Be a Mirror, Not a Spotlight: Reflecting Jesus in Acts 3

Devotional

Day 1: Reflect Christ, Not Yourself

Believers are called to be mirrors, not spotlights, reflecting the light and glory of Jesus rather than seeking attention or praise for themselves. Just as Peter refused to take credit for the miraculous healing at the temple gate, redirecting all glory to Jesus, we too are to point others to Christ as the true source of any good in our lives. The temptation to linger in the spotlight grows with success, but true faithfulness means humbly reflecting Jesus in all we do, even in the smallest acts of service. [03:24]

Acts 3:11-12 (ESV)
"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?'"

Reflection: In what area of your life are you tempted to seek recognition or praise, and how can you intentionally redirect that attention to Jesus this week?

Day 2: The Power Is in Jesus’ Name

There is real, transforming power in the name of Jesus—power to heal, restore, and bring new life. The miracle at the Beautiful Gate was not accomplished by Peter or John’s own strength or goodness, but by faith in the name of Jesus, who is the author of life and the source of all true healing. When we face brokenness, whether in our bodies, relationships, or hearts, we are invited to trust in the power of Jesus’ name, knowing that He alone can bring perfect health and restoration. [19:39]

Acts 3:16 (ESV)
"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."

Reflection: Where in your life do you need to trust the power of Jesus’ name for healing or breakthrough, and how can you bring that specific need to Him in prayer today?

Day 3: Chase Faithfulness, Not Fame

The Christian life is not about chasing fame or the applause of others, but about pursuing faithfulness to God in every area—family, work, relationships, and service. God’s blessing and favor follow those who are faithful, not those who seek to be known or celebrated. The world may value fame, but God values humble, consistent obedience, and He promises to pour out grace and blessing on those who walk in faithfulness, even when it feels mundane or unseen. [14:54]

Matthew 25:21 (ESV)
"His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’"

Reflection: What is one small, everyday responsibility where you can choose faithfulness over recognition, and how will you commit to honoring God in it this week?

Day 4: Soak Up the Son

Just as the moon reflects the sun’s light, believers are called to reflect the light of Christ by spending time in His presence and in His Word. Before facing the world, we are encouraged to “soak up some sunshine”—to put our face in the Word and let Jesus’ light fill us, so that others see Him in us. The more we abide in Christ, the more His character, wisdom, and love shine through us, making us true lights in a dark world. [23:25]

John 8:12 (ESV)
"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

Reflection: How can you intentionally spend time with Jesus this week—through Scripture, prayer, or worship—so that His light is what others see in you?

Day 5: Die to Self and Let God Be Praised

True humility means dying to self—letting go of the need for self-promotion, recognition, or defending our own reputation, and instead letting God receive all the glory. Scripture teaches us to let another praise us, not our own mouths, and to find joy in being unknown if it means Christ is known. This dying to self is the path to real life and significance in God’s kingdom, where the greatest joy is found in serving and reflecting Jesus, not in being celebrated ourselves. [32:12]

Proverbs 27:2 (ESV)
"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."

Reflection: When was the last time you felt overlooked or unrecognized? How can you use that moment as an opportunity to die to self and point others to Jesus instead of yourself?

Sermon Summary

In Acts chapter 3, we see a powerful moment where Peter and John encounter a man who has been lame since birth, sitting by the beautiful gate of the temple, begging for help. Instead of giving him money, Peter offers him something far greater: healing in the name of Jesus Christ. The man is instantly healed, leaping for the first time in his life, and the crowd is amazed. This moment could have easily become a spotlight for Peter and John, a chance to bask in the attention and admiration of the people. But instead, Peter redirects all the glory to Jesus, making it clear that the power and miracle came not from their own strength or piety, but from the risen Christ.

This story serves as a reminder that as followers of Jesus, our calling is not to seek the spotlight for ourselves, but to be mirrors that reflect the glory and goodness of God. Just as my childhood shoes only shone when the light hit them, we too are only radiant when we reflect the light of Christ. The temptation to seek fame, recognition, or applause is strong, especially as we experience success in various areas of life. Yet, the true vision for our lives is faithfulness, not fame. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and blessing always follows faithfulness.

To live as mirrors rather than spotlights, we must soak up the presence of Jesus, spending time in His Word and with His Spirit. When people see something good in us, we should redirect the praise to God, acknowledging that every gift, skill, and opportunity comes from Him. Even in adversity, our perseverance is a testimony to God’s sustaining grace, not our own strength. We are called to die to self, to let others praise us rather than seeking it for ourselves, and to find joy in being unknown if it means Christ is made known.

Like the moon, which shines only by reflecting the sun’s light, our lives are meant to reflect the light of Jesus to a world in need. Our greatest impact comes not from drawing attention to ourselves, but from pointing others to the true source of life and hope.

Key Takeaways

1. Faithfulness Over Fame: The pursuit of fame often leads to unfaithfulness, while faithfulness brings God’s favor and blessing. Our ambition should be to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” rather than to chase the applause of people. The approval of God is far more valuable than the fleeting recognition of the world. [12:47]
2. Redirecting Praise: When others notice our gifts, achievements, or resilience, we have a choice: absorb the praise or reflect it back to God. True humility is found in acknowledging that every good thing in our lives is a result of God’s grace and providence, not our own merit. This posture keeps our hearts aligned with God’s purposes and protects us from pride. [28:52]
3. The Power of Reflection: Just as a mirror only shines when it is clean and positioned toward the light, our lives reflect Christ best when we are daily soaking in His presence and Word. If our “mirror” is clouded by sin or shame, God’s mercy is available to cleanse us, restoring our ability to reflect His glory to others. [20:13]
4. Dying to Self: Spiritual maturity means learning to die to self—letting go of the need for recognition, defending ourselves, or seeking validation. There is deep freedom and joy in being content to be unknown, as long as Christ is made known through us. This is the path to true significance in God’s kingdom. [33:32]
5. The Source of Our Light: Like the moon, we have no light of our own; all that is good and radiant in us comes from Jesus, the true Light of the world. Our calling is to position ourselves to receive and reflect His light, so that others may see Him through us and be drawn to His love and power. [36:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - Series Introduction and Fall Festival
[00:48] - Childhood Story: Spotlight Tag
[03:24] - The Reflective Shoes and Spiritual Parallel
[03:46] - Servanthood and the Temptation of the Spotlight
[05:03] - The Lame Beggar at the Beautiful Gate
[06:14] - Healing in the Name of Jesus
[07:36] - Peter’s Response to the Crowd
[09:29] - Redirecting Glory to God
[12:06] - Faithfulness vs. Fame
[16:22] - Pointing to Jesus as the Source
[20:13] - Cleansing the Mirror: Mercy and Grace
[22:08] - Soaking Up the Presence of Jesus
[27:36] - Redirect and Reflect Praise
[32:12] - Let Another Praise You: Dying to Self
[35:35] - The Moon: A Final Illustration on Reflection

Bible Study Guide

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

What did Peter and John offer the lame man at the temple gate, and how did the man respond? (Acts 3:6-8)
How did the crowd react to the healing, and what was their assumption about Peter and John? (Acts 3:9-12)
According to Peter, who was truly responsible for the miracle that took place? (Acts 3:12-16)
In the sermon, what illustration did the pastor use to explain the difference between being a mirror and being a spotlight? [[03:24]]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Peter was so quick to redirect the crowd’s attention away from himself and John and toward Jesus? What does this reveal about his understanding of his own role? (Acts 3:12-16)
The pastor said, “Your goal in life should not be, I want to be famous. Your goal in life should be, I want to be faithful.” Why is faithfulness more important than fame in the Christian life? [[12:47]]
The sermon compared our lives to mirrors that only shine when they are clean and pointed toward the light. What are some things that can “cloud” our ability to reflect Jesus, and how does God restore us? [[20:13]]
What does it mean to “die to self” in practical terms, and why is this important for reflecting Christ to others? [[33:32]]

Application Questions

The pastor said, “When people compliment your work, tilt the mirror, not towards yourself, towards him.” This week, if someone praises you for something, how could you practically redirect that praise to God? [[28:52]]
Is there an area of your life where you are tempted to seek the spotlight or crave recognition? What would it look like to choose faithfulness over fame in that area? [[12:47]]
The sermon mentioned that “mirrors don’t shine well when they’re dirty.” Are there any habits, attitudes, or areas of shame in your life that are clouding your ability to reflect Jesus? What step could you take this week to bring that to God for cleansing? [[20:13]]
The pastor encouraged us to “soak up the presence of Jesus” by spending time in His Word and with His Spirit. What is one specific way you can make space for this in your daily routine? [[22:08]]
When facing adversity or hardship, do you tend to rely on your own strength or on God’s grace? Can you share a recent example, and how might you respond differently next time? [[28:52]]
The sermon said, “Let another man praise you and not your own mouth.” How do you handle moments when you feel overlooked or unrecognized? What would it look like to find joy in being “unknown” if it means Christ is made known? [[33:32]]
The moon only shines by reflecting the sun’s light. In what ways can your life point others to Jesus as the true source of light and hope? [[36:17]]

Sermon Clips

If you want to see God's glory and his goodness over your life, then here's what you need to pursue more than anything is a mantra, a vision of, I want to be faithful, not famous. Most of the time when you chase fame, guess what? You will wind up being unfaithful. Yeah. I said most of the time, fame is not the vision for the Christian faithfulness is because don't we all want to long and long to hear these words from our master, our Messiah Jesus. Well done. Good and faithful. Help me out. Servant faithful. [00:12:28] (42 seconds) #FaithfulnessOverFame

Don't seek the applause of man. Seek the approval of God. There's no greater place to be than knowing like, Hey, I've spent time with the Lord and I feel God's approval and blessing on this. And guess what? When you're faithful, guess what? You find God's favor. He opposes the proud, gives grace to the humble. Do you want God's favor in your life? Somebody say amen. Do you want God's blessing in your life? Say amen. Amen. Be faithful. [00:15:11] (28 seconds) #SeekGodsApproval

There's power in the name of Jesus. There's power in his name. Maybe you've been to church a long time. Maybe you've been going through the motions a long time. There's a real savior. His name is Jesus. And there's real power in the name of Jesus. Power to heal the brokenhearted. Power to heal the brokenhearted. Power to heal the marriage. Power to heal the long streak of bad luck you may think you've had. Sometimes God uses the broken roads for blessing. [00:19:35] (29 seconds) #PowerInJesusName

Mirrors don't shine well when they're dirty. FYI. Like if you get them all muddy and dirty, they don't reflect very well at all. Some of you may be coming out of a season like that where you've been going to the wrong places, doing the wrong thing, spending time with the wrong people, and you have this cloud of shame over you. What does God want to do? God wants to clean you up. He wants to bring mercy and grace to give you the forgiveness of sins, but he doesn't want you to stay there. [00:20:13] (38 seconds) #CleanMirrorCleanHeart

``God's always in the business. God's always in the business. God's always in the business of taking the sinful and helping them turn from their sin and turn towards their savior and find God's grace. Bible says God's mercies are new every single day. So the screw up last night or yesterday can find hope and healing in the power of Jesus's name today. And there's a relationship to be offered there. [00:20:55] (23 seconds) #NewMerciesEveryDay

Before you face the world, put your face in the word. Amen? Amen. You got that one. Good. Before you face the world, put your face in the word. Somebody told me the other day, they were like, I'm looking for a sign from God. I'm looking for a sign. I'm looking for a sign. I'm like, have you been reading his word? Have you been reading his word? Have you been reading his word? [00:22:04] (25 seconds) #FaceInTheWord

When people compliment your work, when they compliment your words, like this is just like healthy, like blessing over your life. Tilt the mirror, not towards yourself, towards him. Just tell people, God gave me the gifts, the skills, and ability to do that. Or say you're going through a really hard time, like deep adversity, and then they come to you. And I've heard this multiple times. Somebody said, I can't believe you guys made it through that or went through all that adversity and you're still like walking strong, loving Jesus. You've got two options to say, yeah, I read a couple of good books and yeah, yeah, you should get it. I've done all this, but the healthier response would be is God gave me the grace and the strength to persevere what I just went through. Because that's giving testimony and credit back to God for what he actually really did. [00:27:58] (60 seconds) #GloryToGodAlways

Let another man praise you. Let somebody else praise you. What does that mean? That means that you've got to learn how to die to self. Great vision, die to self. Jesus said, if you want to follow me, pick up your cross. Jesus said, hey, whoever finds his life, that guy, that girl, she's gonna have to lose her life. But whoever loses their life for my sake, that's the person that finds it. Are you ready to go there? Or I'll lose my life for you. I'll be unknown. [00:32:43] (33 seconds) #MoonlightReflectsSun

Think of the moon. I don't know when the next full moon is, but, man, I've seen some beautiful full moons. Been into some very remote areas in Arizona. And one of the coolest things in the world is at night when you're camping or whatever. So you see the moonlight and it's so powerful. In fact, I've done river rafting trips in canyons on class three whitewater with nothing but moonlight. So powerful. know what's crazy about the moon, though? It's light does not derive from itself. The only light of the moon actually comes from the sun. And so it is. That's how your life is supposed to work. You're to be a powerful light to the world. But it doesn't come from you. It comes from him. [00:35:35] (47 seconds)

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