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Acts 3:1-16 & 4:1-22Acts 3:1-16 & 4:1-22

One day Peter and John were One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.going into the temple courts.

When he saw When he saw Peter and John Peter and John about to enter, he about to enter, he asked them for asked them for money. Peter money. Peter looked straight at looked straight at him, as did John. him, as did John.

Then Peter said, Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the “Look at us!” So the man gave them his man gave them his attention, expecting attention, expecting to get something to get something from them.from them.

Then Peter Then Peter said, “Silver or said, “Silver or gold I do not gold I do not have, but what I have, but what I have I give you. have I give you. In the name of In the name of Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”Nazareth, walk.”

Taking him by Taking him by the right hand, the right hand, he helped him he helped him up, and up, and instantly the instantly the man’s feet and man’s feet and ankles became ankles became strong. He strong. He jumped to his jumped to his feet and began feet and began to walk. Then to walk. Then he went with he went with them into the them into the temple courts, temple courts, walking and walking and jumping, and jumping, and praising God.praising God.

When all the people saw him walking and When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.had happened to him.

While the beggar held on to Peter and While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.Solomon’s Colonnade.

A covered walkway along the eastern wall of the Temple

When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?godliness we had made this man walk?

The God of Abraham, IsaacThe God of Abraham, Isaacand Jacob, the God of our and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.servant Jesus.

You handed him over to be You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.decided to let him go.

You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. the dead. We are witnesses of this.

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.healing to him, as you can all see.

  The priests and the The priests and the captain of the temple guard captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the they were speaking to the people. They were greatly people. They were greatly disturbed because the disturbed because the apostles were teaching the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of Jesus the resurrection of the dead. the dead.

Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the body, the soul last forever, or that spirits and angels exist because Moses never mentioned those things in his writings.

They seized Peter and John, and because it was They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail unti l the next dayevening, they put them in jail unti l the next day ..

But many who But many who heard the heard the message message believed, and believed, and the number of the number of men grew to men grew to about five about five thousand.thousand.

5000!? That’s a lot of men! I wonder how

many women and children joined

the group?

The next day The next day the rulers, the rulers, elders and elders and teachers of the teachers of the law met in law met in Jerusalem.Jerusalem.

Sanhedrin –

the highest

ruling

Jewish

court of

justice

Annas the high priest was there, and so Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family.other men of the high priest’s family.

He’s the guy in

charge.Married Annas’

daughter, plotted Jesus’ arrest, and presided at trial

They had Peter They had Peter and John and John brought before brought before them and began them and began to question to question them.them.

By what By what power or power or

what name what name did you do did you do

this?this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…them…

Rulers and elders of the people! Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account If we are being called to account

today for an act of kindness today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are shown to a cripple and are

asked how he was healed, then asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the know this, you and all the

people of Israel:people of Israel:

It is by the name of Jesus Christ of It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.stands before you healed.

  He isHe is“‘“‘the stone you builders the stone you builders rejected,rejected,    which has become     which has become the capstone. the capstone. Salvation is found in no Salvation is found in no one else, for there is one else, for there is no other name under no other name under heaven given to men heaven given to men by which we must be by which we must be saved.”saved.”(Psalm 118:22)(Psalm 118:22)

When they saw the When they saw the courage of Peter courage of Peter and John and and John and realized that they realized that they were unschooled, were unschooled, ordinary men, they ordinary men, they were astonished were astonished and they took note and they took note that these men had that these men had been with Jesus.been with Jesus.

Hey! These

guys were with Jesus!

How do they know all this?

They don’t have any education.

But since they But since they could see the man could see the man who had been who had been healed standing healed standing there with them, there with them, there was nothing there was nothing they could say.they could say.same guy

Guess there’s nothing else to say since the guy’s standing

here.

So they ordered So they ordered them to them to withdraw from withdraw from the Sanhedrin the Sanhedrin and then and then conferred conferred together.together.

You guys need to get out while we talk about

you.

What are we going to do with these What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.anyone in this name.

Then they called Then they called them in again them in again and and commanded commanded them…them…

Do not to speak or Do not to speak or teach at all in the name teach at all in the name of Jesus. Or you’ll be in of Jesus. Or you’ll be in

BIG trouble!BIG trouble!

But Peter and But Peter and John replied…John replied…

Judge for yourselves whether it is Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we help speaking about what we

have seen and heard.have seen and heard.

After further threats After further threats they let them go. They they let them go. They could not decide how could not decide how to punish them, to punish them, because all the because all the people were praising people were praising God for what had God for what had happened. For the happened. For the man who was man who was miraculously healed miraculously healed was over forty years was over forty years old.old.

We’ll throw We’ll throw you in jail you in jail

again!again!

You’ll get You’ll get beaten up!beaten up!

I don’t look a I don’t look a day over 39!day over 39!