 4:22, it says that this man was more than 40 years old. They would have known him, because for at least 30 years, he had been laid at the temple gate.
4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
Peter focused on the man.
This wasn’t just a glance. Imagine the glances that the man had received over 40 years.
And especially since he had been there for most of his life, asking for alms daily, he became a fixture at the gate of the temple. People would have stopped glancing, and likely began to ignore him, or drop some obligatory alms, but not really even notice the man.
Here was Peter… the bold Peter, and the word says Peter directs his gaze at him. He had to tell the man to look at them. This tells me that he was looking down.
When he heard the words look at us, he would look up, and see two men who were filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
He was still expecting to receive some alms, but look what Peter says.
4 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Peter, empowered by the Holy Spirit saw this man’s greater need. He didn’t need alms, he needed mercy and healing.
What was this man’s greatest need? Healing.
What is our greatest need? Healing.
How did healing come?
In the name of Peter? In the name of John?
NO…What does Peter say?
“I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
In the Name of JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH.
Rise up! Walk!
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8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
He has granted mercy to the man who was known as the lame beggar at the beautiful gate.
Now He is offering it to those who chose Barabus over Jesus. See they chose wrongly before, and He now through His healing power and might has sent the Spirit, indwelled in Peter and John, to proclaim even to these who shouted crucify Him, to give them grace and mercy, if they would receive Him.
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The sight of the lame beggar in view
What if he had been given the opportunity to be healed, and said, no thanks. I’ll just sit here in my misery and unhealth.
That would be insane wouldn’t it?
Do you know something that is more insane than that?
When someone is offered spiritual healing, eternal life, and they say, no thanks, I’ll just sit here.
Like this beggar, when offered, my prayer is that everyone would leap up at the opportunity that Jesus gives them to be with Him.
You see, we were all that lame beggar.
We all had a crippling need, that could not be fixed on our own.
What Peter and John brought, wasn’t their gift of alms, it was God’s gift of life to many.
They said RISE UP!
They are still saying that today, RISE UP and Walk Church.
Many of you have received that invitation, and are now called to be the Peter or John in the word, taking the good news to others.
Don’t sit back down, rise up church, be His witnesses. Proclaim this great treasure found in Jesus, start in your Jerusalem.
Let’s be followers of Christ on Mission with God.
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Discussion Questions:
When was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone in your sphere of influence? No, really…can you think of a day and time, when you actively shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
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What can you do this week to help someone else to “Rise UP”?
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What is a discipline that you can place in your life to change this from more than just a one week response to a message, to a lifestyle of sharing Jesus?
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