ACTS PT.3 | with Jeremy Davis

Jun 01, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When the Menu Outshines Your Expectations

The story of an ordinary hamburger order that became an unforgettable feast mirrors how God’s answers often exceed our limited requests. Just as the Hawaiian pineapple steak burger surprised with its unexpected richness, the lame man at the temple gate asked for coins but received legs that leaped. God’s generosity operates beyond transactional prayers, offering transformative grace where we settle for scraps. His solutions aren’t edits to our wishlists but rewrites of our stories. [03:43]

“Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.” (Acts 3:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been asking God for spare change when He wants to rebuild your foundation? What “hamburger helper prayer” might you need to surrender to receive His feast?

Day 2: The Invisible Man at Gate Beautiful

For decades, the lame man blended into the temple’s architecture—a fixture of pity, not a person. Peter’s command, “Look at us,” forced eye contact that acknowledged his humanity before addressing his need. True ministry begins not with solutions but with seeing people as image-bearers, not projects. The gate’s Corinthian bronze dazzled crowds, but God’s glory shone brightest when a beggar became a worshiper. [10:33]

“He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” (Acts 3:8, ESV)

Reflection: Who have you learned to walk past without truly seeing? How might stopping to “look at us” disrupt your routine to reveal God’s priority?

Day 3: Cornerstones and Crumbling Power Structures

Peter stood amid Herod’s 500-ton temple stones to declare Jesus the true cornerstone—the rejected rock holding eternity together. Religious leaders relied on institutional weight, but the disciples leaned on resurrection power. Faithfulness to Christ often means standing on promises, not platforms, trusting the unseen foundation beneath cultural rubble. [24:00]

“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: What man-made structures (reputations, systems, comforts) do you rely on more than Christ’s finished work? Where is God inviting you to build on the cornerstone instead of against it?

Day 4: Jail Cells and Unshackled Voices

Threats only amplified the disciples’ testimony. Their jailers became their congregation. Authentic boldness isn’t recklessness but relentless allegiance—the kind that prays for greater courage, not smaller obstacles. When the room shook post-prayer, it wasn’t an earthquake but a divine mic drop confirming their unstoppable mission. [28:47]

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30, ESV)

Reflection: What fear-based silence needs breaking in your life? How would praying for boldness instead of safety reframe your current battles?

Day 5: The Aftertaste of Courage

Meguiar’s burger sauce left a lingering craving, just as bold obedience leaves a spiritual hunger for more of God. The healed man’s jumping became a perpetual sermon—a living reminder that encounters with Jesus can’t be contained. Our stories, when seasoned with grace, become meals that feed others long after the moment passes. [33:49]

“They called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes—to listen to you, or to him? We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’” (Acts 4:18-20, ESV)

Reflection: What God-story have you been rationing? Who needs to taste the “sauce” of your encounter with Christ this week?

Sermon Summary

Acts 3 sets the scene with Peter and John walking into the vast temple complex at the hour of prayer, stepping toward the Gate Beautiful that gleamed like polished gold. The gate frames a man who has never walked, daily carried to beg. The text slows down on an unusual act of attention. “Look at us.” The man expects coins. Peter gives a name. “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” The hand lifts, the ankles strengthen, the man stands, walks, then leaps. Worship erupts as he moves through the very gate he had only watched for decades. Public memory confirms the miracle. This is the same man. No injury rehab story here. This is new creation breaking in.

Peter refuses credit and turns the crowd to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who has “glorified his servant Jesus.” Israel’s recent history gets named plain. Pilate wanted to release him. Israel chose Barabbas. “You killed the Author of life, but God raised him from the dead.” The apostles speak as witnesses, not rumor spreaders. The healed man stands as exhibit A. The name of Jesus, trusted, did this. Then comes the same call Jesus gave. “Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come.” The promise is not a tune-up. It is a transfer. Sin is forgiven. Life is made new. Many believe. The number of men reaches five thousand.

The authorities move to contain what they cannot deny. Before the Sanhedrin, Peter stands filled with the Spirit and names the authority again. Jesus of Nazareth, crucified by them, raised by God. Scripture supplies the frame. “The stone you builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” With those massive temple stones all around, the claim lands. The foundation is no longer temple sacrifice. Christ himself now aligns and supports the whole structure of faith. Salvation is found in no one else.

The council sees courage in unschooled men and recognizes a deeper credential. They had been with Jesus. Threats fall. A command to be quiet follows. Peter answers with a simple calculus. Should God or humans be obeyed. They “cannot help speaking” what they have seen and heard.

The church’s first instinct is prayer. Not for safety, but for boldness. God’s sovereignty over the cross is confessed. A request rises. “Enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” God answers by shaking the place and filling them again, and the word goes out with fresh courage.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus gives more than expected The lame man asks for coins and receives strength, joy, and restored worship. Jesus does not just patch symptoms, he addresses the deep break and lifts a person into a new way of life. Expectation shrinks when lack defines the ask, but faith opens space for surprise. His name meets need at the root, not the surface. [10:56]
2. The risen Jesus is the power Peter will not let attention linger on skill, piety, or technique. The God who raised Jesus acts, and the apostles testify as eyewitnesses, not enthusiasts. Healing flows through trust in that living name, because the person behind the name is alive. Courage grows where the resurrection is not a slogan but a settled reality. [17:45]
3. Repentance brings real refreshing Repentance is not groveling or behavior management, it is a turn to God that wipes out guilt and gives a fresh wind in the soul. The throne changes hands, and life starts over under better government. That is why “times of refreshing” is not hype, it is promise. New creation breathes where sin no longer holds the pen. [18:14]
4. Boldness grows where prayer shakes rooms The first church prays for courage, not comfort, and God answers with palpable presence. Shaken walls make steady hearts, and ordinary people speak an extraordinary word. Boldness is not a personality trait, it is a Spirit-given clarity about Jesus. Ask for it and God delights to supply it. [32:41]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - Staff welcome and local eats
[03:43] - Hawaiian steak burger surprise
[04:50] - More than expected sets the scene
[07:12] - Peter and John to the temple
[08:14] - The Beautiful Gate described
[10:56] - Expecting money, receiving more
[11:13] - In Jesus’ name, walk
[13:49] - Teaching at Solomon’s Colonnade
[15:09] - You handed Jesus over
[17:45] - Faith in Jesus’ name heals
[18:14] - Repent and times of refreshing
[20:45] - Arrest and Sanhedrin hearing
[22:57] - Jesus the Cornerstone, exclusive Savior
[32:41] - Room shaken, boldness granted

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Acts 3:1-10 (ESV)
1 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.

Acts 4:29-31 (ESV)
29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Observation Questions

What did Peter and John give the lame man instead of the money he expected, and how did the man respond physically and emotionally? (See Acts 3:6-8) [10:56]
What did the religious leaders notice about Peter and John’s courage and background during their trial? (See Acts 4:13) [26:44]
What specific request did the early church make in their prayer after Peter and John were released, and how did God visibly answer it? (See Acts 4:29-31) [32:41]

Interpretation Questions

Why did Peter emphasize that the healing happened specifically “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (Acts 3:6) rather than taking credit himself? What does this reveal about the source of spiritual power? [17:45]
The religious leaders recognized Peter and John “had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). What does this imply about the relationship between spending time with Jesus and the boldness/authority they demonstrated?
The early church prayed for boldness, not safety, when facing threats. Why might boldness be more critical than comfort for spreading the gospel? [32:41]

Application Questions

The lame man asked for money but received healing and joy. When have you asked God for something small (like a circumstantial fix) only to realize He wanted to address a deeper need in your life? How can you shift your prayers to focus on His transformative power? [10:56]
Peter refused to take credit for the miracle, pointing entirely to Jesus. In what areas of your life (work, relationships, struggles) do you need to rely less on your own strength and more on Jesus’ authority? [17:45]
Repentance is described as a “turn to God” that brings “times of refreshing.” What habit, mindset, or relationship might you need to turn from this week to experience renewal? [18:14]
The early church’s prayer for boldness led to a tangible encounter with the Holy Spirit. What fears or obstacles keep you from sharing your faith boldly? How could you pray for God to “shake” your confidence in those barriers? [32:41]
The healed man’s first response was to worship publicly. How can you cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude and praise, even in moments when God’s work in your life feels ordinary?

Sermon Clips

34s

#RepentTurnToJesus

“You see, every single one of us have a sin problem. Our sin separates us from God that we have to figure out how is our sin gonna be paid for. And what he says is you've gotta repent of that. You've got to literally turn away from your sin and turn to Jesus. You don't rely on yourself. You remove yourself from the throne of your life and allow Jesus to take his rightful place. That's what he's saying to do. Repent. It's the message of Jesus. It's the message of the New Testament.”

39s

#FromFearToBoldness

“Don't miss this. Like, to me, one of the most convincing proofs of Jesus that he was who he said he was was how else do you explain that there's a 120 people that are scared for their life thinking they're gonna be arrested and crucified. They're hiding in fear to now they're standing before the very crowd that crucified Jesus. The only explanation is what we see right here, is they witness the person they follow, Jesus Christ, raised from the dead. They're saying we're witnesses of this. We didn't just hear about this.”

39s

#SalvationThroughJesus

“And what he's saying is, listen, you think that it's all about the temple, that your faith rests on that? It served its purpose. But the foundation of our faith is no longer in temple sacrifices. The foundation of our faith is what Jesus accomplished through his life, his death, and his resurrection. That's what he's claiming when he makes that statement. Then in verse 12 he says, salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name, no other authority under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

35s

#SavedFromSin

“It means now that through the power of the holy spirit living in you, you can fight against temptation and sin in your life through the power of the holy spirit. But it also means that one day that we will actually be saved from the very presence of sin. That one day we'll experience heaven in a place where there is no sin. So it's freedom and being saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and one day the presence of sin. And he says, there's no other way to salvation but through faith in Jesus.”

42s

#PrayForBoldnessAndSigns

“In the moment it felt like everything was falling apart, but you were in total control, and then they prayed this amazing part of the prayer. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. What amazing prayer. Then they say this, stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant, Jesus. Absolutely amazing. Incredible prayer. And I want you to listen to what happened after their prayer.”

47s

#PrayLikeEarlyChurch

“So if that's you, I just hope that you find that convincing because I found that people don't die for a lie, but they'll die for the truth. But for those of us that are convinced, may this prayer be the prayer that's on our hearts this week. So as we close our time together, I wanna pray the prayer that the early church prayed over us. And what I don't want you to do is just to just to think about lunch. I want you to think about the words of this, and if this resonates with you, would you just say in your your heart, your spirit, yes, God, let that be true. Let that be true of me as I pray this prayer over us. Let's pray together.”

33s

#BeenWithJesus

“But may they take notice that we've been with Jesus, because they recognize there was something about them that went beyond schooling or education. There was a power in them that they could not explain except they had been in the presence of Jesus. Verse 14 says, but since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. Like, they're left speechless because they're arguing with Peter and John, but right beside them, here's this guy that they knew, everybody knew.”

30s

#SavedFromSinPenalty

“When you hear someone talk about salvation or being saved, it's the idea that our sin separates us from god. But through Jesus, there's several things that can happen. Number one is that we can be saved from the penalty of our sin. That happens the moment you put your faith and trust in Jesus. That you don't the the penalty for your sin was paid for on the cross. But it also means that you are saved from the power of sin.”

26s

“They saw Jesus resurrected. Thousands of people turned to faith in Jesus, and they were willing to lay down their life because they knew that Jesus was who he said he was. So if that's you, I just hope that you find that convincing because I found that people don't die for a lie, but they'll die for the truth.”

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ACTS PT.3 | with Jeremy Davis

Devotional

Day 1: When the Menu Outshines Your Expectations

Day 2: The Invisible Man at Gate Beautiful

Day 3: Cornerstones and Crumbling Power Structures

Day 4: Jail Cells and Unshackled Voices

Day 5: The Aftertaste of Courage

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

ACTS PT.3 | with Jeremy Davis

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