2. As we last left things, we had learned that:
the community of Christ followers had suddenly exploded to over 3,000 people following Peter’s Day of Pentecost sermon.
Peter’s message, inspired by the Holy Spirit, had generated individual transformation, the creation of unique community and the establishment of mission for this rapidly forming group.
this collection of people chose to live together in a community that embodied an immense generosity, enjoying a nearly utopian existence.

3. “One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame 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 do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

4. 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. While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.

5.  When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. 

6. “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ 

7. “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways. The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.

8. How ordinary an activity do you think heading off to the temple at a time of prayer was for Peter and John?
Peter and John’s presence in the temple is completely unremarkable.
Our story begins with the most ordinary and routine of circumstances.
Both the call for alms and the giving of alms at the Temple were common activities.
Again, this passage begins quite ordinarily and unspectacularly.

9. When God is involved, the ordinariness of the circumstance has no bearing on how extraordinary this circumstance can become. Our text transitions from the mundane to the miraculous.
Peter and John notice the “crippled beggar” – he received the full attention of the two apostles.
Peter and John responded to the specific prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Though this little interaction might cost them some time praying, this doesn’t seem to matter to the apostles.

10. Realizing that they could not meet his need financially, they extend to the man the only thing that they do possess; their identity as followers of Jesus Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit at work within them.
This entails risk for Peter; if the man were not healed, Peter would now be considered ritually unclean, as well as facing the mocking crowds gathered in the temple.
Because of the impact of the Holy Spirit on their lives – and the support of their community – they respond in faith to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

11. The result is that the crippled beggar is healed and enters the temple praising God for the miraculous healing in his life.
At this point, our text transitions from the miraculous to the message.
Peter uses this opportunity – this interest of the dumbfounded Jews now pressing in on him - to preach about Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection, and how salvation is available in His name.

12. Rather than dwell on the miraculous or bask in the generated awe, Peter uses this moment to simply relate to them the story of Jesus Christ.
The man is healed because God has glorified Jesus.
As in his first sermon, Peter emphasizes personal responsibility in the death of Christ – it is our sin that required Christ’s death; therefore we bear responsibility.
Peter indicates that this miraculous healing occurred “by faith in Jesus name”.
We’ve learned that the forgiveness of sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit have come in the name of Jesus and through faith in Him, both important and powerful internal realities.

13. We see another aspect of faith in Jesus, an incredible outworking of power in the name of Jesus.
By whose faith does this miracle occur?
There is a beautiful interplay in faith here with both Peter and the “crippled beggar”.
Peter exercises faith as he responds to the Spirit’s leading to instruct the lame man to stand; Peter’s command is rooted in his faith that Jesus will somehow heal this man.
The ‘crippled beggar’ responds in faith to Peter’s encouragement to walk; to actually attempt to walk meant that the man at least held out the possibility that he could be healed in Jesus’ name.
Even the most fragmented or partial act of faith can be used by God.

14. Peter points his listeners to the conclusion that Jesus is the Messiah, to one who acted as a fulfillment of all that Judaism required.
Peter and John encourage the on looking crowd to repent and turn to God.
Inherent in the message is the idea that any true Jew must acknowledge Christ as Messiah or else risk being “cut off” from Israel. To Peter and John, acknowledging Christ as Lord and Messiah is the logical conclusion to all that Judaism proposed and maintained.
Yet even here there are inklings of something greater.

15. The Sadducees and other religious muckety-mucks gain wind of Peter and John’s words and descend upon the scene.
The “powers that be” dislike the fact that the apostles are “teaching the people”; the instruction of the people of Israel was a carefully learned craft, saved for the religious elite of Jerusalem, not a few uneducated Galileans.
They take issue with the claim that God could raise the dead; such a teaching did not fit their religious worldview.
Rather than celebrate the miraculous events occurring around them, the religious leaders of Jerusalem sought to massage bruised egos instead. Pride is a tremendously destructive force.

16. Do we respond in faith to the leading of the Holy Spirit or not
Do we respond in faith to the leading of the Holy Spirit or not? What might happen is we responded in faith to the leading of the Holy Spirit more readily?
Do we believe in the outworking power of the gospel? Do we believe that God can change not only people, but circumstances?
Has pride got in our way? Has our pride prevented us from acknowledging some incredible outworking of God’s Spirit?