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Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-20

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES The Church of Jesus on Mission Empowered by the Spirit

REMEMBER But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

HOW TO BE A WITNESS Pray for laborers and lost people. Pray for opportunity, boldness and clarity. Connect with the person at their point of need. Use Scripture and life to present the gospel.

HOW TO TURN A CONVERSATION TO CHRIST Listen to the story of another person. Engage your compassion or curiosity. Translate the felt need to a spiritual need. Connect their story to Christ s provision. Declare the Good News of Christ. Make the Ask: Trust God s provision in Christ.

Luke has painted an idyllic picture of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. Its members, having received forgiveness and the Holy Spirit, were conscientious in their learning from the apostles, their worship of God, their care of one another, and their witness to those yet outside their fellowship. Everything was sweetness and light. Love, joy, and peace reigned. Commissioned by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, they stood on the threshold of the great missionary adventure which Luke is going to describe. The good ship Christ-church was ready to attach the wind of the Spirit and set sail on her voyage of spiritual conquest. John Stott

Luke recorded the events of this section (3:1-6:7) to document the continued expansion of the church and to identify the means God used to produce growth. In chapters 3-5 the emphasis is on how the Christians' witness brought them into conflict with the Jewish leaders. Tom C onstable

EVENT The Miracle in the Name of Jesus Christ. Acts 3:1 10

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. Acts 3:1-10

Mount of Olives

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. 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. Acts 3:1-10

Context: The believers were praying regularly (3:1). Circumstance: A man with a real felt need was looking for help (3:2-3). Correction: Peter directs him to meet his real spiritual need (3:4-7). Consequence: God gets the credit for miraculous healing (3:8-10).

This is the first of 14 miracles in Acts (by Peter: 3:1-10; 5:1-11; 9:32-35, 36-42; by an angel: 5:17-26; 12:1-19, 20-23; and by Paul: 13:4-12; 14:8-11; 16:16-19, 20-42; 20:7-12; 28:3-6, 7-8). These include four healings (three paralytics and one involving fever), two raisings from the dead, four liberations (two from physical bondage and two involving exorcisms), three acts of judgment, and one preservation miracle. There are also 10 summary notices of miracles in Acts (2:43; 5:12, 15, 16; 6:8; 8:6-7, 13; 14:3; 19:11-12; 28:9). Darrell Bock

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.... Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. Isaiah 35:1-6

EXPLANATION The Message about the Ministry of Jesus Christ Acts 3:11 26

In interpreting the miraculous healing, Peter s speech includes the same theme as his speech at Pentecost. He does not take credit for the healing. The miracles points only to Jesus power. Peter bears witness to the foundational facts of Jesus earthly ministry: His death at the hands of enemies, His resurrection and glorification by the power of God, and the promise of His return. David Garland

SERMONS IN ACTS Event: Attention/Explanation Jesus is Resurrected Jesus is Exalted Believe in Jesus for Salvation

This speech is one of the most Christologically rich addresses in Acts, as Jesus is the Servant, Holy and Righteous one, the Author of life, the Prophet like Moses, the Christ, and the seed of Abraham. (All of these titles grow out of OT passages, especially Isaiah 53.) Darrell Bock

INTRODUCTION The power of God should never surprise us. Acts 3:11-12

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. 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? Acts 3:11-12

Mount of Olives

INTRODUCTION The power of God should never surprise us. Never take credit for what God is doing. Acts 3:11-12

PROCLAMATION God glorified Jesus by raising Him from the dead. Acts 3:13-15

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. Acts 3:13-15

SIX STATEMENTS He is exalted (v.13). He was handed over by the people (v.13). He was falsely accused (v.14). He was killed (v.15). God raised Him from the dead (v.15). You know it is true (v.15).

CONNECTION Faith in this same Jesus is what healed the lame man. Acts 3:16

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. Acts 3:16

The miracle of physical healing is rightly seen as an illustration of spiritual healing. The lame man serves as an excellent picture of the helplessness and hopelessness of the sinner (Rom. 5:6; Eph. 2:12) whose only hope is believing in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). When one believes in Him, then instantaneously there is complete salvation, which brings joy to the sinner, praise to God, and a testimony to others. Charles Ryrie

EXHORTATION Repent and turn to God for forgiveness of sins. Acts 3:17-26

EXHORTATION Jesus death was always the plan of God (3:17-18). Repent, turn to God, and place your faith in Jesus (3:19-20). Jesus was exalted into heaven until He returns to rule (3:21). Scripture predicted and proves the need for repentance (3:22-24). Scripture predicted and proves God's desire to bless (3:25-26).

Jesus death was always the plan of God. 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. Acts 3:17-18

Repent, turn to God, and place your faith in Jesus 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. Acts 3:19-20

THREE PROMISES Your sins will be wiped out (v.19). Times of refreshing will come (v.19). Christ will return (v.20).

THREE PROMISES Total Forgiveness (v.19). Spiritual Refreshment (v.19). Universal Restoration (v.20). John Stott

repent (μετανοήσατε) Repentance is always a turning from something toward another something. The idea of emotional distress is not usually a part of the word though it may be a result or precursor. The turn may be from a way or thinking or from a way of acting. At the base of the word is a change of allegiance from one thing to another that controls your life.

Repentance and faith are not two steps in salvation, but one step looked at from two perspectives. Appeals to repent do not contradict the numerous promises that faith is all that is necessary for salvation (e.g., John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:47; 20:30-31; Rom. 4; et al.). The faith that saves includes repentance (a change of mind). One changes from unbelief to belief (Acts 11:17-18). Sometimes the New Testament writers used the two terms, "repent and believe," together (e.g., Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; Heb. 6:1). Sometimes they used repentance alone as the sole requirement for salvation (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 26:20; 2 Pet. 3:9). Nonetheless whether one term or both occur, they are as inseparable as the two sides of a coin. Tom C onstable

Biblical repentance may be described thus: the sinner has been trusting in himself for salvation, his back turned upon Christ, who is despised and rejected. Repent! About face! The sinner now despises and rejects himself, and places all confidence and trust in Christ. Sorrow for sin comes later, as the Christian grows in appreciation of the holiness of God, and the sinfulness of sin. Donald Grey Barnhouse

Jesus was exalted into heaven until He returns to rule. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. Acts 3:21

Christ will remain above until the period of restoration of all things (3:21). This refers to the time when Christ restores the world order God first created in Genesis (Rom. 8:20-21), a world without sin, disease, disabilities, suffering, disasters, or death. It refers to the Messiah s physical reign on earth, a literal establishment of His kingdom. Chuck Swindoll

Scripture predicted and proves the need for repentance. 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. Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. Acts 3:22-24

Scripture predicted and proves God's desire to bless. 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. Acts 3:25-26

In conclusion, Acts 3:17-21 shows that Israel's repentance was to have had two purposes: (1) for individual Israelites there was forgiveness of sins, and (2) for Israel as a nation her Messiah would return to reign. Stanley D. Toussaint

This comprehensive testimony to Jesus as rejected by men but vindicated by God, as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, as demanding repentance and promising blessing, and as the author and giver of life, physically to the healed cripple and spiritually to those who believe, aroused the indignation of the authorities. John Stott

LIVING ON MISSION The church of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, engages people with the life-changing message of Jesus by proclaiming the ministry of Jesus and calling people to turn to Him.

LIVING ON MISSION Pray for the lost. Proclaim the gospel clearly. Praise God for His Blessings. Turn conversations to Christ.