Acts 3

Acts 3:12-26

In this chapter we have a miracle and a sermon: 1. The miracle was the healing of a man that was lame from his birth, with a word speaking, ver. 1—8. And the impression which this made upon the people, ver. 9—11. 2. The scope of the sermon which was preached hereafter, was to bring people to Christ, to report of their sin in crucifying him, ver. 12—19. And to believe in him now he was glorified, ver. 20—26.

1. NOW Peter and John went up together into the temple, at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entred into the temple. 3. Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms. 4. And Peter fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. 5. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 7. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up; and immediately his feet and anele-bones received strength. 8. And he leaping up, stood, and walked, and entred with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10. And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

2. 1—11. Among the many miracles performed by the apostles, one notable one is here recorded.

3. The apostles by whom it was done were Peter and John; they were going up to the temple together at the flated hour of prayer, probably the same day in which Peter had preached in the morning, being the ninth hour, or three o’clock in the afternoon. Nate, They who love the temple service, will be glad to be there twice a day.

4. The poor object, on whom the miracle was performed, was a beggar, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who lay at the beautiful gate of the temple, which was made of Cornelian brabs, more precious than gold, and asked alms of them that entred into the temple, seeing Peter and John, therefore, about to enter, he asked of them an alms. Nate, (1.) Those who are poor, and incapable of working, are the true objects of charity. (2.) They who are drawn to the temple by the love of God,

will have their hearts enlarged in tendered compaillon towards the wants of the necessities.

3. Peter and John looking earnestly at him, bid him attend to them, as about to shew him a singular favour; and the poor man expecting an alms, looked attentively at them. When Peter, the forward speaker, addressed him, saying, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have, and what Silver and gold never could procure, give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk; by his authority I speak, and his power shall enable thee for what I command. Then taking him by the right hand, he left him up, and immediately the astonishing cure was wrought, his feet and anele bones received strength. Nate, (1.) The riches of grace are infinitely more valuable than the treasures of both the Indies. (2.) According to our abilities, we must be ready to communicate of the gifts of God with which he hath entredled us, whether temporal or spiritual. (3.) In this impotent man, every sinner may read his own case and cure. 1. By nature, from our birth, thus spiritually paralytic are we, and utterly unable to walk one step in God’s ways. 2. The temple is the place where the poor impotent sinner should be found, for there the Lord usually observes the alms of his grace. 3. The ministers of Christ say not in vain arise and walk, to those who have no power of themselves to help themselves; for he, in whose name they speak, doth by his Spirit accompanying their word, enable the helpless soul for that which they region. 4. Christ will have a hold of us by the hand of his grace, and then we lay hold of him by the hand of faith, and feel an unusual power communicated to our paralytic souls.

4. The lame man, transported with joy at the strange alteration he instantly felt, leaped up with astonishing agility, and freed him on his feet, and walked about before all present, in token of his perfect cure, and entred with his benefactors into the temple, waiting, and leaping, and praying God. Nate, (1.) If our souls have received a spiritual cure, then will our hearts and lips be filled with praise and thanksgiving to the God of all grace, and we shall be happy in employing the strength he hath given us, in walking in his holy ways. (2.) They who have found a bleffing from the ministry of Christ’s servants, will not fail to accompany them into the temple, that they may reap farther benefit from their company and dislour.

5. The people who beheld him were struck with wonder and surprise, at seeing him thus walking and praising God, knowing that it was the same cripple who had lain at the gate of the temple; and whilst, as in an ecstasy, he hung about Peter and John, expressing his unutterable gratitude for this mercy received by their means, the people gathered round them in the part of the temple called Solomon’s porch, greatly wondering at this amazing miracle, and at those who wrought it. Nate, They who have been made the instruments of good to our souls, cannot but be dear to us, and embraced with peculiar affection.

6. ¶ And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this I or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14. But ye denied the holy One, and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, 15. And killed the prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses. 16. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18. But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19. ¶ Reject ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 20. And he shall send Jesus Christ, which was before preached unto you: 21. Whom the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22. For Moses truly laid unto the fathers, a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall lay unto you. 23. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise

foretold of these days. 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, ‘And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26.’ Unto you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, ‘in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Peter beholding the concourse of people assembled on this occasion, improves so happy an opportunity to preach the gospel to those who seemed so affected with the miracle before them. A word in season, how good is it?

1. He humbly disclaims all the honour of the miracle, which was due to his Master alone. Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? when so much greater cures have been before performed among you by the Lord Jesus; or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man walk? Note, (1.) The most successful ministers must be the most humble; the more they are admired of others, the lower they must lie down at the feet of Jesus, ascribing to him alone the praise. (2.) We are too apt to idolize the men and ministers, who have been made signal instruments of good to us; but we should look farther, even to him who alone give the increase.

2. He preaches to them that Jesus, whom they crucified, by whose power alone this miracle was wrought. The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, that covenant-keeping God, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus, owning him in this high character; not only by all the miracles which he had wrought, but by his resurrection from the dead, and ascension to heaven; whom ye delivered up as a malefactor, into the hands of the Roman governor, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, as your King Messiah, requiring his crucifixion; when he, convinced of his innocence, was determined to let him go. But ye, infligated by the priests and rulers, with savage barbarity denied the holy One, and the Test, whom none could ever convince of sin, or impeceth his spouses purity: and as the most provoking aggravation of your guilt, desired a murderer to be granted unto you, in preference to him, and killed the Prince of Life, the author and fountain of natural, spiritual, and eternal life; whom God hath raised from the dead; defeating all the malice of his enemies, rolling away the reproach of the cros, and exalting him to a state of the most transcendent glory; whereof we are wrongly; have seen and converted with him after his resurrection, and are endowed with these miraculous powers by him, to make our testimony more regarded. And his name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong whom ye see and know; acting under his authority, and trusting on his power, hath this inconceivable miracle been performed: yea, the faith which is by him, exercised upon him as the object, and wrought in us by him as the author, hath given him the perfect soundness in the presence of you all; for this thing was not done in a corner, but publicly in the temple, and the perfection of the care was evident to every beholder.

3. Yet stressful as their guilt was, he means not to drive them to despair. And now, brethren, exceeding sinful as your conduct hath been, I was that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers; I persuade myself that many, I would hope the most, who were engaged in that black deed, were blindly hurried on by their passions and prejudices, and knew not what they did, else would they not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. ii. 8. But those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled; and though this be no extenuation of your wickedness, yet since the very end of his dying was, in order to obtain remission of sin for the most miserable and desperate, there is still hope, even for those, whose hands are red with his blood. Note, (1.) Charity bids us hope the best, even of the vileth; and not to impute to them worse motives to their actions than really influence them. (2.) The wickedness of men God can over-rule, and bring good out of their evil.

4. He exhorts an immediate penitent return to him whom they had crucified. Repent ye, therefore, of this conscious deed; and since there is yet hope towards God, he concurred: turn to this Jesus, as the true Messiah: laying aside your pride and prejudices, yield up your hearts to his guidance and government, and fly to the atoning blood of his cros, which was shed for this very purpose, that your sins, however great, numberless, and aggravated, may be blathed out, and your guilt cancelled, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; those joyful reasons of consolation which now you will experience, when turning unto him you shall be filled with joy and peace in believing, and shall also find favour with him, and be acknowledged by him, when he shall come to be glorified in his faims, and to be admired of all that believe; in his presence then shall you possess bliss unattainable, and under his shadow enjoy an eternal rest from all the burdens of sin, sorrow, and temptation. For he shall send Jesus, this Jesus whom he hath made both Lord and Christ, and appointed the Judge of quick and dead, even him which before was preached unto you, in all the sacred oracles, and by his own blessed ministry; whom the

bearous must receive, whither we have seen him ascend, and where he now sits enslaved in glory, until the times of resurrection of all things, when the mystery of godliness shall be finished, all his elect people be gathered in to him, and his kingdom shall finally come at the great day of his appearing to judge the world. Note, (1.) The great inducement to evangelical repentance, is the promise of pardon and forgiveness. (2.) They who truly turn to Jesus, shall find refreshing and rest to their souls, and reconciliation with a pardoning God. (3.) Though Christ be now exalted to his throne, we expect his coming a second time: oh that we may be prepared to meet him? then shall it be a time of refreshing; when seeing him face to face, we shall be changed into the same image, be like and with him for ever.

5. He supports what he had said by an appeal and reference to the scriptures, in which they believed. For these were the things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began, concerning the kingdom of his Messiah. For instance, Moses, that great law-giver, in whom was glory, he bore a noble testimony to Jesus, and truly said unto the fathers in the wilderness, if prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, sprung from the flock of Abraham, like unto me; who shall wish he greater dignity be a mediator between God and you; shall deliver you from worse than Egyptian bondage, and from the most intimate knowledge of God, shall reveal to you his mind and will: how shall ye have to all things whatsoever be shall say unto you; embracing his doctrines, obedient to his precepts, and observant of his institutions with implicit faith, unbounded love, and unreserved submission; yielding up your souls to his guidance and government. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet, and believe and obey him, shall be destroyed from among the people, cut off by some notorious stroke of divine vengeance. Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel, in whom the spirit of prophecy revived, and those that follow after, in a long succession, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of their days; speaking of the Messiah, his sufferings, glory, and kingdom, from its beginning on earth, till its consummation in heaven.

6. He draws a most encouraging motive from their relation to the prophets, to receive their word, and believe in the Messiah, of whom they testified. Ye are the children of the prophets, their disciples and descendants from the patriarchs, and heirs of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed, which seed was Christ, whose salvation shall extend to all nations; therefore, being the immediate offspring of the great father of the faithful, State you first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, leading him in the human nature, and raising him from the dead, hath sent him to bless you, by his own ministry and labours, and now by investing us with power and authority to preach his gospel, in which the most powerful motives are urged, in order to your conversion, and which his Spirit makes effectual to the turning every one of you, that believe in him, from his iniquities, and bringing you to pardon, salvation, and like eternal. Note, (1.) Jesus is come to be the blessing of the world. We about him, the curse and wrath of God must have for ever abode upon us. (2.) Inquiry is the cause of all our misery; when Christ comes to the sinner, he not only pardons his guilt, but converts his soul, and thus effectually recovers him to the life of grace, in order to bring him to the life of glory.