Acts 3:1-6

 

Rachel Workman: 3 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. ² As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

⁴ Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. ⁶ But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,^[a] get up and^[b] walk!”

Eagerly expecting one thing and getting something much better. That is what God is capable of.

____________________________________________________________________________________

John Burnett:  3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple grounds, he began asking to receive a charitable gift. 4 But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!”  We should all be like the beggar who cannot walk.  Our handicap is our sin and we should be begging for God's grace and mercy.  The problem is that the world thinks they can walk and that it is full of good people when the exact opposite is true.  Peter, representing Jesus Christ, healed this man of his handicap.  The Holy Spirit does the same for us today.  He opens our eyes and frees us our sin handicap and because our hearts are wretched and deceitful, He gives us a new heart and we become a new creation.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Monday’s reading for Acts 3:7-11

⁷ Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. ⁸ He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

⁹ All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. ¹⁰ When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! ¹¹ They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.