Acts 2:39-3:11 Five Important Things, A Beggar Gets Healed

Acts 2:39-3:11

 

Introduction

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. [1]

Five Points of review

1. Baptism is out of obedience
2. They devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching (which was led by the Holy Spirit)
3. Fellowship – has essentials of “togetherness” and healing of human relationships.

From Ray Stedman “. . . These new followers of Christ devoted themselves to fellowship, which means holding all things in common, sharing together. Here are three thousand people, many of whom had come from other parts of the world into Jerusalem for that occasion, and who did not know each other. But now that they are one in Christ, they begin to love each other, to share their burdens and needs with one another, and to pray together. There was a wonderful sense of community, of common-ness, of belonging to each other. That is the intended life for the body of Christ. God has designed that His life should be manifest through a body. And if the body is not operating, the power of the life of God is not manifest . . . That is why when the Holy Spirit of God begins to move in any congregation or assembly of Christians, He first begins to heal the brokenness of human relationships . . .”

4. “We really need to pray.”
5. They were meeting together – often in the temple (Herod’s Temple – completed ~ 20 BC).

• The temple grounds occupied about 35 acres.
• The temple building itself took 13 acres (450 x 700 ft)
• The sanctuary was 150 feet tall. (Where Satan took Jesus for temptation to jump.)

Chapter 3

• Not clear the time interval from end of chapter 2 and start of chapter 3

Peter and John at the Temple

• They were there at the 9th hour – 3PM
• Jesus did healing in the Temple. Interestingly, if there was something wrong with you, you weren’t even supposed to be in the Temple.

The beggar at the Temple

• Peter and John had probably seen him in the past. But, this time, they really saw him.
• The beggar expected to get something from Peter and John. Do we come to church expecting something?
• He was healed and able to walk—even leap. Since he’d been lame from birth, he had never even learned to walk.

Healing       

From J. W. Carter: “Each healing done in the power of the Holy Spirit has some similarities. 1.) The power for all healing comes directly from God through the Holy Spirit. 2.) The act of healing always came from a demonstration of pure and true compassion for the one healed. 3.)Every act of healing was used by God to bring glory to Himself. In no instance was the glory for God initiated by man himself. Healings were not scripted. They were spontaneous acts of true agape love.”

 

 

 

 

 

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 2:39–47). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.