Scripture Reading

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain 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 from those who entered the temple, who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him with John, Peter said, Look at us. So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Opening Prayer

O gracious God in heaven, we do rejoice and give thanks that we once again have this opportunity to come to consider your word and its truth. And we just pray that your Spirit will be opening our hearts and our minds to understand what is here for us to glean and how we can apply it, how we can be encouraged and challenged, all for the praise of your glorious name. So we ask now for your blessing upon your word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, amen.

Introduction: An Ordinary Day Becomes Extraordinary

We’re not told here just how long, but it’s very likely that some time has passed since the exciting events of the Day of Pentecost that we read about in Acts chapter 2.

• The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus had promised, was beginning to transform the lives of the apostles as well as thousands of others.
• The church was growing rapidly as the Lord added to their number every day.
• Yet there remained a sincere devotion and intimacy that kept this body united together.

Certainly it was an exciting time, fueled by the many signs and wonders being done by the apostles (Acts 2:43). These demonstrated that the message proclaimed was true and that God was truly working through the Holy Spirit.

And yet some things remained very ordinary and routine.

The Ordinary Routine of Peter and John

Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour—about three o’clock in the afternoon.

• They continued to maintain some Jewish customs, though they knew Jesus was the once-for-all perfect sacrifice.
• They went knowing a crowd of devout Jews would be gathered—an opportunity to preach the gospel.

This should challenge us to consider what opportunities we have to share the gospel in our common, ordinary, daily activities. We should pray for wisdom to discern them and boldness to use them.

Peter and John weren’t necessarily going expecting to heal somebody, but they were eager to share the gospel as part of their devotion.

The Man at the Beautiful Gate

On this ordinary day, something very extraordinary happened.

A certain man, lame from his mother’s womb (over 40 years old—Acts 4:22), was carried and laid daily at the gate called Beautiful to beg alms.

• Unable to walk → unable to work → lived in poverty.
• His only income: begging from temple-goers.

This reveals how far Israel had fallen from Deuteronomy 15:

If you carefully obey… there will be no poor among you… But the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you: You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy in your land.

Yet this man was cared for by no one:

• Not the priests or Levites
• Not his countrymen
• Not even his own family (they simply dropped him off daily)

Outside the exquisitely beautiful gate sat a destitute man begging day after day, year after year.

The Divine Appointment

This man sees hundreds daily. He sees Peter and John approach and makes his usual plea.

But what happens next is anything but usual.

1. They Noticed Him

Peter and John fixed their eyes on him and said, “Look at us.”

Most people:

• Avoid eye contact
• Pretend not to see suffering
• Pass by on the other side (like the priest and Levite in the Good Samaritan)

Making eye contact treated him as a human being of value—something rarely done.

2. They Engaged Him

The man gave them his attention, expecting money.

Peter: “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

He took him by the right hand, lifted him up—and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

He had come looking for a handout but received a hand up and feet that worked!

The Greater Gift

If Peter and John had money, they likely would have given it (see their mercy ministry in Acts 2). But they had something of far greater value: faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The man was healed in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth—not a magical word, but the full person and authority of the risen Messiah who saves from sin.

His faith is seen in his obedience: when commanded to walk (something he had never done), he leapt up, walked, entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God.

The Immediate Results

• The healed man leapt with joy and praised God loudly.
• People recognized him—the well-known lame beggar—and were filled with wonder and amazement.
• A commotion formed (just like Pentecost)—the Lord gathered a crowd for the gospel.

This first recorded healing miracle in Acts:

• Demonstrated the power of the risen Christ working through the apostles
• Fulfilled Jesus’ promise of greater works through the Spirit
• Prepared the crowd for Peter’s upcoming sermon
• Sparked the first major opposition from the Jewish leaders (covered in chapters 3–5)

The Challenge for Us Today

Peter and John had no silver or gold, but they faithfully gave what they did have—the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must:

• Serve the poor and needy materially when we are able (the Lord blesses us to bless others).
• Never forget that even if we have nothing material to give, we still possess something of eternal value: the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Let us be diligent to look for divine appointments and share this rich treasure with all who need life-transforming power from the Holy Spirit—all to the praise and glory of God alone.

Closing Prayer

Gracious God in heaven, we rejoice and give thanks for this wondrous miracle and the reminder it brings. Give us eyes to see the opportunities You place before us—even when we have no material gift, may we faithfully offer the treasure of the gospel. Lead us to good soil where the seed will bear abundant fruit. Equip us to be Your faithful servants this week for the glory of Your name. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray, amen.