In the above focus, Peter accuses the Jews of performing a dastardly deed when they crucified Jesus. They handed Jesus, the righteous one, over to the Romans to be murdered. The Jews of Jerusalem knew well of Jesus’ many healings and wonders. They knew He was a man of peace, who taught of God’s love and that they were even to love their enemies. He possessed a light that no other man among them could equal. He was a man of divinity, a gift from God. Peter told them, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. As these people look at this miracle of a crippled man running, jumping and praising the Lord, Peter proclaims loudly and maybe even defiantly that the cripple they see before them restored to complete health is the result of the name of Jesus pronounced in his life. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is in Jesus’ name, his power, that this man walks. He reminds the people who are staring that they, the disciples, are mere men as they are, without any power to bring strength back into a crippled man’s legs. Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? What the people were seeing in the Temple was a reminder of Jesus’ work and also reminded them of what they had done to this righteous man, Jesus. This act of goodness that they see before them in this crippled man walking, condemns them for their opposition to Jesus and his Good News. Jesus had been sent to them specifically. His presence and ministry within the Jewish community was to remind them of God’s enduring love towards the Jewish people. Their father, Abraham, pleased God because he believed in God’s words more than his surroundings or rational mind. Abraham had faith in God’s words; he had faith that he would inherit the land of Canaan and that he would be the father of many nations even though he and Sarah are childless. Peter now relates to these Jews standing in Solomon’s Colonnade that faith in God’s words through the name of Jesus brought complete restoration to this lame man’s legs. Jesus was divine and healed during his lifetime; now He is healing even though He is not present on the earth. Faith was involved with Jesus' very existence. Jesus’ beginning and ending on earth were accomplished through faith in God’s words. A childless couple, Zechariah and Elizabeth, heard from God and were given a baby boy, John. Gabriel, the angel from God’s presence, came to them and announced that they would have their hearts’ desire, a baby. This baby boy would be filled with the Holy Spirit from conception. A childless virgin, Mary, was approached by Gabriel, too. He told her that she would be be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit to bring forth a baby boy, Jesus. To assure Mary of what was happening to her, Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth her relative is going to have a child. Mary, probably apprehensive about her own situation, goes to Elizabeth to confirm what Gabriel said about Elizabeth being with child. Because both of these mothers have fetuses that are godly, the voice of Mary causes baby John to leap in Elizabeth’s womb. As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:44-45) What we see in this scene is that Mary was functioning with the same faith that Abraham possessed, that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her. As with Abraham, Mary believed what God told her. Now in the above focus, we see Peter and John’s belief in God’s word through faith in the Lord would heal this cripple. At the end of Jesus’ life, we see faith again come into action. Jesus believed the Father would resurrect him into new life. From beginning to the end in Jesus' life, faith in God’s words were in operation.
Jesus’ presence with the Jews during his lifetime did not mean that He loved them more than other people. God loves all of his people; He made all of them in his image. He does not prefer one above the other. But, He had promised the Jews because of Abraham’s faith in his words that he would make them a light in the world. He gave them the law, revealing his righteousness, his perfection. In addition, the law revealed man’s sinfulness, his natural proclivity of being opposite of God’s goodness. Consequently, sacrifices of animals would be needed to maintain a relationship with God, without judgment on their sins. However, even though they were chosen to be children of the light, they were not loved more than any other people. Abraham was to be the father of not only the Jews but of all people. By the cross, Jesus would unite all people as one through faith in him. Paul expresses this oneness IN CHRIST by saying, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith." (Romans 1:16-17) Peter tells the people in the Temple, faith in Jesus caused this man to be renewed. If God can do this to the physical man, He can do the same to the spiritual man: make him completely whole. However, Peter knew that the majority of the these people in the Temple were in open rebellion to the name of Jesus, to receiving God’s blessings through faith in Jesus’ name alone. They had crucified the Lord, and they were a threat to the disciples who proclaimed the name of Jesus. The Sanhedrin would lock them up and then flog them because of their boldness about ministering in the name of Jesus. Later, we will see some of them stone Stephen, and many rejoice over the death of James, John’s brother. It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. (Acts 12:1-3) Even though many were being saved in Jerusalem, they could not come out openly proclaiming unity with the disciples because of the animosity towards The Way. This hatred would still be seen many years later when Paul was arrested. Even though thousands of Jews were now believers in Jesus, Paul, while being arrested heard the same sounds that Jesus heard on his day of death: KILL HIM, CRUCIFY HIM. The majority of the Jews were resistant to the Good News of grace alone though faith in Jesus Christ. They who were once lights were now an image of darkness, for they would not accept God’s gift to them, to ransom their souls.
Peter performed many miracles, even his shadow brought healing to the lame, the sick, the hurting. But because Jesus’ ministry was mainly to the Jews, it was hard for him and others to leave the works of men in the temple to faith alone in Christ. He heard Jesus talk to the Canaanite woman. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. ”Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. (Matthew 15:22-28) We see in this account the faith of Abraham, the idol worshipper, the faith of Mary, the virgin girl, being revealed. The Canaanite woman believed God was able to do anything, and to anyone if they believe in his word, his works. This woman was not coming to an idol or intermediator to the living God. She was coming directly to the Lord. Her faith was in the Lord, the creator of all things. From the beginning of time this has been the reality of life. God created it and He governs it supernaturally. Jesus went to the Jews because God had made a special covenant with them. He ministered faithfully, revealing the mercy and grace of God to them. But they, as the perfect example of mankind and his rebellious nature, chose other gods, other ways to live without God’s authority in their lives. The Canaanite women did not say, What must I do to have my daughter healed? What sacrifices must I perform, what vow must I make, what cleansing act must I perform? No, she said, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! This is the quintessential statement of faith. Jesus accepted this, her statement of faith, Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted. When the crippled man stood up with the help of Peter, this faith was in action. Wholeness was the result. When Abraham accepted the words of God, a new covenant with mankind came into existence. When Mary believed what Gabriel said to her, a Savior was born, the implement of the New Covenant. But sadly, the Jews were stuck on man’s work to appease a righteous God. They were in the Holy Place where man served God. But God is now with us in the Holy of Holies, where it is God’s work not man's. We find in the Ark, Aaron’s staff blooming, God’s work. We find the jar of manna, God’s work, not man’s. We find the tablets of the law, written by God’s hands, not man’s. God is a supernatural God, not made out of stone or wood. All of the Old Testament reveals that understanding. Peter proclaimed boldly that through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord all things are possible. Act upon the reality of that faith in your life today and you will see miracles happen that glorify God.
No comments:
Post a Comment