(Acts 3: 1-19)
You’ve heard it said countless times, and you’ve probably said it yourself. There but for the grace of God go I. It’s usually spoken softly to ones-self when you see someone who has fallen on hard times and they’ve descended down into a pitiful state of being. The statement reflects an empathy and understanding that, if some sort of unforeseen tragedy befell you, you too could find yourself in such a state, and that it’s by God’s grace that you don’t find yourself at rock bottom. For those who don’t think it could happen to them they should find a copy of a book entitled: Breakfast at Sally’s which is about a guy who had it all and lost it when his business failed to adapt to the internet. He lost it all, his house, his vehicles, his boats, his golfing buddies, and his family. He found himself living in his van on the streets of Bremerton with his dog as his sole companion. He tells of one incident where he was reduced to begging for money in front of a grocery store where he used to shop, where he had spent thousands of dollars on food. When the young clerk came out to run him off, he recognized him and exclaimed something along the lines of: “Hey, I know you. You used to shop here.” How humiliating that must have been.
I know, I get asked all the time by well-meaning people about what is the best way to help the down and out. They’re afraid of either getting scammed or giving someone money who has an addiction, where their hard-earned money will be spent on alcohol, cigarettes or drugs. I see those people too and some of them I know from my days as a drug court prosecutor. A trip to the grocery store is like running a gauntlet where you find an assortment of people holding up signs asking for help and bestowing God’s blessing upon you, should you so desire. For the record, I refrain from giving these people any money but I did it once at the Seattle Ferry Terminal several years ago. The guy said he needed a couple of bucks to buy a taco. I observed that the restaurant was closed but gave him some money just to see what he’d do. I watched him go up to some guy and buy some sort of hand-rolled cigarette as Teresa sarcastically observed that it was money well-spent.
That’s one of the more challenging aspects of being the pastor here at Community United Methodist Church where we try to be the somebodies who do something, where we try to be a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem. Various people come in on an almost weekly basis asking for some form of assistance. As a good steward of the church’s money and resources, how do I know whether or not I’m being scammed? I don’t. I take my cue from Jesus who, in all the encounters I have read in the New Testament, never once asked a person what they had done to have gotten into such a pitiful state. He just helped them, no questions asked. And after he helped them, he didn’t so much as suggest that they should get to a church service the next week. No strings attached.
And that’s the point of our scripture reading for today. Peter, a follower of Jesus Christ, healed a man, no questions asked, and with no strings attached. The author of Acts, traditionally believed to be Luke, tells us that Peter and John were going up to the temple at three o’clock in the afternoon to pray. It was customary for devout Jews and Gentiles who believed in God to go to the temple at 9:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., or sunset to pray, so there was a lot of foot traffic during these times. To get into the temple, which was huge, you would have to enter through one of the many gates. In our story for this morning the gate Peter and John entered was named Beautiful and was one of the favorite entrances of the people who entered to pray. During this time period, the giving of money to beggars was considered praise-worthy in the Jewish religion, so beggars would strategically place themselves where they could be seen, where there was the most traffic, much like a grocery store parking lot. We learn that a man crippled since birth was at the gate who had been carried there every day so he could ask for money from those entering the temple gate. We don’t know who it was that brought him to the gate each day, could have been family, could have been friends, or could have been someone he had to pay out of what he received, we don’t know. In any event, when he saw Peter and John about to enter the gate, he began to ask them for money. Peter and John stared at him and Peter said: Look at us! Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. The man jumped to his feet and began to walk. This had to have been quite a sight for those looking on who knew this man and his condition. Some, who probably didn’t know better, probably thought they had been scammed when they had given him money previously. Anyway, the man went with Peter and John into the temple literally jumping for joy and praising God. When all the people saw this spectacle and recognized the man as the same person who daily sat at the temple gate begging they were filled with wonder and amazement. When Peter saw this he said: Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? At this point Peter chastises those present in the crowd saying: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Fathers, has glorified his servant. He pointedly reminds them that it was they who had handed Jesus over to be killed and that they had disowned him before Pilate, in spite of the fact that Pilate wanted to let him go. Peter exclaimed: You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. Ouch! You can bet there were plenty of people looking down at their feet and more than one making a move to quietly exit the gate without being seen. Peter goes on to tell them that it was by faith in the name of Jesus that the man whom they see and know was made strong. He says that it is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to this man as they can all see with their own eyes. He’s made his point and now lets them off the hook when he says: Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. He tells them to repent and turn to God so that their sins may be wiped out, and that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
The healing of this man who was lame became a paradigm for salvation through the name of Jesus. This salvation that Peter speaks so passionately about is being extended to Israel for its restoration and participation in the divine purposes for God’s people to be a blessing to the whole world, if only they will repent. It’s an object lesson for us two thousand years later, that by repenting of our sins and turning to God for a new direction and purpose in our lives, we can be a blessing to those we encounter on a daily basis by actively participating in God’s divine purpose of making his creation a viable part of his kingdom.
This had to have been somewhat of a bitter pill for some in the crowd to swallow as the realization of what they had participated in sunk in. Peter is telling them that they still have a choice, it’s not too late. God is still offering them the opportunity to believe and receive Jesus as their Messiah and as their Lord. But for some of them, and some of us, that’s a hard thing to do. Because these folks were already at the temple you can assume that they were believers. Unfortunately, they were believers who missed all the signs of the coming Messiah, or disregarded them when things went sour. They were no different than many of us are today. Like us, they were people who wanted the benefits of being identified with God, or Christ for us, without admitting their own disobedience and readily turning from their sin. To do something like that would be admitting to yourself that you are a flawed individual in need of help. Quite simply, the key to forgiveness is confessing your sin and then turning from it, sinning no more. For many, that’s easier said than done.
So, what do we do? Well, I think there’s two important lessons we can take away from our scripture reading. The first, before we can do anything else, is to repent. We really can’t do anything for anyone in the name of Jesus Christ until we recognize our own failures and shortcomings. When we repent, God promises not only to wipe out our sin, but to bring us spiritual refreshment, a renewing. This repentance may at first seem painful because it is hard to candidly admit your wrongs and give up certain sins, especially the ones where you’ve convinced yourself they are harmless to you and others. You have to realize and believe in your heart that God will give you a better way. Let go and let God take control. The prophet Hosea said in Hosea 6: 3; Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. You just have to honestly and humbly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and that your life, all you are, belongs to God.
Once you’ve made that commitment you begin to understand all that you are capable of when you do what you do in Jesus’ name. The apostles did not emphasize what they could do, but what God, what Christ could do through them. They gave the credit and glory to God. When we use Jesus’ name in faith it’s Christ who gives power to our prayers and our actions that are done in his name and service. We often find ourselves asking God to solve a small problem, whether it’s personal or one here at church, but God wants to give us a whole new life and help for all problems, not just our own. God wants us to be a part of the solution. God wants us to see the bigger picture. When we ask God for help or guidance, he may say: “That’s not an unreasonable request, but I’ve got something even better for you.” You may think you’re asking God for something you really need, but don’t be surprised when God unexpectedly gives you what you really need or what he sees someone else needs in their life.
And that’s what we do, we try to do what we can in Jesus’ name to heal the wounded and mend the broken, no questions asked, no strings attached because, but for the grace of God there go I.
Let us pray.
Loving and all-forgiving Father, how amazing is your grace, the grace you freely extend if only we believe and accept it. We praise you for the grace that taught our hearts to fear, that same grace that relieved our fears. And how precious was that grace when it appeared that moment we first believed. Like clear, clean, and cool water it refreshed us and gave us a new life where we can enjoy the good you have promised us. Your word secures our hope and will forever be our shield and all we need as long as our life endures. We sing your praises for finding us when we were lost and for helping us to see what it means to lead a life in service to you and your Son, our brother, Jesus Christ. How sweet the sound that saved wretches such as us, and we praise you all the day long for your tender mercies and unmerited grace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.