Acts 3 (Healing of the lame man at the gate Beautiful)

  • The temple encompassed 600,000 square feet (10 football fields).
  • 9th hour: 3pm to pray
  • The lame man was more than 40 years old (4.22)—had never walked.
  • He came to beg alms (asking for money)
  • 9 gates led to into the sacred part of the temple
    • 8 were 45 ft. tall
    • The main entrance gate was 75 ft. tall—the gate faced east and was overlaid with Corinthian bronze. The sun rise reflected off the bronze and was called the “Beautiful” gate.
    • Peter said that he did not have any silver or gold—poor as he was.
      • “In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk.”
      • He jumped for joy and entered the temple with Peter and John.
        • The people were filled with wonder and amazement.
        • Solomon’s porch: inside of the east wall of the Court of the Gentiles. 600 ft. long x 60 ft. deep; 2 rows of 27 ft. columns.
        • Jesus had ministered there in John 10.23.
        • Popular meeting place for early Christians (5.12).
        • Peter’s Sermon (3.12-16)
          • “Why do you look at us, as if we did this through our own power?”
          • “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers…”
          • Ex.3.6,15: God introduced Himself the same way to Moses.
          • “But you disowned Him and asked for a murderer instead…”
          • The audience must have hung their heads in disgrace
          • Holy one: Jesus was set apart from the rest
          • “Put to death the Prince of life”…means the author of life (the one who gives life).
          • You spared the one who destroyed life and tried to destroy the One who gives life!”
          • Calvary may have been man’s last word, but the empty tomb was God’s last word!
          • Peter stressed the guilt of his listeners. Why?
          • “I know that you acted in ignorance…therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
            • But if they read the prophets correctly, their ignorance would vanish.
            • Compare Acts 2.38 with Acts 3.19 (Notice the parallels).
              • Repent
              • Your sins wiped away
              • Baptized—Return (Lit. to turn back to)
                • Baptism was an essential part of returning to the Lord
      • “Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”—“in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
      • Times of refreshing=spiritual blessings from the Lord
      • Both cases…when our lives are filled with the Spirit our souls indeed enjoy “times of spiritual refreshing.”
  • V.22 following: Peter appeals to Moses and the prophets…from Samuel onward spoke of the coming Messiah.
  • “By turning every one of you from your wicked ways…”
    • Every nation throughout the world depends on each individuals restoration.
    • Applications for Us:
      • Preaching the Gospel today
      • The lame man was in a wretched condition…w/o Jesus we are in a spiritually wretched condition.
      • We may not have much “silver and gold” but we have our talents, time, and strength.
      • “Restoration of all things…”
        • Compare the first chapters of Genesis with the picture of Heaven in last two chapters of Revelation.