Week 3: Summing Up
This week, I needed to be carried to the Beautiful Gate. This week I needed to be told that Jesus of Nazareth could heal me, make me whole. This week I needed to be yanked up on my feet by Jesus followers; for you see, this week, I was crippled. My hormones have been wreaking havoc on me with far worse effect than usual, causing me to be depressed and incredibly volatile. Add to this my daily regimen of homeschooling 5 children, carting kids to sports, preparing for a major shift in ministry, and working on my Bible Study, and the results are disastrous. My throat is hoarse from yelling. I slammed my bedroom door and did not reply “I love you” to my dear husband as he left for work. I despaired of my squishy body and then proceeded to eat 7 mini candybars in one sitting. I thought of my approaching 40th with shame for I do not want to be graying and chubby; I want to feel healthy, beautiful and vibrant! Though this sounds petty and unspiritual, I believe each of us experiences moments(weeks)where we feel “crippled” and need Jesus to heal us.
In Acts 3:22, we discover the man who was healed had been crippled for at least 40 years. In Acts 4:16, the indignant religious rulers admit this healing is a “notable sign.” The Greek word used here is “semeion” and it means “a sign or miracle with an ethical end and purpose.” In other words, it is a miracle that instructs. Instantly I thought of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years: because the Israelites were unwilling to trust in God’s goodness and power to bring them into the Promised Land, He swore they would wander the wilderness for 40 years, until the unbelievers died out and a new generation could take over. Unbelief and doubt are crippling, but God is greater!
What I love about this entire healing is the process by which it occurred. First, Peter and John were on their way to a prayer meeting. The Jews met in their temples three times a day to pray: 9 a.m., noon, and 3 in the afternoon (the time the evening sacrifices were to begin). Prayer was their habit, and it was a habit enjoyed together. We are on our way to a miracle when we are on our way to pray in the company of other believers. Matthew Henry states it beautifully: “The best society is society worshiping God; and where there is worship, there must be a house of prayer and an hour of prayer.”
Secondly, a crippled man was laid before “the Beautiful Gate” to ask for mercy. This Beautiful Gate was the largest of 9 gates leading into the Temple and it was made of Corinthian Bronze, reflecting the sun like burnished gold. Jesus is the Beautiful Gate through whom we can approach God with boldness in our time of need, and we shall receive mercy (Hebrews 10:20; 4:16). Let us endeavor to lay before the One who can make us whole and cry out for mercy! When we are too weak to get there on our own, let us be sure our friends can bring us to the Gate and turn our eyes toward Jesus!
Thirdly, Peter and John gave the hurting man eye contact: “Peter fixed his eyes on the man and said, ‘Look at us!’” (Acts 3:4). Do you know, I believe this is something they learned from Jesus as they walked beside Him for 3 years? When He dealt with sinners, He looked them in the eye. When He healed and forgave, He looked each person in the eye. As He hung on the cross, He looked young John in the eye as He gave him the commission to care for His own mother. Eye contact is one way for us to communicate love and initiate a healing process.
Fourthly, when Peter and John gave the man Jesus, they gave him a command and took him by the hand! When we give people Jesus, we want to be sure they understand the cost of believing in Him: we are to arise and walk! (Acts 3:6-8) Faith in Jesus is no spectator sport; it is a walk, and on good days, it is a leap and a dance as well! Just as important as the command to arise and walk is this gesture of taking the man by the hand! Faith in Jesus is no solo venture; it is meant to be done side by side, hand in hand, heart to heart. Jesus heals and makes whole those who receive Him, His commands, and His hands!
Finally, this newly healed man “entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8). The very day we bring someone to the Lord is the very day we bring them into the Life of our Lord! Let us bring new believers to church and get them into Bible studies; let us model for them daily prayer and daily study; let us openly confess our struggles; let us set the example in praise!
O sisters! We have all experienced weakness and paralysis in our lives, the inability to do much for ourselves. We have all been crippled by sin and its devastating effects: selfishness, pride, separation from God and one another, lying, bitterness, rage, destructive words… But we have also received Jesus Christ, and by faith in Him we are given the ability to arise and walk in the newness of His life! By faith in Him we are filled with joy and set free to leap and dance! By faith in Him, praise is our new mother-tongue! O let us praise Him! Let us learn to leap a little more! May the unbelievers in this world be filled with wonder and amazement at what has happened to each of us! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
It’s All Greek to Me!
When we pray in the name—onema--of Jesus Christ, we are praying according to His character, His reputation, His authority, His fame; in essence, we are praying upon the power of everything He is and everything He does.
Acts 3:7 “He took him by the right hand and lifted him up”: egeiro: to wake up! This word is primarily used of waking those who sleep to become attentive to one’s dangerous position and the salvation of God!
Acts 3:13 “The God of our forefathers has glorified His Son Jesus”: doxazo: to recognize, honor, praise; to bring innate glory to light; the manifestation of all God’s goodness.
Acts 3:14 “But you rejected the Holy One, the Just One… and killed the Author of Life”: Hagios: set apart, unlike any other; sanctified; chaste and pure. Dikaios: one who acts conformably to justice and right without any deficiency or failure; from dike, meaning “right/straight.” Archegos/Zoe: origin, founder, leader, chief, prince/distinguished from biological life, zoe life is the highest blessedness of the the creature; it is life in spirit and soul.
Acts 3:16 “…through faith in His name…”: pistis: persuasion; such a knowledge of, assent to, and confidence in certain truths, especially those of the gospel, as produces good works; fidelity; assurance; proof.
Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God”: metanoia: big change of the mind; to become aware of the danger or darkness in a precious way of thinking and turn one’s thoughts toward God and His light. Epistrepho: to turn around; to turn toward God and holiness.
Acts 3:19 “times of refreshing”: kairos: season, time, but not merely as a succession of moments; a time where necessary things must take place; an opening or opportunity to do something; times with moral impact and the challenge of accomplishment. Anapsuxis: to recover one’s breath; revival.
Acts 3:19 “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”: (this word has been left out in NIV translations but shows up in the KJV) prosopon: to/toward + the eye: that part of anything which is turned or presented to the eye of another. I love the idea of being in God’s presence really meaning being in His gaze: His eye is upon us and His gaze is love.
Acts 3:23 “…and anyone who does not listen”: akouo: to hear with the ear of the mind; to obey; to hear with the purpose of understanding.
Acts 3:26 “God sent Jesus to bless you”: eulogeo: to speak well of. When God speaks well of us, He acts for our good as He sees what we need most and not what we desire; to consecrate to divine use; to praise and affirm.
Acts 4:2 “…the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead”: didasko: to instruct by word of mouth; teaching which aims at the shaping of the will. Katagello: to tell plainly, openly, or aloud.
Acts 4:13 “When they saw the courage/boldness of Peter and John”: parressia: freedom or frankness in speaking; saying all that one thinks, all that he pleases. Especially throughout Hebrews and 1 John, the word particularly denotes the unwavering, fearless, and unhesitating confidence of faith in communion with God, in fulfilling the duties of the evangelist and holding fast our hope, and in every act which implies a special exercise of faith. This boldness removes the fear and anxiety which characterizes man’s relation to God. It comes as the result of the ground of guilt being set aside and manifests itself in undoubting confidence in prayer.
Acts 4:16 “Everyone knows they have done an outstanding miracle”: phaneros: to shine, make shine; to make plain, in the open; celebrated, renowned, distinguished. Semeion: a sign or miracle with an ethical end and purpose; a miracle valuable for what it indicates of the grace and power of the doer or of His immediate connection with a higher, spiritual world.
Acts 4:20 “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard”: laleo: to talk at random; everyday conversation (as opposed to “lego”: speech expressing carefully connected thoughts.)
Acts 4:30 “Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs (semeion) and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Iaomai: to cure; to make whole; to complete. Teras: to watch, as being that which for its extraordinary character is apt to be observed and kept in the memory. Teras is a miracle regarded as startling, imposing, amazing, frequently used elsewhere for strange appearances in the heavens.
Acts 2 Rhymes for You!
(My way of breaking down a powerful chapter in fun and memorable bites!)
Like-minded passions and pursuits in Jesus’ Name bear mighty fruits!
At Babel tongues create confusion; at Pentecost they bring persuasion!
Unity that fixates on selfish gain only results in confusion and pain; Unity that fixates on Christ and His story always results in power and glory!
The Spirit falls afresh as fire to transform lives and take us higher!
When hardened hearts respond to grace and hardened minds look to His face, Then hardened hands open to give and hardened souls begin to live!
Daily study, daily buddy, daily bread, prayers are said. Daily giving, praising, leaping; holy living, promise-keeping. God’s good pleasure, without measure, fills us, skills us, spills wherever!
Love Jesus, His Word, and love one another: the Spirit will come, unlike any other! He loves for us to tell the great story, of Jesus, His death, His life, His glory! So get busy loving, praying and giving and God will delight in getting us living!
God is pleased with Jesus the Son so lift Him up, everyone! Obey His Word, we lift Him higher; the Holy Spirit descends like fire!
Week 4: Coming Up
In Acts 4:32-5:42, we read again about the wondrous community which developed as the Holy Spirit filled the disciples with boldness and the ability to perform wonders! Men and women were knit together in a unity which defied past history, economic status, and ethnicity. People were compelled to give generously and found joy meeting in one another’s homes every day! As numbers increased, so did threats and opposition. The newly growing church faced the inside challenge of dishonesty and selfishness as well as the outside challenge of jealous religious authorities willing to murder to silence these Christ-followers! How might we nurture unity and community?
The sudden death of Ananias and Sapphira seems a bit extreme and causes one to wonder why God, abounding in mercy and grace to thousands, so quickly punishes these two for withholding money. I read a book by John Bevere (HolyFear) in which he put forth the idea that where God’s glory is at stake, the punishment is more severe. The instances where He exacts instant and severe judgment in the Old Testament were times where He had just revealed His power and presence in mighty ways. John Bevere believes that it is at these times of manifestation that a holy fear must be cultivated or more men and women will disregard His holiness and begin to do as they please. As you read this account, bear in mind that our God is a God who knows the attitude of our hearts (Heb. 4:12) and our thoughts from afar (Psalm 139:2). Surely He knew the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira and perceived an attitude that would negatively affect the whole community. Let us be warned and humbled by this story and repent of any hidden sin!
In the last part of Acts 5, we read how the disciples met day after day and from house to house, always teaching and proclaiming (v. 42). What are our habits today? It would seem to me that we are far too busy to meet daily and in one another’s homes, but shouldn’t we? Or was this just an extreme behavior only to be expected of disciples in the years immediately following Christ’s resurrection and ascension? If Jesus is Lord, and this world really isn’t our home, tell me, what should the Christian life look like today? May the Holy Spirit direct us into His truth, not our own comfort zones, and reveal to us the things we should start doing, stop doing, or do differently. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
My Prayer for You
Sovereign Lord, Creator of Heaven and Earth, we praise You for speaking to us today through Your Word. It never goes out empty but accomplishes the purpose for which it was sent.
Just as Your Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets to the disciples, speak through the prophets to us and help us see Jesus on every page! Give us understanding, that we may teach Your Word correctly and boldly proclaim the wondrous ways You have fulfilled every promise!
Cause us to be of one heart and mind.
Help us to speak your word with great boldness and perform signs and wonders in the name of your Son Jesus. Heal and make whole Today!
Help us know how to explain why Your Name alone is the Name by which we are saved. Make us wise and able to skillfully express Your truth.
Help us to give eye contact to the least of these, to give them Jesus, to give our hands, to raise people up and bring them in!
Make praise our habit!
Shake us up today and fill us anew with Your Spirit!
We love You and pray in Jesus’ Name! Amen!
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