A Beggar Lame Meets a Bigger Name

In Acts 3 and 4, we encounter a man who has been lame from birth, carried daily to the temple gate called Beautiful, hoping for alms. This story is not just about a physical healing, but a profound revelation of what truly addresses the brokenness and lameness of humanity. The world often expects the church to be a provider of good works, a moral guide, or a dispenser of charity. While these are not wrong in themselves, they are not the essence of what Christ has given His people to offer. The true answer to the world’s deepest needs is not found in silver or gold, nor in our own power, piety, or strategies, but in the name and person of Jesus Christ.

Peter’s declaration, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk,” is a radical re-centering of our faith. The miracle that follows is not a result of human effort or religious ritual, but the direct intervention of God through faith in Jesus. This is a living demonstration that the gospel is not about self-improvement or moral performance, but about the transforming power of Christ’s resurrection life.

The passage also exposes the futility of substituting religious activity or almsgiving for the reality of Christ. In first-century Judaism, almsgiving was equated with righteousness, even atonement. Yet, Peter and John refuse to participate in this system, offering instead the only thing that truly saves and heals: Jesus Himself. The world’s systems, no matter how well-intentioned, cannot address the root of our lameness—our separation from God and our need for new life.

Furthermore, the boldness of Peter and John, uneducated and common men, astonishes the religious elite. Their authority and power come not from status or education, but from having been with Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The unstoppable river of life that flows from within every believer is the true gift we have to give—a testimony of what we have seen and heard, a living witness to the resurrection power of Christ.

In a world that is increasingly broken, dissatisfied, and spiritually lame, the church is called not to offer mere charity or moral advice, but to be a conduit of the living Christ. Every believer is invited to let the river of life flow unhindered, to speak boldly of Jesus, and to trust that His name alone brings true healing and salvation.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The world’s solutions—money, good works, and moral advice—are insufficient to address the true lameness of humanity. Only the name and power of Jesus Christ can bring lasting healing and transformation. This challenges us to examine where we may be relying on natural means or religious activity instead of the living Christ. [106:06]
• 2. Almsgiving and religious acts, though valuable, can become substitutes for Christ if they are seen as sources of righteousness or salvation. The temptation to trust in our own goodness or activity is subtle but real; true righteousness and atonement are found only in Jesus, not in what we do for others. [101:36]
• 3. The boldness of Peter and John did not come from education, status, or personal strength, but from being with Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit. God delights to use ordinary people who are surrendered to Him, and the power of the Spirit is available to all who believe, not just the spiritually elite. [77:52]
• 4. The miracle at the Beautiful Gate is a sign of the dawning of the messianic kingdom, fulfilling the prophetic hope that the lame would leap for joy. This is not just a historical event, but a present reality for all who put their faith in Christ—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us today. [62:49]
• 5. The river of life that springs up within every believer is meant to flow out in testimony and witness. If our wells have become clogged by fear, self-reliance, or cultural pressure, we must ask God to unstop them so that the unstoppable life of Christ can flow through us to a lame and broken world. [110:53]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [56:34] - Introduction to Acts 3: The Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate
• [58:54] - Reading the Passage: Peter, John, and the Lame Beggar
• [59:40] - Silver and Gold: What We Do Not Have
• [61:16] - The Name of Jesus: The True Source of Healing
• [62:49] - Messianic Fulfillment: The Lame Leap Like a Deer
• [63:40] - The Historical Faith: Jesus, the Glorified Servant
• [65:36] - Evidential Christianity: Rooted in History
• [66:28] - The Paradox: Killing the Author of Life
• [67:10] - The Gospel Alone Gives Perfect Health
• [68:09] - The Hope of Christ’s Return
• [70:32] - By What Name? The Power Behind the Miracle
• [73:13] - Apostolic Boldness: Standing Against Culture
• [75:41] - No Other Name: The Exclusivity of Christ
• [77:52] - Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Power
• [82:28] - Three Inquiries: What the Answer to Lameness Is and Is Not
• [87:26] - The Lame Condition: Humanity’s True State
• [93:52] - The World’s Brokenness: Statistics and Realities
• [97:05] - Almsgiving vs. Miraculous Power
• [101:36] - Christ, Not Almsgiving, Is Our Righteousness
• [106:06] - Not Our Power, Not Our Money
• [107:34] - Faith in the Name of Jesus: The Only Answer
• [108:29] - What the Christian Has to Give
• [110:53] - Unstopping the Wells: Letting the River Flow
• [114:29] - Ministry and Prayer for Healing
• [116:14] - Repentance and Unclogging the Wells
• [118:18] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Reading

Acts 3:1–16 (ESV) — Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”

Observation Questions

1. What did the lame man expect to receive from Peter and John, and what did they actually give him?
2. According to Peter, what was the real source of the man’s healing at the Beautiful Gate?
3. How did the religious leaders react to the miracle and the message about Jesus?
4. What did the crowd and the religious leaders notice about Peter and John, and what was their response?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Peter refuse to give the man money, even though almsgiving was considered a sacred duty in Jewish culture? What does this say about the difference between religious activity and the gospel?
2. The sermon says that the world’s solutions—money, good works, and moral advice—are insufficient to address the true lameness of humanity. In what ways do people today still look to these things for healing or fulfillment?
3. The boldness of Peter and John is highlighted as coming from being with Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit, not from education or status. What does this suggest about who God can use and how?
4. The miracle is described as a sign of the dawning of the messianic kingdom, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that “the lame will leap like a deer.” How does this connect the story to God’s bigger plan?

Application Questions

1. The world often expects the church to be a provider of charity or moral advice. In your own life, have you ever relied on good works or religious activity as a substitute for a real relationship with Jesus? What would it look like to shift your trust from those things to Christ Himself?
2. Peter and John boldly offered what they had—Jesus Himself—instead of what the man expected. Is there a situation or relationship in your life where you are tempted to offer “silver and gold” (practical help, advice, or good deeds) instead of pointing someone to Jesus? How could you respond differently this week?
3. The sermon challenges us to examine if our “wells” have become clogged by fear, self-reliance, or cultural pressure. Are there specific fears or pressures that keep you from sharing your faith or letting the “river of life” flow through you? What is one step you could take to let God “unstop” your well?
4. Peter and John were described as “ordinary men” who had been with Jesus. Do you ever feel unqualified to be used by God? How does this story encourage you to step out in faith, even if you feel ordinary or unprepared?
5. The miracle at the Beautiful Gate was a public sign that pointed people to Jesus. Is there a way your life or your story could be a testimony to others about the power of Christ? What would it look like to “speak boldly” about what you have seen and heard?
6. The sermon mentioned that sometimes our wells are stopped up by “money, things, activities, or political correctness.” Are there any of these that you recognize as obstacles in your own life? What practical change could you make this week to remove one of these obstacles?
7. The passage ends with the man “walking and leaping and praising God.” When was the last time you experienced or witnessed God’s power in a way that led to joy or praise? How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude and testimony in your daily life?