One day
Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three
in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame 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. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter
looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the
man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
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.” Taking
him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and
ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them
into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all
the people saw him walking and praising God, they
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. Acts 3:1-10
So, I just would like to tell you a story about a poor
beggar that every day was brought to a temple gate called Beautiful to beg from
those going into the temple courts.
From what I read this was a common place where beggars used to
beg. Perhaps wealthy people walked
through the gate. It was a beautiful
gate. The Jewish historian Josephus
describes a gate made of fine Corinthian brass.
It was seventy-five feet high with huge double doors…
This was a beautiful place.
It was an active place with people coming and going for morning and
evening prayer. Perhaps this beggar
wished he was one of those people, free to come and go as he pleased. Free to go beyond the Beautiful gate and
experience the Worship there.
I find it interesting that the word beautiful is used in this passage. Most people would not think of
a beggar’s life as having much beauty, but as God always prophetically sees
beyond our current state. He knew that
one day he would give him, “beauty for ashes.” (Isaiah 61:3)
His day would come! At the right moment, Peter and John
walked by him. Perhaps he knew who they were, that they were disciples of Jesus Christ because he stopped them
and asked them for money. Yes, he needed to eat, yes he needed a place to sleep, yes he needed to be clothed but what the disciples could provide went even more deeper. Then
Peter said, “Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
walk!” They were filled with the Holy Spirit and by the matchless name of Jesus
they took his hand, helped him up, and instantly he was healed.
It says the first thing he did was jump! Just walking wouldn’t do him justice. There was an indescribable joy that lifted
him right up. He knew what it meant- “In
him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) This movement went
beyond the temple gate called Beautiful and before the wonder and amazement of many
people.
He was healed, He was whole, and He was no longer someone
that people pitied or passed by without even noticing. This Holy act of God restored a once beggar
to a new life now called beautiful.
