Acts Chapter 3 Verse 11 - 12

• Now this is interesting. Peter knew, (and we need to know this as well), he knew that the wonder of the miraculous in itself was not going to be enough.  Folks gawking over the miracle were folks still in need of salvation and we ought to remember that.  Two verses we need to consider to find one truth we see on display in this scene.  Paul wrote in Ephesians Chapter 2 Verses 8 and 9, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”  Salvation is available to men and women through God’s grace, His gift of payment for our sins, through faith…by faith, by coming to the acceptance of the truth by faith, Paul says that is the very transaction of grace with God…salvation, by grace, through faith. 
• Now Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by seeing miracles!” Nope!  Can’t be true, why?  Because miracles are a dime a dozen!  You think it’s a miracle to levitate on this stage?  To stand here with an 8lb lump of used chewing gum conducting a muscle that flexes 115,000 times a day, 42 million times a year and yet never gets tired!?  My heart has flexed about 1.6 billion times so far and all that without any rest…thank God!  THAT is the miraculous!  All the while having a pair of ultra 4k video sensors interpreting my environment to protect and enable that muscle and lump of chewing gum…look man, miracles aren’t as uncommon as one would think…C.S. Lewis said, “Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.”
• Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by having every answer to every question!” Doesn’t happen that way!  Faith is the antithesis of having the answer…it’s almost like facing the fact that we DON’T have the answer!  Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!”  And so faith is the requirement for the transaction of grace with God…to receive salvation through Jesus Christ…and that faith, the Bible teaches us, comes not through the miraculous…but by hearing the Word of God!
• So Peter sees this crowd gathering and snaps into action…folks impressed and in wonder are still folks without the truth…and he delivers to them not the exaltation of the miraculous…that will wear off, fade away, folks will need more…but he delivers to them the exaltation of the Son of God!
• It’s good, no it’s GREAT to have amazing stories, experiences and something to put on display, to offer to this sensual world that shows forth the power and wonder of God…fruit is a good thing! BUT, it saves and keeps no one…you have to tell them what has happened.  I’ve heard it time and time again, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if you must, use words.”  You know I’m convinced a demon whispered that in the ear of a well meaning minister…it’s not if you must use words…its humble your heart, walk with God, be like Him, love Him, and give Him control of your tongue!  USE YOUR WORDS!
• Stop trying to be somebody, to be right all of the time, to sell your Savior…He doesn’t need selling! Simply speak the truth in love, man!  Preach the gospel at all times and live in such a way as to ready someone’s heart to receive it!  Show that a miracle has happened in you!  Be a miracle to them!  Ever been called a “God send” from anyone!? Christian, YOU should be a called that from nearly EVERYONE!  The miracle gathers the crowd, knowing the truth sets the crowd free!
• And notice, what we are seeing here, “The man that was healed held on to Peter and John.” This will almost always happen and if you look at this word in the Greek it is krateo which means “to take hold of like you’re their master!”  Offensive holding man!  Are you willing?  Folks that meet the Lord will hold on to you…why?  Because you’ve known Him longer…teach them how to walk…then when you see them leap in their life then YOU are so very blessed at that sight…but notice, he holds onto Peter and John but Peter and John don’t take advantage of him (he probably had some coin from begging) and they don’t in any way claim to be something themselves…watch this…

Acts Chapter 3 Verse 13

• Now, don’t get tripped up over Jesus being called the Servant of God the Father…this is trippy for sure, but not in a confusing way. That word is actually child but it is used in a relational and heart-filled way to refer to a servant that is like a child, or a child that is like a servant.  It’s the word pais and I like that for a dumb reason and then for a few smart reasons.  If you take the s away and put in a d then it is not pais, it is paid.  Jesus is THE Paid.  I told you it was dumb…ok time now for some smartness…
• When Herod wanted to destroy all of the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts his charge was, “Put to death all of the male children…” The word used there was pais…Matthew Chapter 2 Verse 16.  The young girl, the child that Jesus raised in the presence of her mother and father by saying, “Little girl arise,” in Luke 8:54…the word He uses for little girl is actually pais…, “Child, arise.”  And yet, when the Centurion’s servant was sick to the point of death in Luke Chapter 7, the Centurion says to Jesus, “Say the word, and my servant will be healed.” And the word he used… 
• So what’s the point? This word pais certainly means child and yet it certainly means servant…the truth is there are children that serve their parents and the connection, the love, the bond, the blessing upon the parents…unmatched in all of time and space…to have a child that loves you is incredibly AMAZING…why?  Because you so naturally and uncontrollably love THEM…but kids…so many SO many do NOT love their parents…and therefore do not serve them and so GET THIS…to be called a servant when you are actually a child is a HUGE compliment and to be called a child when you are actually a servant is  a HUGE compliment and so in the Greek you can do that either way with this word that Peter uses for Jesus…in that Jesus is the Son of God and yet He is also love, strength, might, integrity, wisdom and truth and in that Jesus is also the Servant of His Father!  Told you that was smartness!!  HA!!
• You ever love someone and that love is SUCH pain…because you love them, like you truly love them…meaning you willfully and consistently and even desperately serve them? Kinda like a child but perhaps a wife…or perhaps a husband…but they don’t love you back…they do not serve you…Just like on one side of the coin there’s no greater joy in all of time and space when love is reciprocated…I’ll offer that there is few sorrows that match a heart that weeps in secret because the love it gives is taken and not valued, not returned…God sees you. 
• That pit, that emptiness, that depth of intense ever-present almost hopelessness that could be taken away in a moment if she cared enough about you…if she loved you…if he loved you…God knows all about that…that even now He loves you with a perfect love, and everlasting love, a love that will not be turned away…its desperate and natural because He is love and He is your Father…and with that same love that He loves you, He loves the hardened hell bound hater of God…and He weeps…if you know that depth of sorrow…go and talk to Him. He is very able to console you because He knows more about it then you and I ever will…He knows the loss of His only Son in a willful act to seek and to save that which was lost...you are not alone, child…pais…

Acts Chapter 3 Verses 14 - 16

• Peter reveals Jesus as the Prince of Life. The Archegos Zoe…the ancient Author of all life and this isn’t heart-beat life…that’s different…this is zoe in the Greek…this is what defines life outside of time…this is joy, this is eternal essence of existence in the form and function of fellowship with God…this is all that is good…all that is defined as good…and all that is available to the heart and soul filled with the very Spirit of God.  Jesus is the Author and the Prince of what life is when you peel back all of the flesh and all of the things that are passing away…and we, you and I, just as they did…kill that in our own lives when we seek and worship the creature, rather than the Creator.
• Two things through faith in Jesus.   In the Greek that word is awesome!  It is stereo!!!  LOVE THAT!!!  To make solid, to make firm, surround sound life!  AND, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness!!!  His life wrings with harmony now!  Perfectly timed chords and percussions…what he is doing now is flawless when just moments ago he WAS flaw!  Holokleria – used only once in the scriptures and it means all of him is made good!  I LOVE THAT…ONLY Jesus, only the Savior of Christianity…only the Christ can do that to the soul of a man.  No other spirituality or religion even offers that…

Acts Chapter 3 Verses 17 – 26

• Strength, perfect soundness and finally Peter reveals times of refreshing. Cooling off literally in the Greek.  Simplicity of heart, gladness of heart…and notice Peter says that those things come as the blessings of accepting Jesus as He turns everyone of you away from sin…literally the work of the gospel in the heart of a man or woman is to separate us from the darkness and depravity of the flesh…and that’s just the benefit here and now…the main course is eternal life!  Life forever in the presence of your Father and Creator!! 
• This is so essential…Jesus did not come so that men could get away with sin…welcome to cult Christianity because that is what they teach…welcome to Islam because that is what they teach…welcome to Eastern Mysticism because that is what they teach…that God is merciful and will look and weigh your goods against your bads… Jesus, God Himself did not come so that men could get away with sin but so that men could get away from sin!  A clean heart hates a dirty life!!!  Is that you?  Wiped clean of sin in the blood of Jesus and now when you venture out into the dirt again and that Teflon soul of yours spots up…the natural response of a born again believer is to despise the dirt…do you?  Or has the dirt fooled you…trapped you…be free today!