A Faith That Spreads Like Fire
“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
Shortly after the miracle of Pentecost, Peter and John became the talk of the town. Wherever they went, followers wanted to meet them, and Roman guards tried to arrest them. One morning, as they walked past one of the most magnificent landmarks in the city, they stumbled upon a sad sight at the beautiful gate. The gate of Solomon’s Temple looked like something from Disney World. Its giant pillars were gilded in gold, and the walls were covered in gems. Solomon’s Temple was a wonder of the ancient world. Thousands of faith-filled followers strolled through that gate every morning to pray, worship, and give offerings.
There was a disabled beggar in front of “the gate called beautiful.” Imagine the visual juxtaposition. Directly in front of the beautiful gate was a man beat up by life. He was disabled, in extreme poverty, and unable to enter into the temple courts. This led him to sit in front of the temple gates almost every day, begging for money and praying for mercy. Everything changed the day that two spirit-filled disciples crossed his path. Peter exclaimed, “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).
All of this commotion caused a crowd to form around both disciples lifting the beggar to his feet. His knees shook and his back trembled as he stood to his feet. The power of God moved through his body like lightning. His shaking turned into dancing. He stormed into the temple shouting praises to God. He was previously banned from the temple due to his disability, but Jesus broke down that barrier.
Jesus may have left the earth, but His movement was gaining momentum. This man was healed in Jesus’ name. This man praised in Jesus’ name. Jesus, who wasn’t even there in the flesh, changed everything for Him.
God made something beautiful out of an ugly situation. Years of desperation set up a lifetime of celebration. I am sure you have identified with the beggar before. You have felt broken. You have felt stuck. You have felt invisible, rejected, and ignored. It’s a tough place to be, but the glory of this story is this — Jesus can bring beauty to something ugly. There is hope, power, and healing in the name of Jesus. Through him, we can get unstuck. Through Jesus, we can be made whole. Through Jesus, desperation can become a restoration.
If you feel broken, turn to Jesus. He will create something beautiful.