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BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY
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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday March 27, 2015
PETER HEALS A CRIPPLED BEGGAR
Acts 3:1-11
In Acts chapter 2, after the HOLY SPIRIT came down
from Heaven on Pentecost Day, we see Peter step forward and deliver the first sermon
ever preached in a Christian church. And now, here in Acts chapter three,
verses 1-8, we see Peter healing a man who had been crippled for forty years.
The man had come to the temple every day, apparently, having “low expectations
from GOD”, because he only sought after alms that would merely allow him to
exist in his present condition for one more day.
Here we see Peter, along with
John, in the name of JESUS, giving the man much more than he thought he could
ever receive from GOD. Peter tells the man, “Silver and gold have I none; but
such as I have give I thee: In the name of JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth, rise up
and walk” (Acts 3:6) (KJV).
Then Peter took the lame man by
the right hand and helped him up. As he did this, the man’s feet and anklebones
were healed and strengthened. The man got up and began to walk, and not only
did he walk, he even began to leap and praise GOD, as he entered into the
Temple with Peter and John.
This miracle fulfilled the
prophesy of Isaiah, as it is recorded in Isaiah 35:6, where it says, “Then
shall the lame man leap as an hart” (KJV). It was an undeniable miracle,
because everyone, including the leading priests and Pharisees, had seen this cripple
man sit at the gate called “Beautiful” and beg for alms for many years.
When all the people saw the
once-lamed man walking and praising GOD, they were absolutely astounded. They
all rushed over to “Solomon’s Colonnade” to take a closer look, where he was
tightly clinging to Peter and John, who had given him the power and authority
of JESUS to walk again into the Temple.
PETER
PREACHES IN THE TEMPLE
Acts
3:12-26
Now,
as the crowd began to grow, Peter sees an opportunity to address those in the
Temple who had just witnessed the miracle that was performed on the lame man. They
too, like that man, had probably came to the church daily, having low
expectations concerning what GOD could do for them. Peter asks them in verse
12, “Why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our
own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? (KJV)
Peter
goes on to tell the crowd of people that it was “The GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and, the GOD of our fathers, WHO hath glorified HIS SON JESUS”, by
allowing us to perform this miracle (Vs. 12-16). In other words, the very name
of JESUS had, quite literally, healed this man. It was nothing more than faith
in JESUS’ name that had caused this man’s healing right before their very eyes.
We, as Christians, can all do a lot better in life if we will raise our
expectations of what GOD can do for us, whenever we have faith, and trust in
HIM.
As
Peter began to “sermonize” his thoughts, he first tells them how he could
relate to their rueful feelings about the things that they had said and done to
JESUS out of ignorance, while HE lived and taught before them. He reminded them
that even their leaders reacted in the same harsh and deadly way toward our
LORD and SAVIOR. They all participated fully in rejecting JESUS, and turning
HIM over to Pontius Pilate, who, wanted badly to release HIM. Peter tells them
that they all chose instead to release a legitimate criminal (Barrabas), and
kill “THE AUTHOR OF LIFE” (JESUS).
However,
through it all, it was really GOD’s Will being played out, as HE was merely
fulfilling what HE had told HIS prophets to declare centuries ago, concerning
the sufferings of the MESSIAH, HIS SON. Even Moses had spoken of JESUS when he
declared in Deuteronomy 18:18, that, “The LORD your GOD will raise up a PROPHET
like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything HE tells
you” (NLT). Moses went on to say that, “Anyone who will not listen to that
PROPHET will be cut off from GOD’s people and utterly destroyed” (Deuteronomy
18:19 - NLT).
From
the time of Samuel, every prophet spoke about the things that were happening in
the days surrounding the birth, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and
post-ascension of CHRIST JESUS. And Peter reminded them that they were the
children of those prophets, and were included in the covenant promise of GOD
that was delivered by JESUS personally, and then, signed in HIS OWN blood. When
GOD raised up CHRIST JESUS, HE sent HIM, first, to the children of Israel, and
they failed to listen.
Peter
then urges the crowd, that, with all being said and done, it was now time for
them to repent and turn from their sins, and turn to GOD for spiritual healing.
Then, and only then, will their souls be made fresh again, so that they can
receive the MESSIAH upon HIS return. But until then, JESUS will remain in
Heaven, sitting at the right hand of the FATHER, waiting on HIS new orders to
return and restore all things back to perfection under GOD.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
