Oh, praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead.
That's why we're here.
We have the joy of praising the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The rest of that song transitions into helping us understand why we can praise.
Why can we praise the Lord?
Well, because Jesus paid it all.
All to Him we owe.
It's because of His life, His death, His resurrection,
that we have hope of being able to enjoy the benefits of the life that He provided through His death,
His resurrection, the payment of sin.
And so we praise Him.
And this morning as we look at Acts chapter 3,
we're going to see a similar direction to Peter and John
as they seek to draw attention to the praise that God deserves,
the praise that Jesus deserves.
I would encourage you, if you would, please to open with me, if you would, to Acts chapter 3.
We're going to be starting in verse 11.
If you're using the Pew Bible, you can find us there on page 911.
There's a contemporary example of how this played out on May 24, 1844.
Samuel Morris officially opened the first long-distance telegraph between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
The line stretched for 38 miles.
It started at the old Supreme Court chamber in the U.S. Capitol
and stretched to Baltimore.
And on the receiving end of this line was a man named Alfred Vail
who waited to receive this message
and then confirmed that he had received and the success of the telegraph was born.
The initial message was put together by a woman by the name of Annie Ellsworth
and it's a line that was drawn from the book of Numbers chapter 23 verse 23
which reads,
What hath God wrought?
It's a powerful historical moment of celebrating this achievement,
this success of this improvement,
this technological advance of being able not just to deliver a message by hand
but now to be able to deliver a message electronically
between two places that were spread apart.
But rather than celebrating the ingenuity of human invention
and celebrating Samuel Morris and his ability to put this together,
Annie Ellsworth wanted to draw attention to something else,
someone else.
Look what God has wrought.
Draw attention to him.
Praise him.
And in this first public message,
it deliberately lifted the higher question,
What has God done?
It's a question that Peter and John will raise through our passage today
of directing hearts and attention,
not to what Peter or John have accomplished there in the early parts of Acts chapter 3,
but to draw attention to the work of God.
His work, his power,
and praise needs to be directed to him.
And so as we move into our passage this morning,
we're going to find in verse 12 how Peter will do this.
He says,
Men of Israel,
why do you wonder at this?
Or why do you stare at us as though by our own power we have made him walk?
This lame man.
The God of Abraham glorified his servant Jesus
and the faith that is through Jesus
has given this man health in the presence of you all.
Don't celebrate the power of God working through humanity.
Celebrate the power working through God.
God and his son Jesus.
Don't ask,
What has Peter and John done for you?
Understand and recognize the power of God.
Stand amazed at the work of God.
And so the posture this morning that we need to recognize from Peter and John
is the same posture that we need to have as well.
That those who celebrate and praise God
and recognize the work of God,
that posture needs to be directed appropriately.
This morning,
we're going to observe four principles of standing amazed at God's work.
We're going to see that beginning in verse 11.
And it begins with this.
We must recognize the difference between wonder and worship.
Recognize the difference between wonder and worship.
Let me read this for us.
It says in verse 11,
While he clung to Peter,
speaking of the lame man who had just been healed,
he clung to Peter and John,
all the people,
utterly astounded,
ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.
And when Peter saw it,
he addressed the people,
Men of Israel,
why do you wonder at this?
Or why do you stare at us
as though by our own power or piety,
we have made him walk?
Now remember this story.
Those of you who were here with us a couple of weeks ago,
remember this miraculous healing that took place.
That Peter and John were there.
They had gone up to the temple to pray.
This was one of the several moments throughout the day
where God's people would assemble.
This was the ninth hour,
which means it was the third time throughout the course of the day
where God's people would pray.
It would first happen at nine in the morning
and then at noon
and then at three o'clock in the afternoon.
And on this occasion,
a lame man was brought.
A lame man who couldn't come on his own.
He was carried.
And while he is in transit,
rather than Peter and John just letting him go by
as they had done before,
they help him to stop in his tracks.
And we find something about this lame man.
He's been lame from birth.
And in chapter four, verse 22,
we find that he had been,
he's 40 years old.
So he's been dealing with this affliction,
this infirmity for a great deal of time.
And here he is.
He's dependent on the gifts of those,
the generosity,
the kindness,
the mercy of those who would come by.
And Peter stops and looks at this man and says,
I have no silver or gold to give to you,
but what I have,
I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
rise up and walk.
In other words,
I don't have exactly what you are looking for,
but I have something better.
And Peter faithfully directs attention of this miracle.
He begins this miracle by directing attention
where direction was due to Jesus Christ.
It's through the name of Jesus of Nazareth
that this miracle is happening.
And then we find what happens.
Well,
this man's ankles and feet were strengthened.
He leaps up and he begins to walk
and praise the Lord as he's moving into the temple.
We recognize that a miracle's occurred
not only because of the strengthening of his feet and ankles,
but also because of this coordination,
this proficiency of walking that was taking place.
Everyone who was there would have noticed
that something significant had just happened.
And he's not just shuffling his way.
He's not just limping or wobbling into the temple.
He is walking and leaping and praising the Lord
through this process.
And all the people who saw him recognized him
and we find that they were filled with wonder and amazement
at what had just happened.
Wonder and amazement.
And at this point,
I want to pause this morning
because wonder and worship are not the same.
Wonder and worship are not the same.
And if God is going to receive glory
the way that God deserves glory,
we need to move from just being amazed,
just wondering,
just being astounded,
just marveling.
We need to move from an emotional response
of realizing that what God has done
and it needs to move us into worship.
It needs to move us to a spot of recognizing
there's an object of wonder,
there's an object of praise
and that praise must go to God.
And so these people would stand in awe
and they would even praise God.
Some would even marvel at what had been done,
but it did not lead them,
at least initially,
to faith,
which means it didn't lead them to worship
because worship depends on faith.
It depends on having an understanding
the right object of worship,
the right object of wonder,
and moving us into faith in the Lord Jesus.
The people stood with mouths open
with a puzzled glance,
but their response on this day,
I don't believe was a coincidence
because Jesus himself would heal a lame man,
not just,
not too far away from this very time,
but not more than a couple of months
before this incident,
Jesus,
his final healing miracle in public,
in the final week of his ministry,
would be a ministry of healing lame and blind.
We find that in Matthew 21,
verses 14 and 15.
It says,
And the blind and the lame came to him
in the temple,
and he healed them.
But when the chief priests and the scribes
saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying out in the temple,
Hosanna to the son of David,
they were indignant.
I don't think it's a coincidence
that Jesus healed the lame and the blind
just a few months,
just actually a few weeks
before this very incident.
But even when Jesus performs
this incredible miracle,
the response was wonder and amazement.
They wondered,
they were amazed at the wonderful things
that Jesus did,
but instead of turning
and inclining their hearts to worship,
the chief priests and the scribes
were indignant.
They were furious.
They were incensed.
You see,
if we're ever going to stand amazed
at the work of God,
we must first recognize
the difference between wonder
and worship.
The people here in the temple
need to be enlightened.
They need their wonder
to be informed.
And so this miracle
gets everyone's attention.
We see that in verse 11.
While he clung to Peter and John,
all the people,
utterly astounded,
ran together to them
in the portico called Solomon's.
It's interesting, isn't it?
Jesus had performed miracles.
Jesus had done plenty of miracles.
Why does this now garner
so much attention?
Why was this not,
seems to be this unique
response of the crowd?
Well, I think it's because
Jesus was now gone.
And now the works
that Jesus had done
that had affirmed
his ministry,
his word,
are now being worked out
by the apostles
who are also teaching.
And in their teaching ministry,
their teaching ministry
also now confirmed,
affirmed by miracles.
This work of God
through their lives.
And now all of a sudden,
these works and wonders
that were associated
so closely to Jesus
are now being attached
to the apostles.
apostles.
And in utter amazement,
the people run together.
It's a word that's only used
in this verse.
This running together.
It's a word that describes
their tremendous amazement.
They're blown away.
They're out of their minds
for what is happening here.
And it's not only garnered
their attention,
but it's created a response.
Response of rushing
and running and assembling.
And they gather here
in a place called
Solomon's Portico,
which will become familiar to us
as we continue to move
our way through
this book of Acts.
This was a recognizable
public place.
It was a place
where God's people
would often assemble.
It was a large,
expansive place
on the east side
of the temple.
And it was a place
that was accessible
because it was on
a part of the outer courts.
It wasn't restricted
to anyone.
And it had this awning,
this covered shade
that allowed people
to gather
when the sun was hot.
It was accessible
and the people
are gathering.
But these people
needed to understand
that while however amazed
they might be,
they needed to move
from wonder to worship.
Next, they needed
to understand,
we need to understand
the significance
of refusing
to take credit
for God's work.
If God will ever
get glory,
if praise will ever
be directed to him,
then we need
to recognize
the significance
of refusing
to take credit
for the work
that God does,
for God's work.
We see that in verse 12.
And when Peter saw it,
he addressed the people,
men of Israel,
why do you wonder at this?
Or why do you stare at us
as though by our own power
or piety
we have made him walk?
In other words,
I know you're really
amazed right now.
I know this work
has really captured
your attention.
But don't direct
your attention to us.
Don't look at us.
Don't marvel at us.
This is not a work of men.
This is a work of God.
Peter has already
directed attention
to the Lord Jesus
in Acts chapter 3,
verse 6.
He says,
In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth,
rise up and walk.
And the lame man got up
and what does he do?
In verse 8,
well,
he praises God.
His heart is now
already inclined
to praising
the right object
of worship.
Praising God
for what God
has accomplished.
Not praising Peter
or praising John.
This man who had lived
on the perimeter.
He had lived on
the threshold,
as it were,
of the temple.
Never being able
to really move
into the inner courts.
Now,
as a result of being
healed by the Lord Jesus,
he is now moving in.
He's praising God.
He's a part of the assembly.
He worshiped and praise
has filled his heart
and the object of praise
is to the Lord himself.
It's to God.
This emblematic
of his physical full recovery
is seen in the posture
of his heart.
Yes,
he was healed physically,
but we're beginning
to see already
there's a transformation,
there's a change
in his heart and life.
There's a direction to it.
There's an object to it.
Peter says,
don't look at us
as though we accomplished
this work.
Look to God.
And this is exactly
what we learned
from the Lord Jesus' example.
Jesus would do
the same thing.
Jesus constantly
deferred attention
to the will
of the Father.
He would defer attention
to the words
of the Father
throughout his ministry.
We see that in
John 5,
verse 19.
So Jesus said to them,
truly,
I say to you,
the Son
can do nothing
of his own accord,
but only what he sees
the Father doing.
For whatever the Father
does,
that the Son
does likewise.
A few verses later
in verse 30,
chapter 5,
verse 30,
he says this,
I can do nothing
of my own.
As I hear,
I judge,
and my judgment
is just because
I seek not
my own will,
but the will
of him who sent me.
We find it again
in the next chapter,
John 6,
verse 38.
For I have come down
from heaven,
not to do my own will,
but the will of him
who sent me.
Jesus modeled
this kind of heart.
The heart of submission
and obedience
and deferring
to the Father,
seeking to direct
attention of hearts
of people
to God the Father.
Jesus depended
on the Father's will
and the Father's power.
And if we're ever
going to stand amazed
at the works
of God,
we must do the same.
We must draw
attention
to the work
of God,
not to the work
of us.
Whatever things
God accomplishes
through our lives,
whatever successes
that you may have,
whatever comfort
you may give,
whatever joys
your life
and service
your life
may contribute
to the body,
it is a result
of the work
of God.
We must
direct attention
to God.
That's what I love
about Ephesians
chapter 3
verses 20 and 21.
Paul here says,
Now to him
who is able
to do far more
abundantly
than all that
we ask or think
according to the power
at work within us,
to him
be the glory
in the church
and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations
forever
and ever.
Amen.
Notice the emphasis.
Now to him.
Praise to God.
Yes,
he has given us
the joy
of the indwelling
power of the Holy Spirit
but everything
that happens,
everything good
that happens
in life
is a result
of the power
of God
and it's directed
to his glory.
Glorify the Lord.
In our working,
in our serving,
in our speaking,
we need to have
the posture
of deferring
and directing
people's attention
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I believe
as I look around
this room,
I believe that
most of you
do a really good job
at this.
You often give credit
to the Lord
for what God
has accomplished
through you
and in you
and when you receive
credit and praise
from others,
you often defer
that praise.
praise the Lord
for this.
Thank the Lord
for how he's worked
through me.
And I think
we tend to do
really well
at this.
But we often
get it wrong
in reverse
or maybe I should
just maybe
personalize this.
I often get it
wrong in reverse.
And what I mean
is this.
When credit
comes my way,
it's easy for me
to defer
that credit
to somebody else.
But where I struggle
is when
nobody notices.
When I struggle
is when
that pat
on the back
doesn't come to me.
When no one appreciates,
when no one enjoys,
when no one
takes notice,
then
that's when
my heart
begins to
be discouraged
and be depressed
and be frustrated.
Why didn't anyone
notice what's happening?
But this is
the same problem
in reverse.
is the problem
in reverse
as Paul will say
in Galatians 1.10.
Am I now
seeking the approval
of men or God?
Or do I seek
to please men?
For if I still
please men,
I cannot be a servant
of Christ.
You see,
it's easy to acknowledge
God when people
acknowledge us.
It's not so easy,
I think,
for us to acknowledge
God when nobody
acknowledges us.
And that's where
the real test comes.
Will we give God
praise even in
private
when no acceptance,
no appreciation,
no commendation
comes our way?
We continue to say,
praise the Lord
for what God is doing.
You see,
if God is going
to get praise,
if he's going to
receive
the accolades
and the celebration
for what he is doing,
we need to direct
hearts to him
and refuse to take
credit for God's
working.
We find in verse 13,
we also need to
reckon with the reality
of rejecting God's
son.
If God is ever
going to receive
praise,
we need to reckon
with the reality
of rejecting God's
son.
It says this in
verse 13.
The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob,
the God of our fathers,
glorified his servant
Jesus,
whom you delivered
over and denied
in the presence of
Pilate.
when he had decided
to release him,
but you denied
the holy and
righteous one
and asked for a
murderer to be
granted to you,
and you killed
the author of life,
whom God raised
from the dead.
To this,
we are witnesses.
Reckon with the
reality of rejecting
God's son.
What do I mean by
this?
Well,
it is this.
In summary,
you cannot
reject the son
and have
the father.
You cannot
stand amazed
at God's work
and oppose
the son.
The two
come together.
And that was
largely the problem
in Jerusalem.
They had no problem
directing attention
to God
and recognize
the work of God,
but when
Jesus came
into the mix,
they opposed
Jesus,
they pushed him
away,
they rejected
Jesus,
and by
rejecting
Jesus,
they also
rejected God.
And so you
cannot praise
and please
God and
worship God
by rejecting
Jesus.
John will
say,
in 1 John,
chapter 2,
verse 22,
who is a
liar,
but he who
denies that
Jesus is the
Christ.
This is the
antichrist,
he who denies
the Father
and the Son.
No one
who denies
the Son
has the
Father.
Whoever
confesses
the Son
has the
Father also.
That's where
true saving
faith
crystallizes.
It crystallizes
in knowing
who Jesus
is.
It crystallizes
in knowing
and directing
attention and
praise to the
God and
Father of
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
And so
that's what
Peter is
about to do.
we find that
in verse 13.
He begins
to draw
attention to
the God
and Father
of the Lord
Jesus Christ
who was also
the God of
Abraham,
the God of
Isaac,
the God of
Jacob.
The God
that these
people in
Jerusalem
celebrated
and worshipped
is the same
God that
was embodied
in the person
of Jesus
Christ.
And he is
the promise
keeping God.
God.
It's
interesting
that Peter
will draw
attention to
the God
of Abraham.
That's where
the people
of God
find their
identity.
They find it
in the promises
that were
originally given
to Abraham
and then worked
out through
Jesus Christ
who was the
seed of Abraham
and those who
are in Christ
are also
beneficiaries
of these promises
that were
originally given
to Abraham.
God has
promised these
things to
Abraham and
those who are
of faith in
Christ are
now beneficiaries
of this promise.
We see this
God glorified
his servant
Jesus whom
you delivered
over to
and denied
in the presence
of Pilate.
This word
Jesus as
servant,
this servant
Jesus is an
unusual word
in the Greek.
It's a word
that's used
only a few
times throughout
the book of
Acts.
It draws
attention to
Jesus as
servant but
it is this
title that
had this
messianic
understanding,
this future
promise that
God would send
this promised
king and
this title
that was used
in this moment
is meant to
create that
connection,
that association.
You see
Jesus here?
He's the
servant of God.
He's the
son of God.
He's the
promised king
sent from
God.
We find in
Isaiah chapter
52 verse 13
a reference to
this servant,
this promised
servant.
It says this,
Behold my
servant shall
act wisely.
He was despised
and rejected by
men, a man of
sorrows and
acquainted with
grief.
Surely he has
borne our
griefs and
carried our
sorrows.
Yet we
esteemed him
stricken,
smitten by
God and
afflicted,
but he was
pierced for
our transgression.
He was
crushed for
our iniquities.
Upon him
was the
chastisement
that brought
us peace
and with his
wounds we
are healed.
This same
promised servant,
this servant
of God is
the one in
the same
Jesus Christ
who came
to serve
and to
save his
people from
their sin.
The one
that was
promised in
Isaiah,
the prophet
Isaiah is
the same
one that
you crucified
and killed
by hanging
on a tree.
This is
one and
the same.
Do you
recognize the
weight, the
gravity of
your rejection
of your
very God,
Jesus Christ,
who came,
who came to
offer salvation
to you?
This was
God's servant.
There's not
some random
prophet, not
just a good
man, not
just a worker
of miracles,
but this was
God's very
servant and
son.
And this
identity calls
attention to
the gravity
of the
offense.
Jesus was
sent by
God, affirmed
by God,
spoke the
words of
God and
worked the
miracles that
God called
him to work
and what did
they do?
We find this
two-fold reaction.
They delivered
him over and
they denied
him, this
very servant
son.
And while
Pilate was
ultimately
responsible for
Jesus' death,
we find
through the
gospel accounts
that there
were six
times through
the gospel
accounts that
Pilate refers
to Jesus as
innocent.
And three
occasions when
Pilate wanted
to release
Jesus and
the crowds that
were in
Jerusalem, those
Jews, demanded
his death.
They rejected
him, they
denied him,
they delivered
him over.
And Peter
assigns this
full responsibility
for Christ's
crucifixion to
the Jews.
The very ones
who were standing
there listening
to this message,
they were the
ones, they were
culpable.
Peter uses three
titles for Jesus
which are meant
to add weight
to his identity.
He calls him
holy and the
righteous one.
He calls him the
author of life.
All terms that
were used throughout
the Old Testament
to direct attention
to Jesus as the
Messiah, the
promised king,
the one who
is coming.
And even though
it should have
been clear, it
should have been
obvious, and
even though as
the holy one,
even the demons
believed and
trembled, we find
from Mark chapter
1 verse 24, the
demons who say,
I know who you
are, the holy
one of God.
And what the
demons could
recognize, the
people in
Jerusalem could
not.
And so they
delivered him
over, they
denied him.
This author of
life, and the
irony is
meant to come
with force.
The author of
life, you
killed, you
murdered, you
delivered him
over.
If we're ever
going to stand
amazed at God's
work, we must
recognize the
son for who he
is.
We must come to
terms with
Jesus as the
son of God.
We must
recognize what
he is owing,
he is due, our
praise.
And finally, if
we're ever going
to stand amazed
at God's work, we
need to respond in
faith and praise to
Jesus.
We find that in
verse 16, it
says this, and
his name, by
faith in his
name, has made
this man strong,
whom you see and
know, and the
faith that is
through Jesus has
given this man
perfect health in
the presence of
you all.
To ensure that
his audience
doesn't miss the
point.
Peter will draw
attention to the
name Jesus, the
object of their
praise.
He draws attention
to three times in
this one little
verse.
He begins, and
his name, by
faith in his
name.
That's the second
one.
And then in this
middle phrase, and
faith that is
through Jesus.
Peter, that
started this whole
miraculous event by
directing attention to
Jesus Christ, now
draws attention to
him once again.
And to ensure this
emphasis, he calls
attention to him now
three times in this
short little verse.
And the message is
this, that faith is
only strong when the
object rests on the
right individual.
And faith is not
powerful because it
comes from us.
faith is powerful
because it rests in
Christ.
And we find
throughout this
passage, this verse
in particular, that
Peter is drawing
attention to faith.
Well, what is
missing is whose
faith are we talking
about?
Are we talking about
the faith of Peter,
who recognized that
God could do a work
in this lame man?
Are we talking about
the faith of the
lame man, who when
Peter grasped his
hand, that he lifted
him up, and by faith
the man was able to
stand and believing
that the word that
Peter gave him was
true?
I believe this is by
design.
We don't know whose
faith we're addressing
because the faith of
both parties was
important.
But what the
apostle Peter is
trying to welcome
us and invite us to
participate is
recognizing that if
you want to enjoy the
same kind of work of
God, you must also be
a person of faith.
You must also come to
a place of recognizing
who Jesus is.
You must also be the
kind of person who
lays aside personal
praise and refuses to
accept that praise for
the sake of directing
praise to God.
And that through faith in
Christ, you can enjoy
the benefits of healing.
He uses this word.
He's been healed.
It reminds me again of
what we found in Isaiah
chapter 53 verse 5.
It says, but he was
pierced for our
transgressions.
He was crushed for our
iniquities.
Upon him was the
chastisement that brought
us peace and with his
wounds we are healed.
Well, what kind of
healing are we talking
about here?
We're not just talking
about the healing that
took place here in
Jerusalem.
This physical healing,
this miraculous healing
of this lame man.
But it was just meant
to be emblematic of the
greater healing that God
desires to do for anyone
who trusts in him.
And that's a healing of
our greatest need.
Our sin need that has
separated us from the
Lord.
That because of sin we
have been separated from
him.
And without a connection
to him, without fellowship
with him, without being
restored back to him, we
will continue to walk in
disfellowship apart from
God.
This great healing that
Jesus offered is the
healing of your heart.
And ultimately those who
believe in Jesus will also
enjoy the benefits of this
resurrected body at some
point down the road.
So there will be a
physical and spiritual
healing that comes
because of the work of
Christ.
But this miraculous work is
meant to draw attention to
praise to God.
You see, the crowd came
rushing because they had
seen a miracle.
And Peter would not let
them stop at the miracle.
He would not let them
stop even at the healed
man.
He would not let them
stop at Peter and John.
He would not even let them
stop at wonder and
amazement.
Peter wants to direct their
attention to the object of
worship.
The object of praise to
Jesus Christ himself.
Faith in his name.
Do you believe in Jesus
this morning?
Have you enjoyed the
benefits of his power?
His saving power that
came through this
crucified Lord that all
of us here in this room
are culpable in some
sense.
That at some point in
our life we've all
participated in this
process of denying the
Lord Jesus.
Of delivering him over.
But as we find in this
passage there is still an
invitation.
There's an invitation for
all of us to enjoy the
benefits of this welcome.
Through faith in his name
we can participate in the
power of his healing and
especially his healing power
in salvation.
Healing hearts in bringing
us to God.
So this morning we're
reminded of what faith in
Christ entails.
us.
We're reminded this morning
of the importance of what
Christ has accomplished for
us through his death and
resurrection.
And we come this morning to
these elements and we're
reminded of the cost that are
required for us to enjoy the
benefits of Christ's work.
His crucifixion and his
resurrection have afforded us
the joy of being united with
him in faith.
Do you believe in the Lord
Jesus today?
Are you setting your
affection not just on the
wonder of what God has done
but has it drawn you into
worship, into faith, into
believing in him as the only
son of God, the servant of God
who is worthy of your worship
and praise.
Let me pray.
Father, thank you for the work
of your son Jesus Christ.
thank you that through faith in
Christ we can enjoy the
benefits of life with God.
The author of life who was put
to death has ushered in an age
of enjoyment of life with God
through faith in the son.
And God, as we recognize this
work, I pray that our hearts
would not only be reminded but
challenged to direct our hearts,
our praise rightly to the
object of worship to God
himself and his son Jesus
Christ.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.