Acts 3:11-16

Acts 3:11-16

 

And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

 

Why are we so surprised to find that Jesus does things we can’t do? When we are so surprised, it demonstrates that we don’t understand and believe a few essential truths about Jesus, as Peter points out to this astonished crowd.

 

Peter begins with two questions, both of them intended to tell the amazed people that they’re not seeing things the way they should. First, they shouldn’t be amazed/surprised that this lame man has been healed. Second, they shouldn’t be thinking that Peter and John healed the man by their own power and godliness. Why not?

 

First, the people should understand who Jesus is. They should understand that God has glorified Jesus – the same Jesus they condemned when Pilate wanted to release Him, the same Prince of life they put to death in exchange for a murderer’s life. God glorified Jesus and raised Him from the dead, and the apostles have seen Jesus alive. So Jesus is God’s living, glorified, accredited Servant. If the people had understood this, they would not have been surprised at the lame man’s restoration.

 

Second, the people should have understood that the name of this Jesus strengthened the lame man. They should have understood that restoration comes through faith in God’s servant. Instead, they were thinking that men like Peter and John could be powerful and godly enough on their own to work miracles. But they were wrong. No mere man has ever been powerful or godly enough to do miracles on his own. Every miracle done by God’s servants is done by the God they trust, regardless of men’s imperfections and weaknesses. And this trust in God comes through trust in Jesus. Jesus strengthened this man because of the apostles’ faith in Jesus, not because of their own power or godliness.

 

Jesus is the glorified servant of God. He is the source of all good things. No one should be astonished that He does good things for His people. And no one should think that men are able to do Jesus’ works; all men can do is trust in Him.

 

Father, help me to see Jesus as Your glorified servant. Help me to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from above, and that He is able to do anything. Help me to ask for good things from You, knowing that I cannot do them at all. And help me to point people toward Jesus, as Peter and John did, when Jesus sends good things to others through my faith.