Monthly Archives: April 2023

Acts 3:1-11 Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Group Questions

Acts, Pastor Rick's Study Notes, Small Group Study Questions, , , , ,

North Beach Vineyard Church – Sunday, April 23, 2023

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

(PRT)

v. 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the three o’clock time of prayer. v. 2 And this specific man known to be lame from birth was being carried, like every day, to sit at the Temple gate called Beautiful so he could ask for alms from those going into the Temple. v. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he begged to receive alms. v. 4 Peter then, along with John, watched him closely, and said: “Look up at us.” v. 5 That got his attention! He looked forward to what he might receive. v. 6 Peter, instead, said: “I don’t have silver or gold; but this is what I have to give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” v.7 And he gripped him by his right hand, raise him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. v. 8 Then, leaping up, he stood, then walked around. He went into the Temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. v. 9 And all the people saw him walking around, praising God. v. 10 Even more so, they recognized him. He was the man who sat at the Temple Gate Beautiful to beg alms. They were filled with wonder and amazement over what was coming together for him. v. 11 The man was still clinging to Peter and John and all the people were greatly astonished and ran together to join them at the Solomon’s Porch.

v. 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the Temple for the three o’clock time of prayer.

Peter and John, and the rest are Jews. They continue to pray in the Temple even while investing most of their time leading the church in homes. They were Jewish followers of Jesus. And Temple had morning, noon, and afternoon prayer times.

Up to the Temple is the common way to say it. The Temple Mount dominated the skyline.

v. 2 And this specific man known to be lame from birth was being carried, like every day, to sit at the Temple gate called Beautiful so he could ask for alms from those going into the Temple.

Some translations have “there was a man.” It’s more like “there was this man.” This is important to us because, though we may be anonymous to the vastness of people, we are significant and our story is woven into the grand redemptive story. This man, it was this man.

Notice Dr. Luke asking the right questions: lame from birth (not from an accident), they propped him up at an important piece of real estate, excellent to receive alms.

This was his life; he held no illusions of walking today. He was collecting what he could for the day’s bread. And here, Peter and  John give him “tomorrow’s bread, today” from the stores of heaven.

This man, is known. Peter and John had seen him multiple times. Jesus had walked by him on the way into the Temple.

v. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he begged to receive alms.

The most natural thing for one who is outcast or marginalized in most of the world is to find a way to beg. We saw this in Europe, South America, Mexico, and I hear in Asia it’s even more prominent. We don’t see much here (the street corner sign carriers, perhaps.)

This man had a pitch, a line he would ask: mercy, have mercy, or something like this. In fact, the verb indicates he “began to ask” as in repeated his pitch. He has a short window to get the attention.

v. 4 Peter then, along with John, watched him closely, and said: “Look up at us.”

When one would beg, eye contact was not the goal. No eye contact is safer. Just money in the cup. Peter and John broke the rule. They established social connection. They valued him and invited him into this moment of miracle. And asked this man to reciprocate. Were the followers looking for faith in this man? Were they looking for God’s timing to be present? In the NT, healing took place because of the faith of the person praying, the person bringing, and the person in need.

v. 5 That got his attention! He looked forward to what he might receive.

With just a look, expectation rose. What kind of gift would he receive?

v. 6 Peter, instead, said: “I don’t have silver or gold; but this is what I have to give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

Two things to note here: 1) this miracle is happening on the heels of a great outpouring of generosity, and 2) this miracle is happening “on the way.” Not in the Temple. Not within the established power structure. It happened on the way. This is the pattern for evangelism, for healing, for spotting God’s timing on lives.

Money was no longer the most important thing. The power of God to heal, to save, to care for the hurting, to demonstrate the Kingdom by acts of kindness.

The statement “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” isn’t a formula. It is the acknowledgement that the power to heal and the authority to bring healing comes at the Name.

The word for “rise up” carries the connotation of “get up out of your sleepiness” or “leave the sleep behind.” Peter invites him to stand up on his own and shake off the sleepiness. When he sees he needs the faithful grip of one who knows Jesus is healing him, he reaches down and pulls him up (same word for rise up and raise up here.)

v.7 And he gripped him by his right hand, raise him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.

This is Dr. Luke again – strength immediately when to the place it was needed, all the bones in the feet and ankles. And, the one who’d never walked, began walking around while others marveled. This man feels the strength in places he’s never felt. And his only response is to jump up at the tug of Peter’s right hand.

v. 8 Then, leaping up, he stood, then walked around. He went into the Temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

The power to heal and strengthen was so present that this man didn’t just stand up, he popped up. Why stop there? He’s up. And he cannot, simply, get enough of this new thing God has given him. He hops and leaps, and praise is on his lips. Here’s a question? Does he acknowledge Jesus the Nazarene as the source of his miracle?

He gave up his real estate and heading to the Temple. Each step was a new test. Each hop, a new hop.

v. 9 And all the people saw him walking around, praising God.

He is causing quite the stir. Anyone acting like this man would attract attention. But they recognized him, and all the more, the scene was focused on what God had done. Just the previous chapter, note that many miracles and signs and wonders were already happening. Just because a miracle touches a life, doesn’t mean the word will spread. But here, everyone at the prayer meeting and beyond heard it. Each time they walked by the spot at the Gate Beautiful, someone could say, that’s where the cripple sat forty years every day.

v. 10 Even moreso, they recognized him. He was the man who sat at the Temple Gate Beautiful to beg alms. They were filled with wonder and amazement over what was coming together for him.

The word could mean what was happening to him; but there is the sense that this was all coming together for a reason. This was the most public miracle thus far (except the obvious pouring out of the Spirit.) It rocked the power structure. Just when they thought they had gotten rid of the troublemaker Jesus, they discover this power in Jesus’ name.

v. 11 The man was still clinging to Peter and John and all the people were greatly astonished and ran together to join them at the Solomon’s Porch.

Remember why they came to the Temple – to pray and when they got to the place for prayer, they realized it was more about the Name and how God had done this miracle for this man.

v. 16 For by faith in the name of Jesus, this man you can inspect and you know has been made strong; His name and the faith given to him has made him complete and whole before  you all.

It’s the Name. Faith given – this is a gift this man received. And he was fully restored.

Small Group Questions:

Acts 3:1-11

  1. Have you ever had an experience with, given to, or talked with a beggar?
  2. As you read these verses, “normal” things are going on. What are the “normal” things happening in vv. 1-5?
  3. Things went beyond “normal” in v. 6-7. What became the catalyst for this change?
  4. What do you do when God’s miracle, or His voice, or the timing of His provision shows up in the middle of your normal things?
  5. Words like “wonder,” “amazement,” and “astonished” are used here. What about Jesus amazes you? How can we pray tonight for God to do something that amazes?

Acts 2:41-47 Kingdom Community

Acts, Pastor Rick's Study Notes, Small Group Study Questions, , , , ,

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes and Small Group Questions:

(PRT)

Acts 2:41-47

v. 41 Then those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized and around 3000 were added to their number that day. v. 42 What’s more, they faithfully and courageously pursued the apostles’ teachings,  community life, breaking bread together and prayer. v. 43 All this created an immense and reverent awe in each person’s heart as both wondrous miracles and supernatural signs happened through the apostles. vv. 44-45 All who believed were in this together and held everything to be shared by all. They cashed out the property they owned and the resources they had at hand and distributed to each person according to their needs. v. 46 Every day faithfully they move forward together both in the Temple and in their homes breaking bread together; they shared meals with their hearts full of joy and sincerity. v. 47 They praised God and gained the good will from all the people, and all the while, the Lord kept on adding to their number all who were being saved each day.

v. 42 What’s more, they faithfully and courageously pursued the apostles’ teachings,  community life, breaking bread together and prayer.

These freshly baptized Christ-followers needed the teaching that the Apostles had received from Jesus. This would be conveyed in the context of the Story, the account as Luke would call it. How could one talk about Jesus the Savior and Lord without talking about what they had seen and heard?

The “community” is that spiritual fellowship that made up the church and was in “communion” with the Savior and with one another. It’s the sense of partnership together in the message, the communion, and the mission. This word for fellowship or community is a broad as being in unity in the Spirit and as specific as sharing a meal with someone in need. This pervasive “communion” of believers believes the best of others, surrenders rights so others can be seen and heard, stands in unity with both the witness and the mission Jesus handed off, and does life with others in ways that validate the change they experienced to a watching world.

The breaking of bread became an early way of saying “the Lord’s Supper.” This was the celebration around which, along with baptizing new Jesus-followers every day, the community of the redeemed gathered. The practice followed what Jesus showed them, have a meal (break bread) and celebrate his gift (break bread). It would not be wrong for a small group of believers to enjoy a meal together and “break bread” in communion to celebrate God’s gift in Jesus. Echoes of the first church experience would resonate in this practice.

Prayer, the committed act of praying. Acts 3 has them praying in the Temple at the time of “prayers” and Acts 4 in spontaneous prayer in the homes. Too many practices are taken as “either/or” – habitual and spontaneous is the practice of the Christian.

v. 43 All this created an immense and reverent awe in each person’s heart as both wondrous miracles and supernatural signs happened through the apostles.

The word means “fear” or reverent awe and it’s modified with a “mega” word. The new Jesus-followers walked around in amazed awe that they would be called, redeemed and filled with the Spirit of the Holy God.

The word for “created” and the word for “happened” is the root word for coming as it active results – awe kept coming as miracles kept coming.

vv. 44-45 All who believed were in this together and held everything to be shared by all. They cashed out the property they owned and the resources they had at hand and distributed to each person according to their needs.

The resulting actions of this awe is to hold onto possessions lightly. In fact, those who had property committed it to this rapidly growing movement. And people who had come into Jerusalem took what possessions and resources they brought and liquidated these to help those who needed help. Like the women of resource who walked with Jesus, the Father used the people of resources to sustain such an outpouring of salvations. Just sustaining a revival can be costly; imagine that expanding it is moreso.

Some Christian movements have taken this as the norm and called for communes where everyone stayed together and surrendered property rights. But this is really the only example in the NT and was a necessity at the prompting of the Spirit of God for generosity. The church grew so much that people held their stuff with very loose grips.

v. 46 Every day faithfully they move forward together both in the Temple and in their homes breaking bread together; they shared meals with their hearts full of joy and sincerity.

Remember that the first Christians were also faithful Jews and the Temple courts were a natural place to teach, to meet new believers, and to practice the disciplines of the Jewish walk. But as a natural result of meals, fellowship, community, etc., the believers were drawn to homes to do life, to talk about the Account and learn from the Apostles. Word, I imagine, would get out: “Peter is coming by tonight” or “have you ever heard Andrew’s stories about Jesus?”

There was a sense of steady advancement of Kingdom evidence that propelled them forward.

They were filled inside with joy. Sincerity is also the word for simplicity. The word comes from another that means “free from rocks” – in other words, simply and smoothly. If there was anything about the life of the new believer in this first church, it was simplicity. Do life, pray for each other, share in the Lord’s Supper, worship in the Temple courts, tell the story.

The worship in the Temple didn’t include the Lord’s Supper and this could be done anywhere there were two or more.

Archaeological evidence shows that early church members’ homes had “worship” rooms that facilitated more people gathered to hear the truth and practice the disciplines of the faith (Lord’s Supper, Prayer, fellowship activity, teaching/reading letters from the  first disciples).

v. 47 They praised God and gained the good will from all the people, and all the while, the Lord kept on adding to their number all who were being saved each day.

The community of common people were quite favorable toward these Jesus-followers. It was the religious leaders who couldn’t stand them. They received “grace, favor” from the throngs. They looked on them kindly and with a sense of respect and awe.

Small Group Study Questions:

Acts 2:41-47 Part One (Next week, we will study what made these new Christians strong.)

  1. How do you handle crowded places? Are you energized by crowds or do they scare you?
  2. If you gave out invitations to a party and 3000 people showed up, how would you make sure they were taken care of and made to feel welcome?
  3. What was the source of awe and amazement in the lives of these Jesus-followers in v. 42?
  4. Share about a miracle you have seen (not just heard about, but been present when it happened)? How did it make you feel about your faith?
  5. Share about a time you’ve been able to be recklessly generous to someone in need? Or, if you can, about a time when you were on the receiving end of reckless generosity?
  6. What need can we help meet tonight? How can we ask the Father to work in your life tonight?