8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
3:8
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
The lame man entered the Temple with Peter and John. Note that the apostles did not heal the lame man progressively, but he immediately walked and leaped. There is an emphasis on the word “leaping” because Luke used it twice in this verse.
3:9
And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
People in the Temple saw the miracle for themselves. The previously lame man gave praise to God, not to the apostles.
3:10
Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple;
The attenders of the Temple knew the lame man because of his long status of begging there. Most Jews would have passed this man on their way to the Temple.
and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Because of the long recognition of the lame man begging, there was no question about their view of his miraculous healing.
PRINCIPLE:
Authentic worship is undeniable.
APPLICATION:
Authentic worship is undeniable. When it is apparent that God is at work, people praise Him. Genuine praise is always unambiguous to others. For those who worship in a pedantic way, the joy of others who genuinely see what God has done is always a shock.
Healing miracles require the standard of instantaneous and complete healing. Biblical healing did not rest on the faith of the one healed.
God did not design the church to offer spectacular miracles. The apostles did not use their gift of miracles to make a public display. Miracles occurred in diminishing regularity in Acts as the church gained its footing. God is not interested in spectacular ministry for the church today but service that proclaims the gospel and builds believers. The power necessary for the church is to proclaim the gospel (Acts 1:8). God did not design that power for better government, economic prosperity, or even healing, but to advance the gospel.
