Acts 3:1-10

Acts 3:1-10

 

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

 

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

 

Sometimes we limit what can be done by thinking it is defined by what we can do. As Christians, what can be done is always to be defined by what God can do.

 

When the lame man asked Peter and John for money, they could have given him only the first part of their answer, “Silver or gold I do not have,” and walked right on into the temple. But that would have left this man outside the temple and unaware of the relationship he could have through Jesus with God.

 

Instead, Peter and John recognized that they were far more wealthy than people who can only help with their silver and gold. They were so wealthy because they had a relationship with Jesus Christ, who is God. They shared with this lame man from what they had. “What I have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

 

The man walked. The man praised God. And the people who recognized him were, likewise, amazed to see the works of God.

 

Everything is ours in Christ. Everything. So as Christians, we have everything to give. If our God is not capable of restoring a lame man’s legs temporarily, then he is not able to restore our bodies forever.

 

There may be limitations to what we are authorized to give. We must always look to Christ for direction. I wish this passage said more – or that I understood more – regarding how we can know when to offer miraculous healing to someone. Perhaps there’s a limitation of who is authorized to heal; Acts 2:43 only says that the apostles were doing miraculous signs, and 1 Cor. 12:9 makes it clear that not all Christians are given the right/authority/ability to heal, even though all Christians are, by definition, rich in Jesus Christ.

 

Regardless of the difficulty in knowing when we can expect Jesus to heal people in this life, we must believe the words of God when they teach us that this – and many other things – is part of the vast reservoir of riches we have because we are in God’s family. When people ask for help, when we see people in need, we must remember that we have much more by which to help people than our own resources. I can help not just with my money, effort, skills, and time, but with the resources of my family, my Christian friends, my church, the universal church, and ultimately with the resources of God Himself in Jesus Christ. I may not have silver and gold, but I have everything in Christ. Will I remember my enormous riches the next time someone asks me for help?

 

Father, help me. When I am overwhelmed by other peoples’ needs, why do I not take the opportunity to point them to Your vast resources? Why don’t I ask my Christian friends to join me in helping? Or my church? Or my denomination? Or, simply You? Why do I assume that, if I can’t help, I can’t be a part of helping? Why do I forget my relationship with You, the great Helper? Remind me and teach me to point people to You. You meet all needs. Thank You.