Have faith, take action

Acts 3

When it comes to our Christian faith, what is normal? Acts 3 is not in Scripture by accident. It tells us how things should be. It shows us:

1. Christians should be together – Peter and John were together and they went up together.
2. They went up – Peter and John went up to the temple where God’s presence was to be found.
3. They were praying people – Peter and John were going to the temple to pray. They went up at 3pm on a normal weekday to pray.

Verse 3 – It’s important to note that this man had seen Jesus. Jesus had walked past him many times. It was for this moment that Jesus rejected the opportunity to heal him so that this moment with Peter and John could happen. Peter and John could have walked by, but they chose to fix their eyes on the man.

Verse 6 – Peter gave the man what he had. Peter didn’t know if the man would be healed. He hadn’t read Acts 3. We do not live by sight but by faith. Peter was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading in him. God works through our obedience. Faith is the connection between God’s power and our need. Through Peter’s faith the man was lifted up. The man was healed when Peter reached out and lifted him up. We need faith.

Luke 5:17-26

There were Pharasees sitting next to Jesus. The power of the Lord was present to heal them as well. The friends of the man had heard about Jesus. When they could not get in they went up. The only way to get past the obstacle to Jesus is the go up. They had to put effort in to make a hole in the roof. They were ready to pay the cost to get to Jesus. The man was let down into the presence of Jesus. Jesus saw their faith (vs 6). Jesus wants us to have faith that He can see. Faith is belief in action. These men could have easily sat at home and prayed for their faith, but they put their faith into action and took him to Jesus. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossiblto please God”. Jesus saw their faith and forgave the man’s sins. Jesus also sees our unbelief and critical hearts. Jesus perceived the thoughts of the Pharasees and answered them. Peter would have heard Jesus and knew that Jesus had forgiven him and called the man in Acts 3 to get up and walk in the same way as Jesus had done in Luke 5. Jesus told the man to pick up his mat because a testimony needs to be carried. The healing that was meant for the Pharasees went to the sick man because of the faith they showed in Jesus.

God’s power is here today. We are not getting it because we are clinging on to our pride, stress, etc. It is time to go up to God and express our faith in our actions.

How did Peter and John go from Acts 2 to Acts 3? In Acts 2:42 they devoted themselves to the teaching, to the breaking of bread, to each other and to prayer. Other words for devotion are hunger or surrender.