Present in the undercurrent of our passage today is this truth: a people eager to live out the gospel will be a people presented with opportunities to preach the gospel. The Holy Spirit will open up doors for us to preach. As we seek to walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit in our day-to-day lives, he will present us with unique opportunities to share the glorious message of Jesus Christ with others.
At the end of chapter 2, we see the early church exploding: “[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. [43] And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”
Well, in chapter 3, we catch a glimpse of the wonderful signs that the apostles performed. In our passage today, we will find the apostles healing a man who could not walk, which opened up an opportunity for Peter to share the gospel's truth with a large crowd.
Now, before we begin, I want to draw our attention to who is performing the miraculous works at this moment in time—“…many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” God was doing something special and unique in and through his apostles at this moment in time. I believe these unique works done through the apostles were intended to validate the apostles' message regarding Jesus in the early church.
I say that to say this: the apostolic ministry that we see in the book of Acts is not being continued today. Put more bluntly. The application of our passage is not for you to walk away thinking you can heal a lame man on the street. The application of our passage is not for you to feel guilty for not having enough faith because you aren’t like Peter. There was a unique power being displayed in and through the apostles at this time.
Now, with that being said, God has been, and always will be, a God of miracles. So, I am not saying that God has stopped working, nor am I saying that he has stopped healing. God is not bound by the laws of nature. He can do as he pleases. The God who parted the seas still moves mountains today. There is no sickness that He cannot heal. And through his word, the all-powerful God of the universe invites us to pray for healing. But just because he can heal, doesn’t mean he always will. Sometimes, God plans to display his power in and through our weakness. Sometimes God plans to teach us that his grace is sufficient for us in and through our lowest moments.
CONTEXT:
At the start of chapter 3, Peter and John go to the temple to pray. At the temple gate lies a lame man who was carried there to ask for alms from those entering the temple. In other words, he’s asking for help at a place where people are most generous.
As Peter and John walked by, the man asked them for help. Peter and John pause and look at him, and Peter says, “Look at us.”
The man directs his attention to them, expecting financial help from them. But, Peter responds, “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!”
He then takes him by the right hand and raises him up, and immediately, his feet and ankles are made strong. Leaping up, he stands and begins to walk. He enters the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. The man is full of joy and excitement over God's work in his life, leading to everyone taking notice! They saw him walking and praising God, recognizing him as the one who was once lame and asking for alms. As a result, they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
The man clung to Peter and John. The crowd was curious and ready to hear from them, which presented an opportunity for them to preach the gospel.
Now, before we get into Peter’s message, I want us to observe what led to his message more closely and see if there’s some application we can pull from it.
We live in a social media-driven age, don’t we? Social media can bring many good things, but it can also bring many bad things. When it comes to the church, one of the hidden adverse effects of social media is that it can taint our motives. It can lead us to turn private works into public works. It can lead us to believe that the world has to know about the good things we’ve done, turning private works into public works, turning works done for God’s glory into works done for our own glory.
So, with that in mind, let me ask you, “What captured the attention of the audience?” Was it Peter telling others of the work he’s done? Or was it simply the fruit of his work that captured their attention?
Nowhere in this passage do you find an ounce of evidence supporting the idea that they performed this work for personal gain. I’m convinced that if the man who was healed had not leaped, shouted, and clung to Peter, no one would have known it was Peter who had healed him. I’m convinced Peter and John would have been content exercising their good works in the shadows with zero recognition. And I believe Peter’s example demonstrates a proper view of gospel service. True gospel service must be an expression of love, not an expression of pride. True gospel service leaves behind the question, “How will this impact me?” True gospel service is content with only benefiting someone else.
Peter didn’t meet this need to acquire a crowd; he met this need as an expression of love for the glory of Christ. In our day and age, though, we feel the pressure to broadcast the work we do. When pride drives our hearts and motives, we will seek to use service to serve ourselves. We will use meeting another’s need as a marketing tool to build our brand and reputation. We will design shirts and make sentimental videos that capture the selfless acts we perform, then we will post them on our website or social media to show the world all the good works we do in our community.
But we must heed the warning Jesus gives during his sermon on the mount, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
As we see in Jesus’ words, practicing righteousness before others is not wrong. But it is wrong to practice righteousness before others in order to be seen by others. It’s our motive— our heart— that matters to Jesus. So, may we be a people eager and unashamed to practice righteousness publicly. May we be unashamed of the gospel. May we be anxious to serve and meet the needs of those around us. But may we never be eager to practice our righteousness before others in order to be seen by them. We ought to be a people who are content with crickets over trumpets. If no one ever sings our praises, we will be ok!
But, as we seek to practice our righteousness before others for our neighbor's good and Jesus’ glory, we must understand that people will likely notice. A life of obedience to Jesus will be a life of power. Impact will be made. Humble service that authentically meets the needs of those around us will authentically make an impact in the community around us, and impact breeds curiosity. A faith lived out in front of others will be noticed by others. So, if we are eager to live out the gospel, we must be ready to share the gospel. If we are willing to live out our faith, we must be willing to share our faith. Peter’s life opened up an opportunity for him to preach; the fruit of his actions promoted proclamation. The more we seek to authentically live out the gospel, the more opportunities we will likely have to proclaim the gospel.
So, let’s look at how Peter shares his faith after living out his faith.
When Peter saw the crowd, he quickly capitalized on the opportunity before him. He says to them,“[12] And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? [13] The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. [14] But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, [15] and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. [16] And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
[17] “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. [18] But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. [19] Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, [20] that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, [21] whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. [22] Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. [23] And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ [24] And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. [25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ [26] God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
I first want us to notice how Peter is adamant about getting the limelight off himself and onto Jesus. In verse 12, he says, “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power and piety we have made him walk?” And in verse 16, he says, “And his name—by faith in his name— has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”
So, throughout this message, Peter is adamant that it was not he who performed the work he accomplished. The healing God accomplished through Peter was not by Peter or for Peter; it was by Jesus and for Jesus. When God works in and through you to meet the needs of those around you, you will be tempted to bask in the glory of praise. But if the heartbeat of our life is the glory of Jesus, we should be eager to give him the glory when he works in and through us.
Now, we’ve all met that person who does something for a neighbor and then awkwardly points to the sky with their head down saying, “It’s all God, brother!” So, just some practical counsel here. We don’t have to make it any more awkward than it already is. A simple and humble explanation of what God has done in and through you will suffice— “God has blessed me, and I felt him leading me to bless you. So, together, we can praise God!”
But, notice how, as Peter shifts the limelight off himself, he promptly shifts their focus onto the cross. In doing so, he’s seeking to show his audience how the work of the cross was a part of God’s glorious plan of redemption. It wasn’t a moment of weakness; it was a moment of power. He says, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, who you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.”
What Peter does here is remarkable. He’s ironically contrasting their view of Jesus with God’s view of Jesus. In doing so, he’s highlighting their guilt in rejecting and killing their Messiah. The God they’ve always worshipped is the God who has glorified the one they crucified. The one they put in the grave is the one God raised from the grave. The one they delivered to Pilate is the one God exalted to heaven. The one they denied in the presence of Pilate is the one God has given the name above all names. The one they’ve declared as a criminal is the one God declared most glorious. The one they’ve mocked is the one all will one day bow before and confess as Lord.
When the opportunity arises, we want to rightly paint a beautiful portrait of the cross. The cross wasn’t a moment of weakness; it was a moment of power. As we talk about Jesus, we want to exalt Him as the one who is most worthy of worship and adoration.
Peter goes on to say in verses 14-15, “But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.”
These verses give Jesus three titles. In addition to being God's servant, Jesus is also the Holy One, the Righteous One, and the Author of Life. These are divine titles deserving of awe and wonder. As the Holy One, he is the one set apart, pure, and belonging to the Holy God of Israel. And as the Righteous One, he is the one who was completely innocent and just, walking in perfect obedience to the Father. So, (in these two titles) Peter is further highlighting the scandal of the cross. They mocked the servant of God. They let a murderer go free in the place of the Holy One. They declared the Righteous One guilty. But, not only that, they killed the author of life.
Author means originator, founder, pioneer, leader, or source. It implies Jesus being the source of life, the one by whom all things were made by, through, and for. The creator of life came to lay his life down on the cross. They killed the author of life. But God raised him from the dead. And they were all witnesses.
In Isaiah 53, we find the prophet Isaiah describing how God’s servant who would be exalted and lifted up would be despised and rejected by man. He would be “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” He would be “pierced for our transgressions; crushed for our sins.” Upon his shoulders would be the punishment that would bring us peace and healing.
Then in verse 11, he says, “By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous…” So, Peter is connecting the dots from Isaiah 53 to Jesus. He is saying that Jesus was the holy and righteous servant who came to die for the guilty; by his wounds, we can be healed. Through his work on the cross, we can be accounted righteous.
So, as we share the gospel, it’s important for us to be eager to address the scandal of it. The one who holds our life together willingly died in our place. The one who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. The holy one was publicly beaten and mocked. The righteous one was brutally crushed in our place. By his wounds we can be healed. The cross was a moment of power and grace because it viciously dealt with your guilt and shame.
But, for us to truly understand how remarkable the work of the cross is, we have to see how it was all a part of God’s predetermined plan of redemption. It was a fulfillment of prophecy. In verse 18, Peter says, “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But, what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, thus he fulfilled.” Then later on in verses 24-26, he says, “[24] And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. [25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ [26] God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
So, although they acted in ignorance, they still stand guilty before God. But the heinous act of injustice on the cross was a fulfillment of God’s predetermined act of redemption. All throughout history, God had been saying through the prophets that he would send his servant to suffer on behalf of his people. And throughout history, God has been saying through the prophets that blessing for all the families of the earth would come through this servant.
A key element of the gospel that we cannot miss is to whom it is offered. “All the families of the earth” can experience blessing in Christ Jesus. Part of the beauty of the gospel resides in the fact that it doesn’t discriminate. One of the beauties of the gospel lies in the fact that it shows no favoritism. All who are broken and lowly can come to Jesus and find life! In him is blessing. So, we don’t share the gospel with just the rich, nor do we share it with just the poor. We share it with everyone! We are eager to take the gospel to the ends of the earth!
And, if you’re met with the question, “Does Jesus love me?” You can emphatically say, “YES! For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life!”
As we share the gospel, we ask the question, “What is the proper response of the gospel?”
Well, Peter says, “Repent and turn back that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”
The language of Peter’s call here implies his audience walking in a direction away from God. Therefore, the call to repentance is a call to turn away from sin and return to God. The right response to the gospel is repentance, an abandonment of sin and a clinging to Christ, and when this takes place, forgiveness and renewal follow because we get Jesus. It’s the presence of the Lord that leads to refreshing restoration. With repentance, we get God. And a life with Jesus is far better than a life without him. In Jesus, we find forgiveness. In Jesus, we find blessing. In Jesus, we find restoration. In Jesus, we find refreshment. As we share our faith, we invite people into loving relationships with Jesus.