The Book of Acts ~ Study Twelve

"Don't Just Sit There"

Acts 3:1-10 (NLT) Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.
     Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”
     Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
     All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded!


Imagine sitting in the same place day after day after day after day. Not only do you have to sit there, because you can't walk, someone has to place you there everyday. This is your only way to survive ~ begging at the Temple Gate called "Beautiful."


We quickly feel sorry for this beggar, but that isn't what this story is about. It's about getting his attention and pointing him to Jesus. The beggar was focused on the way things are, not the way things could be. He was resigned to be a beggar and thought that all he could do was to get money to survive. It worked for him so why would expect more?


How about you? Do you remain in a constant state of "this is how it is?" What could be different in your life?


This lame man begged for money but Peter and John had something else in mind. First,  Peter had to get the man's attention. He looked right at the man and said, "Look at us!" There is an exclamation mark at the end of this sentence so it means that Peter probably either shouted at him or used a commanding voice of some sort. Peter wanted his full attention so he could get his mind on something other than the daily routine of begging for money. Peter was pointing toward healing from Jesus.


What do you focus on in your daily life? What are some struggles that you have? Do you believe that Jesus cares and wants the best for you? Why or why not? Are you stuck begging at the gate like this beggar or are you ready to get up and accept God's healing?


The lame man was close to the heart of the Temple but couldn't make it in. Peter and John showed him that money wasn't what he needed. He needed healing ~ complete healing. Peter said, "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” He pointed him to the Healer, the Savior ~ Jesus.


This is our role as believers in Jesus; to bring others to Him. As believers in Jesus we aren't to remain at the "temple gate" expecting nothing more than existing. We are to get up and walk. We are to believe God in our situations and get up and walk ~ to live by faith in the Son of God.


Galatians 2:20-21 (NLT) My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.


Jesus asks us to believe and trust Him, not to sit in the memories and regrets of our pasts. He also wants us to help bring people to Him for healing. No more status quo! Our lives should reflect who He is not who we were.


2 Corinthians 5:1-3 (MSG) For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we'll never have to relocate our "tents" again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what's coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we're tired of it! We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less.


Why do we settle for less than God's best for us? I think its because we focus on what we think is the best and not God's best. This isn't a "name-it-and-claim-it ~ blab-it-and-grab-it" mentality. It is believing that God has unsurpassable plans for our lives. Like the passage says, "He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less." 


Let's not just sit around wallowing in our own wants. Let's get up and move forward in faith and in doing so, bring others to our King.

Never settle for less than God's unsurpassable best!