Bold and Humbling Power: Acts 3:1-10

Acts 3

Peter Heals the Crippled Beggar

¹One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. ²Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" ⁵So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." ⁷Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. ⁸He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Its long sorry.

I've been reading Acts. As you can see I've only recently started. I've been trying to read a chapter at a time, but these ten verses just stopped me in my tracks. I was struck by the pure love. I was floored by the what was happening 'in between the lines'.

First, off they carry this guy to the Beautiful gate. A cripple from birth, mostly likely dressed in rags, he probably smells because he can't move to clean himself, his muscles atrophied, probably skin and bone, a leech on society. So, as people would walk through this 'beautiful' gate, he'd be there juxtaposed against the beauty, he would be there this scourge of the earth.

Of course, their heart strings tugged them to no end, the passersby would give him something. You had to. Your hypocrisy would otherwise be blatant. So, they dropped a coin barely giving him the time of day, averting their eyes.

Here's the second thing that floored me. See having served on an urban mission trip before I learned that the dehumanizing of such eye-aversion was worse than not giving. Peter being a fisherman, he's used to being smelly, avoided, looked down on, etc. Though people most likely gave Peter more respect, he was not much further up the proverbial ladder than this man. So, he, with all the empathy he can muster, looks this man straight in the eye. He even says, "Look at me!". He is boldly acknowledging this man's humanity. Something everyone else would rather not do. Peter has just spent three years unemployed following a messiah. He knows how to live off of people's offerings. We can easily conjecture about his financial thoughts after Jesus' death, because Peter returns almost immediately to fishing. Most likely heartbroken, disappointed, maybe even angry that Jesus was such a weak leader.

So, Peter looks at this man, knowing how it is to live at others mercy, knowing how it feels to be disappointed with life, knowing the degradation endured by those at the bottom of society's 'ladder', and knowing that this man is ready for something amazing.

Peter first gives this man something he probably doesn't get often: recognition; then something else most likely novel: honesty. Peter says, "I'm like you. I'm poor. I was crippled but in a different way. In a way we all are. But I also have the answer. I know you're ready, so I'm going to give to you. Because I know you barely have enough hope to ask. You have faith, why else would you be here at God's doorstep? Well, don't worry God is here."

Maybe, you don't like conjecture; maybe you can take this for what it is, not as much conjecture as it is translation and background info.

What you can't miss is this: Faith. How much faith must it take for that man to sit there day by day begging, for Peter to go and proclaim a risen and resurrected messiah when his nation wanted a physical warring messiah, for Peter to acknowledge God's power in him - power to do the extraordinary in the ordinary, and finally for Peter and John not to balk and run or try and quiet the man, but deliver the sermon that follows these versus.

People talk about an Apostolic age, like God's power in humanity has diminished. I think it's an excuse that modern comfort-loving Christians use to shirk from their responsibility of taking on the bold and humbling power of God. They (and I know because I'm one of them) would rather trust in their own strength and be favored by the world, than trust in God's strength and face persecution.

I have to look at it like this. It may be selfish but I think the perspective gained is more important: what has the world ever or will ever do for you? Really, what have they done for you? Ok, you can think of a few things. Good so can I. Maybe you feel fulfilled, included, even liked! But wait. Oh there they are: conditions. On what conditions do you gain these? Do you have to conform to them, buy there clothes, root for their team, go to their school, do their activities... take on their morals? How good is it now? How long will it last? Do you still feel included or used? And maybe you need to do this exercise with your weaknesses and not mine.

Now: what has God done for you? And I'm seriously asking you to think about something that you can only attribute to God. Maybe that job was through an old friend, maybe this, maybe that; not those. God is doing, has done, and will do things in your life or the lives of others that are inexplicable. These are miracles, these are the things of the 'apostolic age', these are the things which only the bold and humbling power of God can do through you.

So, why are we still catering to the world? Well, probably because we are short-sighted and selfish. I am, and if I am - me the finance plan 5 years in advance, the plan everything down to the dust mite - then I know many more will struggle with this as well.

But God is staring us down, saying, "Look at me! I don't have all the stuff of this world that you want, and you cling to. This stuff you don't need but want more than what you need. Well, I have what you need. What you really, really need. So, I'm going to give it to you."

There are no conditions with God, He loves, and through His love we are transformed. I hope and pray that you will take on the strength of our Lord letting go of your strength (which is really just weakness) so that we may transform this world by being beacons of the light of His love in this dark world.

Luke 9 : 23

Luke 9 : 23
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me."

Good words, its definitely a daily choice that has to be made. To die to yourself like Heyns is saying is a constant battle. It is our natural tendency to look out for number one but Jesus tells us to "deny ourselves DAILY." Just like T said, it is something that we must address in our every day lives. Congrats by the way Heyns, I hear you guys are making things happen this Friday. I'm excited for yall! Much love

-HJ

Eph. 5:25-33

First off thanks Tyler for getting us started!

Its amazing how God moves. This passage has been on my mind and heart a lot lately as Hanna and I have gone through pre-marital counseling and as my wedding is quickly approaching. What does it mean to be a husband? Paul makes it pretty clear. We are to be like Christ.

I have to be honest, and I think if we all are we come to the same conclusion, I can barely make it as a Christ emulating Christ let alone a husband. Like Paul said, Christ died for His bride the church, so we are too.

But Kristen through Tyler, brings up a good question. Let me rephrase it to show what I have been going through. Kristen asked "what would you do for me?" I ask "how will I die for Hanna?" Like Tyler I too find it easy to think up heroic stories of me saving the love of my life, but I'm starting to realize that most of us won't have to stop a bullet for those we love, but as husbands we are called to die to ourselves; so what does it look like. That's how I got to the question, "how will I die for Hanna?" The truth is (as Peet my priest tells) I have to die to my "self". I have to give up my selfish thoughts, mentality, habits, etc. and literally let them die. I have to make sure that they cease existing in me. That is hard! Especially when we used to stake our identities on something of these things. And ok maybe ceasing existence is more than we have to do, sometimes we have to only make it less important than our wives; but the question still stands.

It has been hard already, and we aren't even married.

Sometimes I wonder what obligation I am under if Hanna doesn't do her share of dieing to 'self' and then I remember. Jesus hasn't abandoned me and I sure haven't done anything to attain the grace that He has freely given by dieing on the cross.

Tyler is right, we have to commit. Like Christ did, as I think about the vows I am going to promise to Hanna on July 10th, I begin to feel the gravity and know that I will have to get rid of parts of me to make this work. I have to commit to this. Not only because and to Hanna, but more importantly to my Lord and savior. It is only because of Him and through Him that I am here and that I commit to Hanna and know that when my strength fails I can and must rely on Him.

(I apologize for those non-married among us. Please don't feel pressured to get married by this passage and discussion. Your opinion as a single person is just as valid and important. We are after all all part of one bride which is the Church, married to one God who is Christ.)

Submission.. what's it all about? (Eph. 5:25-33)

Last night after watching an episode of Robin Hood (BBC show)…(in which Sir Guy Gisbon opted to sacrifice his free ride of getting out of the castle before it was destroyed… He was granted free access out because he was a black night, but since Marian decided not to leave, he stayed because life wasn’t worth it without her.)

Kristen asked me… what would you do for me?

She talked briefly about how women are captivated by Men who will boldly pursue them with passion.

When I was faced with that question, it was tough. I was stuck and couldn’t figure I’d go to war.. or typically would I take a bullet for her.. I tried coming up with scenarios and all of them were grandiose.

Later while laying in bed, this question kept after me.. but reality hit me and it became clear that it wouldn’t be either practical nor a big sacrifice to look at those grand sacrifices… I mean that in terms that it wouldn’t cost me much. But what costs me more is my day to day life.

What could this challenge be calling me to?

My thoughts immediately run to Ephesians where Paul calls us to love our wives as Christ loved the church… and so gave himself up for her.. it’s this representation that is a battle, and as my friend Harrison taught me long ago.. a decision that will only be followed thru on if you’ve made your mind up first…

So in Ephesians, it gets to this famous passage and somehow we always miss it... three verses near the end of chapter five get the mega phone and the 9 following it simply go with the wind.. what I want to look at are the 9 following beginning with Husbands, love your wives..." I will insert it below and let the conversation begin... (I suppose we'll all use whatever translation we have on hand.. I just used NIV thru Bible Gateway.com)

²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing^a]">[a] her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰for we are members of his body. ³¹"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."^b]">[b] ³²This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Where to begin?

Everything needs a beginning. If there is a scripture that has bothered you, that the Lord has put on your heart, or one which you think needs explanation, life, or deeper meaning please post it as a comment and we will discuss them.

Welcome to the beginning of something great

God calls us to pray. To me this means we are living in expectations at the feet of our merciful and loving Lord. To put parameters around this would be to harm, what I believe is the essence of why we as Christians come together. We are called to love God and love our neighbor. This is what we want to do. This is what I am expecting. That God will flow through us as we look at His word and how He moves, that we may glorify Him, edify each other, and be encouraged.

About the name: I wanted to encapsulate the humility we are called too as Christians. In a circle there is no head. As Christians we are lead by Christ. The circle eliminates the failure found in human power. When we are on the floor we are equal. There is no other one who is raised above another. Also, this has a social justice appeal for me. Many of us have a Western experience of life. We spend most of our time avoiding the floor, but billions of people spend their lives on the floor. As Christians we must not only recognize our local humility but also our global humility. We are part of something much greater than ourselves.

I hope and pray that what we have set out to do will glorify our God and purify our souls.