"One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God...Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say." (Excerpts from Acts 3 and 4)
Ever ask yourself, "Why don't we still see the miracles of the Bible?" I know I have (although, the global explosion of Christianity has seen the miraculous in places with undeveloped theology and a hunger for God...maybe something we should take note of). As I have been reading this passage over the last few days, however, I realize that two miracles took place. Obviously, the healing of the lame man's feet and ankles was physically miraculous. A man who hadn't walked for his entire life was jumping and dancing! Unbelievable! Yet, the second miracle may have been greater than the first. This man, who I would imagine would have been a pitiful site, begged at the Temple in a heap as a way of life. People likely pitied him or were disgusted by him. This same man, was now completely transformed in personality, spirit, and attitude. Imagine the most sour, down-on-their-luck, depressed person you know and then imagine them running through your neighborhood with joy, praising God for new life. I would consider that pretty miraculous too, wouldn't you?
Notice that after Peter's sermon, the Sanhedrin aren't concerned with his message or his theology. Anyone could argue with words or a belief system, and the courts surely did throughout the Gospels and the New Testament. What they couldn't argue with is that a man's life had been completely transformed physically and spiritually. He stood before them changed and they couldn't write that off. Maybe, then, we should be less concerned with our theology and more concerned with being agents of change in the world. Theology is definitely important, and I don't mean to downplay it, but if you know Christ you know enough to be a catalyst for change in the life of a hurting person. Stop over-thinking and over-talking and just start doing. The Holy Spirit can handle our clumsy words and our inability to articulate an article of faith.
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