“The Biblical Jesus”
(Acts 3:1-26)
Series: The Church on Fire!
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
First Baptist Church Henderson, KY
(7-22-07) (AM)
- Take your Bibles and open to Acts, chapter 3.
A few weeks ago we began a journey through the powerful book of Acts. We’re making our way verse-by-verse through this book that details the exciting events of the first church expanding from Jerusalem to the utter end of the earth.
- Please stand in honor of the reading of the word of God.
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
- Pray.
Introduction:
Yesterday I received a very encouraging call from a 77-year-old woman in Evansville who had read the religion article I had written for Saturday’s Courier & Press. It was a delightful call and I was struck by the fact that she was reluctant to refer to herself as a Christian. Now she wasn’t reluctant because she doubted her faith or anything like that, but rather because, as she expressed it, people have funny ideas about what it means to be a Christian these days. Some people believe you can be a Christian and worship Buddha at the same time or that you can be a Christian and worship some sort of idol, or whatever. And so she wanted to make it clear that she followed not an unbiblical Jesus, but the biblical Jesus, the Jesus we read about in the Bible. And you know, she is right about this. There are a lot of unbiblical views about Jesus and about what it means to follow him.
This morning I simply want to read this chapter along with you and learn what the Bible tells us about the biblical Jesus. So if you’re taking notes, write this down. First, the Bible teaches us about:
I. The Power of Jesus (1-10)
Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, He ministered for roughly 3 ½ years. And during this earthly ministry, Jesus evidenced His unique power as the Son of God, as God in the flesh. We read the gospel stories in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and we read about the power of Jesus. Jesus has now ascended to the right-hand of the Father. And the Bible says in Acts 1:8 that God has sent this same power to the apostles. Remember Acts 1:8, the key verse of the book of Acts? Jesus says, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the utter end of the earth.” So we’re reading now how this power of Jesus is still available to those who follow Him. I think that’s the real point here in these verses we read just a moment ago.
Verse one tells us that Peter and John are going up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. That would be about 3 PM. There were three times that the Jews gathered together for prayer at the temple, the third hour, the sixth hour, and the ninth hour. They gathered together at 9 AM, 12 noon, and 3 PM. So Peter and John are going up together to pray at the temple at 3 o’clock.
Now we could spend some time talking about how God unites different people together for the cause of Christ. Most of what we read in the Bible about these two persons, Peter and John, tells us that they had very different personalities. Peter often comes across as being a bit gruff and John comes across as being a bit quiet, but they’re walking up to the temple together. You know there’s a place in the church for everyone. There’s a place in the body of Christ for gruff people and quiet people. There’s a place in the church for you. God made you just the way you are because He loves you that way and He wants to use you and your background and your talents in and through His church. How boring it would be if we all had the same personalities!
So as Peter and John prepare to go into the temple they see a man there laying down there at the temple. He is lame, he cannot walk. He has been placed there by others. The Bible says he has been laid there daily, every day at the gate of the temple. The gate of the temple is called “Beautiful,” but here is a not-so-beautiful sight, a poor, helpless lame man, unable to walk.
Interestingly, Acts 4:22 tells us that the man is over 40 years old. You think about that. He is “lame from his mother’s womb,” and is now over 40 years old. As a boy he was not able to run and play with the others, not able to take a stroll through the streets of Jerusalem, not able to work, and not able to do really anything except hope that other people might have mercy upon him as they enter into the temple.
So here come two of God’s children, Peter and John, two believers who have their eyes open to opportunities to minister. Do you have your eyes open to opportunities to minister? You know, there are people all around us who need the Lord. Sometimes we’re in such a hurry to get into the place of worship that we walk right by people who are hurting. Peter and John had their eyes open and they stop and help this lame man.
The lame man has asked Peter and John for alms, for money. Peter stopped, looked intently at the man and said, “Look at us.” The man gave them his attention and then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have.” Someone said that’s evidence that Peter was a Baptist preacher! I don’t think so, but he says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And then Peter takes the man by the hand and lifts him up as the power of Jesus flows through that man’s feet and ankle bones.
Can you picture this sight? Look again at verses 8 and 9: “So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Yesterday Michele and I were remembering years ago hearing our pastor’s grandchildren sing a song about this man. The refrain was about his “walking, and leaping, and praising God.”
Isaiah 35:6 says that God will make “the lame leap like a deer” and that is exactly what has happened here as the power of Jesus, this same power Jesus used in His earthly ministry, now flows through the apostles and brings healing to the lame man. And listen, this self-same power of Jesus is still available today.
This young man’s condition is a metaphor for the way so many live today. He had no power to walk. He was powerless. And you’re listening to this message and you identify with the lame man. You too, feel powerless. Listen to me. The power of Jesus that strengthened this lame man’s feet is the same power that can strengthen your marriage. The same power of Jesus that enabled this man to walk into the temple is the same power that enables you to walk right through that job situation and walk right into that doctor’s office for that doctor’s appointment and walk right into that school situation with no fear. Fear nothing; the power of Jesus is with you! The writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has not changed.
When we read about the biblical Jesus we read about the power of Jesus. Secondly, we learn about:
II. The Person of Jesus (11-16)
By this, I mean that we learn specifically who He is. Who is the person of Jesus? In the next handful of verses we read a few descriptive names describing the person of Jesus.
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
Peter does what good preachers do, they deflect attention away from themselves and redirect it up to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter says, “This isn’t our power you’re witnessing. This is the power of Jesus.” A crowd has gathered together there and Peter seizes the opportunity to preach the gospel to them. Now in then next four verses we read four descriptive names of the Lord Jesus Christ, four names describing His person; who He is. Look at verse 13 as Peter begins his sermon.
13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
Peter refers to Jesus Christ as God’s “Servant.” Jesus is God’s Servant. Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. He humbled Himself as a Servant and died in our place to take care of our sin problem. Peter says to those gathered there, “You delivered God’s Servant Jesus to Pilate.” Then in verse 14 Peter uses two other descriptive names of the person of Jesus. He says:
14 “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
Jesus Christ is described as “the Holy One” and the “Just.” Here are two reminders that Jesus Christ is without sin. He is holy and just. He lived the perfect life we were unable to live ourselves. This is why Christ alone is Savior. He is the only Man who is without sin. He lives a perfect life, fulfilling the law for us and then dying for our sins. The person of Jesus; He is Servant, the Holy One, and the Just. Peter tells the Jews that they delivered Jesus to Pilate and asked for the release of a murderer, that is, Barabbas. Then we read the fourth descriptive word of the person of Jesus.
15 “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
The name “Prince of life” is literally, the “author of life,” or, the “originator of life.” There is such irony here! The Jews and Romans took the life of the very one who gives life. So Peter says:
16 “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Peter is preaching about the person of Jesus. Jesus is the glorified Servant, the Holy One, the Just One, and the Prince of Life. And Peter says you crucified Him. You killed Him. But death could not keep the Prince of Life in the grave! So Peter says in verse 15 that God raised Him from the dead. He says, “We’re all witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.” That is, “We saw Him ourselves.” The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15 that the 12 apostles witnessed the resurrected Jesus, James witnessed the resurrected Jesus, and over 500 people at once witnessed the resurrected Jesus. By the way, several of our youth have taken on Brother Alan’s challenge to memorize the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 15. That’s 58 verses! I look forward to hearing them recite that chapter.
When we study the Biblical Jesus we study about the power of Jesus and the person of Jesus. Thirdly, we study:
III. The Prophecy about Jesus (17-26)
The Old Testament is Jesus Christ foretold. The New Testament is Jesus Christ fulfilled. Let me say that again: the Old Testament is Jesus Christ foretold. The New Testament is Jesus Christ fulfilled. The Old Testament prophesies, or foretells, the coming Messiah. The New Testament is the fulfillment, the answer to that prophecy. Jesus Christ is Himself the fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming Savior.
Now Peter is preaching and he’s just told all those gathered around him that they are guilty of crucifying the Messiah, the Savior. Pick it up in verse 17:
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18 “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
There it is again. When we study the biblical Jesus we learn the prophecy about Jesus. Peter says the prophets foretold the things of the Messiah and Jesus Christ fulfills those things.
Now imagine if you had just learned that you killed your own deliverer. How would you feel? There is a sense in which we have to understand our own culpability in the death of Christ before we can be saved. We must understand that we are guilty of Christ’s death. Who killed Jesus? The Jews? Yes. The Romans? Yes. You and I? Yes. Jesus died at the hands of sinful men. The Jews and Romans were the mere instruments by which Christ died, but Christ willingly lay down His own life for us, dying for our sins. So our sins killed the Lord Jesus Christ which means I am guilty of His crucifixion.
That is the meaning behind the old spiritual we sometimes sing at Easter: “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” And when you and I under conviction of the Holy Spirit realize that we were, indeed, there when they crucified the Lord, that we are just as guilty as everyone else, then we understand the next part of that spiritual song: “Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.” Yes, I was there when they crucified the Lord. So Peter says if you admit you were there, here’s what to do. Verse 19 and following:
19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
That’s a great verse! Repent, turn away from your sin and turn to Jesus. Be converted, be changed, be saved, and I love this next part, “that your sins may be blotted out.” Peter’s point is that when we turn to Christ God removes the record of our sins, the long accusatory list of our guilt. He destroys the evidence, if you will. Peter says, “Your sins will be blotted out,” and the idea is that the evidence is destroyed. Today we might say, “Your sins will be completely erased from the hard drive.” When you repent, when you turn to Jesus Christ, God completely destroys the evidence of your guilt. Every sin is forgiven, past, present, and future. That’s forgiveness. Peter is saying that this Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of things foretold. God sends the Lord Jesus Christ to us.
20 “and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Peter continues his sermon about the biblical Jesus. Jesus has ascended to the right-hand of the Father and will remain there until “the times of restoration of all things,” that is, until the end times. All of this has been spoken, Peter says, “by the mouth of all His holy prophets.” This is prophecy about Jesus. Verse 22:
22 “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23 ‘And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
Write down Deuteronomy 18:15-19 and read those verses later. Peter is quoting those verses here in his sermon. In those verses Moses tells about a coming Prophet, a Prophet with a capital P, who will come as God’s deliverer. The Jews looked forward to this coming Prophet as you will see especially in John’s Gospel. John 7:40, for example, has the people wondering about Jesus of Nazareth and one of their questions is, “Could it be that this man is the Prophet?” Is this the promised coming One? Peter says yes! Verse 24:
24 “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.
25 “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
26 “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
So Peter says, “This Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. He is the one prophesied about in the Old Testament.” The Old Testament is Christ foretold. The New Testament is Christ fulfilled. The biblical Jesus comes as the Jewish Messiah, coming to the Jew first, whose salvation is for all people, so that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” all families including your family and mine.
You know, I’ve been reflecting lately on the death of Christ, really trying to get my arms around all that it means that Christ died for me on the cross. It has often been said that “If you were the only person in all the world that Jesus still would have died for you.” That’s true, but that’s never really moved me much because, in my estimation, it focuses too much on me. You know, kind of like, “Well, God is so in love with me that he died just for me, for me, me, me—and if I were the only one He would still die for me.” But the remarkable thing about the suffering of Christ upon Calvary’s cross is that He dies for more than me.
And I got to thinking about this. Had Christ died only for my sins that would have been enough grief and suffering for Him to bear. I mean, all of my sins—past, present, future—every single sin I ever had committed and will commit Christ died for and took the punishment for. He felt the wrath of God as He died in my place. Imagine the horror of the suffering. Imagine His feeling the pain for every single one of my sins. How many in number? I don’t know, in the trillions, I suppose. And He felt the sting of every single one of those sins. But you see He didn’t die for just my sins. He died for the sins of every single person who would believe in Him. So not only does He feel the weight of my sins, He feels the weight of your sins, and yours, and yours. Add my trillions of sins with your trillions of sins and your trillions of sins and then you begin to have an appreciation for all the suffering He endured on Calvary’s cross.
The biblical Jesus is a Jesus who has power to save every single one of us from the penalty of our sin. Like the lame man at the beginning of this chapter, we are all crippled spiritually. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We’re all a bit like the lame man. He was unable to walk physically. We are unable to walk spiritually. And like him we have been in this condition since we were in our mother’s womb. We have inherited our sin problem and the only way we can get out of this problem is through the biblical Jesus.
- Stand for prayer.
I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again, and caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit,”
and somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.