Good morning, I pray that you are well. Thank you for reading.
Today, I want to jump into scripture, because last week we left Peter and John, and Peter was just beginning to roll. Through him, the Holy Spirit of God had just healed a man crippled from birth, a man who daily had been carried to the temple gate called Beautiful. This man had been carried to this spot, presumably by friends, for many years. Everyone who came through the temple gate called Beautiful would have recognized him, people would have remembered seeing him.
We have people like this in Concord. I’ll tell you about one, most would call him a town drunk. His nickname is “Da-Da”. We’ll call him “Thomas”. He is an alcoholic living on the streets of Concord.. He is in his early 70s, he is incontinent, which means he smells of urine. We cannot get “Thomas” to bathe. Therefore, we cannot allow him into Opportunity House, because, in a way, he is the modern version of unclean.
A couple years back, we actually got “Thomas” to a peer support, he detoxed, sobered up, and we got him into housing, regular doctor visits, he was doing great. He’d wear blue jeans and a bright golf shirt, a polo, he looked wonderful. The police couldn’t believe that he had gotten clean and sober. He’s the same sweet man sober that he is drunk. Well, about a year or so back, “Thomas” fell off the wagon, and he’s back to being “Da-Da” again.
If you’re in downtown Concord often, my guess is that you have seen “Thomas”. Once you do, you’ll never forget him. Just like the crippled man from birth who used to sit near the temple Gate called Beautiful. From last week, Acts 3:6-10,
“Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
This healing is a big deal at the temple. It causes quite the commotion. It’s like Jesus is back in town. But there is no sign of Jesus. There is just Peter and John, and the former cripple, now healed, who used to sit at the temple gate called Beautiful.
Acts 3:11, I love this verse.
“While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.”
Luke, the author of Acts, can no longer call him a cripple, because he is healed. He is not a cripple. God has healed him. So Luke instead, has to call him something, so he calls him a beggar.
And this is so cool, the beggar has not let go of Peter and John. He’s so excited, maybe still unsure of his balance, maybe he’s thinking if he lets go of Peter and John he’ll be a cripple again. Whatever the reason, he’s hanging on tight. Acts 3:12, Peter notices all the commotion from all the people running into the Colonnade.
“When Peter saw this, he said to them: ‘Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?’”
Well, I can make a guess at this question. Why did they all look surprised? Because Jesus used to do this all the time, but he was gone. Everyone was wondering how they did this. Peter will tell them how, but first he is going to teach them some Old Testament history, let’s take a peek at Exodus 3:5-6, Moses is at the burning bush.
“‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”
Every Jew in the temple knew this story from early childhood. It was ingrained in their memory, a visceral, deep understanding of how Moses felt afraid and why Moses had felt afraid. Peter is going to tap into this deep emotional bond that all Israelites have with Moses.
Peter is going to establish his credentials, his bona fides. He is going to give evidence of the authority that Christ had bestowed on each of the disciples before he left.
And just like each prophet in the line of good prophets, that began with Moses, Peter, is going to teach and prophesy like a prophet, a spokesman for God. Acts 3:13-16,
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
First, and I have to say this, Peter sounds like Jesus himself. This is because Peter is being led by the Holy Spirit of God. You will sound like Jesus too, if you are being led by the Spirit of God.
We are not Jesus when this happens. We are like Jesus, we are speaking like Jesus, because the words are very correct scripturally, and the context, and the syntax is appropriate.
Jesus’ words came straight from his Father. When we are Spirit led, our words come straight from the Father via the Holy Spirit.
Next, notice how Peter does not mince words as to the guilt and blood that are on the hands of the Men of Israel. The list of guilt is undeniable:
- They handed Jesus over to be killed.
- They disowned Jesus before Pilate, even when Pilate was going to release him.
- They disowned the perfect, sinless Son of God and Son of Man.
- They added insult to this by asking that a murderer be released instead of Jesus.
- And they killed the author of life, the Creator of life on earth.
There are times in a trial when the defense attorney can score points against the prosecution. However, at the citing of this list, the men of Israel, all knowing what they know, remembering what they had witnessed, which is this: That this list is true; there is no rebuttals possible. There is no excuse.
The feeling deep in the hearts of the men of Israel is this: conviction. I would say the very conviction that we all feel when faced with the long list of our sins.
Which then leads to this point, which all of us can relate to: We also are guilty of this same list of crimes against the Almighty. It is undeniable, irrefutable, Christ’s blood IS on each of our hands.
On each of our hands until, we ask the victim of our crimes for forgiveness. Until we ask Jesus to forgive us of all of our sins, which he does, and then, just as Peter helped up the cripple turned beggar who used to sit at the temple gate called beautiful, Jesus takes us by the hand and cleanses us in his blood, making us, at that very moment, as white as snow.
Peter then explains exactly how the cripple was healed. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to the cripple who begged at the temple gate called beautiful. Peter has given the men of Israel their sulphur, now it is time for the molasses. Acts 3:17-18,
“Now brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.”
Here, Peter is beginning to open the minds of the men of Israel to the presence of Jesus within the Old Testament scripture. He’ll make a reference like this again, further along as he finishes. Now he begins his close and he finishes strong, Acts 3:19-21,
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who had been appointed for you–even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”
Repentance is a change of mind and will that results from one’s sorrow for their sin. It follows conviction. Simply put, repentance is turning from sin and faith is turning to God.
This is when, at this point in Peter’s presentation, you realize that Peter, having been taught how to become a fisher of men, and Peter having learned this, is now fishing for men. To be able to do this one must understand the flow of guilt, conviction, repentance, forgiveness, faith, and salvation.
The men of Israel have been looking for their Redeemer for hundreds of years. Peter, as a truly accomplished fisher of men, has just introduced to all the Jews within the sound of his voice, the idea that the Jesus they had crucified a few weeks ago, was this Redeemer that they had been looking for for so long. This is a “Did I do that?” moment.
Let me explain. In the 90’s there was a TV show called “Family Matters”, that we just loved. One of the characters was a young man named Steve Urkyl. He continuously messed up situations and then said, after realizing his mistake, “Did I do that?” The men of Israel now feel the same way about their mistreatment and murder of Jesus. Acts 3:22-23,
“For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his own people.”
Well, if you are a man of Israel hearing this, your mind is spinning, because you now realize you didn’t just kill some guy named Jesus, but that this guy Jesus was the very prophet that Moses had been talking about 1500 years ago. And then, if that’s not bad enough, Moses says if you don’t listen to him you will be cut off from the people. Now they’re thinking, we didn’t just not listen to Jesus, we killed him. Peter does not stop there. Acts 3:24-26, and I’m finishing.
“Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.’”
Only the coldest of hearts resisted this message from Paul. We’ll find out who did what next week.
Let us pray, please agree with me.
Father,
Help me not to be an unrepentant sinner with the blood of Jesus on my hands. Please forgive me of all of my sins. Help me not to sin anymore.
I confess Jesus Christ of Nazareth as my Savior, King, and Lord of all. I believe in him and want to live for and with him, forever.
I thank you Lord for my forgiveness of all my sins, and my salvation through my faith in Jesus as my Savior, King, and Lord of all.
Please guide me with your Spirit to help others to find Jesus like me.
In Jesus name I pray, your will be done, Amen.
Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
Blessings,
Thad Brown
Opportunity House
and Harmony Church
Concord