**not a word for word transcript, but the sermon manuscript**
You wake up, hit the snooze button, then wake up again. Leaving your home, your life enters in a familiar routine. Small details and unique events occur, but in the end your life seems like it is on the same merry-go-round. The belief is if you keep pressing forward, hang on long enough, something good will result. But life has been on repeat for so long, you have wondered, “why di I keep doing this?” Are you not living out the definition of insanity?
In our text today, the man in our narrative is in a similar cycle. Helpless to do anything else, or make a change on his own. He asked to be asking himself the same question we ask ourselves.
READING THE TEXT: Acts 3:1-10
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 an they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. (NRSV)
This is the Word of God, for the people of God, thanks be to God.
IN THE TEXT:
***Key verse***
Verse 2 is our key to answering the question, “Why am I doing this?” It reads, “A man lame from birth was carried every day to the temple gate.” Before we can answer the question, we must understand why this man is carried there every day. The simple answer is because the man could not walk, but the answer we are getting at is deeper than that one.
***What the beggar expected***
The man has taken his daily position at the Temple gate. There was only one temple, but many gates at the Temple. Many commentators debate which gate the man was placed at. No one really knows for sure, only that it was called the Beautiful Gate. When Peter and John enter, the man sees them as worshipers. And he hopes that Peter and John are worshipers who also are willing to give to those in need, like himself. “When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms.” (v3)
“Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.” (v4-5) The man believes today will be a good day, Peter and John noticed him. Perhaps they will give what ever spare money they have available.
***What the beggar received***
Peter immediately squashes the man’s hopes. “I have no money,” Peter says (v6). No money is not what the man wants to hear. He depends on the generosity of strangers to survive. The man is crippled, there are no government programs available to help him. Those who worship at the temple, they are the man’s only hope.
What the man has not considered is that Peter and John have something far greater in mind for him. Peter and John had no money, but they were followers of Jesus. “In the name of Jesus Christ, stand up and walk.” (v6) The apostle is very clear; the power is not his own. It is the name of Jesus that the healing power comes. And the power in the name of Jesus is directly tied to the Savior Himself.
“And Peter took him by the right had and raised him up.” (v7) Peter is so certain of what the Holy Spirit is doing, that he grabs the man who is crippled and pulls him to his feet. The writer of Acts, Luke, a physician describes the even in medical terms. “Immediately the man’s feet and ankles were made strong.” (v7) No hesitations, the apostles’ faith met the man’s faith, and both intersect with the power of the Holy Spirit. A miracle happens.
***What the beggar became***
In verse two, we are told, “A man lame from birth was carried every day to the temple.” (v2) His entire life, every single day, this man could not walk. His legs and feet did not work. Every day, to survive, he had to depend on the kindness of friends, family, and others to carry him to the temple gate. Every day, the man had to beg to earn enough money to survive one day to the next.
But on this day, after all those other days, the man leaves different. “Jumping up, he stood and began to walk.” (v8) Every other day, it was the same return. When he was picked up that morning, the man had no clue it would be the last time. On this day, he was jumping and walking.
“All the people saw him and recognized him.” (v9-10) Maybe some of the same people who carried him, many who were those who saw the man each time they arrived. Some might have even given the man money. But today, they saw him and knew it was different. Everyone witnessed this act of God.
FROM THE TEXT:
What does this say to us? The man went every day to the temple courts. Every day, the man expected something to happen. Albeit his expectations were probably limited to getting money. But the man still stuck to the same routine, getting close to the people going to worship God. He continued until one day was the last day of that old way of life.
How does this apply to you and me? If you want something good, something life changing to happen, put yourself in position for it to happen. This may mean changing up the routine some, to make time to be in the correct spot. However, if you have already made those changes, then keep doing it.
When I say put yourself in position for something good to happen, I am not talking about this from a humanistic viewpoint. This is not if you pull yourself up by your bootstraps, try harder then you will make the good things happen. If you want your life to change, the never-ending routine to take you to something good, then the best place to put yourself is near to God.
Draw near to God in your personal life. Read your Bible and pray. Verse 1 of our text tells us that is why Peter and John are going to temple. The man is there knowing people are coming to pray. I cannot emphasis enough how critical prayer is for you as a Christian. It does not matter how you do it, but draw near to God by communicating with him.
But drawing near to God in your personal life is only part of the Christian experience. The Christ life is corporate just as much as it is personal. This means attending church, bible studies, and prayer groups are ways for us to put ourselves near God. God is always good, and only does good things in our lives.
BEYOND THE TEXT:
Maybe you are doing all that. Drawing near to God, put yourself in position for those good and life changing things to happen. But nothing has, and it has been a long time. Maybe you are asking, “Why am I doing this?”
The answer to your question, our question for today is, “because you know it is right.” God has affirmed you. Then the advice I have for you this morning is, never give up.
