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by Sandy Shaw
We move on to Acts Chapter 3, but let's remember the situation. At the end of Acts Chapter 2 there is such real fellowship in The Church of Jesus Christ, with a sharing of possessions as well as problems. They continue meeting in The Temple for worship, but breaking bread in the homes of other believers, and eating together. These disciples of Jesus are praising God, enjoying the favour of the people, and the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
We see what happened when Peter and John ministered to a cripple - to a man who had never walked. He must have been carried there each day, in order to beg, and there must have been occasions when Jesus walked past that man. He is in his 40's.
When Peter and John approached him, he gave them a look, and they give him a look, and Peter spoke. Read Peter's words. Peter took him, and helped him up. His feet and ankles received strength, which he had never previously experienced, and within a few minutes he is walking, jumping and praising God. He was not concerned about his dignity. Being dignified in The Temple was not an issue for him. He had been down all his days. He needed a lift! So do we when we may be down. The people knew something had happened. They were filled with wonder and amazement.
Again, Peter has some explaining to do, and he is quite blunt. Through faith in the name of Jesus this man has become strong. Jesus has given him complete healing, and you can see it. Not only can Peter be quite blunt but he can also be quite comprehensive. He omits nothing important.
Peter appeals to those listening. He links GOD, the PROPHETS, CHRIST and the CROSS, and by verse 19 Peter is telling people what to do. Peter now knows people need to do something. Turn to God. Sort things out. Put things right. Peter is quite practical. Peter quotes Moses, and in 23 he is teaching that anyone who pays no attention to Jesus Christ will be cut off from his people.
God first of all wants to bless you, and God wants to do it in a specific way. Peter goes all the way back to Moses. Trouble soon comes on the scene. This is the first real trouble, and is different from mocking and being laughed at and ridiculed as you are mistaken for being drunk.
The authorities are greatly disturbed, because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming that Jesus is risen from the dead. Peter and John are seized, arrested and jailed. The religious leaders show no concern shown for the healed man. It is as if they are not interested. But there is fruit. More people come to believe on this occasion, and there are now around 5,000 believers in Jesus. Peter had a ministry of challenging people.
Why did GOD not just deal with these authorities there and then, and permit no humiliating suffering and restrictive imprisonment? Why limit these men by having them imprisoned? Many questions do arise, but that just happens to be the way God allowed the situation to develop.
Jesus had said "FOLLOW ME", not only when they were first called, but also at the Lakeside 10 days or so after He had risen from the dead. "Follow Me" is comprehensive, as Jesus not only allows His Healing Power to flow through these men, but they are to experience imprisonment too, just as Jesus was imprisoned.
The next day Peter and John are brought before the authorities, who question them about their behaviour and how they were able to do what they did. Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God fills him, and with great respect he answers, making it clear that Jesus Christ is the source of this cripple's healing.
There is a COST in PENTECOST! The one you rejected is the capstone. He is the one who holds everything together. Peter goes on to proclaim salvation pointing to its unique source and explaining how necessary it is. WE MUST BE SAVED.
Many questions are answered. Some remain unanswered. I read just three or four weeks ago, "We hear people say, 'Jesus is the Answer'. No, He is not. Jesus Christ is the Saviour, the Lord, the King. Jesus is the Way, The Truth, The Life." Jesus is much much more than an answer. In fact the more we serve Him and the longer we are one of His disciples, the more precious He becomes.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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