Today I just registered and purchased the new permanent web address for CDM and it will be dodgemonotony.com! Ok, the only real difference is that blogspot won't be in the address anymore (which will sure make it easier to say, right?).
Let's get to Acts 3...
Acts 3 (Read it here)
Peter and John go to the temple for a prayer service when they see a disabled man being carried in and dropped off beside the 'Beautiful Gate.' (vs. 1-2) Many scholars believe that this gate was further from the outer walls of the temple, meaning that only wealthy or prominent leaders within society would pass him by. Since Peter and John were quite influential, they walked right past this man. He, of course, asked them for money. (v. 3)
Peter called out to the man. The man was excited, thinking that a donation was coming his way. Just as Jesus had instructed these men previously, they didn't carry money, extra clothes or a walking stick, so gold and silver was out of the question.
Peter is moved with compassion (just as Jesus had been many times before) and confidently told the man to "get up and walk." (v. 6) The man's disability was undoubtedly the reason why he was forced to beg in the first place. Peter gives the man back control over his body and, in many ways, his life back.
There are two clues in verses 8 & 11 that lead me to believe that the Beautiful Gate was not the entrance for prominent leaders within society. First of all, the now-healed man accompanies Peter and John to where they were going. A poor beggar is not a wealthy, influential leader. And second of all, Solomon's Colonnade (also known as Solomon's Porch) was located in the Gentile courtyard (or outer courtyard) of the temple. Only Jews were allowed entrance to the actual temple. However, this doesn't mean that only Gentiles were present in this courtyard, Jews would have to go through the Gentile courtyard anyway to enter the temple.
Want to see what I'm talking about? Check out this map.
Just like in Acts 2, this miracle gets everyones attention. It also helps that the man is jumping around, singing praises to God, causing a commotion. Everyone noticed that this was the same disabled man who had always asked for their spare change.
Peter takes advantage of this opportunity, as he did in Acts 2.
All throughout Luke we saw Jesus humiliating the Pharisees and religious leaders for their pompous attitude, arrogance and fake piety. So Peter knows fair well not to elevate himself but give due credit to God for the miracle that had just happened.
As Jesus said, being humble will cause others to elevate you. (See Luke 14:11 to get a refresher)
This miracle was performed by God to give glory to Jesus, "the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate's decision to release him." (v. 13) This statement had to have a particular sting to it when it was received by any Jew. Its like saying, "this Roman knew better than you did!" And trust me, Jews did not like Romans.
(Paraphrasing) You picked a murderer (Barabbas) over the author of life (Jesus)! But God raised Jesus from the dead and there's no denying it. (v. 14-15)
The man was healed not because Peter uttered Jesus' name like a magic spell, but because the disabled man had adequate faith to believe that he could be healed. His faith in Jesus healed him! (v. 16)
I love the way Peter empathizes with the crowd when he says, "I realize what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance." (v. 17) He can empathize because he himself denied Jesus and fled the scene was the heat got too hot. Peter protected his own backside when he thought he could suffer, too. In many ways, Peter has no room to blame anyone for denying Jesus. But he's making up for it by devoting his life to the ministry wholeheartedly. (I say this not just because Peter proclaims the gospel until he dies but because he is also later executed by being crucified. However, Peter is said to have requested to be hung upside down because he wasn't worthy to be killed the same way his Lord was. Wow.)
Peter simply asks for them to "repent of your sins and turn to God." (v. 19) This must be the central requirement of salvation. Notice that baptism is NOT mentioned here as it was in Acts 2. Why? Simply because the ritual of washing the body could never actually clean the inside of a person. Baptism is and always will be an outward symbol of an inner change and conscious decision to follow Christ.
Verse 20 is most interesting to me. The "times of refreshment" seems to speak of the peace that one receives from being released from the burden of sin (as in what some call 'making peace with God'). Send you Jesus, at the end of verse 20, is not a spiritual sending of Jesus to live in your heart or soul, as many Americans describe receiving Jesus (ask Jesus into your heart). It refers to how God will send Jesus at the end of days to come for those that belong to Him. That will be the Jesus that will be sent to them!
Peter uses probably the two biggest names in all of Israelite history to back up his argument here: Moses and Abraham. Moses was a savior in his own right. God used him to bring his people out of slavery in Egypt. Even Moses pointed to this capital p-Prophet, Jesus. (v. 22) Those who don't follow Jesus, will not be rescued by God, they will be cut off. (v. 23)
Everyone here, either Jewish or Gentile, has a connection to Abraham. It is traditionally thought that Ishmael (Abraham's son through his wife's servant) was the father of the Gentiles and Isaac (Abraham's miracle son with his wife Sarah) continued the line of the Jewish people. So, everyone is blessed through Abraham. (v. 25)
The purpose of raising Jesus from the dead was not to belittle all who denied him but to bless them by giving them a way out of their sins. Just as Abraham was a blessing to both Gentiles and Jews, Jesus is now the ultimate blessing who leads all of humankind back to God. That is, if they choose so.
Questions
1.) Peter had to empathize with his audience because he was also guilty of denying Christ (three times, actually). Have you ever done something to make you feel unworthy to be a Christ-follower only to be put in a situation later where you have to call out someone else's poor decision, attitude, lifestyle? How did you feel? Did you go through with it?
2.) In Acts 2 Peter gives two requirements for being a Christ-follower (repent and be baptized). Here in Acts 3, he only says repent. Baptism is not mentioned. Do you believe that someone has to be baptized to be saved? If not, how important do you think it is to be baptized at all?
3.) Basically, everyone in the world is blessed through Abraham. However, we ultimately have the choice of choosing Jesus, the ultimate blessing to this world, as being 'connected' to us. Have you reached out to Christ to be connected with him? If not, what's stopping you?
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