Miracle-Working Power of Jesus in Acts 3: The Lame Man Walks

Acts 3 The Lame Man Walks The Miracle-Working Power of the Name of Jesus Christ

Outside The Temple (v.1,2) The parade of priests had not healed the lame man No miracles in the NT are done by priests or synagogue officials or scribes nor do they happen in the Temple. Miracles are done by ordinary people in ordinary places: homes, lakesides, upper rooms, fishing boats The apostles attended the Temple to pray out of custom and respect. They still followed Jewish traditions. However the Law, while righteous, holy and good had no effective spiritual power (other than conviction and condemnation) Galatians 3:18-26, Romans 7:4-6

Expectant Faith (v. 3-5) Faith expects something. Faith trusts for a specific thing e.g. a child (Isaac), victory in battle, forgiveness of sins, or resurrection from the dead. The people in the gospels who were healed expected Jesus to heal them as He had healed so many others. False teaching, lack of faith, fear of disappointment and discouragement often cause Christians to stop expecting God to act on their behalf. Studying Scripture, and praise, worship and gratitude and fellowship with people of strong faith can help us to grow in expectant faith.

Look On Us (v.4) Peter and John established and eyeball-to-eyeball personal connection with the lame man. The eye is the gateway to the soul Faith moves along personal tracks. It is not like electricity or a force. The lame man trusted the apostles who trusted Jesus. Healing flowed from Jesus, through the apostles, to the lame man. When a person of minimal faith trusts a person of great faith who in turn trusts God - then miracles can happen.

What I Have.. I Give (v.6) Peter knew that the power to heal had flowed into him from the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Peter had the Holy Spirit and could release the Holy Spirit in healing power. Peter IMPARTED healing from himself to the lame man. Ministry is personal impartation not education or programs or money. Money does not work miracles. The servant of God must have something from God, an anointing, a teaching, a spiritual gift, a prayer language. The impartation is often done via the laying on of hands It is received by hearing with faith (Galatians 3:1-5)

In The Name The key point is that Peter said in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth .. The names of deceased people have no power e.g. in the name of King Xerxes so Jesus firstly must be alive! Also the event was clearly a spiritual miracle so the Name of Jesus has miraculous power in the spiritual realm, therefore Jesus is alive, and also has power in the spiritual realms. This is conclusive and practical experimental PROOF that Jesus has risen, had ascended into heaven and was at the Right Hand of the Father with immense spiritual authority.

Rise Up and Walk! (v6.) The power of the Name of Jesus was exercised through the apostles by the means of faith-filled command prayer. Peter did NOT pray if it be thy will, father heal this lame man . Rather Peter used his powerful delegated spiritual authority and COMMANDED the healing! All the healings and miracles in the NT are achieved through command prayer! The Kingdom of God is linked to the authority of Heaven, which is exercised a) through direct commands given in specific situations (orders) b) more general commandments which we are to always obey (rules). When we walk according to the rules we have the legitimacy to give the orders .

Authority In Prayer We have authority in prayer because of the Cross! It is delegated authority, flowing from the Throne, via the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to us! Authority comes from: a) our gifting (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher) b) the measure of our faith in the Scriptures c) our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit on specific occasions. d) our obedience to the commandments of Jesus e) our use of the methods and means of Jesus f) our personal level of love and wisdom It DOES NOT come via the Law or via human knowledge and power or via church titles etc.

Walking, Leaping and Praising God (v. 7-11) There was immediate healing and substantial healing (able to leap) faith had made him whole. The lame man praised God and gave Him glory! The miracle was a testimony to the power of the Name of Jesus and a clear demonstration of the power of faith vs. the power of ritual This is know as a power encounter when a miracle points to the power of Christ vs. that of another religion or philosophy. This miracle proclaims the arrival of the Kingdom of God.

Not Our Doing! (v.12) And seeing this, Peter answered the people, Men, Israelites, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had made this man to walk by our own power or holiness? (Acts 3:12) The miracle had NOTHING to do with the internal states of Peter & John. It was from an external source, from Heaven, from Jesus. Miracles are not done by our own power. Miracles are not earned by our own godliness or virtue. This completely demolishes the Catholic doctrine that saints have extra earned virtue they can use to perform miracles.

Humility In Ministry Peter and John had the deep humility that accompanies great faith. And the apostles said to the Lord, Give us more faith. And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamore tree, Be rooted up and be planted in the sea! And it would obey you. But which of you who has a servant plowing or feeding will say to him immediately after he has come from the field, Come, recline? Will he not say to him, Prepare something so that I may eat, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink. And afterward you shall eat and drink. Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you shall have done all the things commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants, for we have done what we ought to do. (Luke 17:5-10)

God Glorified Jesus! (v.13) The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus Connects the great miracle to the Abrahamic Covenant Connects the miracle to the God they worshipped, not a new God in any way. Then calls Jesus God s Son an almost blasphemous attribution (to the Pharisees etc) The Father glorifies the Son through the miracle of the lame man walking as a result of faith in the Name. The Father is continually acting to glorify the Son>

You Killed Jesus (v.13-15) Peter addresses their specific corporate sin killing the Messiah, the Son of God. This is what cut people to the heart on the Day of Pentecost. True faith follows true repentance which follows deep and often very specific conviction of sin. If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point. (Martin Luther)

Faith In His Name Makes Whole (v.16) And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, this one whom you see and know, His name made firm. And the faith which came through Him has given him this perfect soundness before you. (Acts 3:16) The Name of Jesus brings wholeness and perfect soundness. A new source of spiritual power in life. Faith makes the Name active and powerful. Power operates through faith as a delivery channel. through faith, via faith, by faith Everything in the NT is delivered by grace through faith as a gift. (Love, grace, miracles, wisdom, holiness etc.)

Times of Ignorance (v17,18) They were ignorant of the fact that Jesus was the Christ and the Son of God. Peter than asks them to repent. Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now He strictly commands all men everywhere to repent.. (Acts 17:30) And that servant who knew his lord's will and did not prepare, nor did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he not knowing, and doing things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whomever much is given, of him much shall be required. And to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47-48)

Repent and Be Refreshed (v.19) Repentance changes our mind about our sin and opens up our soul to times of refreshing from the Presence of the Lord. We need to be open and honest with God. Not confessing sin, lack of repentance, has very serious spiritual consequences including sickness, judgment and death e.gAnanias & Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) and those getting drunk at Communion ( 1 Corinthians 11:20-34) The doctrine that Christians do not need to confess their sin, and that confession just gives ammunition to the Devil is contrary to Scripture.

Heaven Must Receive (v.20,21) Jesus is not received on earth; since His own received Him not (John 1:11) so He is back in heaven, where He belongs, as the Lamb upon the throne until His enemies are dealt with. The Jews believed that the Messiah remained on earth forever, this verse explains why the Messiah went back to Heaven. Jesus is stuck in Heaven (so to speak) until the time of His return when God sends Him back: And He shall send Jesus Christ, who before was proclaimed to you, (v. 20) At this point evil (resistance to Jesus) will be dealt with and this will lead to the restoration of all things Eventually Jesus will be fully at home BOTH on earth and in Heaven and the dwelling place of God will be with men Ephesians 2:22, Revelation 21:3

The Restoration Of All Things (v.21) This fallen world will be restored, come into complete submission to God and have its spiritual qualities brought back so that God and man are in fellowship and God is truly the light that men and women walk by. Spoken by the prophets: the promises of the Millennium e.g. Isaiah 11 where the lion lies down with the lamb. Includes restoration of the land to Israel on a permanent and peaceful basis and a Davidic King (Jesus) upon the throne in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 11:1-16, 32:15-20) Also includes the hundred-fold reward for those who have sacrificed things for the gospel. Matthew 19:28-30

The Voice of the Prophets (v.22,23) these days the days of the Spirit being poured out One like Moses Jesus fulfilled Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Jesus is the fulfillment of ALL the prophets Luke 24:27, John 1:45, Acts 28:23 Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone that fits all the prophets together in a unified way (Ephesians 2:20) Jesus surpasses the prophetic voice (Hebrews 1:1-3) The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10) According to one website there are 351 O.T. prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Listen To Jesus Or Be Destroyed! (v.23) cut off from among the people / destroyed / not saved Listening to the prophet was absolutely important, a matter of life and death, in Jesus case a matter of eternal life and death! Romans 10:1-4 makes it clear that even the Jews were not saved unless they believed in Jesus for righteousness. John 14:6 Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, there is no other way to the Father except through Him! Acts 4:12 no other Name under Heaven by which men can be saved (a speech to Jews) 1 Thessalonians 2:16 those who oppose the preaching of the gospel will have wrath come upon them to the uttermost .

The Blessing of Abraham 1 (v25) Genesis 12:1-3, 13:14-18, 15:1-21, 17:1-21, 22:15-18 Land: Israel, Jerusalem, New Jerusalem Seed: Isaac, Jacob, 12 tribes, Israel, Christ the Messiah Blessing: Holy Spirit, blessed to be a blessing After the Cross the Abrahamic Covenant is realized in Christ with Jesus as the Seed and the Holy Spirit as the Blessing. (Isaiah 44:3, Galatians 3:7-14, 1 Peter 4:14)

The Blessing of Abraham -2 First: a great nation was to come out of Abraham, namely, the nation of Israel (Gen. 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 17:1-2, 7; 22:17b). Second: he was promised a Land; specifically, the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:1, 7; 13:14-15, 17; 15:17-21; 17:8). Third: Abraham himself was to be greatly blessed (Gen. 12:2b). Fourth: Abraham's name would be great (Gen. 12:2c). Fifth: Abraham will be a blessing to others (Gen. 12:2d). Sixth: those who bless Israel will be blessed (Gen. 12:3a). Seventh: those who curse Israel will be cursed (Gen.12:3b).

The Blessing of Abraham - 3 Eighth: in Abraham all will ultimately be blessed (Gen. 12:3c; 22:18). Ninth: Abraham would receive a son through his wife Sarah (Gen. 15:1-4; 17:16- 21). Tenth: his descendants would undergo the Egyptian bondage (Gen. 15:13-14). Eleventh: other nations as well as Israel would come forth from Abraham (Gen. 17:3-4, 6); the Arab states are some of these nations. Twelfth: his name was to be changed from Abram, meaning exalted father, to Abraham, meaning father of a multitude (Gen. 17:5). Thirteenth: Sarai's name, meaning my princess, was to be changed to Sarah, meaning the princess (Gen. 17:15). Now the bride of Christ Fourteenth: circumcision was to be a token of the covenant (Gen. 17:9-14); this is revoked in the NT.

God Desired To Bless The Jews First Having raised up His son Jesus, God sent Him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you away from his iniquities. (Acts 3:26 MKJV) Romans 1:16, 2:9,10 The gospel was always proclaimed to the Jews first and then, when they refused, to the Gentiles. Paul always started with the local Jewish community. God will bring back the Jewish people to Himself. All Israel will be saved! Romans 11:12-32 the Jews have been temporarily hardened until the fullness of the gentiles has come in.