Peter and John at the Temple

MEMORY VERSE: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” —Matthew 21:22

ACTS 3:1-16

THE central theme of today’s lesson is the miracle of healing a man lame from his birth. This man was lying at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, asking alms of all who entered. Peter and John approached, and he asked alms of them. Peter replied, “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.” The account informs us that “immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength,” enabling him not only to walk, but to leap. He entered the temple “leaping, and praising God.”

All the people saw him, and naturally were astonished, for they knew that he had been unable to walk from the time of his birth. The record states that “they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.” The healed man held onto Peter and John, and “all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.”

This gave Peter a marvelous opportunity to testify concerning Jesus and his resurrection and what this meant in the outworking of the divine plan of salvation for all mankind. He explained that it was not by his own holiness and power that this man had been made to walk. He said, “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. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 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.”—vss. 13-16

Peter then explained that it is God’s purpose to restore all in God’s due time. This wonderful assurance is given us in the remaining verses of the chapter, particularly in verses 19-22. Applying the lesson of the miracle, Peter said, “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; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 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.”

The thought here is clear and reassuring. Just as that one man had been healed through the power of the resurrected Jesus, so in due time there will be “times of restitution of all things,” for, as Peter explained, God would send Jesus Christ the second time to accomplish this, through the agencies of his kingdom. And this great life boon, Peter further explained, had been spoken by God “by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

As we have noted, the man healed by Peter not only walked, but “leaped”—probably an exhibition of joy. One of God’s prophets wrote concerning “the times of restitution” that “then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.” (Isa. 3:6) The restoration of that time will include the awakening of the dead, and Isaiah refers to this as a returning of “the ransomed of the Lord,” and declares that they shall “return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”—Isa. 35:10

Our memory verse is a wonderful assurance that God hears and answers his people’s prayers. Using it in connection with Peter’s miracle of healing could create the impression that Christians can expect miracles of this kind to take place if they pray earnestly for them. We do not doubt God’s ability to answer prayers of this nature. We point out, however, that according to Peter the time for general blessings of healing, as was illustrated by this miracle, is still future.

Jesus explained that if we abide in Christ, and his Word abides in us, we can ask what we will and it will be granted unto us. And John said, “If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” (I John 5:14) This condition of prayer implies that we will ask only for those things which are the will of God for us to have, and God’s will for his people at the present time is that they lay down their lives in sacrifice.

QUESTIONS

What is the central theme of this lesson?

What lesson did Peter draw from the miracle which he performed?

When, in the plan of God, is the time for a general program of healing?

Should Christians pray for the healing of their friends?

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