“THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN” ACTS 3:1-10

We are not told how long after the events of Pentecost that the incident of the text took place.  Whatever the amount of time, the believers continued to be active in their faith in spreading the good news.  As a part of their religious customs, we find in our text Peter and John engaged in worship in the temple.  Our text says that Peter and John entered the temple courts at the ninth hour which is 3:00p.m. (v.1).

As Peter and John entered the temple, a lame man was placed there, who daily asked contributions from the crowd of worshippers.  This lame man simply wanted a contribution to supply his needs (vv. 2-3).  He sat daily at the gate called beautiful to ask alms of worshippers.  The gate called beautiful was a gate that led from the court of the Gentiles into the temple area limited to Jews.  As people poured through the gate, no doubt this lame man became a noticeable object as he sat begging for alms.

What a pitiful picture we have of an individual who is both helpless and hopeless.  The lame man serves as a portrayal of a lost sinner – one who is helpless and hopeless.  As believers, we need to extend a helping hand, directing the lost to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind (St. John 1:29; 6:35).  The lame man of our text, who had a handicap, was instructed by Peter to gaze at both Peter and John (v. 4).  Having obeyed Peter’s instructions, the lame man was expecting only a contribution (v. 5).  This man who had been crippled for over forty years (Acts 4:22), never imagined that the power of God could bring relief to his crippled condition.

To remedy his lame situation, Peter and John did not offer the lame man material substance, but invoked the powerful name of Jesus for verse 6 says, “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.”  At the powerful name of Jesus, this once lame man received a cure (v. 7).  This man’s condition was indeed helpless and hopeless but he received strength to walk because of the power of Jesus!  Having been healed, the beggar expresses jubilation by walking, leaping and praising God (v. 8).

The man, who once lay at the gate, is now expressing unusual joy in the temple as he praises God.  After one has been healed by Jesus, he or she should have a desire to worship Him where other worshippers go.  This miracle of the healing of the lame man was a noteworthy one and it caused amazement among many people, because they knew of the helpless condition of the lame man (vv. 9-10).  When God truly heals one, it is truly amazing!