Daily Thoughts from Acts: Rise Up and Walk! (Acts 3:1-10)

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.  (Acts 3:1-10 ESV)

This new thing called the church is still very much Jewish and its leaders, as well most likely as its common members, still attend temple for prayer and worship.  Do they still take sacrifices?  Perhaps.  They obviously understand that Jesus’ sacrifice is what has ultimately saved them, something the animal sacrifices only pointed to and foreshadowed.  Peter and John are going to temple and cross paths with a lame man begging alms.

What moves Peter to determine at this moment that this man can or will be healed?  I don’t think that the answer is that he can heal anyone he wants, but rather that in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit he is drawn to this assurance that the man can be healed and boldly declares in faith to the man, “Rise up and walk.”  And in faith he takes the man’s hand and pulls him to his feet.  Imagine the harm if the man could not then stand, but he can stand and in fact leaps.  The man cannot stop praising God that he has gone from being a beggar to one who can enter the temple on his own two feet.

As with all miracles the intent is to point to God and the Lord Jesus.  It is in Jesus’ name this man has been healed and the people who know the man and know the miracle are poised to hear how this happened.  Because the people at the temple are accustomed to seeing this man daily or weekly and know that he has been incapable of walking, they know that a powerful miracle has been done.  There can be no other explanation than the power of God.  And because the miracle is done in Jesus’ name it is evidence that Jesus is truly sent from God.  The one they wanted crucified is the Messiah.

It may be that God wants to do miracles through us if we are sensitive to Him and hear Him telling us to expect such.  It may be He desires to give evidence to unbelievers, as He did here, so that they may come to faith.  Are we listening, or have we excluded miracles as a possibility and closed our ears? 

I have not always been the best listener.  But while in India in 2016 on a short-term mission trip I was asked after teaching a congregation to pray for some specific needs.  I needed my missionary host to translate and as she was listening to the first woman’s request I knew that the request had something to do with demons.  Sure enough, the missionary said this poor woman was being wakened each morning at 1am by a demon and was really struggling.  God obviously wanted to deliver this woman and perhaps show someone else the power of the gospel.  I prayed for and declared her deliverance and a report the next day from her pastor confirmed that the demon had gone.

Why do we not expect more from our great God?  Lord, grant us miracles that we may explain to people the wonders of your salvation.