Introduction: Acts 3 tells the story of Peter and John healing a lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful. This miraculous event leads to a powerful sermon by Peter, calling the people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The chapter is a display of the power of God working through the apostles and the importance of sharing the gospel message with others. We will dive deeper into this chapter verse by verse to see the impact it had on the world then, and now in year 2024.
I. The Healing of the Lame Man (Acts 3:1-10)
Peter and John encounter a man who has been lame from birth begging at the temple gate. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, commands the man to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ. The man is instantly healed, and he begins to walk, jump, and praise God, attracting the attention of all those in the temple. The Bible records another man who was healed by Jesus in Matthew 21:14, Jesus heals the lame in the temple, showing that Peter and John are continuing the work of Jesus. In Mark 16:18, Jesus promises that believers will lay hands on the sick and they will recover, which is fulfilled in this passage, and is still be fulfilled, even in our day with believers around the world. James 5:17-15 speaks of the power of faith and group faith, saying the prayer of faith will heal the sick, as as did Peter’s faith in healing the lame man.
II. Peter’s Next Sermon (Acts 3:11-26)
As the crowd gathers in amazement, Peter seizes the opportunity to preach the gospel. He tells them that the healing was not done by his own power, but by the power of Jesus Christ, whom they had crucified. Peter calls them to repent and turn to God, so that their sins may be wiped out and they can receive the promised Holy Spirit. Peter’s first sermon on the Day of Pentecost is in Acts 2:38, that sermon is much the same as this one, there he calls for repentance of sins, and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. This is a fulfillment of Jesus’ words as can be seen in Luke 24:47, where Jesus commanded the disciples to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations, which Peter is doing here. Hebrews 13:12 gives much the same message as Peter is saying; Jesus suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his blood.
Conclusion: In Acts 3, we see the apostles continuing the ministry of Jesus by healing the sick and preaching the good news of salvation. The chapter challenges us to be bold in our faith and to share the message of Jesus with others. The power of God is at work in us, and through us, and we are called to be witnesses to the world. Just as the lame man was healed and his life was transformed, so too can our lives be changed by the power of the gospel, and then we can go on to help others.
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