Give of What You have! Acts 3:1-10 8/11/13
We all know sometime there is a gap or lag between an idea and the application of the idea or invention. From the discovery of the telegraph until its commercial application took 56 years. It took 30 years for the radio to see commercial use; radar was around for 15 years before it was used commercially; there were 12 years before TV was brought into homes. And the transistor that changed so many things had to wait 5 years before it was seen on the public market. But now we are living in the age of computers; the internet and digital technology and we have come to the place where there is very little time between the development of a new technology and its appearance in the market place. Most of us are aware of this because of the speed in which our computers and phones become obsolete. We in the Christian community sometime suffer from a time gap. That is we know the way our Lord Jesus wants us to go and the things He wants us to do---yet at times it may take weeks, months or even years to put those things into practice. We know what we need to do, and many times we have the means to do it---we just need to move more quickly! Now please turn to Acts 3:1-10.
The poor man, who had been crippled from birth, was carried to the temple gate; where he was put every day to beg alms of those who were going into the temple.
Here he would cry out everyday, to those who passed by, for money—for help—for compassion. He asks for everything---but the one thing Peter and John could give---he did not ask for the ability to walk! They couldn’t give this poor man silver or gold, for they had none; they couldn’t give him fine cloths or servants to take care of his needs—they didn’t have those things to give! This poor beggar cried out everyday to those who would pass by. It was a cry that is still heard today and everyday around the world in many diverse places. The cry of hunger and loneliness; the cry for the need of love and someone to care; the cry for someone to show compassion and mercy! The answer to all these cries, to all these pleas is found in our Lord Jesus and His teachings of love and grace! This poor man, this beggar was a man crippled from birth—to survive he had to beg of others—so there were those who had compassion on him and carried him to the temple gate everyday so he could beg from those going into the temple. Can you imagine how this poor man must have felt? Everyday he knew what lay before him. He would be placed at the temple gate to beg alms from those who passed by. He would do this day in and day out without hope of anything better!
Surely it is easy to assume he had become bitter about his station in life. He had done nothing to bring on his fate---yet in the culture of his day many believed that his condition was brought about because of some sin of his parents. But his condition was brought about by some awful accident at birth. He had been born crippled and would never be able to walk! I believe that after a while all those who passed by looked the same to him---he probably rarely raised his eyes to look at their faces---but he looked up and saw Peter and John and found the energy to ask them for money! Peter and John looked on this poor man---and Peter said to him—Look at us! He wanted this man to see their faces, to look them in the eye. They wanted this man to see who was about to give him the gift of Jesus’ healing power and compassion. They wanted him to be aware of where the great gift he was about to receive came from! Oh! How the church—- the Christian community needs to cry out to the world---look at me! Look at me! Let me tell you of the One who has the answer to all of your problems, let me tell you of the One can bring peace to your heart and spirit---look at me and let me tell you of Jesus! As the beggar looked to Peter and John and gave them his full attention the first words from Peter must have caused him to