When a Barely Self-Sufficient Life Is Touched by the Gospel

Acts 3:1-26

In 1789, there was a mutiny onboard the English ship called Bounty. After the rebellion, 9 mutineers found their way to a small island in the South Pacific. Accompanying them were some native men and women. Ten years later, there were only a few of them left. Drink and fighting killed the rest. About this time, they discovered an old Bible from the ship. They began to read it, and the Word changed their lives. They were touched by the Gospel. Their lives of quarreling and fighting and drinking were replaced with peace and love. When they was discovered, they were found to have an almost ideal community. There was no jail because there was no crime. A visitor in 1840 testified that all were able to give ready and suitable answers to questions on the Bible. Each Lord’s Day, they had 2 services. They had Sunday school and a Bible class on Wednesday. He described it as “the world’s most pious and perfect community.” This is what happens when the gospel touches our hearts.

And we’ve seen this in Acts. When the Holy Spirit came, 3000 were saved and joined the early church. They came together to learn and obey; to share their time, money, and life; to eat together and remember Christ; and to have regular prayer meetings. And the church grew. But Scripture doesn’t tell us specifically about any one of them. We don’t know the details of their lives before Christ. All we know is that once touched by the gospel, they had a joy and conviction. Today however, we see one person whose life before and after Christ is clearly seen. While we know little of the 3000 individually, we know a bit more about him - he was a self-sufficient person who thought he didn’t need Christ. And then he was touched. And as we look at him, we ask - what happens when our lives are touched by Christ? Are our lives truly touched by the gospel? Are we still self-sufficient?

There are three divisions in this chapter to consider. Firstly, the pride and blindness of a needy man; secondly, the unmerited and effective grace of a rich savior; thirdly, the proclamation of warnings and grace to an undeserving people.

Firstly, the pride and blindness of a needy man. In verse 1, Peter and John went to the temple at 3 pm, which the last hour of prayer. The Jewish Christians still went to the temple - not for sacrifice, but for prayer. And the busiest prayer meeting was this one, after the evening sacrifice, especially because it was after work and it was summer. The apostles came across a man who was in a sorry state. Verse 2 tells us that he was born lame. Every day he was carried to one gate of temple - the one called Beautiful. There, he’d ask for money from people coming in for sacrifice and prayer. Acts 4:22 says he was above 40 years old - he was lame for that long. And since he couldn’t work, he begged. He survived the only way he knew how. But because he couldn’t get there by himself - the temple was on a hill with many steps, like the paralytic man, he had to be carried. He was not self-reliant, but relied on others. But at the same time, sorry as he was, he wasn’t helpless. He was resourceful. He got help. He begged and got alms from worshipers. And this was an acceptable religious practice - for him to ask and for others to give.

But there are certain unfortunate facts that show he wasn’t just needy but opportunistic. The rabbis taught that giving alms earned merit and favor with God. So people going to the temple to sacrifice - to be right with God - were more amenable to give. And the place was strategic. He sat outside the Beautiful Gate - not the Dung Gate or Sheep Gate. Josephus the historian said described the Beautiful Gate. It was a double doored gate made of high quality Corinthian brass, almost 25 meters tall and more stunning than any other gate. And so, his position there would’ve been a great contrast. Those who entered those rich and ornate gates hoping for forgiveness, and seeing such a sorry man, would be more willing to give. So he was not without resources. He was self-sufficient - barely - but resourceful. He got people to take him there, chose the location well, and went at the right time. But all of these were insufficient. What would he get out of his trade? Loose change or the occasional rare silver coin from a particularly guilty Jew. So when he saw Peter and John in verse 3, he asked them for an alms. He saw them - took notice of them - and asked them. But for all he did, in his resourcefulness and self-sufficiency - he was not better.

And this is where we see his spiritual blindness. He only wanted money - he was blind to his true need. Think about where he begged! Outside the temple grounds. But he never asked anyone to bring him inside. He cared more for the needs of his body than his soul. If anything, he needed to be inside. It was not money he needed, but God. And that’s the difference between this lame man and the paralytic man. The paralytic man came in through the roof to see Jesus. This lame man was content to be outside. He was not just lame, but blind. Being at the temple daily for 40 years, he would’ve seen others go in - like the blind and lame who came to see Jesus in Matthew 21 for healing. But this man couldn’t see their solution as his solution. He was resourceful, self-sufficient, but blind to his true need. Maybe he was satisfied with remaining lame to receive money. But what he needed was not money, but God’s forgiveness. But he trusted in his resourcefulness rather than God. Dearly beloved, what are you blind to? Are you self-sufficient and not seeking after Christ as you should?

Now, what should God do for such a self-sufficient person? Our natural response is nothing. Why should Christ do anything? He made his own bed, let him sleep in it. While he wasn’t responsible for being lame, but he didn’t seek God. He wasn’t desperate enough. Let him perish! But no. Our Savior responded very differently. Secondly, we see the unmerited and effective grace of a rich savior. Despite him lacking spiritual desire, this lame man who was barely self-sufficient received the grace of Christ. It was unmerited and unexpected.

Some of us would despise him. He only looked for money, not salvation. No spiritual desire or desperation. He wouldn’t even go into the temple! Serves him right. But not Christ. He showered grace on him. In verse 4, Peter fixed his eyes on him and asked him to look at them, meaning he had already looked away. He was probably used to rejection. And he looked in verse 5, surprised there was an answer. And he expected money, verse 7 implies his right hand was stretched out to receive money. Instead Peter disappointed his expectations. He said in verse 6 - “Silver and gold have I none.” The man thought money was his greatest need. And it wasn’t that Peter was unwilling to give - he would’ve but he really didn’t have silver or gold. But Peter knew he had a greater need and had something better. Verse 6 - “but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

Peter and John had the power of the Holy Spirit. As apostles, they had power to heal - many signs and wonders were done by the apostles. So in verse 7, he took him by the right hand (which was stretched out to receive money), lifted him up, and immediately, as Dr Luke says - “his feet and ankle bones received strength.” As a doctor he’d know - it wasn’t just a claim of healing, but discernible, medical, physiological proof. The feet and ankle bones received strength. And this happened because the apostle calling upon Christ’s name. Jesus healed the man. Why? Because he’s building his church. He saves souls, changes hearts, restores lives - not for good people - but for this faithless and godless man who was barely self-sufficient.

So what is his response? We see his faithful response to the grace of God displayed. Verse 8 - he jumped up, stood, walked, and entered the temple grounds with Peter and John, leaping and praising God. The first place he entered was the temple, which in the past he refused to enter despite Jesus healing the lame and blind there. And now he praised God, whereas only using his words to ask for money in the past. And his praise was unforced, it was a spontaneous unashamed expression of gratitude and joy. Verse 9 makes it clear his praise was loud and obvious. Others noticed him walking and praising God. When you’re touched by the gospel, how can you or anyone restrict praise?

And this gratitude and overt praise was evidence of his faith. He believed that Christ had healed him. And he believed. In Luke 17 when Jesus healed 10 lepers pleading for mercy, only 1 turned back and glorified God, falling at the Lord’s feet. And the Lord’s words to this man were, “Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.” His gratitude showed his faith. And verse 16 makes this clear - it was faith in the name of Jesus that this man was healed. He was given faith. But the remarkable thing is this - while the leper sought Jesus out, the lame man didn’t. Christ gifted faith and salvation to this man. And the man’s gratitude and praises demonstrated faith. This is the gospel - he didn’t seek God - God sought him. Christ transformed him and made him willing. This is the gospel. No man can come to Christ unless God first draws him. Where once he wouldn’t seek Christ, now he praised Christ. This is the regeneration we read about - “All those in whose hearts God works in this amazing way are certainly, unfailingly, and effectually regenerated and do actually believe. And then the will so renewed is not only acted upon and moved by God but, acted upon by God, the will itself also acts. Therefore man himself is rightly said to believe and repent through the grace he has received.” So dearly beloved, what shows our regeneration? How does our will, having been acted upon by God, act to live for God?

And his will so acted that it affected people’s response to his transformation. Verses 9-10 say, “And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 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.” This man was famous - for over 40 years, they saw him outside the Beautiful Gate. So to see him now walking and praising God, they were filled with wonder and amazement. The Greek word for “wonder” means to make unmovable - stunned - or in Singlish - stunned like vegetable. The Greek word for “amazement” is ekstasis - or ecstasy. It means to throw the mind out of its normal state - or in today’s speak - mind-blown. The people were stunned and mind-blown when they saw the man. And out of their own accord, verse 11, they ran toward him in Solomon’s porch. They wanted to know. They saw what happened and wanted to know more. They saw his joy and his behavior. There was something different about him. He intrigued them. Having been touched by the gospel, do you intrigue others? Does your life amaze them? Will they want to know more?

And Peter noticed their amazement. Verse 12 said that Peter saw it. And he took the opportunity to preach the gospel. To proclaim warnings and grace to an undeserving people, this is the third division. Peter here explained that Christ was the one who healed this man. And then proceeded in verse 13 onwards to contrast the attitude of the people to Christ and God’s attitude to Christ. He rebuked them and charged them with rioting against Christ, going against Pilate’s initial decision, replacing the holy and just one in favor of a murderer, and in the end, they killed the Prince of life. But on the other hand, God glorified Christ; raised him from the dead. He’s not the prince of death but the prince of life. He was holy and just. And so having rebuked them we are then shocked to learn that Peter would offer these killers mercy. So while there was rebuke, there was also an offer of mercy. He displayed the preeminence of Christ in salvation. He told them in verse 19 to repent and be converted that their sins be forgiven. He offered mercy to killers! And they could receive the gospel, to receive times of refreshing when Christ comes again, or they could perish. But if they receive this gospel from Christ - who was the ultimate prophet sent from God - they would not be destroyed. Verse 23 says, “every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” Instead, if you hear, you will be blessed. Verse 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.”

This is the gospel - they deserved to be punished for what they did but were grace was proclaimed to them. The lame man should’ve been left alone in his bare self-sufficiency - but Peter offered him more; he proclaimed to him grace. But in each of these, there was a denial and offer. To the lame man, Peter said - I have no silver and gold for you. These things are not your greatest need. But Jesus I have to offer you who is more than life. You have denied Christ and you’re in soul danger. You ought to die. But Jesus I preach to you - if you hear him, you will not perish. There is always mercy offered. The lame man didn’t seek God at all, but his own means - but Christ healed and saved him. These people denied Christ and delivered him up to be killed - but Christ offered the gospel of salvation to them.

Dearly beloved, that is the theme that we see in this passage - and that is also the application to us. We ought to ask ourselves - what is the chief desire and goal of our life? Perhaps like that lame man, our desire is sustenance. We want to get by. We want prosperity and success. But is that your great need? Perhaps your desire is companionship. Maybe it’s to be recognized and distinguished in the world. But the word of Christ has always been - seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things shall be added unto you. But yet, you are just near enough to Christ, but never surrendering all of yourselves to him to receive what you truly need. Dearly beloved, give yourself completely to our Lord. The Lord wants all of us, and unless he has all of us, we will not experience the full extent of his blessings on us. The lame man sought after money, but the disciples gave him something far better. Something that he would buy without money - but by giving himself completely.

How much longer, like that lame man, will we wallow in our sins and insufficiencies? 40 years? What are we not willing to give up to come to him? They compare to nothing that we will gain. Christ gave up heaven’s riches, came to be poor, to be despised of men, to have no reputation, and to give up his life - that we might gain all of heaven’s riches, to be honored by God, as his children, that we might have life. I speak to those of you who are yet not believers. Come and give of your life. Christ offers his mercy to those who would come to him. I speak to those of you who despite having salvation, are still hungering after the things of the world. You can’t have his blessings unless you give yourselves to him.

And if you have, dearly beloved, what is your reaction? That once lame man worshiped. He leapt with joy. He amazed the people around him. He went all out in proclaiming Christ. Others came to marvel at what was done. Do we intrigue the people around us? Are we faithful - so much so - that like the transformed mutineers of the Bounty could be called the most pious and perfect community? Or are we barely self-sufficient in our spirituality?

A medieval writer named Cornelius once told a fascinating story about Thomas Aquinas - a medieval scholar. Aquinas was in Rome. He was walking along the street with a cardinal.  The cardinal noticed a beggar. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a silver coin and gave it to him. Then he turned to Aquinas and said, “Well, Thomas, fortunately we can no longer say, as Peter did, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’ Aquinas replied, “Yes, that is true.  But neither can we say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’”

May we return and ask ourselves this evening - how transformed are we by God’s grace that we give up the world, and in so doing, win the world to Christ?

1. The pride and blindness of a needy man

A. His sorry state

B. His insufficient attempt at self-sufficiency

C. His spiritual blindness to what he really needed

2. The unmerited and effective grace of a rich savior

A. Christ’s gracious and unexpected healing

B. The man’s faithful response to grace

C. The people’s mind-blown response to transformation

3. The proclamation of warnings and grace by a transformed preacher

A. He addressed their denial of Christ

B. He displayed the preeminence of Christ