Read | Acts 3
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple for the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. 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. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple, he asked for money. Peter, along with John, looked straight at him and said, “Look at us.” So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. 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!” Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. So he jumped up and started to walk, and he entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.
While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astonished, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Fellow Israelites, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied before Pilate, though he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer released to you. You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you.
“And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets—that his Messiah would suffer. Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. Heaven must receive him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through his holy prophets from the beginning. Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people.
“In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also foretold these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring. God raised up his servant and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.”
Click here to listen to the Scripture in ESV.
The man lame from birth looked to Peter and John hoping for a small donation, but Peter offered something far greater: restoration in the name of Jesus Christ. When are you most tempted to bring small, temporary requests to God while he may be inviting you to seek deeper spiritual healing and transformation?
Focus
Read the devotional by Kraig McNutt, M.Div., for this Sunday’s passage.
Lost in translation? Not at Pentecost!
based on Acts 2
“...we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues." —Acts 2:11b
The first time I traveled to Beijing, I was stopped by customs officers who seemed to have questions about my identity. They went back and forth in rapid-fire Mandarin—examining my passport—and I grew concerned.
Fortunately, my son, who was in another line several feet away, came over to translate. He speaks perfect Mandarin, and seconds later I was waved through; all was well.
Translation is a beautiful thing.
In Acts 2, Jews from every nation were gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost. As the Galilean fishermen spoke, declaring the “magnificent acts of God”, each person heard the message in his own tongue.
The Holy Spirit was their translator.
So, what was going on? Peter says this fulfills Joel 2, but the practical point is simple: God wants the name and deeds of Jesus proclaimed in a way people can actually understand, down to the very language they speak.
That’s foundational and as Christ followers, we are the communicators. Our job is to be as clear, relevant, practical, and faithful to Scripture as we can. But our words only land when the Holy Spirit accompanies and empowers them. We speak; he does the heavy lifting.
Here are a few ways we can be better communicators:
Drop the insider language (i.e., church-speak). For new believers or seekers, some of our language can be downright confusing or even scary: washed in the blood, quiet time, sovereignty of God, etc.
Share what God has done for you and keep it simple. What has happened in your life that can only be explained by God?
Know your audience. What do those who are listening know, what are their concerns or fears, etc.?
You don’t have to go to seminary to communicate the gift of Jesus’ love. God unmistakably calls and leads some people to attend seminary to formally equip them for his service, but you don’t need a seminary degree to talk to your neighbor or loved one about Jesus.
Pray for empowerment. The disciples were praying when the Spirit came in Acts 2. Let that sink in: without the Holy Spirit, our words are just that. Words.
I didn’t need to learn Mandarin in that Beijing airport, but I really did need an interpreter. You’ve got one with you at all times—the Holy Spirit!
Pray
Write out your own prayer for growth in your understanding of God’s word. Pick one or two of these themes to incorporate into your prayer:
- Growth in biblical literacy
- Perseverance and trust while grappling with difficult passages
- Clarity of understanding around key doctrinal issues
- Curiosity and joy while reading
- Continued remembrance of key themes you are learning
- Contentment with the slow process of study
Going Deeper
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.