Chapter 3

Today doctors can (sometimes) perform operations that seem like miracles. I have heard of people who have literally been paralysed for years who have been operated on, and have regained the use of their legs (including both sensation and motor control).

And when they do, they are excited. Very excited. So excited that the months (or even years) of rehab seem like only a brief –

Waitaminnit . . .

Yes, I said months or years in rehab. You can’t just get up having not walked for years. The muscles in the leg have to be toned up again (and they’ve often been sitting there doing nothing for years). And of course, the person needs to learn all over again which nerves control which actions. This takes some time.

By contrast, the beggar beside the gate called Beautiful not only was healed. He was MADE STRONG immediately. The legs were rebuilt and toned instantly – so instantly that he was able to go “walking, and leaping, and praising God!” as the old song says.

I wonder would Peter have been so willing to heal this man if he’d have known the consequences! But those come next chapter, so let’s not worry about that for now.

What IS worth thinking about is Peter’s second Gospel sermon in two chapters. Let’s take some time to unpack this a little.

Firstly (vs 12 – 16), Peter points out that it was Faith in Jesus Christ that has healed this man. He straight away makes it clear that it was not he himself who had the ability. More than that, Peter compares this to the Resurrection – he implies that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power at work within the beggar’s legs.

Verses 17 and 18 basically take this a step further and chides the leadership of Israel for ordering Jesus’ execution, nevertheless claiming Christ’s death to be a critically important part of Christ’s ministry.

Finally we have the call to repentance (vs 19 – 26) which has become, in two sermons, Peter’s trademark.

How would you react?

You see a person, perhaps someone who has been sitting there at that place as long as you can remember. And suddenly something new has entered your scheme. Instead of him sitting there cheerily greeting by name all the “regular” worshippers, suddenly you see him running around.

What a change!

Perhaps it might be arousing feelings of jealousy and/or envy. How come God is willing to do all this for a wet-behind the ears pre-convert, when He doesn’t do the same for His long-term secure converts?

The problem here is that we’re looking for God’s will to be understandable in the context of reciprocity – I do something for God and He does something good back.

God doesn’t work that way, friend.

God operates by Grace. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – so there is no reconciling the idea of works into that. Either we have to work our way back to God (in which case it’s all works, because whether it’s 20% or 99% works, it’s the works that will be diffcult to manage.), or He gives salvation to us as a free gift.

The Bible is murky about some things, but this is completely un-missable. God offers salvation by grace, and we have only to accept it before it becomes our own.

It’s hard for us workaholic westerners; we just want to be part of the solution.

Tough luck.

Either you accept God’s grace or you live your own way.

Personally, I’ll take grace. Any time.