Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
And a man who had been lame from his mother's womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called
Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!"
And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene -- walk!"
And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
(Acts 3:1-10, NASB)
Inspector
Edge
Day after day the man positioned himself at the gate - the Beautiful
gate. He
could very well see the people coming and going from the temple, anticipating as
they came, and as they left, refreshed. But he settled for less. Day
after day, perhaps year after year he sat in the same place, stagnant as it
would be, taking in a little here and there from the work God was doing in
others' lives but refusing to take any initiative of his own, lame not
only in his feet but to the
truth. Surely he
could see that a better life was waiting for him 'beyond the gate' - or was he
possibly blind as well? Maybe he had become comfortable -
or perhaps he had become lazy, dependent on others and who knows, possibly blaming others for his circumstances. Maybe to this man, Peter
and John were just another couple of guys entering the temple - or maybe
not? Quite possibly his eyes were enlightened to see the Christ that was now
living in Peter and John. Either way, he was asking for help - an
immediate remedy for his misfortune... once again. This time was different however...
when Peter and John told the man to look at them, he
began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
What he received was more than he ever
could have imagined - or asked for. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. (Acts 3:8 NASB)
Not a coin or two to
get him through another day, but a new life, an exchanged life!
As we see in John
10:10, an abundant life! He made it past the gate and life took on whole new meaning.
He was different! Not only did the difference impact him but others were
filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Sitting
on the fence, or in this case, sitting at the gate, reaps little. Just as
Peter and John told the man to look at them, Christ is telling us to look
at Him! It's
when we give God our attention, better yet our full
and undivided attention, and when we expect to receive something from Him
that He gives freely more than we could
ever imagine. And it's then that
we realize that what it is all about is not what we receive from Him... His
glory comes from what we give back to Him - walking and leaping and
praising God!
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
(Ephesians 3:20-21 NASB)
on behalf of bookworms...
Looking for another
book on "how-to" Christianity??? Then this is NOT the book
you're looking for! Check out this one! Miller looks at the need to
break down the tyranny of all that can bind us up within our hearts and delves
into the need for a deeper intimacy with God that "no eye has seen, no ear
has heard, (and) no mind has conceived".
Into the Depths of God, Calvin Miller
(Recommendation will change with each update of website!)
"The Edge" features
creative perspectives and reflections associated with the subject
matter presented on the Current Lesson page.
Bible
Backdrop
Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!"
And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
But Peter said, "I do not 
possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene -- walk!"
And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
(Acts 3:1-10, NASB)
Inspector
Edge
comfortable -
or perhaps he had become lazy, dependent on others and who knows, possibly blaming others for his circumstances. Maybe to this man, Peter
and John were just another couple of guys entering the temple - or maybe
not? Quite possibly his eyes were enlightened to see the Christ that was now
living in Peter and John. Either way, he was asking for help - an
immediate remedy for his misfortune... once again. This time was different however...
when Peter and John told the man to look at them, he
began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
What he received was
more than he ever
could have imagined - or asked for. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. (Acts 3:8 NASB)
ever imagine. And it's then that
we realize that what it is all about is not what we receive from Him... His
glory comes from what we give back to Him - walking and leaping and
praising God!
on behalf of bookworms... 
Looking for another
book on "how-to" Christianity??? Then this is NOT the book
you're looking for! Check out this one! Miller looks at the need to
break down the tyranny of all that can bind us up within our hearts and delves
into the need for a deeper intimacy with God that "no eye has seen, no ear
has heard, (and) no mind has conceived". 