Scripture
Acts 3:1-26
Observation
Walking to Temple each day everybody saw this crippled guy that someone carried to the outside of the Temple gates to beg for money. I am guessing that a person with a deformity was probably not allowed to go inside the Temple and since he was lame from birth, then he has never been inside the building. Do any of you know, please comment?
We see this guy trying to get his or her physical need for food and clothing met but Peter and John go beyond this to the source of his problem. This man never expected to walk home from the Temple that day, he was always carried home, why would today be any different.
It is cool that Peter saw an opportunity (verse 12) to give a witness and he jumped on it, he made it clear to everyone why this man was walking around inside the temple today when he was always sitting outside begging.
The basic message that Peter gave the people was that you rejected Jesus before (verse 13-15) now change your mind (verse 17-19) and turn to Jesus, realize that he died according to God’s plan to save us from every wrong thing that we have done, said or thought. Just like that crowd we have rejected Jesus and at some point in life hopefully you have changed your mind about Jesus.
Peter said that Jesus fulfilled prophecy in his first coming and in His death. God told his people through the prophets that the Messiah would come and that he would die a dreadful death and rise again and it all happened just as the prophets said. The last thing that Peter told his audience that day in the temple was that Jesus will fulfill another prophecy in the future, He will return for those of us that have changed our minds about him (verse 19-26).
There is no better assurance that future prophecy will be fulfilled than to look at the past prophecy that was fulfilled. We can place our confidence in these words:
John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Application
I will be bolder in jumping on an opportunity just as Peter did.
Prayer
I pray Father that just like I blogged yesterday that I will be bold and confident in sharing the good news. I pray that my co-workers hearts will be softened to hear your message. I pray that they will let go of the classic excuse of the hypocrites in the church.
