This
Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 3 "The Apostles among the People, performed miracle."
These disciples will now take that gospel that Jesus declared to the world. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe upon Him, should not perish [meaning in the lake of fire] but have eternal life." [John 3:16] This "eternal life", as it is given in the Greek means from the very beginning, with out a break, into eternity with out end. This is life without ceasing. Acts 3:1 "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour." This time of the day happend to be about three P.M. Acts 3:2 "And a certian man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;" This "certain man" is a chosen man, and he had been lame from his day of birth. This man was just past forty years of age; which "forty" is probation in biblical numerics. He had never walked a day in his live, from his birth, and daily he was carried to that place at the gate, called Beautiful. This Gate, according to Josephus, was the "East Gate, which was of the Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled the others that were only covered over with silver and gold (Wars 5, 3). In the Greek in means more also, it refers to the proper time belonging to the hour or season. This man was sitting at the right gate at the right our and season. God would use this man, and his infirmities to make an esample to the city. This man was selected by God, because everybody that walked through this gate called Beautiful, was weel aware of this mans lame condition. There was no doubt that he truly was lame, and who he was. Friend, this man couldn't walk, and everybody know he couldn't. The people of Jerusalem supported him all his life in their giving of alms to him. Acts 3:3 "Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms." It is good to ask the alms, or help, and it is also good not to give alms, or anointing when it is not asked for. For the anointing of almighty God, and the Holy Spirit it must have been asked for by the individual. Acts 3:4 "And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him whith John, said, "Look on us." The Holy Spirit was busy at work here, and Peter knowing this told the man to fix his eyes on us. Acts 3:5 "And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them" This is a special example, for normally if someone asked for one thing, it is unnecessary to give something else. This man was chosen by God to fulfill a need. Therefore what is given to him is much more then he asked for. Acts 3:6 "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'." This poor lame man sat there, and Peter is giving something in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that this man never comprehended was possible to receive; his health. He has been lame for over forty years. He asked for a coin, and God has given him strength, and a whole body. He has been offered one of the greatest gifts that a man could receive, one that he had dreamed of all his life, the ability to walk. Acts 3:7 "And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength." God touch this man, as Peter reached down to take his hand and help him to his feet. As Peter's hand grasped the poor mans hand, strength came immediately to his ankle bones, and strength entered in to them. God mad him able to stand on his own two fee, and walk and jump for joy. Many people can stand on their feet, but how about standing against something. How about standing against a wrong, or standing up for Christ when those around you are attacking His name and character? God gives you the power to make that stand, and give you strength when of yourself, you feel like runing away. Friend, it is time to come out of that probation, and let the Holy Spirit plant that strength in your soul, and give you the strength to stand against the firey darts of the world. Acts 3:8 "And he leaping up stood, and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God." What an exciting time to see this lame man now instantly jump to his feet, and running and jumping he ran into the Temple. He was praising God, and he just couldn't withhold himself from telling everybody what God had done for him. Did you see where He gave the praise? He was "praising God" for the victory that came in his life. Friend we also need that gift of God in order to stand against our opposition in these later days, and the deceptions that is about to cover the entire earth. It is God that choses and it is God that gives the strength through His Spirit. God allowed this man to stay lame for forty years, and then at the right time and in the right season God made this man whole. I wonder how many times He prayed for a healing, or even seen and heard of others being healed by Jesus Himself. There was a reason that this man was healed. Acts 3:9 "And all the people saw him walking and praising God:" That is the point of this chapter; "the people saw him walking and praising God". He was sitting at that gate day after day, year after year, and behold, he is walking, and they all knew him personally. Acts 3:10 "And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him." All the people knew that something supernatural and divine had happened and they were witnessing it. I wonder how many hearts that had touched, and souls came to be saved over this healing. Think of all those other people that have read of this lame man that was healed, all down through the years, and have been given strength and faith in their lives by it. Do you think for one minute that this was an accident that that man was sitting there at the gate on that day? Friend, God has a plan, and this is part of that plan. The time was right for the Holy Spirit of God to fulfill His work within this man. Is it any wonder that this man praised God, and that God was pleased with this son. The very fact of the public knowledge of this lame mans needs, gave the Divine intervention of the healing that all the people knew that it was God that had touched him. Acts 3:11 "And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." God never misses a moment in His teaching. Why at Solomon's porch? You see the Gentiles could come to Solomon's porch, and be taught. They could do this even before Jesus Christ went to the cross, and even the Gentiles could see this healing of God. It means that after Christ paid the price of the cross, that the divine healing by Almighty God included the Gentiles also. There is no doubt where his healing came from, for he hung on to Peter and John, as he shouted and jumped, drawing attention to the fact that he was healed. He let it be known that the healing was through and not by those two. God did the healing. Acts 3:12 "And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?" This is Peter's second public address, after the founding of the church. Acts 3:13 "The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified His Son Jesus; Whom ye delivered up, and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go." The very one that you killed at that hand of Pilate, is the one that healed this man. You are the one that called for Barabbas. Why would Peter take the time to call attention to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, when He stood here on the porch of the Gentiles? Abraham was the father of many nations, and in the covenant with God, He was to be a blessing to all nations and Gentile peoples. Acts 3:14 "But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;" Peter reminded them that they called for Barabbas to be set free instead of Christ, when pilate was going to free a prisoner. This is recorded in Luke 23:17, 18; "(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)" [17] "And they cried out all at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas:" [18] Acts 3:15 "And killed the Prince of life, Whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses." You killed the Prince that gives life, and we observed and bear witness to your deeds, and Jesus Christ resurrection. We observed Jesus Christ walk the earth after the crucifixion, and we have seen with our eyes Christ's defeat of Satan. You now have this man that had been lame for forty years standing before this crowd that screamed to crucify Christ, and he had just been healed in the name of Jesus Christ, the crucified one. This must have made a believer out of the now healed man, and peter is using him as an object lesson before the people. That was the whole idea for the healing, to make believers out of many, for they are looking on not only the young man, but Peter and John as they are preaching. When these people are trying to give Peter and John the credit, they responded, Not So! It was almighty God that touched this man and made him whole. Acts 3:16 "And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know; yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." It is through Jesus Christ of Nazareth's name, and your faith in that name that this man is strong, and healed. Look at him and fix your eyes on him, for Christ has healed him. Do you understand what Peter and John said; fix your eyes on us, and believe, and you will receive. This man went through much suffering for many years so that he could be the example for these people, and many others down through the centuries. But through it, many will come to know Christ and be saved. The fact is there and it is written, It was God that touched him and healed this man. God may have a far greater purpose in your life then you are aware of. Acts 3:17 "And now, brethren, I wot[consider, be aware] that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." Peter is saying that he know that our heavenly Father's Word had to be fulfilled, concerning the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and you were ignorant of that fact, and it was for that reason that you did it. Acts 3:18 "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled." All of the prophets had prophecied on one way or another that Christ would suffer and die, that God's will should be fulfilled. The plan of God tells us why Christ must be crucified, and each of the prophets, all the way back to Moses, in Genesis 3:15 tells us how that crucifixion. Isaiah gives us the details in Isaiah 53, and Jesus Christ even quotes while hanging on the cross from David's Prophecy in Psalm 22. Then following Psalm 22, we have Psalm 23 which lets everyone know what the gospel is really all about. We are told how we will walk through this valley of the shadow of death, and death is all around us. Living in the flesh is a process of dying, and while we are walking in this valley, we see the working of our heavenly Father, and the hope of our resurrection and eternal life that He prepares for us; even while we are in the face of our enemy. All of the promises that God has made to you, have been fulfilled in Christ, but is for you to reach out and take those promises, and make them your, just like the lame man asked and reached out to take Peter's hand, to receive the healing. Peter is reminding them that what they did they did because it was written, and that God's Word must come to pass, and now that word has been fulfilled. This makes it all the more important that we must understand what is written in his Word. Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" "Blotted out" means erased like it never existed. Like it was never there and just never happened. When Christ sets you free, you are free indeed. To be converted means that you turn from the direction you were heading, and go in the opposite direction. You turn from the things of sin and head in the path that God has set forth in His Word. When you have repented, then you are sinless, that is the times of refreshing that shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:20 "And He shall send Jesus Christ, Which before was preached unto you:" We are talking about the second advent here, when that office of Savior will be filled, and God will send His Son again. But there is a very special time that must come first, when Michael and his angels cast Satan and his angels to the earth, for that five month period. Acts 3:21 "Whom the heaven must receive unto the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." Christ must remain in heaven until the times of restitution of all things. The "restitution of all things" is "Apokatastasis" in the Greek, and means the re-establishment of all things from a state of ruin. All the prophets have talked of this time of the Millennium since this world age begin. It is written that on the first day of the Millennium age, at Christ's return, every knee shall bow to Christ. Romans 14:11; "For it is written, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Jesus is quoting here from Isaiah 45:22, 23; "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." [22] "I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." [23] This will continue for a thousand years of the Millennium age, then people will again get a little lazy, and God will release Satan again to test the people before the end shall come. There will be no restitution after this thousand years, but only a path way into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14, 15; "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, This is the second death[of the soul]." [14] "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." [15] The subject is the restitution on the first day of the Millennium, of sensibility and God will turly bring it back. People will worship Christ then. Acts 3:22 "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, `A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you." Peter is reminding them that what he is saying was written long ago, way back in Moses day. Even back in Moses day the Lord spoke of these things. Even of the second advent and the first advent. This is given in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Moses was a deliverer, and the savior of Israel, and he freed them from Pharaoh after four hundred years of captivity, but that was only a type of what would actually happen when Christ Himself would walk this earth. It is not strange that Moses would be used here, as the voice for the prophets. The word Moses means "pulled, or saved from the water", in a sense, baptism. We see the promise that was given long ago. God would not leave us in bondage, like the Israelites were freed from their bondage, from the Pharaoh of this world. God provided a way, a path for all those that will take hold of that path to happiness in salvation. Acts 3:23 "And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.' " We are not talking of the flesh here, but the soul. Earilier we discussed the time at the end of this earth age of the flesh where all people will bow to Christ, and confess His name, as we enter into the Millennium age. However at the close of that Millennium Satan will be released for a short season, and there will still be those souls, not flesh, that will follow Satan. Revelation 20:6 "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." The overcomers, called the Elect that are sealed in their minds, and do not bow a knee to Antichrist in this flesh age are the blessed and holy. This is the Millennium age, and all of the elect will reign with Christ for that thousand year Millennium age. Revelation 20:7 "And when the thousand years are expiried, Satan shall be losed out of his prison," [6] "And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God and Magog, together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. [8] This battle will be a time of testing for all souls after one thousand years of teaching and discipline. It is all spiritual battles, because all souls will be in their soul or "incorruptable bodies". Every one of those souls that will not hear the voice of the Lord, and follows Satan shall be destroyed right along with Satan. Even the memory of them will be removed from their family and friends, it will be as if they never existed. Revelation 20:11 "And I saw a great whict throne, and Him That sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them." Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were written in the books, according to their works." If your name is recorded in the "book of life, your judgments will be rewards, for repentance in Jesus name will blot out all your sin. However all those who are not recorded in the book of life, will be judged by the Father, "According to their works." Revelation 20:13 "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." The sea is the souls of the people living on earth at that time, and death and hell are those that have died, and held in waiting for judgment until after the Millennium age, and all those souls will be Judged "according to their works." Friend, your works do matter, especially after you have taken the Antichrist's name and number. Revelation 20:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, This is the second death." [the death of the soul] At the close of the Millennium age, then this great white throne judgement will take place, and all those that did not learn in the Millennium, nor this earth age, will be judged by their works. All those that have not aligned themselves to Jesus Christ kingdom shall be removed, as it was written. Acts 3:24 "Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." "Samuel" being interpreted from the Hebrew tongue, means "heard of God". Have you heard from God? God wrote a letter to you and He used many prophets over thousands of years to let you know what He expect from you. Have you read that letter yet? It is the Word of God. If you have read the Word of God within it's completeness, from Genesis through the entire Old Testament, you would have known that it was all fortold in detail. That is what Peter is reminding these Jews at this time. They told where by we could have eternal life, and have our sins forgiven upon repentance. Acts 3:25 "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, `And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.' " Why would God say that? Because the word "Abraham'" means "the father of the nations", yes even the Gentile nations. That even they would receive a blessing through those children of the covenant that God gave to Abraham. It is through the genealogy of Abraham that Jesus the Christ would come, and with Jesus paying the price, all sinners have forgiveness at repentance in Jesus name. That doesn't mean placed a cover over, and allow someone to hammer you with those sins later, friend, it means they are blotted out forever. When God forgives on your repentance, the sin is over and gone forever. It is as it never happened. Acts 3:26 "Unto you first God, having raised up His Son Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.' " God turned us from our sin, freeing us. Though those sins are forgiven, we will still sin some on a daily basis, and that is why we confess our sins daily to Him, in Jesus name, but God will change your life and you will be a different person. Life will take on a new meaning for you, and many of those important things, just won't have any importance any more, yet other things that seemed silly before will now be the most important thing in your life. God has a destiny for each of His own, and just like this many was allowed to live forty years as an lame begger at the gate, his destiny was to be healed at the right time and season for the glory of God, and for His will and purpose. Christ healed that one man for His glory, so that it could be told even to the end of this earth age, so that souls could be saved for His kingdom. You may feel like there is no purpose in your life, and that is why you must get into God's Word, of then you can be used of Him, and by His Spirit in these final days of this earth age of the flesh. The time is close for the return of Satan, the Antichrist when Michael the arch angel casts Satan and his angels to the earth for that short season. Are you going to be deceived at that time, or are you going to be prepared with you gospel armor on and in place to stand firm against the firey spiritual darts of the devil?.
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