Today's Scripture
In the name of Jesus – Acts 2: 42 – Acts 3:10
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Acts 1-3(CEB)
42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything. 45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.
Peter and John were going up to the temple at three o’clock in the afternoon, the established prayer time.2 Meanwhile, a man crippled since birth was being carried in. Every day, people would place him at the temple gate known as the Beautiful Gate so he could ask for money from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he began to ask them for a gift. 4 Peter and John stared at him. Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gazed at them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Peter said, “I don’t have any money, but I will give you what I do have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, rise up and walk!” 7 Then he grasped the man’s right hand and raised him up. At once his feet and ankles became strong.8 Jumping up, he began to walk around. He entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God.9 All the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 They recognized him as the same one who used to sit at the temple’s Beautiful Gate asking for money. They were filled with amazement and surprise at what had happened to him.
What does this passage mean to me/us
After the beautiful description of the fellowship of the believers, we see how Peter and John are walking up to the temple for their time of prayer. They were devoted to the way of the Spirit, praying and learning God’s word through fellowship, but they were still devoted to their tradition.
As they were approaching the temple, they saw a crippled man sitting at the gate of Beauty.
Interestingly, Peter calls for the men’s attention, by saying “Look at us.”
Then he says, “Silver and gold I do not have, but I give what I have, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”
One pastor once said, “it seems like modern day church has all the gold and silver to give, but in reality fail to give the name of Jesus to this world.”
Have we lost the Jesus we need to give?
Prayer
Lord, help us to form a community of faith to devote our life and grow. Help that community overflow the love of Jesus into this world. Help us to desire only, your name, which is powerful than silver and gold, and share it with the world. In Christ name, we pray, AMEN.
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