God without skin.

God with skin.

God in your skin.

The book of Acts is marked by a phenomenal event: God moved into our skin.

Verse 9: The Spirit of God dwells in you

Verse 10: The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you.

Acts is a book of firsts. This is the first public healing after the church was formed.

Acts 3:1-2 (ESV)
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

Psalms 55:17
Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and He hears my voice.

Acts 3:3-5
Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

Acts 3:6
But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

This passage shows us that we often expect too little of God.

“If we consider the unblushing promises of his reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -C.S. Lewis

1) He tells the lame beggar what he doesn’t have.

2) He tells the lame beggar what he does have.

“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name.

He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead.”

According to Cornelius a Lapide, Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II as a large sum of money was being counted out. “You see, Thomas,” said the Pope, “the Church can no longer say, ‘Silver and Gold have I none.’ ‘True, holy father” was the reply; ‘Neither can she now say, ‘Rise and up and walk.’”
// Cited by FF Bruce, The Book of Acts//

Jesus’ name is more powerful than our stuff.

Acts 3:7-10
And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Leviticus 21:18
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long.

Peter’s 2nd Christ-centric message gives meaning to the miracle of healing.

The miracle of healing is not the point of Acts 3. The miracle is a means to set up the message.

1) A man

2) A miracle of healing

There are instantaneous and delayed miracles of healing.

In many biblical cases, a miracle of healing is performed or not performed, so that the Gospel can be preached.

“I pick my text, and I make a beeline to the cross.” - Charles Spurgeon

Acts 3:11-16
While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

The materials we do or don’t have, the miracle of healing (that has happened, will never happen or will happen later), should never take the place of the greatest miracle of all, which is the Gospel message.