Acts chapter 3, starting at verse 1.
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple
that's called the Beautiful Gate, to ask alms of those entering the temple.
Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms.
And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, look at us.
And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
And he took him by the right hand, raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
And leaping up, he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognised him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms.
And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
While 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?
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 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.
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 the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as also did your rulers.
For what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.
Repent, therefore, turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,
whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
Moses said,
The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.
You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you,
and it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.
And all the prophets who have spoken from Samuel and those who came after him also proclaimed these days.
You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers,
saying to Abraham,
And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
God, having raised up his servant,
sent him to you first to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.
Okay, well, the allure of gold.
It's been a constant in human history, I think.
It's a universal symbol of power, wealth, security, grandeur and extravagance.
Kings have decorated their palaces with gold.
Ancient societies, their high status people were buried with huge quantities of gold for the next life even.
Major temples of major religions absolutely glitter with gold.
Every currency in the world, as far as I know, is secured by gold.
We reward our top athletes with gold medallions.
The movie industry has thrived on the notion of gold.
A gold fever.
The quest for gold.
The fact that people will kill for gold and so on and so forth.
The allure of gold.
This morning as we continue our series on Acts called The Unstoppable Jesus,
we're actually confronted with something that's presented to us as better than gold.
And that is the power of Jesus to give us a fresh start.
To give the lifeless and the hopeless a fresh start through forgiveness, renewal and reconnection to God and his rich blessing.
Remember Luke's purpose in writing the Acts was to record what Jesus continued to do and to teach after he was resurrected and taken back to heaven.
Which is gathering all those he died for into his kingdom community, the church.
And already in the story we've come across some really radical things.
We've seen the radical fulfillment of God's promise to deliver the Holy Spirit.
And we've seen a radical change in a large number of people.
And we've seen a radical new community, the church, emerging as a result of that change.
And this morning we're going to be confronted with something equally radical.
That is a radical new salvation pathway to Jesus.
So jump into chapter 3 with me.
The incident begins with a very public healing of a very public figure.
A man who had lived with a profound physical disability since birth.
And in chapter 4 verse 22 it's later identified that this man was in his 40s.
A lifetime of severe physical disability.
Unable to walk or move by himself.
Reduced to begging in order simply to survive.
His life would have been life full of shame.
Hardship.
And utter dependence on the generosity of others.
Which doesn't sound much to us but we all love our autonomy, don't we?
The generosity of others both to carry him to his spot, we're told, every afternoon.
And also the generosity of, well, strangers after 40 years perhaps.
Generosity of others to give him money to survive.
And goodness only knows what other help he needed on a daily basis given his extended paralysis.
And here he is, as the story tells us, positioned at the main entrance into the temple, which is called the Beautiful Gate.
Now that Beautiful Gate, if the historians are right, is a tiring, a tiring 20 meter high doorway.
Double doors, in fact.
Made of Corinthian bronze.
Tons and tons of Corinthian bronze.
Josephus said it was called the Beautiful Gate because that gateway of all the gateways into the temple, that was far more beautiful than the other gateways.
Listen for it.
Made of, overlaid with silver and gold.
This was a stunning place.
A stunningly beautiful place where this man was sitting.
But that immediately throws us into a contrast because this man's life was devoid of beauty.
He would have been a social and religious outcast.
His fellow Jews would have looked at him.
They may well have given him money, but they still would have looked at him from a distance and seen him as one cursed by God because of his physical disability.
And in fact, it's a little bit ambiguous in intertestamental history, but the most likely scenario is that this man, because of his physical disability, was actually barred from going into the temple proper.
He had a form of life, but really was lifeless.
He was a little bit more.
And hopeless.
Beyond the help of medical facilities.
Beyond the help of his family, his friends.
Beyond the help even of Judaism.
The religion of his birth.
And into that moment, Peter, with very little fuss, declares the man healed in the name of Jesus.
and as proof of those words
the guy's on his feet
which means not just instant muscle strength
but instant neuroreceptor connections
right down to tell his brain to leap and jump
and go crazy
and he follows them into the temple
or goes with them into the temple
bouncing with excitement
and why wouldn't he be
and giving credit to God
and the crowd were stunned
why wouldn't they be
and then Peter seizes the moment
to put the whole thing
into the context of Jesus and salvation
so I want to just stop there in a sense
and prop there for a moment
because first and foremost
I want to suggest to us
as we unpack this text
that this incident is a further confirmation
of Jesus as Messiah and Saviour
rather than being about miracles
let me try and explain that
there's a strong parallel
in the way Luke structures
chapter 2 and chapter 3
now they're in the original text
there weren't chapter divisions
but there were still divisions
there's a strong parallel
between that
which we call Acts 2 and Acts 3
each begins with a supernatural event
but in each situation
the focus very quickly moves away
from that supernatural event
to understanding the event
in terms of the unstoppable Jesus
both the supernatural arrival
of the Holy Spirit
in Acts chapter 2
and this miracle in Acts chapter 3
I believe
are symbolic confirmation
that the long promise
the long awaited Messiah
the age of salvation
that he would bring
had arrived
and it had arrived in Jesus
and in each incident
Peter makes clear
as he steps up
and addresses the crowd
Peter makes clear
in the way he interprets it
for the crowd
what they've just seen
not only is Jesus unstoppable
is what Peter's effectively saying
but Jesus is also God's pathway
to salvation and renewal
that which was promised long ago
through the prophets
to come through Messiah
well this is it
Jesus is him
the time has arrived
salvation is among us
in the person of Jesus
and further confirmation of that
I think is hidden in verse 8
of chapter 3
that part that sounds familiar to us
walking and leaping
and praising God
if that sounds a bit familiar
it's because it's the language
of Isaiah
it's also the language
of Handel's Messiah
but not many of you
necessarily would know that
it's familiar to us
and so I think what Luke
has done here
is deliberately use
the language of Isaiah
because the context
in which Isaiah wrote
was exactly this
that you will recognize
the age of salvation
when it dawns among you
you will recognize Messiah
because the lamb
will leap for joy
there will be supernatural events
that will just be radical
and beyond belief
Luke's telling us
that this also is a confirmation
of Jesus as Messiah
Jesus as God's Savior
and God's King
now I just got to stop there
and I want everybody to listen
really really carefully
because I don't want to have
150 conversations after
this morning
I am not saying
I'm not suggesting
for a moment
that the Lord
does not ever heal
people physically
these days
I am saying
that this healing
is not a blueprint
for us
to repeat
as we seek
to do evangelism
as we seek to convince people
to believe in Jesus
the point here
I think is
that Jesus
radically
changes life
lives
from the inside out
as the prophets
predicted
Messiah would do
change hearts of stone
to living creatures
take dead people
spiritually dead people
and make them alive
that's the point
that's on show here
Jesus
is the one
who's doing that
dramatically
and noticeably
now friends
I think you'd have to say
with me
that there is
there is no more
compelling evidence
compelling testimony
to the power
and desire
of Jesus
to renew us
than a radically
changed life
and this is the life
we see before us
the emphasis here
immediately goes
to this guy
once he's healed
going to praise God
spiritual and physical healing
parallel each other
go back to Mark chapter 2
the healing of the paralytic
in Christ's early ministry
spiritual and physical healing
parallel each other
and Christ has the power
to do both
Christ's ability
to heal
physical afflictions
testifies
to the power
that is less visible
but perhaps
more eternally significant
the power
to heal our souls
the power
to renew us
from the inside out
moving on then
the pathway
to salvation
that has been set
out here
in Jesus
exposes real
spiritual need
not perceived
desires
I'm trying to set up
a little bit of
contrast there
in my headings
now what's the
immediate perceived
need
of this
disabled man
in the story
apparently
it's money
he wants money
because
money
is the only
thing that he can see
which will alleviate
his terrible situation
and deliver him
the best version
of life
that he could expect
to have
which is pretty miserable
but nevertheless
it will be the best version
he could expect
as I said before
though alive
he was lifeless
hopeless
it was totally
lacking autonomy
given his dependence
on others
his reality
was just
daily
desperation
but there's nothing
wrong with his head
I don't think
he was very pragmatic
I suspect
this guy
wily after
40 years
because he had
worked out
that the best
place to put
his distorted
dare I say
grotesque
body
on show
and that's not
a reference to
all physical
disabilities
it's trying to pick up
the story here
the best place
to put that
on show
he worked out
was at
this
temple gate
why?
I suspect
he was convinced
he would exploit
any sense
of guilt
or embarrassment
people who
passed him
daily
might have felt
and there would have been
a constant stream
this was the most popular
entrance into the temple
there would have been
hundreds if not thousands
gone past him
daily
and there he was
in all his agony
and you can imagine it
just a pang of guilt
and the note you get
out of your wallet
is a bigger one
perhaps he's also
exploiting the religious
sensibilities
of this
ongoing stream
of able-bodied
upright Jews
going into the temple
to pray
now almsgiving
or giving to the poor
or the needy
was a very big part
of Jewish religious life
and these guys
were going to pray
so
this crippled man
may well have been
thinking
well okay
these guys
if they give me
a donation
going into the temple
well they're going to
actually be able to
begin to pray
with a little bit more
of a sense of confidence
before the Lord
I've fulfilled
your laws
Lord
I'm a good person
Lord
give me your blessing
Lord
this man knew
he needed help
with life
he didn't know
he needed Jesus
initially
he didn't realize
his relationship
with God
was as totally
disabled
spiritually
as what he was
physically
he seemed
oblivious
to the fact
that the beautiful
gate that he was
parked beside
actually blocked
his access
to God
he just
didn't seem
to be thinking
in that space
for him
it was just
a great place
to get money
likewise
the able-bodied
people
there's a lot
to be learned
from them
in this story
I think
the able-bodied
people streaming
into the temple
every day
were likewise
oblivious
to their
deep
spiritual needs
their perceived
need
as they were
trotting into
the temple
was to get
God's blessing
as a result
of prayer
as they passed
the beggar
no doubt
they thanked
God
that they were
not sinful
like this
wretched person
was
and that they
hadn't experienced
God's curse
God's judgment
like this wretched
man had
that they could
freely enter
the temple
now their
expressed need
was simply
to get
God's blessing
by doing
what good
Jews
do
going to the
temple
sacrificing
praying
giving to the
poor
they also
failed to
understand
the seriousness
of their sin
yes it's
true
that these
male
Jew
able-bodied
Jews
could get
one
courtyard
further
into the
temple
so if you
think about
it as
moving
towards
God
they could
get one
courtyard
closer to
God
than this
disabled
guy could
but hey
they were
still
when they
got to the
other side
of that
courtyard
they were
blocked out
because they
couldn't go
into God's
presence
because of
their sin
so yeah
well what
difference does
one courtyard
make at the
end of the
day
you drown
ten meters
off the
shore
you drown
a mile
off the
shore
or two
kilometers
whatever
and likewise
Jewish women
they wouldn't
even have been
able to go
as far
into the
temple
sorry they
wouldn't
have been
able to
go any
further
into the
temple
than this
disabled
man was
and likewise
the Gentiles
because this
beautiful gate
separated the
court of
the Gentiles
from the
court of
Israel
the court
of the
Jews
so it's
all there
all these
people
all their
perceived
desires
oblivious
to their
deep needs
the deep
need of
renewed
access to
God
they were
all in
the end
in the
same
basket
they were
all
spiritually
disabled
not much
difference
really
between
them
and
this
desperate
character
they saw
before them
every single
day
it's just
that the
beggar was
perhaps
more
aware
of his
condition
up to
a point
anyway
moving on
Peter addresses
the spiritual
needs of
both
the
disabled
man
and
the
apparently
healthy
crowd
offering
them
a fresh
start
through
God's
new
temple
not
more
religious
effort
and again
hopefully
this will
come clear
as I move
through the
point
so
the
testimony
of this
man
is really
compelling
no
question
about
that
but
testimony
of itself
is never
going to be
enough
we need
to speak
about
Jesus
and that's
exactly
what
Peter
does
testimony
tells us
what
Jesus
has done
in a
person's
life
in our
own
experience
but we
need to
hear
objectively
about who
Jesus
is
and what
he's
done
for all
mankind
so Peter
addresses
the
spiritual
needs
of both
the
disabled
man
and the
apparently
healthy
crowd
and Peter
speaks
interestingly
not at
all
about
the
healing
or the
man
who's
just
been
healed
nor
about
himself
or his
part
in the
miracle
he speaks
only
about
Jesus
he speaks
about
the
authority
of
Jesus
he speaks
about
the
death
and
resurrection
of
Jesus
he speaks
about
the
implication
of
these
things
for
salvation
and
for
receiving
God's
blessing
my
friends
Peter
goes
to
the
source
of
the
healing
with
very
confronting
words
might
add
to
these
religious
Jews
and
what
he
says
essentially
is
this
picking
up
in
verses
13
to
15
now
listen
here
you
guys
you
need
to
understand
that
in
every
way
imaginable
you
guys
totally
dishonored
Jesus
you
failed to
listen to
him
verses
22
through
25
you
failed to
listen
to
him
when
he
came
to
you
obviously
at the
very
least
he
came
to
you
as
a
prophet
but
there was
actually
more than
that
you
dishonored
him
in
spite
of
all
the
evidence
verses
13
to
15
all
the
evidence
pointing
to
the
fact
that
he
was
God
he
was
doing
things
that
only
God
would
do
could
do
and
he's
properly
called
and in
those
verses
Luke
lays
it
on
Peter
lays
it
on
to
the
crowd
he's
properly
called
the
holy
and
righteous
one
that
was
the
name
of
God
he's
properly
called
the
author
of
life
and
you
guys
killed
him
not
just
accidentally
killed
him
but
you
pursued
him
and
deliberately
bypassed
the law
in order
to have
him
murdered
strong
words
indeed
and
another
contrast
emerges
in stark
contrast
to the
way you
guys
have
dishonored
Jesus
we see
how God
the Father
honored
him
verse 13
and 15
God
glorified
Jesus
through
his
life
death
and
resurrection
and
indeed
his
return
to
the
throne
in
heaven
so
Peter
is
saying
this
you
guys
dishonored
Jesus
in
every
way
imaginable
God
honored
Jesus
in
every
way
imaginable
and
here's
the
specific
Peter
lays
on the
crowd
in
raising
Jesus
from
the
dead
God
confirmed
Jesus
as
uniquely
and
exclusively
the
Lord
and
Savior
of
all
people
the
healing
of
this
man
is
in a
sense
if I can
say that
simply
proof
that
Jesus
is
Lord
and
Savior
verse
16
and
it's
called
the man
perfect
health
in other
words
it's
more
than
just
physical
health
it's
the
whole
being
health
so
again
let's
revise
what
happened
to
this
man
he
heard
the
promise
in
his
desperation
he
heard
the
promise
that
Jesus
offered
him
something
far
better
than
money
it's
unlikely
that
Peter
and
John
had
actually
no
money
at
all
in
their
pockets
in
fact
chapter
2
says
they
had
access
to
a
lot
of
money
that's
not
what
Peter
is
talking
about
here
he
says
I'm
not
dealing
in
the
currency
of
this
world
my
friend
I
want
to
talk
to
you
about
the
currency
of
heaven
offering
him
something
far
better
than
money
restoration
to
perfect
health
being
renewed
from
the
inside
out
physically
and
spiritually
and in
response
this man
believed that
Jesus
could do
it
and that
Jesus was
willing to
do it
and would
do it
for him
personally
in all
his misery
and that
of itself
is the first
evidence
of Jesus
working
powerfully
in the man's
heart
so he
actually
grasps
the power
that was
in a sense
offered to
him in
these words
and this
act of
faith
as it's
called
in verse
16
itself
a gift
from
God
resulted
in the
man being
completely
healed
and a
new
desire
the
inside
healing
a new
desire
to be
near
God
to praise
him
that's a
marvelous
story
isn't it
that's a
marvelous
story
for this
man
but Peter
doesn't
stop there
because he
said you
know what
this man
before you
has experienced
is available
to every
one of you
here now
if you'll
turn to
Jesus
you too
he says
to the
crowd
can experience
this total
perfect health
this renewal
from the
inside out
and verses
19 through
to 21
if they
repent
recognizing
all that
Jesus
is
and all
that Jesus
did for
them as
God's
kingdom
and savior
then here's
the rub
says Peter
I can tell
you now
that God
will not
treat you
as you
treated
Jesus
that's a
powerful
statement of
repentance
isn't it
and the
consequence
and the
results
of
repentance
God
will not
treat
you
in the
crowd
in the
way that
you have
dishonored
Jesus
God will
not
dishonor
you
in fact
God
will bring
you to
a position
of honor
they would
enjoy a
fresh start
that's in
those verses
a fresh
start which
is receiving
forgiveness
having your
sin and the
guilt of your
sin wiped
away
the word in
here is
refreshing
and that
is an
Old Testament
idea of
renewal
recharging the
batteries or
putting the
bank account
back into
the black
when it's
been
trillions of
dollars in
the red
all those
sort of
images
built into
the refreshing
the renewal
idea
and the
guarantee
that Jesus
would come
back and
take them to
heaven to be
with them
forever
now my
friends this
is where we
just got to
step back
in and see
the big
temple in
the background
because in
effect I
think what
Peter's saying
to the crowd
is don't
look up there
to the bricks
and mortar
because in
fact I'm
telling you
here now
that Jesus
is God's
temple
Jesus is the
new temple
which God
promised through
the prophets
and which
Jesus himself
claimed to be
check out
chapter John
chapter 2
verses 12
through 25
Jesus said
to the
religious leaders
and they had
no idea
what he was
talking about
destroy this
temple and
in three days
I will raise
it up again
for it will
be raised up
again
he was speaking
of himself
and his
mission
now
according to
Jewish
understanding
and according
to the Old
Testament
scripture
according to
the prophets
Jerusalem
was the
physical
center
of God's
kingdom
the kingdom
of Israel
national
Israel
and the
temple
was the
spiritual
heart
of the
kingdom
now
what was the
significance of the
temple
the temple
was where God
resided among
his people
it was the
physical people
where people
could see
God living
as it were
and it was the
temple where
they went to
to connect
with God
they had to
offer sacrifices
they needed a
priest in the
temple
to be able to
access God
it was the
temple they went
to to receive
forgiveness
it was the
temple then they
offered other
sacrifices
of fellowship
offerings
to ensure
the ongoing
the continuation
of relationship
with God
given that
they were
sinful people
and he was
a holy God
it was a
place where
people
God's people
would enjoy
refreshment
as they enjoyed
his wonderful
blessing
as they were
shaped as a
community
because that
was one of
the things
that they
had to be
they had to
reflect God's
character
to the ends
of the earth
that was what
it was about
of course
national Israel
failed miserably
to do any
of that
and Peter's
now saying
to these
people
all of whom
are spiritually
disabled
all of whom
are in a sense
cut off from
God
even though
they're standing
in this
magnificent
building called
the temple
Peter's
essentially saying
don't look to
the bricks and
mortar
don't look to
history
don't look
to tradition
look to
Jesus
he is your
temple
he is
the place
you go
to
for
forgiveness
he is the
one
who will
assure you
and confirm
to you
ongoing
relationship
and acceptance
with God
he is where
you see
God
in all his
glory
and he
will shape
you into
that community
that will
display God's
character
to the ends
of the earth
the first glimpse
of which we
saw at the end
of chapter 2
Jesus
says Peter
is God's
pathways to
salvation
he is the
pathway away
from lifelessness
and hopelessness
away from the
distorted
and disabled
by sin
away from
that which
the Bible
another point
calls an
empty way
of life
handed down
to us
by our
forefathers
Jesus
is the
pathway
to break
the cycle
of despair
to break
the cycle
of exclusion
from God
with no
hope of
anything
better
in the
future
he is the
one who
will shape
the new
community
the church
so Christ's
character
displayed
to the ends
of the earth
in fact
the last few
verses
chapter 22
to 26
as I finish
up now
I just
draw your
attention to that
it's almost
as if Peter
said
now look
this
what I'm
talking to you
about now
is the very
thing that God
has desired
to give you
all along
this is what
he spoke to
Abraham and
Moses and
David and
all the prophets
about
and it's
here
just listen
for goodness
sake he's
saying to the
crowd
listen to
what God
has said
to you
in Jesus
and you
will receive
the very
blessing
that God
has always
wanted to
give you
turn to
Jesus
for perfect
health
and experience
sorry
turn to
Jesus
for perfect
health
and experience
every blessing
of God
I'll finish
on this
the choice
for the
crowd
and therefore
the choice
for you
and me
could not
be more
simple
with the
consequences
of that
choice
not being
able to
be more
profound
listen
says Peter
turn to
Jesus
for perfect
health
and to
experience
every blessing
of God
or
shut your
eyes
shut your
ears
continue to
reject
Jesus
and as it
says
they
experience
the full
judgment
of God
see how
the choice
is so
simple
the consequences
are so
profound
so let me
end where I
started
gold is
always
alluring
it's the
currency
of this
world
but the
currency of
heaven
is Jesus
and so the
question is a
very simple
one to you
is that
worth more
than gold
to you
is he
worth more
than gold
to you
is belonging
to Jesus
a treasure
you want
for yourself
for your
children
for your
friends
I
despair
sometimes
when I
hear
parents
it may
not be a
true
reflection
of what
they're
saying
but it's
what they
express
needs
I just
want to
give my
children a
good financial
start in
life
let me
pray
Lord what a
wonderful
wonderful picture
you've given
us a very
personal and
immediate picture
of this man's
plight and
then the
fact that
he's renewed
in you
Lord we
recognize and
acknowledge
your
both your
power and
your
willingness
to heal
people
physically
and we
know Lord
that you
do
but help
us Lord
not to
trip over
this miracle
and become
demanding
as though
somehow
that is the
key point
help us to
look to the
Lord Jesus
and see that
in him we
have perfect
health
and help us
to see the
treasure that
is far
more value
than money
and help us
to orientate
our lives
then Lord
around our
treasure
in Jesus
name
Amen
Thank you