Hey Element Church! I hope your journey through One Prayer has been a good one. Look in the previous few posts for a downloadable One Prayer calendar if you don’t have one. Today our prayer is “Lord make us merciful.” Our Scripture reading is from Acts chapter 3. Keep in mind I’m not trying to write a commentary on the passage. Just writing what first jumps out to me. Maybe some thoughts to make us think and question. I’m not doing any research or background study. Just reading through and commenting. You can read Acts 3 here.
Acts 3:1-6 — This is one of my favorite Bible passages. Peter and John were going to the Temple for 3 PM prayer. They probably did this fairly regularly if not daily. It says a crippled beggar went there every day. That means that most likely Peter and John passed by him VERY frequently. Did they EVER stop before? I don’t know. But this time they did. The cripple asked them for money. Peter and John looked at him intently. Then one of my favorite verses in the Bible v. 6 “But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED! JESUS!!
Should we help the poor? Yes! Should we work against social injustices? YES! But solving the issue of the poor and curing EVERY social injustice WILL NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS! JESUS and HIM alone is what we need. Later in this passage Peter takes this healing and says “you need to repent and turn to God”. That’s what it is all about. We need to give what we have and what we have is Jesus.
Acts 3:12 — “Peter saw his opportunity…” for what? I think this is another instance where we see the “new” Peter. The old Peter probably would have saw his opportunity for fame, position and power. The crowds were flocking and amazed at what just happened. But now his opportunity centered around Jesus. Something changed in the heart of Peter at Pentecost that put Christ at the center of his life and took self out. From 3:12-36 Peter challenges the people with Christ. To repent. To turn to Him. Not to reject the prophets.
Acts 3:19-20 — Peter flips again our normal thinking. The man asked for money and Peter, through Jesus, healed him. The people were astonished at what happened. Possibly thinking “WOW, that is EXACTLY what that man needed.” So what did Peter do? Tells them what they need. “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. THEN times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord…” When does refreshment come? WHEN I REPENT AND AM FORGIVEN. Money will not bring refreshment. Physical healing will not bring refreshment. NOTHING can bring the refreshment we long for but repentance and forgiveness. BEING RIGHT WITH GOD is what we need.
Thinking,
Jeff
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