The Author of Life

Acts 3:11-16

11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. 12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. NKJV

In summary of our last study we saw how the poor and the lame were passed over, so that the religious leaders could be held in high honor and live in luxury. The lame beggar would come day after day to the Gate called Beautiful which was the entrance to the temple. The gate and the temple were a beautiful site, but Jesus declared that while the temple was adorned with beautiful stones, on the inside it was full of dead men’s bones. The leaders of the temple were full of greed and hypocrisy. Therefore, God heals the lame man who begged at the Gate called Beautiful, as an exclamation, to the hypocrites that God’s beauty doesn’t consist in the outward appearance of man, but within a changed heart and mind toward God’s beloved Son (Eph.3:16;1Pet.3:3-6). Peter is about to reveal the beauty of God to those who crucified Him. The beauty of God is that though Christ, being innocent, was stripped naked and bare, beaten with rods, scourged by a whip, twisted thorns crowned on His head, mocked as a blasphemer, and nailed to a rugged cross; as the image of our sin, to show us how ugly we are compared to God’s beloved Son. We are now to listen to His words, for God has spoken in His Son, and now speaking through these ordinary men who perform a miracle in His name to draw attention to God’s Word. That was God’s intent for the miracle, to capture everyone’s attention, because these men will be speaking for God. It was to show that God has compassion on the poor and needy, and that He still rules by justice; for this man received strength in his legs to carry out God’s justice and it captured the attention of the crowd.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

After the lame man was healed he went walking through the temple leaping and rejoicing in God. The people began to recognize him as the lame beggar at the gate, who then began to gather together to investigate the miracle. Surely this was a fulfillment of promise to the lame man for being passed over by the hypocrites to vindicate God’s glory and honor:

Isa 35:3-6 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. NKJV

The irony of this miracle is that one man is freed from his suffering, while his healers enter into suffering, for being obedient to the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Later, Lord willing, we will study in greater detail the persecution of the apostles because of this miracle, but for now notice that the Sanhedrin could not deny that this was a bonafide miracle:

Acts 4:16-17 . . . saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name." NKJV

We have ‘faith healers’ today who claim to do these same kind of miracles, but they are always to be found liars. Never has any ‘faith healer’ today healed a cripple from birth, except through a traditional medical practice or surgery, which never can be classified as a miracle. It may be a miracle, in that, God has given such wonderful knowledge to men, but these works are never performed instantaneously. Also, these ‘faith healers’ never suffer persecution for their ‘works’ like the apostles did. In fact, the opposite occurs. If anybody deserves to be put in jail for theft it is these charlatans who deceive and prey upon the weak for financial gain. We need not fret because God has reserved a place for those who presume to speak in His name:

2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. NKJV

This is why it is important, for those, who claim to speak in His name are defining His name rightly. Just as the poor lame man received the promise of God’s strength, the false prophets will receive the promise of God’s threatenings. The miracle was the evidence that these men, who were about to speak in God’s name, were the Lord’s true prophets; and therefore what they were about to say was the truth concerning His name, and were willing to suffer for it, even as, Jesus Christ did.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, . . .

Can you identify with this man? Because of sin, we are blind and lame, without hope, and bound for destruction. Sin keeps us from seeing the glories and beauty of God. Sin keeps us under the oppression its disease. But this man was found by the grace of God and all he could do was cling to his healers. But later we will see that Peter and John will humbly take no credit for this man’s healing, for they knew it was only by the power of Almighty God, and that they were only the instruments of God’s handiwork. Therefore, they too, were holding onto the grace of God. They were as much a beggar as the lame man, but now the power of God’s grace rests upon them and has filled them to proclaim His name.

. . . all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

Does God grace amaze you? Lord, give us such a fear and awe of your power. Cause us to turn to you for life and hope in our sufferings. Lord, send us prophets who will direct our attention to the wonders of Your glory! Grant us the eyes to see Your holiness, the strength in our legs to stand for You, the voice to proclaim Your grace, and the sincerity to suffer again for Your great name. Lord, make us as eager to run to You, as the people ran to investigate Your beauty and marvelous skill in making a lame beggar into a worshiper and lover of God. Father, do this same work in us! When our worship becomes lame, and dry, and void of truth, bring life back into us by the Word of Your power! Set the stage in our heart for Christ to sit upon His throne.

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

Here in lies the humility of the apostles. They deny any credit for this miraculous work. This could only be a work of God! Peter and John are not pointing to their own righteousness or godliness as the means that healed this man. Peter says, “Look at us” , we too were lame like this man. If we did this, it was by the power of God, and nothing in us. Don’t marvel as though we had a hand in it, we are just men, like you ‘men of Israel’. Peter addressing them as “Men of Israel” identifies them as God’s covenant people. Because of this title the people would have known that God is a miracle worker, but they were looking at the apostles as if they were working the miracle. Peter makes sure, that the people understand, that God is the culprit of the miracle. If you want to charge someone for this deed - charge God. Peter says, “Don’t look at us as though we could do such a marvelous work, this is your covenant keeping God. This is a fulfillment of one His many promises to you as God’s chosen people".

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.

In other words, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the promise God made to your fathers -- the patriarchs. "This man was healed in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who you gave over to be murdered, even after Pilate found Him innocent of your charge against Him". Peter is preaching on the innocence of Jesus Christ; that He was God in the flesh, who remained holy, harmless, and undefiled as God glorified His justice in His Son; who willingly became a slave of the Father and to us, to bring in God’s salvation, and fulfill all that God spoke through the prophets. Peter says, “Don’t charge us with such righteousness, charge yourselves with your own unbelief, as you seen Him nailed to your cross, so that you could go free”.

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, . . .

Peter is describing imputation to them in such a way that cut them in pieces. He reminds them that this miracle was done in the name of the Holy and Just One, whom they all denied, and asked for the murderer Barabbas to be released instead. He charges them with the abomination of:

Prov 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. NKJV

This is what these ‘men of Israel’ did. They justified the wicked murderer Barabbas to condemn the One and Only Just Man who ever lived -- Jesus Christ of Nazareth. But herein lies the beauty of our God! The satisfying doctrine of imputation! What these evil men intended for their own welfare, God intended for the welfare of all who believe. Jesus Christ, who was innocent, was punished in the place of sinners like us, so that we can become the righteousness of God (Rom.3:26;2Cor.5:21). Our sin is put on the Lord Jesus and His righteousness is credited to us. We are now declared righteous by God, if we show signs of sanctification, a renewal of heart before God (Rom.5:9;Jam.2:21;Tit.3:5). (For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,"Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Rom 8:15-17 NKJV)

But Christ did this willingly so that we can receive the witness of His Spirit.

Mark 14:36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." NKJV

Gal 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. NKJV

Therefore it was Christ’s willing obedience that saves us, not our own will, or our own determination to keep God’s covenant. These men are being charged with the crucifixion of Christ, but God is giving them an opportunity to repent and believe the greatest miracle of all; which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified on behalf of all who believe and look to Him for salvation.

In others words, you 'men of Israel' made your own way of salvation by killing the Lord, but God has taken what you did; and made it His ONLY way of salvation for you to escape His justice (Acts 2:23), and unless you repent and surrender to His terms of peace, you will die in your sins.

John 8:23-24 And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." NKJV

. . . and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

It was because of who Jesus claimed to be, the “Author of Life”, that the Sanhedrin killed Him. Peter is reopening the case against them, by testifying that God raised Jesus from the dead, of which he was an eye witness.

And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Again, the fact that the miracle was done through faith, the instrument which God used to make this man whole, was to testify that Jesus Christ was the ‘promised’ Messiah. Everyone saw and heard the lame man’s testimony and were all eyewitnesses; as well as the Sanhedrin, who would seek to put a stop to the preaching in Jesus’s name. The Sanhedrin believed you had to go through the fathers to receive salvation, but Jesus would have put an end to their precious idolatry if they would have turned to Him, therefore they killed Him. Yet, Christ brought forth, and now his disciples, are bringing forth, evidence after evidence, that the fathers looked forward to the day of Christ with gladness.

John 8:54-56 Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." NKJV

God’s message could not have been more sound. How will these ‘men of Israel’ respond? More importantly, how will you respond to this message?

Rom 3:4 Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:

"That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged." NKJV