David Bahn – Reflections

Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 9:1-2

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 39:1-5

I said, “I will guard my ways,
    that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
    so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
² I was mute and silent;
    I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
³     My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ “O Lord, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
⁵ Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!

Psalm 69:30-34

I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
³¹ This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.
³² When the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
³³ For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.

Psalm 99:30-34

I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
³¹ This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.
³² When the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
³³ For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.

Psalm 129:1-3

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble!
    He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
² The Lord is great in Zion;
    he is exalted over all the peoples.
³ Let them praise your great and awesome name!
    Holy is he!

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016.
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

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.”

When Jesus is dealing with his disciples, I can find myself in the story. Maybe I’m (doubting) Thomas. Could be (questioning) Philip. Maybe (brash) Peter. I might see myself as a Nicodemus character, or the one who cries, “I believe, help my unbelief!” This story presents a bit more of a challenge.

I don’t see myself in the crowd to whom Peter is preaching. It’s not obvious that I need to turn from my wicked ways. I’m certainly not perfect, but I devote myself to learning from Jesus, seeking his kingdom, and desiring his blessings. I truly do want to live under Christ in his kingdom and serve him eternally. But I don’t do that perfectly. And I truly do need to repent daily, for I sin daily.

Maybe I’m one of the bystanders, watching all this unfold, and wondering how Peter got to be so bold, dedicated, courageous, and faithful. I can look at those who really do need to find refreshment with God, having their sins washed away. I could be the lame man who has been healed and is clinging to Jesus with all his might.

We all fit in every page of the Bible in one way or another. It could be a sin to abandon, a promise to believe, a rededication to particular obedience, a joy to celebrate, a message to share, or a hope to cling to. But every story has a message for us that is shaped to point us to Jesus. We all need him, no matter where we find ourselves in his story of grace and truth.

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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.”

A few years ago, when we were visiting our Germany family, the pastor of their church observed that most people don’t have a trust problem when it comes to faith, they have a surrender problem. He was suggesting that people are willing to trust God, they just don’t want to surrender to his reign and rule in their lives. They’ll trust God. They just don’t want to obey him. He’s worth believing in for salvation and forgiveness, he’s just not going to define their morals or behaviors.

On the one hand it sounds quite palpable. Leaning into God’s love but not aligning ourselves with his laws seems quite appealing. That’s nothing new. Bonhoeffer spoke about this in his classic, The Cost of Discipleship, calling it cheap grace. He defined “cheap grace” as “the preaching of forgiveness without calling for repentance, and a life that reflects God’s love and faithfulness, values, and purposes.

Peter says, here:

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.”

As I read those words, I was reminded of that pastor’s comments. But a closer look points to a much deeper appreciation of what God wants for us all. And it’s far more rich and blessed than surrender. Good as that may be – after all, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father (cf. Philippians 2:9-11). God rules above all. He has the last word and has already spoken the first word, “Let there be light.”

But look where Peter goes with his call that we take heed! He points us to God’s initial promise to Abram. God initiated this gift and made the first promise. All that in spite of the wickedness of our ways. This reminds me of Martin Luther’s observation about Jesus being our Lord. He says that Jesus is our Lord, because he is our redeemer. He goes on to say that Jesus has redeemed us so that we may live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting innocence, righteousness, and blessedness.

Surrender seems much less a biblical theme than faith, grace and truth. God wants hearts turned to him in faith and love much more than he wants to keep people groveling in dire angst and surrender. Let’s listen to him! Believe in him. Love and serve him. This is the way of true life.

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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.”

“Hit ‘Refresh!’” If the website won’t load, you refresh it. Sometimes that works. You are able to see what you need to see and get the information you need. 

I just need a few minutes to sit in the pool, enjoy a cool drink, and refresh myself. Maybe you’ve said something like that.

But webpages and dips in the pool don’t always work. And even when they do, the results are not permanent.

True refreshment, however, comes from repentance and faith in Jesus. This is what Peter promises these people. “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,” he says to these people. Refreshment comes from sins’ banishment. It is possible for those who repent. It is experienced in the Lord’s presence.

Being refreshed is a fleeting thing. It comes and goes. There is always need for more. But we can thank God that in his presence we may be refreshed. He forgives those who repent and return to him. He removes our sins from us so that they do not hold sway over us. He gives times of refreshment this side of heaven as a foretaste of the perfect and eternal refreshment of the life of the world to come.

Whenever you experience any semblance of being refreshed, let that remind you of God’s love, promises, and the blessings of his presence in our lives.

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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.”

Years ago I had a conversation with a good friend and faithful Lutheran. He mentioned that his friend said that we Lutherans talk more about Martin Luther than we do about Jesus. I hope that wasn’t an accurate assessment of our esteem of Jesus, or Martin Luther for that matter. Only Jesus saves. Luther points us to Jesus.

I notice here that Peter mentions Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as well as Moses in these few verses. The focus of Peter’s message is Jesus. His desire is to point people to Jesus. His message is about how these Old Testament heroes of the faith point us toward Jesus. Theirs is a legacy of faith that witnesses to Jesus’ fulfillment of all that God had spoken and promised from the earliest days of God’s revelation.

Each of these men of faith tell us a story. Abraham tells us the story of great faith. He went at God’s command to a land which he did not know and which God would show him. He was willing to offer his son as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah – when God intervened and provided a sacrifice. Abraham, “believed the LORD and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

Isaac was the son of the promise. The laughing boy (his name means he laughs) is the son God promised to old and past childbearing years Sarah and Abraham. He is the reminder that all things are possible with God.

Jacob is the deceiver whom God somehow God manages to use for his kingdom’s ends. His name was changed to Israel, for he fought with God, and was left with a limp. He is the father of the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. God works through all kinds and sorts of people.

Moses recorded all these things. He rescued God’s people from Egypt and led them through the Red Sea. He received the 10 Commandments from God, as well as the design of the Tabernacle, and the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. He led God’s people to the edge of the Promised Land.

These are all great men of faith. They are examples for us, and object lessons of God’s grace, providence, faithfulness, and love. And they all point us to Jesus. For Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of all that God intended for us to be. He is our salvation and life.

Just as these men have a legacy of faith that points to Jesus, I hope to leave a legacy of faith that points people to Jesus.

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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.

Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day

Psalm 2:1-7

Why do the nations rage^[a]
    and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lordand against his Anointed, saying,
³ “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
⁵ Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
⁶ “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

⁷ I will tell of the decree:
The Lordsaid to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.

Psalm 32:1-5

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
² Blessed is the man against whom the Lordcounts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³ For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up^[b] as by the heat of summer. Selah

⁵ I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Psalm 62:1-2

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

Psalm 92:1-4

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
² to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
³ to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
⁴ For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
    at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

Psalm 122:1-9

I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
² Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!

³ Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
⁴ to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for^[a]Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
⁵ There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
⁷ Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
⁸ For my brothers and companions’ sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
⁹ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your good.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016.
Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 3:1-10

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I had a very good friend in high school and college. Soon after that we grew apart. But he was a friend in the best sense of the word. Friends stick close by you in good times and bad. Friends don’t judge. Friends bring you to Jesus. And Jerry did all those things. Many of you will know that he introduced me to photography and to the Lutheran Church. He was unashamed of the fact that as a junior in high school he knew he wanted to be a Lutheran pastor. He graduated from the seminary one year after I did. He died several years ago.

There are friends mentioned here in this text, who bring this man to the temple. In fact they are only referred to by their actions, they “laid [the man] daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.” It doesn’t say whether it was the same people who did this daily. But somehow people saw to it that the man got there.

It reminds me of the paralyzed man brought by his friends to be healed by Jesus. You’ll remember that there was such a crowd gathered that they had to take the man to the roof of the house where Jesus was and lower him through a hole they made. Friends will go the extra mile to get their friend to Jesus.

Do you have such a friend? Are you such a friend? Do you need such a friend? These are rare people indeed. A children’s verse comes to mind: Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. It’s true a friend in need is a gift of God – especially when that friend brings you to Jesus. I hope you have such a friend. I hope you are such a friend. If you are not or have not, ask God to send a friend to you. And while you’re at it, listen to how God may be putting someone on your heart to whom you can be such a friend.

Click here for an audio version of this blog post.

Acts 3:1-10

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I love the C.S. Lewis quote:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses

I recall Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the answer is simple: “Lord, I want to see” (Mark 10:21). Nothing wrong with that. Seeing is a good thing. And it was a big request. It was beyond asking for a hand out, a few alms, or strength to carry this burden.

But sometimes we’re so used to the burdens we don’t want to shed ourselves of them. We think we must carry on, even to the point of self-inflicted drudgery, if not downright martyristic complaint. I guess that’s just my lot in life, we sigh. We have no idea of what is meant by a holiday at the sea. Or a true healing. Or deep relief. We cannot imagine.

Sometimes it’s a matter of fear. We don’t know how to handle a better life. We can’t see ourselves in a successful career. We worry about too much gain, because it might all be taken away from us. Hope is a dangerous thing. It puts you in a position to be disappointed. It sets you up for being let down. But Jesus isn’t a bait and switch con man. He’s not setting us up for a cruel joke. He offers true life–eternal life. His gifts are irrevocable; his calling sure (Romans 11:29).

Interminable waiting wears on us. We wonder whether God will ever bring relief. We may conclude that this is our lot. It surely is not our lot for eternity. But God sometimes chooses to lift us out of the mud puddle, raise our eyes to see something better, fuller and everlasting. In the land of the living. When he does, give thanks. Praise his name. Sing of his goodness and mercy. Thank him.

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Acts 3:1-10

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I mentioned yesterday the experience of having my leg lengthen at the command of Professor C. Peter Wagner. It was a very unique experience to say the least. I will admit I wasn’t sure what to do with it, but I’ve come to some conclusion: Don’t tell God what he can or cannot do. Don’t make God’s work depend on your understanding. Leave the door open to unusual or unexpected actions on God’s part. He’s that way. Or as the Jesus character says in The Chosen mini-series when Matthew says, “This is different.” Jesus replies, “Get used to different.” Jesus calls us to new and different ways. He is not bound by time, space, or other obstacle. He does as he pleases.

But there is a method to God’s ways – different as they may be. That shows up here and is important to note. God genuinely cares about people. And he shows it in many ways. One is to heal people who are crippled, blind, mute, or even to raise the dead. Jesus did that out of compassion, love, concern, and kindness toward those who are suffering. But herein lies the problem: why doesn’t he do that for everyone? Why are not all healed? Why do some continue to suffer?

Jesus also does these things as a testimony to his glorious power. These miracles are marks of his identity as the Son of God. They show his power and control over the created order, and the terrible impact of sin. Jesus erases sin’s consequences when he forgive sins, heals diseases, and raises  people from the dead.

Peter makes it clear that Jesus is the actor here when he says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” In this case the people seeing Jesus do this they took note and were filled with wonder and amazement.

Miracles, by their nature, are rare. They are signs of Jesus’ reign and rule. They point us to a good and gracious Father. They are testimony of the Holy Spirit’s presence and influence. The next time you see a miracle, take note. Be amazed. Be thankful. Believe.

On a personal note today is Diane’s birthday. It’s a milestone birthday. I’m thankful for her, and we are thankful for the years of life and blessings he has given both of us through the years.