Two titles for today’s study; Verses 1-11 A lame man is healed. Verses 12-26 Peter appeals to the Jews to repent. When we get to those verses, 12-26, we will rely on prophecies from the past to that time and to the end times. Acts 3 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 3:1] Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
This would be at 3pm, which is the hour of the daily oblation.
Acts 3:2] 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 of them that entered into the temple;
They laid this man that was lame from birth at the gate every day. Alms, G1654 the act of giving charity to the poor. Compassionateness that is (as exercised towards the poor). 2. the benefaction itself, a donation to the poor, alms. Of deeds (works). In Matthew 6 Jesus teaches us how to do this. Mat.6 and verse 1 reads.
Mat.6:1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
[2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
[3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
[4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
We see here that alms is the act of generosity for the poor. And compassion is a trademark of God’s Elect. Back to Acts 3 and verse 3 reads.
Acts 3:3] Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
[4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
[5] And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
Notice Peter said boldly for him to look on them, eye to eye. We will see here that Peter and John will give this man more than he ever expected.
Acts 3:6] Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
Now hold it a second. Did Peter heal this man? The answer is No, but in the name of Jesus Christ he demanded that he rise up and walk. Full confidence in Jesus Christ being used here, will he receive it?
Acts 3:7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.
[8] And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
He believed, and as Peter grabbed his hand his feet were restored immediately on the rise, he knew it, and leaped up. This must have been an amazing sight.
Acts 3:9] And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
[10] And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
[11] And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
You can find this porch being built in 1K.7:12. Look at the joy from all the people for this lame man who is made whole.
Acts 3:12] And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
Peter is asking them why think we made him to walk. Or do you think we have the power to make any to walk?
Acts 3:13] The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
Pilate found no crime that Jesus could be convicted of, yet these people cried out Crucify Him! Let’s go to Isaiah 49 and verse 3 reads.
Isa.49:3] And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
Back to Acts 3 and verse 14 reads.
Acts 3:14] But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
Telling them you crucified the Messiah, the Just One, the Holy One. And asked Pilate to release Barabbas, a murderer, a Kenite (son of Cain). Remember it was written in Mark 1 that Jesus cast out an unclean spirit that was in the synagogue, verse 23 reads.
Mark 1:23] And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
[24] Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
The evil spirit called him the Holy One of God.
Mark 1:25] And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
[26] And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Satan has many names, so does Jesus. Look at them as titles and you will have more understanding of God’s Word. Back to Acts 3 and verse 15 reads.
Acts 3:15] And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
They are witnesses, we too will be delivered up to Satan and be witnesses for the LORD. Another title for Jesus is given here, the Prince of Life.
Acts 3:16] And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
The man that was healed had perfect faith in Jesus. Read this carefully, his name (Jesus Christ) through faith in his name (His name is Jesus and is translated; YAH’s Savior) has healed this man, right before your very eyes. Let’s go to Matthew 9 and verse 20 reads.
Mat.9:20] And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
[21] For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
[22] But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Only through faith can someone be healed. But remember this, only in the name of Jesus will this happen. Back to Acts 3 and verse 17 reads.
Acts 3:17] And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Peter is giving them an out here. He said that through ignorance you did this. Ignorance is not an insult, it simply means; unlearned. Paul teaches many difficult things. He would teach in 1Corinthians 2 and verse 7 reads.
1Cor.2:7] But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
[8] Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The LORD will use evil for good. He can open eyes or close them for his Word will come to pass exactly as it is written. Know this especially written for the end times. 1Cor.10:11.
Back to Acts 3 and verse 18 reads.
Acts 3:18] But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
Christ fulfilled all of the prophecies written in God’s Word. In Matthew 5 Jesus tells us in verse 17 and it reads.
Mat.5:17] Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
And Peter teaches us in 1Peter 1 and verse 9 reads.
1Pet.1:9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
[10] Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
[11] Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
Speaking of the prophecies prophesied by the prophets. Jesus is the Living Word, from Genesis through Revelation, his name is The Word of God.
1Pet.1:12] Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
How to check your teachers, if they cannot take you back to the prophets when teaching the Gospels, then they too are ignorant. And should not be trusted. For a teacher should know when a prophecy is being fulfilled. Back to Acts 3 and verse 19 reads.
Acts 3:19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
We are being taught here that there are two advents. The first advent is for Salvation, the second advent will be the Wrath of God. I want you to see here that your sins are blotted out. Meaning, as if they never existed. This was the reason for Salvation, that Christ would be crucified for our sins. This is the Greatest Love of All, that a man lay down his life for a friend. Do not overlook it comes through repentance only. Repentance; G3341 metanoia pronounced met-an’-oy-ah and means; 1. a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done. This word comes from G3340 metanoeō pronounced met-an-o-eh’-o and means; to think differently or afterwards that is reconsider (morally to feel compunction). 1. to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent. 2. to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins. There, now you don’t have any excuses, one must repent before your sins are blotted out as if they never happened. This is the love of God that he sacrificed for you, his blood on the cross would come just as it was written in the prophets. Now, let’s read that verse again.
Acts 3:19] Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
After repentance we have “When the times of refreshing shall come from the LORD.” Let’s look at this word “Refreshing”, it is G403 and means; properly a recovery of breath that is (figuratively) revival. This word is only used twice in the bible. We find it is also used in Isaiah 28 (stick with the examples from above with the prophets) and verse 12 reads.
Isa.28:12] To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Here the word Refreshing is H4774 1. rest, repose, place to rest. Jesus Christ is our rest. He is our Sabbath. And Isaiah continues in verse 13.
Isa.28:13] But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse is what we teach here at Christ Ministries. Not traditions of men, but the Word of God. And if it isn’t taken heed to, then they will be deceived and fall into captivity at the end times. Back to Acts 3 and verse 20 reads.
Acts 3:20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
[21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
For the first advent, Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 17 and verse 10 reads.
Mat.17:10] And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Asking that it is written that Elijah must first come. Pay close attention here, there are two advents.
Mat.17:11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Elijah will come just before the second advent, as one of the two witnesses. But it is also written he will come to straighten the way of the LORD at the first advent.
Mat.17:12] But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
[13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
They beheaded John the Baptist, and they crucified our LORD Jesus Christ. So, we see here that John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, not that he was Elijah. This was for the first advent. Elijah will return as one of the two witnesses, or sons of oil, for the second advent. Back to Acts 3 and verse 22 reads.
Acts 3:22] For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Written in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.
Acts 3:23] And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Let’s go to Due.18 and verse 15 reads.
Deu.18:15] The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
[16] According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
Hebrews 12:29, “For our God is a consuming fire”.
Deu.18:17] And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
[18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
Even Moses prophesied of Jesus in the Old Testament. Now the warning for those who will not hear the Word of God.
Deu.18:19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
And now a warning to false teachers today.
Deu.18:20] But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
For false teachers and antichrist are already in the world. Let’s go to 1John 2 and verse 18 reads.
1John 2:18] Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Here is our warning when the end times are near. Notice that antichrists (plural) is used to warn of the end times. We are given this word in the Greek as G500 antichristos pronounced an-tee’-khris-tos. This is Satan, but given in plural we see that it is his children the Kenites. From both G473 Anti, which means; instead of. And G5547 Christ, which we know is The Anointed One. But, with the plural we see it is the children (Kenites) of that wicked one, the Serpent, Satan. Back to Acts 3 and verse 24 reads.
Acts 3:24] Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Let’s go to 2Sam.7 and verse 12 reads.
2Sam.7:12] And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
[13] He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
Again, we have Jesus being prophesied of in the Old Testament. Jesus would teach two men after his resurrection, who were on their way to the hot springs, this lesson. Luke 24 and verse 25 reads.
Luke 24:25] Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
[26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
[27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
It must have been some bible lesson from Jesus to these two on their way to the hot springs. Jesus told them all scriptures concerning himself, that would be a lot of scriptures. Back to Acts 3 and verse 25 reads.
Acts 3:25] Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Let’s go to Genesis 12 and verse 3 reads.
Gen.12:3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Notice we have blessings and cursings. Back to Acts 3 and verse 26 reads.
Acts 3:26] Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
To his Elect in these end times, pay attention to all that is written. Let’s go to Isaiah 42 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.42:1] Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
Let’s go to Matthew 1 and verse 21 reads.
Mat.1:21] And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
[22] Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
[23] Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Of course, that prophet was Isaiah in Isa.7:14. You cannot teach Jesus without the Old Testament. God’s Word is his strength, his sword, for those of us called his Elect in these end times. We must be able to show others Jesus was his plan from the beginning, that is Salvation for those who love him. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible