Readings:
Sermon:
In todays’ lectionary reading we will be looking at Peter preaching in the temple in Acts 3:12-19. Maybe you’d like to have that open your bible to that as I share some thoughts on the passage.
Here we are in the book of acts.
Pentecost had happened. The spirit was poured out. And thousands of people had began to follow Jesus. The first church was born. They were living in community together. Sharing their belongings and food. And people kept coming to faith!
One day John & Peter go to the temple and see the man lame from birth and instead of giving him money they pray for healing for him. They ask him to stand and immediately he could walk. The people knew who this guy was. They knew this was a miracle. And they were watching one unfold before their eyes.
Here’s where we pick up today's reading in Acts 3:12-19.
“Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?
For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.
This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes. “Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
Acts of the Apostles 3:12-19 NLT
The greatness of Peter’s sermon is that it was all about Jesus. The focus on the sermon was not on Peter nor on anything he did, but all about Jesus.
Peter by opening with the reference The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: made it clear that he spoke to them about the God of Israel, the God represented in the Hebrew Scriptures.
This was an important way of getting the crowd to realise just who Jesus was. The God of our ancestors! This was the messiah we’d been waiting for! He then goes on to boldly to blame on the people for Jesus’ death. It was both The Romans & Gentiles who were responsible. Both shared responsibility in Jesus’ death.
BUT It was not political intrigue or circumstances that put Jesus on the cross; it was our sin.
If you want to know who put Jesus on the cross, then we have to look at ourselves. It was our sin that held him there until it was accomplished, as the famous hymn reminds us. But Peter isn’t there just to point the finger at the people watching. Peter is using this opportunity to point towards Jesus! This lame man had just been miraculously healed in the name of Jesus. Peter couldn’t not give God the credit.
When God’s people really do good in this world, they do it through faith in His name. The temptation is often to do things in our own strength. Trusting in talents and gifts. Or material resources. Thinking if we work harder or smarter then that will solve everything!
But healing doesn’t really work like that. This lame man was only healed by faith.
Peter says in verse 16
“Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes."
I believe that healing is possible today!
We might pray for 100 people and only 1 person might be healed. It can be easy to be discouraged. But it is always worth taking the risk and offering to pray.
And maybe this is personal for you. Maybe you’ve been praying for healing for years and years and not seen anything happen. But the bible say faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains so I want to pray again today for you. That God would meet you in your disappointment, that you would know God hasn’t forgotten you. Pray for Hope to be renewed.
Let’s pray together now…
Jesus, I want to pray today for those who need healing.
Holy Spirit I ask now that you move in power in the people listening.
And in the name of Jesus bring healing to every area of their body.
I pray that pain would go right now.
And healing and wholeness would happen in your mighty name!
Amen!
Question:
- Who could you pray for healing for today?