Acts 3

http://www.esvbible.org/Acts+3/

The beginning of the next story closely matches the story found in John 5 about the sick man who sits by the pool. In this story, the man has given into his condition. He thinks that there is no way he can ever be healed because he has been crippled since birth. If you know any handicap people, you probably have never seen them miraculously healed. This is because of a lack of faith. They lack faith that they can be healed, and those around them who are believers lack faith that they can make a difference. The man is just trying to make the best of his current situation. That is, after all, what the world tells us to do. Use what the world gives you to the best of your abilities. This is another lie from society. Jesus wants so much more for you. If we all gave into the situations we found ourselves in, we would submit to death. Jesus would have come and died for nothing. He came to save us, so that our situations did not have to remain the same. We can spend eternity with Him in Heaven. He goes to the same gate everyday and asks for handouts. One day, Peter and John happen to walk by this man, and he asks them for a handout. Peter says he can give the man so much more. Peter doesn't have any money, but he says through the power of Jesus Christ, the man is healed. It instantly becomes true. We have so much more to give people than simply what the world tells them will help. We can give people the opportunity to live forever in the presence of Jesus Christ. Peter also says that he doesn't have any money but he can offer more. We can't all give the same amounts of the same thing. First, that would only solve a few of the countless needs in the world, and second, God doesn't give all of us the same cards to play. We all have different amounts of different worldly resources.. Maybe one person can take off a week from work to go on a mission trip because God gave them time, but another person is busy bringing glory to God through a job or a project, but they have a lot of money that can go to financing a mission trip. But we all also have different Spiritual Gifts. Paul had the gift of healing, but nowadays, that's a rarer gift, and people instead receive different gifts from the Sprit. After the people see and hear about what has happened, they all go to glorify Peter and John. Peter grows irritated at these people and tells them that it is impossible for a mere man to do what has just been witnessed. Peter did not heal the man through his own power. He needed God to get his work done. He also uses the moment to witness to the people who have gathered. First, he speaks to what humans respond to: what they can see, hear, feel, etc. He recounts the story of Christ's final days. Then, he sites scripture. Teachings are perfectly true when they come from the word because Jesus is the Word, and the Bible is God's Holy Book.