Acts 3:1-10 CSB
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. [2] A man who was lame from birth was being carried there. He was placed each day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so that he could beg from those entering the temple. [3] When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. [4] Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, "Look at us." [5] So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. [6] But Peter said, "I don't have silver or gold, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!" [7] Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. [8] So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them-walking, leaping, and praising God. [9] All the people saw him walking and praising God, [10] and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. So they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him.
Awe and Amazement
A pastor’s voice might tremble as he recounts a moment of preparation: “I sat at my desk for hours, Bible open, notes scattered, but nothing came. Then—I can’t explain it—words filled my mind that weren’t mine.” Across a sanctuary, a woman quietly translates for a refugee family, her gift of languages flowing effortlessly. In the back, another volunteer arranges food baskets, moved by a sudden, inexplicable knowing of exactly which family is in need.
We see it in the alleyway, where a man clutches a sobriety chip, remembering the night he whispered, “God, if you’re real…” and felt a warmth wash through him that broke a years-long addiction. We see it in the doctor’s office, where a physician shakes his head at a scan: “Medically, I can’t explain it. There was no pulse, yet here is the child, perfectly healthy. Yesterday she was in a wheelchair; today she walked through my door.”
Miracles happen today. We just need the eyes to look for them.
Two thousand years ago, Peter and John walked toward the temple, their sandaled feet stirring dust from the sun-baked Jerusalem streets. The afternoon light cast long shadows as they moved through a crowd of pilgrims. Their faces still held the wonder of recent months—witnessing their Master’s ascension into the sky and feeling the Holy Spirit descend like fire at Pentecost.
Near the ornate bronze gate called Beautiful, with its intricate carvings gleaming in the sunlight, sat a man who had been unable to walk since birth. His calloused palms were extended upward, his face resigned to a life of begging. This was his reality: hoping for a few coins from pious Jews. But Peter and John looked straight at him, a wordless understanding passing between them. Peter’s voice rang clear: “Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I have, I give freely: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
As Peter grasped the man’s hand and pulled, strength surged through withered ankles. Bones straightened; muscles firmed. With a cry of astonishment, the man didn’t just stand—he leaped. He entered the temple courtyard “walking, leaping, and praising God,” leaving the onlookers in a mask of disbelief.
Many Christians today live defeated lives because, while they know the Holy Spirit exists, they do not truly believe the Spirit can affect their lives. We are surrounded by a scientific world that looks past miracles, training students to ignore the spiritual in favor of the analytical. This same mindset often creeps into the church. But for those who realize that the Holy Spirit is a present reality, there is strength.
The Apostles never used this power as if it were their own. They didn’t take credit for the straightened legs or the leaping heart. They always pointed toward Jesus, the source of the power. The miracles that propelled the early church happened in the Name of the One who sent the Holy Spirit. When we stop looking for “silver and gold” solutions and start looking to the Name of Jesus, we find the strength to rise.
Reflection Questions
- The beggar was expecting a few coins, but God gave him a new life. Where in your life are you asking for “spare change” when God wants to give you a “miracle”?
- Why do you think it is so easy for us to adopt a “scientific” mindset that explains away the work of the Holy Spirit?
- Peter and John told the man, “Look at us.” How can your life be a “sign” that causes others to look up and see the power of Jesus?
Prayer
Father,
We thank You that Your power is not confined to the pages of history. Thank You for the “awe and astonishment” You still bring into our lives today—through a word of wisdom, a moment of healing, or the strength to overcome an old habit. Help us to stop living defeated lives. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we may point others to Your Name. May our lives be a song of walking, leaping, and praising You. In Jesus’ name.
Amen.
