Day 4: Acts 3:1-26

Then 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.” (Acts 3:6)

Remember when God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt? Moses was not at all convinced that his own people would see him as their leader. He protests: “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” (Exodus 4:1)

What does God do? No motivational speech here. He simply asks Moses to throw his staff on the ground. It becomes a snake. When he takes it by the tail, it turns back into a staff. Now God says: “Perform this sign…then they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you.” (v. 5)

Then God teaches Moses yet another sign, in case the first one does not do the trick, you know, the one where he puts his hand inside his cloak once and it turns leprous. Repeat procedure. The hand’s back to normal.

Did God’s approach work? Moses performed the miraculous signs as they watched. Then the people of Israel were convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron (vs. 30-31).

Moses now knew what he had—it was more than a staff or merely a hand. It was the power of God Almighty Himself!

Contrast this with the scene at the Temple Gate called Beautiful where Peter and John meet a man who was born lame. It seems that this man was a familiar sight for worshippers who were used to seeing him day after day, begging for money. He looks at Peter and John as no more than two new prospective donors who could be persuaded to throw some coins his way as they walked into the Temple.

Watch the absolute ease and total confidence with which Peter tells him: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Having spent enough time with Jesus during His earthly tenure, having received His impartation of power and authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead…and having already exercised it on more than one mission trip, this was really no big deal for Peter and John.

They knew what they had. They did not need to be convinced as Moses needed to be.

Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. (vs. 7-8)

This one sign gets the attention of the crowd and gives Peter and John the opportunity to testify: “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.” (v. 16)

Dear friend, do you realize that you also have exactly what they had? You too have been baptized and anointed by the same Holy Spirit who rested on Jesus. As such, you too, like Jesus and the apostles, should “go about doing good and healing all who are oppressed of the devil, for God is with you.” (Acts 10:38). In Jesus’ name you “will cast out demons…you will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)

When you step out knowing what you have, He will step in and let others know who He is.

C’mon now, what are you waiting for?