Acts 3:11-26
While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. Moses said, ‘THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘AND IN YOUR SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED.’ For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”
I’ve always had a tough time with television evangelists – especially those who tout their healing powers, pretend to know things about the lives of those who yearn for healing that no one could possibly know, and who make a point of touting their own name and personality. They make it a spectacle. They leverage the hype.
Then I read that Peter told the people not to be amazed at the sight of this once-lame man walking. He said they should not credit him for the healing. This was the work of God, not of pious men. He goes on to challenge the people there at the temple by crediting Jesus, the Holy and Righteous One whom they “disowned and asked for a murderer to be granted to [them], but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which [Peter and the Apostles] were witnesses.
Jesus gets the credit. That is as it should be for most of us. We’re all in for that. We believe in Jesus. We acknowledge that he suffered under Pontus Pilot, was crucified, died, and was buried. Then he rose from the dead. This is our faith and confession. We believe Jesus deserves all the credit.
But we too easily get caught in the web of celebrity. Famous, successful, powerful, and gifted men and women distract us from the simple power and true authority of Jesus. We get excited when we learn that Jane Fonda, Alice Cooper, or any other notorious celebrity comes to faith. It’s as though their testimony outweighs the truth we hold dear.
Peter was an impetuous man. He was brash, bold, and outspoken. He acted first and thought later. Same with speaking. But in this case he is clear: He did not do this. Jesus did this. Our great hope is not well founded if it is in our favorite pastor, political candidate, or national leader. And while Peter is somewhat of a celebrity, at least at this moment, he realized that it was not all about him. He realizes too, that Jesus can easily be overlooked. This miracle was done to bring attention to Jesus the One who is the source of perfect health and hope.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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