Title: Life of a Lame/Acts 3:1~10
The book of Acts was written about 62 AD by Luke. Luke, who was a doctor by profession, was called by God to write the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. The first four books of the New Testament are the ‘Gospels’ that record the life and works of Jesus, followed by the Acts of the Apostles, a book that records what the disciples did after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven.
On the tenth day after Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples received the great power of the Holy Spirit. And each scattered and testified about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and eternal life. Every time the disciples testified of Jesus Christ, a wonderful miracle happened. The demon-possessed man was made whole, and the sick were healed. The blind opened their eyes, the dumb began to speak, and the lame got up.
The text records the story of Jesus' disciples Peter and John healing a beggar who was lame at birth. This crippled man was unable to do anything by himself from birth until he was 40, so people carried him and placed him at the beautiful gate of the temple. At that time, the Jews considered giving to others a very important virtue. He did not hate having a beggar at the temple gate to help others and obtain God's reward. Even today, if you go to Israel, you will often see a beggar sitting at the entrance to the temple.
Today I would like to examine our faith and learn a lesson from the condition of the lame at the beautiful gates of the temple.
Let's look at the condition of the crippled.
The heart of the mother who gave birth to this unfortunate son was pain itself. The physical and emotional pain of having a baby must have been enormous. And the expectations of everyone around you must have been really high. But when I gave birth, I found myself crippled. He has been lame since birth. He ate well, grew and gained weight, but he was crippled, unable to stand up. A crippled man who cannot stand up can be said to be a faith without progress. Faith that only receives and cannot give and cannot give, which means the crippled man of the temple.
He never went into the temple. That is, they have not entered into grace. It was a faith that had no experience and no change. You can meet Jesus Christ in the temple. Others are worshiping, but it's a crippled cripple hanging around outside. I am a believer who is in charge of other people every day and carries on the faith of others every day. This is the cripple who came to beg.
Even today, if you see a person who hates giving and always wants to live only with the help of others, he or she will always be unable to live without the help of others. However, those who refuse to receive help from others and want to give rather live by giving. So we shouldn't be grabbers. You shouldn't be the only one who wants to receive. Don't worry about what you will eat, what you will drink, or what you will wear, but live with hope in Jesus Christ. Because only Jesus Christ is the source of life. Therefore, what we really need to give to the world is not a gift, but a love that loves us, saves us, and transforms us.
This cripple has never been proactive in trying to figure things out on his own in 40 years. He could have asked those who brought him to carry him into the temple. But he did not intend to become independent. The thought of doing something on my own created fear. Even today, if there is a person who does not know how to stand on his own and worships with the help of the head coach, he is a crippled faith. This cripple has no dreams and no vision. There is no goal. So, he lived a life of begging for 40 years. I never thought of a mission.
We must not be mentally crippled. Let's have dreams and visions in our thoughts today. Let's have faith that we can do it. You must have the determination to do it on your own. Then our destiny will be changed.
Here's a better trick.
In the text, “Look at us,” he said, looking forward to seeing what they would get from them. He obeyed. Although the purpose was different, I was given an opportunity to be healed by obeying the servants of the Lord who were filled with the Holy Spirit. The way to obey the Word is the way to solve problems.
“Look at us” here means first, lift up your head. We must look to the throne of God from the pain, sorrow, despair, and discouragement of the world. It's about trying a new life. People with worm eyes only look at the ground and feel despair and worry. But the bird-eyed man has dreams and visions, looking higher and farther into the blue sky, and finally his wishes come true. God said, “Abraham! Raise your head and look at the east, west, north and south.” He taught me the law of looking.
Second, to see us means to learn us. In the past, we too have lived as unhappy as you, sad as you, and in despair as you are, but now we are completely new people. Those in leadership roles in the church or those in leadership positions should be able to cry out, “Look at me,” “Look at us.” You must be able to show it with your life, not just words.
Third, the word “look at us” means “look at Jesus Christ who was with us.” “Gold and silver I do not have, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Today, there are people who have a lot and learn a lot and still live a crippled life, while there are people who confidently cry out, “Look at us,” even though they have nothing or have not learned much. This is living fully before the truth. It cannot be repaired by human strength, nor by gold or silver, but it can be repaired by the hand of Almighty God.
The problem of faith is not solved with material things, but in the name of Jesus. We are saved only in the name of Jesus. Only in the name of Jesus can we receive forgiveness of sins, and only in the name of Jesus can we fully overcome the power of the devil. Therefore, only the name of Jesus must be preached to all peoples. The moment our eyes for something met and eyes for giving something, the crippled man stood up in the conviction that the name of Jesus of Nazareth was given. Let's look up. And let's look at the giving eye. Let's hold the rising hand. And let's straighten our legs. Then God will give you strength.
I have better results.
In the text, it says, “I will gain strength in my feet and ankles.” These words mean the steadfastness of faith. It means that disabled people become healthy people, unhappy people become happy people, and people who are saved in spirit and body. He also said, “Stand and walk.” This means moving forward in faith. To go into the temple with them was to experience the fullness of faith. “I run and I walk.” This is the joy and service of faith. “Praise God.” This means that the purpose of faith has been achieved. “They took hold of Peter and John.” This is what it means to have a fellowship of faith. “When all the people are greatly astonished, they gather in the halls.” This is an evangelism of faith.
Those who have the name of the Lord can no longer continue crippled. Let's hear the voice of salvation, look up, hold the hand of the Lord, and stand up. Let's rise from the spiritual lame, the material lame, and the mental lame. Faith is not to sit down like a cripple, but to gain strength in your feet and ankles, to stand on your own feet, to walk, and to run to seek a reward. The crippled person in the text is not without legs, and although his five intestines and organs are intact, he cannot stand up and walk due to lack of strength in his feet and ankles.
Dear saints, Let's think for a moment if you are a spiritual cripple. Those who cannot truly praise God even with healthy legs are crippled. Also, anyone who goes to places other than church with healthy feet is crippled. Those who have not yet experienced the joy of salvation are crippled. Those who have hands but do not know how to help others, have feet but cannot come out to pray, have heads but do not know how to think deeply, have mouths but cannot preach or praise, are crippled.
The crippled in the past lived for silver and gold. But Peter introduced him to a higher life, which is more important, and that is the life we live in the name of Jesus Christ. After the crippled man received Jesus Christ, his soul was saved and his body was also healed, and he lived a life of walking and running in the name of Jesus Christ.
Today, the Lord tells us to “get up and walk”. Now let's get up. Jesus Christ! In His name, let us all rise from the faith of the lame. Let's rise from the cripple of poverty, the cripple of disease, the cripple of failure. And I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will all become possessors of living faith, jumping, praising, and witnessing.
There is healing and joy, victory and hope, salvation and true life, in the name of Jesus Christ.