Think on these questions as you dwell in Acts 3:1-10:

1. How does the healing of the lame man by Peter and John at the temple demonstrate the authority and power of the name of Jesus? What impact does this miracle have on the witnesses at the temple?

2. In what way does the miraculous healing of the lame man serve as a symbolic representation of spiritual transformation and newness of life in Christ? How does this event reflect the broader message of salvation through faith in Jesus?

3. How should believers today approach the idea of having authority in the name of Jesus, as demonstrated by Peter and John in this passage? In what sense can we apply the lesson of spiritual empowerment and the joy of newfound life in Christ to our own lives and witness?

Transcript:

 So, we find ourselves here in an interesting transitional passage. We started out the book of Acts with Jesus ascending. And so, Jesus is no longer present, the spirit is sent, and the apostles are now the representatives of Jesus spreading the word here on earth. And then we have Pentecost.  You know, this is a big thing.

Peter preaches, people come to faith, we have all this happening. And so now what we're going to see is a passage That tells us something that happened in the lives of Peter and John that shows that they have this authority to teach. They have this authority to show that what they are teaching is true.

That there is some sort of change going on in the way things happen in God's economy. And so, here we have in verse 6, Peter and John are walking and this man who’s a beggar and is lame.  He, uh, is asking for money, asking for alms, and, and Peter and John have them look at them, and this is what Peter says to them now, I'm guessing when Peter and John started to talk  Maybe the guy's like look I want gold and silver Why are you giving me words, but it's going to turn out to be for the better We see that and what a what a blessing that is Peter says 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.

And so, here, Peter is proclaiming the name of Jesus, and by his authority, doing a miracle, right? And so, he takes this man by the hand. And raises him up and he's made strong. He's made well. And not only is he made well, he's leaping up. He stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them walking and leaping and praising God.

The idea here is that he is not only made well, he's not getting up and, and wobbling like a, a baby horse who's walking for the first time, right? He is strong. He is leaping and he's, he's, uh, jumping and praising God. He understands what has happened here. And so, in doing this, Peter is showing this man, and showing us, and showing the people in this area that the name of Jesus has power.

And so now Peter and John, Peter specifically, here's the one who held him, um, helped this man up.  But they have the authority to teach. And so when Peter spoke at Pentecost about the promises to, to God's people and the Messiah, That teaching had authority. And now when Peter and John go out and proclaim the gospel, they have authority.

It's not just simply because they were with Jesus or that they knew Jesus. Now, they are able to heal. But it isn't by their power. It isn't done by what Peter and John are doing. It's done because of Jesus and in his name. That is the important part of this. And it's also a witness to these people, as I mentioned, this is, this is a sign to these people here in the temple that, that this Jesus who was crucified, this one that is being proclaimed as resurrected, there’s power in his name.

And so, the people are seeing that, that this guy is praising God and he's walking. This is a guy who was asking for money just as I walked in here. What, what is going on? It's, as it says, are filled with wonder and amazement and as well they should be.  As well. They should be. This man was lame and now he can walk.

He is able to do this not because of anything that he's done, but because in the name of Jesus there is power.  And so, as we think about this, what, what is this specific miracle showing you and I, it's showing us the power of Jesus to give this man the ability to walk. And ultimately you and I as we think about this.

We, without Christ, are spiritually lame. We cannot follow him on our own. We need him to raise us up and give us newness of life. We're able to walk in newness of life because of what Jesus has done. And so like Peter and like John, now we're, we're not going to grab someone by the hand who's lame and say in the name of Jesus, walk.

That's not the purpose of what is happening right now. What was happening then? It was for Jesus to be able to be seen as the authority. By which Peter and John taught.  But we are able to speak in the power and the name of Jesus and say, I was dead in my sin, but Jesus made me alive. I could not follow him on my own, but he has helped me to walk in newness of life.

And so, now because of the faith that he has given me, I'm able to serve him and praise him. And so we should be doing what this man did. We should be walking and leaping and praising God for the life that he has given us. So may we step out into the world today with the joy that this man has because he was just able to walk and by God's grace He likely and because of this situation received salvation.

He had faith, but like this man we are now walking in newness of life We are walking in the name of Jesus Christ and we have life We have joy and isn't what we have in Christ better than simply being able to walk Because we have the hope of eternal life. We have the sure promise that our sins are forgiven.

What an amazing thing. May this truth bring us great, great joy today.