Miracles and Wonders: The Lame Man Healed

“And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple…But Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.  And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.”-Acts 3:2, 6-8 (ESV.  Read Acts 3:1-10).
 

In his summary statement of occurrences following Pentecost, John had written in Acts 2:43 that “many wonders and signs” were done by the apostles.  Here is an apostolic miracle: healing the lame man who came daily to the temple court to beg alms. Peter, invoking the name of Jesus Christ, commanded the man to rise and walk.  And immediately, without hesitation, the man’s “feet and ankles were made strong.”  What joy filled the man!  Years of being crippled and depending on others to transport him to his begging station near the Beautiful Gate were to be no more.  He was restored and could walk on his own, leap about, and praise God!  

The time of day this miracle happened is significant—“the ninth hour.”  The regular hours of prayer were the third hour (about 9:00 a. m.) when the first sacrifices were offered; the sixth hour (noon) and the ninth (about 3:00 p. m.) when the evening sacrifices were offered.  The Beautiful Gate, or the Gate of Nicanor, was called beautiful because it was made of imported Corinthian brass decorated with gold and silver.  It was 50 cubits high and 40 cubits wide.  It was on the east side of the Temple and led from outside into the Court of the Gentiles. It was a well-used gate, and many were probably there to see this miracle performed at the command and invocation of Peter.  It is noteworthy that this first recorded miracle by the apostles not only brought wonder and rejoicing among the believers, but it was the springboard that would lead the Jewish leaders to begin their persecution of the believers.  They could not tolerate anything done in the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom they had subdued (so they thought) by insisting on His death on the cross.  The authorities thought those who could perform miracles in His name must  be stopped from their signs, miracles and wonders.  Two forces are working here:  the power of God to change hearts and heal infirm bodies and the determination of the Jewish religious leaders to squelch the movement of the early church. 

I am thinking of a report from the mission field told by a friend of Grover’s, the Rev. Sam Byler, who went several years ago when our Baptist churches first began partnership mission trips to foreign lands.  Rev. Sam had volunteered to go and preach in a remote African village.  One night as he preached through an interpreter, the service was interrupted with others bringing in a man foaming at the mouth and writhing with contortions, having a seizure of great magnitude.  “Heal this man who has been thus plagued all his life,” was the plea from the ones who carried the sick man into the service.  Rev. Sam had never had any experience in healing other than praying for members of his congregations, but he knew immediately that the authenticity of what he had just preached depended heavily on how he reacted to this challenge.  He closed his eyes, prayed aloud earnestly, and then touched the man.  Miraculously, before the eyes of Rev. Sam and all present, the man stopped his contortions, rose up and was in his right mind and able to praise the Lord.  The remainder of the week was a glorious testimony to the power of Jesus Christ at work in that village, with many people confessing faith in the living Lord.  Rev. Sam Byler did not capitalize on his power to heal, nor did he have another experience like that one in Africa.  But at the point of need, the Lord was ready to heal and the miracle was used to cause others to turn to the Lord who can heal both body and soul. Miracles and wonders are the Lord’s doing, not man’s!