Act 3:1-16 | Burkitt | STEP | Observe here, 1. The remarkable diligence and industry of St. Peter and the other apostles in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the third hour of the day on the feast of Pentecost, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, St. Peter preached a sermon, which by the blessing of the Holy Spirit accompanying it, converted three thousand souls. Here at three o'clock in the afternoon on the same day, (as the learned Dr. Lightfoot notes) he preached a second sermon, which converts five thousand more. This affords at once a good precedent, and a good encouragement to the apostles successors, the ministers of Christ, to the end of the world, for the preaching twice upon the Lord's day: If, in the room of three and five thousand souls, we be instrumental for the conversion of one single soul, it is infinitely worth the indefatigable pains and diligence of our whole lives. Observe, 2. The place which the apostle preaches in, the temple; thither the apostles went, not to offer sacrifice, but to inform the Jews, that the law of sacrifices was now abolished by the death of Christ; not to communicate with them in their antiquated worship, but that they might have a larger field to sow the seed of the gospel in. Observe, 3. The circumstance of time, at the hour of prayer. In all ages, since God had a church in the world, there have been stated times and places for solemn public worship; by which means a sense of God and religion has been preserved and kept up in the world, which otherwise would be in danger of being lost. The worship of God in the closet will not do this, because it is unseen; but stated, solemn, public worship, glorifies God most, and he accepts it best, The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The apostles went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer . Sine stationibus no staret mundus.

Acts 3:1-16

Observe here, 1. The remarkable diligence and industry of St. Peter and the other apostles in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

At the third hour of the day on the feast of Pentecost, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, St. Peter preached a sermon, Acts 2:14 which by the blessing of the Holy Spirit accompanying it, converted three thousand souls. Here at three o'clock in the afternoon on the same day, (as the learned Dr. Lightfoot notes) he preached a second sermon, which converts five thousand more. This affords at once a good precedent, and a good encouragement to the apostles successors, the ministers of Christ, to the end of the world, for the preaching twice upon the Lord's day: If, in the room of three and five thousand souls, we be instrumental for the conversion of one single soul, it is infinitely worth the indefatigable pains and diligence of our whole lives.

Observe, 2. The place which the apostle preaches in, the temple; thither the apostles went, not to offer sacrifice, but to inform the Jews, that the law of sacrifices was now abolished by the death of Christ; not to communicate with them in their antiquated worship, but that they might have a larger field to sow the seed of the gospel in.

Observe, 3. The circumstance of time, at the hour of prayer. In all ages, since God had a church in the world, there have been stated times and places for solemn public worship; by which means a sense of God and religion has been preserved and kept up in the world, which otherwise would be in danger of being lost.

The worship of God in the closet will not do this, because it is unseen; but stated, solemn, public worship, glorifies God most, and he accepts it best, The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. The apostles went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer Ps 87:2. Sine stationibus no staret mundus.

Observe here, 1. The condition of this person.

1. He was poor, even to beggary; but poverty is no sign of God's disfavour, nor doth exclude any from partaking of the best of blessings.

2. He was born a cripple, not lamed by casualty or accident, but lame from his mother's womb.

3. He had continued a cripple forty years, The man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. Acts 4:22. Consequently the cure was the harder, and the person cured the more credible witness against them that cavilled at his cure.

Observe, 2. The wonderful mercy and goodness of God towards this poor cripple; his miseries and calamities, his lameness and poverty, are over-ruled by God for good to him, even for the best good; namely, for bringing him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and salvation by him.

O how good is God at making up all our losses and exceeding not only our deserts, but our expectations also! This poor man only begged an alms, but God gives him his limbs; yea, gives him his Son and salvation by him. Thus we receive of God daily more than we can either ask or think.

Observe, 3. The apostle's advice to the lame man, and his ready compliance with that advice. Look on us, says St. Peter; he doth not say, believe on us, but look on us, and believe on Christ. This the apostle spake to quicken his attention and excite his hope. As if St. Peter had said; "You look upon many others as able to relieve your necessities; now look on us, and see what we can do for you:" Accordingly he fastened his eyes upon the apostle, and beheld them as expectant of relief.

Here note, 1. The great mercy of God that was mingled with this poor man's affliction; though he was lame, he was not blind. He could and did stedfastly behold the apostle, with a fixed eye both of body and mind.

Note, 2. That what the cripple could do, he must and did do, towards his own healing; he could not move a foot, but he could fix his eye. We are spiritual cripples, labouring under a moral impotency; being without strength, Rom 1:6.

But God expects the exercise of our faculties, and the use of our endeavours in order to our recovery, help, and healing. As the cripple looked up to the apostles, so may we look up to the ministers of God: hear them, and apply to them, and place ourselves under to word dispensed by them; for he that made us without ourselves, will never save us without ourselves; but we must work out our own salvation, Phil 2:12.

Observe here, 1. The poverty of this great apostle St. Peter, and his holy contempt of the world; silver and gold he had none; his pretended successor the pope upon his election says the same; but with as little sincerity as he says, Nolo episcopari: The apostle's poverty was real, not fictitious. The holiest, the wisest, and best men, are seldom the wealthiest. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give. As if he had said, "I have no money to give thee but that which is better than money: I have received power from Christ to cure and heal diseases, and having received it freely, I will give it freely: Therefore, in the name of Jesus; that is, by the power of Jesus, whom in contempt ye call Jesus of Nazareth, be healed, rise up and walk."

Observe, 2. The nature of the miracle here wrought: it was

1. Public and open, not done in a corner, but before all the people at a public time, (Pentecost) and at a public place (the gates of the temple.) The miracles, that is, the lying wonders wrought in the church of Rome, will not bear the light. Miracles are by them most pretended to, where people are most ignorant, and a dark shop is fittest for their false wares.

2. Instantaneous and sudden; Immediately his feet and ankle-bones received strength. This evidently shews it to be God's work, he was perfectly cured, and instantly cured, though he was lame from his birth, and had continued lame above forty years. All things are easy, yea, equally easy, to an Almighty power: If God speaks but the word, the lame shall leap as an hart, Isa 35:6.

Observe, 3. The humility and faith of this great apostle discovered in the manner of the cure; his humility, in not disdaining to touch and take hold of, and lift up this poor cripple from the ground; his faith in being fully persuaded of Christ's presence, relying upon his power, and depending upon his promise, Mr 16:18. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. The apostles had not a power at their pleasure to work miracles; but when God pleased to work them, he made it known to them by inspiration, and put them upon it.

Observe, 4. How the poor cripple piously ascribes the praise of this miracle to God only: He leaped and praised God, not the apostles. No instrument must rob God of his glory; we may pay and gratify the messenger, but must return our prime and principal thanks to our benefactor. No doubt the cripple returned thanks to the apostle, but his prayers unto God only. To conceal God's mercies is ingratitude; to attribute them to second causes is sacrilege.

Observe here, 1. As soon as ever the poor cripple received strength, all the people beheld him praising and blessing God.-

Learn hence, That the very first appearances of the power and mercy of God, towards ourselves or any of ours, should put us upon the works of praise and rejoicing. We truly say, "Better late than never;" but it is best to be early in every good work, especially in the noblest and most angelical work; namely, that of thanksgiving and praise. My voice shalt thou hear, says David, betimes in the morning: my praying voice, my praising voice.

Observe, 2. The influence and effect that this miracle had upon the minds of the multitude; it occasioned wonder, but did not produce faith. They wondered, but not believed. Miracles will confirm faith, but not alone beget it. The Spirit's extraordinary works may produce astonishment; but it is the work of the Spirit that must produce faith.

Observe, 3. How the apostle abaseth himself and his fellow disciples, that he might exalt Christ; he will not suffer the least part of the praise and glory of this miracle to stick to their own fingers, but gives it all to Christ. Think not that we by pure power and holiness have made this man to walk. The Jews had a conceit, that extraordinary holiness would enable a man to work miracles: The apostle denies it: For though there be a great difference betwixt miraculous faith and justifying faith, ye true justifying faith has a miracle in it, though not so obvious to sense, requiring the same power to work it in us, which raised up Christ from the dead, Eph 1:20.

Learn hence, That Christ's power, not is apostles' holiness, was the cause of all the miracles that were wrought by them. Why look you so earnestly upon us, as though by our holiness we had made this man to walk? Through faith in his name, is this man made strong, Acts 3:16.

Observe her, 1. How St. Peter lays hold upon this opportunity, (when the people are gathered together to gaze upon this lame beggar) to preach a second awakening sermon to the Jews; in which he rebukes them sharply for their cursed contempt of Christ, and the horrible indignities offered to him.

1. They denied him although he was an holy and Just One.

2. They delivered him up to Pilate when he was inclined to let him go.

3. They preferred Barabbas, the worst of men, and a murtherer, before Jesus, the best of men, and a Saviour.

4. They murthered the Messias, called the Prince of life, because he came to bring life into the world.

Where note, that though probably none of the Jews then and there present, did actually nail Christ unto his cross, yet they having given their consent unto it, they are charged with killing the Lord of life. A plenary and full consent to the sins of others, makes us deeply guilty of others' sins: Ye delivered up and denied the Holy One; ye have crucified the Lord of life. Acts 3:15

Observe, 2. How St. Peter ascribes the whole of his miracle to the power of faith; Through faith in his name, and the faith which is by him, hath given this man perfect soundness in the presence of you all Acts 3:16.

Faith is twice named in this one verse, because of the apostle's faith in working the miracle, and the cripple's faith in receiving of it, says Dr. Lightfoot: But questionless, it was chiefly the apostle's faith; for the lame man shewed no faith in Christ before he was healed; he expected an alms, but little thought of receiving the use of his limbs; but the apostle's firmly relying on the power and promise of Christ for healing, did believe that Christ could and would help and heal him.

Learn hence, That as it is the property and preogative of God to do great things, it is the duty and property of faith to expect great things from God; great expectations from God honour the greatness of God: We dishonour God as much or more, when we believe little, as when we do little.

A great God and a small faith suit not well together; accordingly St. Peter here, knowing the all-sufficiency of Christ's power, exerts strength of faith, and through faith in the name of Christ, makes this man whole.