What Cripples You?

Read: Acts 3:1-10 Part 1

“And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.” (v.2) 

I want to be sensitive as I write today’s devotional… all the while holding out the great hope that is in Jesus Christ. The wounds, physical ailments, diseases, and emotional hurts that “cripple” us and make us “lame” are quite real and ought not to be taken lightly. And yet, the message of this passage - and Christ himself - is one of hope. Christ is conquering the wounds, physical ailments, diseases, and emotional hurts that cripple us! Christ does not leave his children “lame” forever. There is restoration for all things waiting for the sons and daughters of God. There is a great deal that we can learn about the radical love and restoration that Christ brings in this passage. 

The truth is that we have all been born with something that cripples us… paralyzes us… makes us “lame”. This is true in both literal and figurative ways. We are born dead in our trespasses and sins, into physical bodies that are mortal, imperfect, and destine to turn back into “dust” and be buried in the ground. It is true that the material / physical maladies are easier to spot on the surface, and seem more tragic - yet the spiritual “crippling” is far worse. The effects of our spiritual “lameness” - our spiritual inability to carry ourselves to life on our own - often times doesn’t  become apparent until we are much older. This man here was “lame from birth”. His brokenness and need for restoration was right there on the outside for everyone to see. He was never able to pretend that “everything is ok… I got it all together”. What a tragic loss of years for this man… as a boy unable to run and jump with the rest of the kids. What a humbling state to be in, literally “carried” to the gates of the temple to beg. Why the temple? Maybe at first they had hoped for a miracle? Maybe they thought, “why not bring him to ‘God’s house’”? Eventually they settled for some loose change. This is what they hoped for now… a few alms from the passers-by. The crippled boy was now a lame man who served as a regular staple at the temple gates. I wonder how he felt that morning? I wonder what his emotional state was? Did he remain hopeful? Was he embarrassed? Had the years of pan-handling made him angry and bitter? Was he just plain sad? I wonder if he was ticked off at God? Did he ever ask his friends and family to carry him someplace else - because he was tired of seeing the temple and a reminder of his God who had apparently “forgotten” about him all these years? 

It is safe to say he did not expect what was coming for him that day. He asked Peter and John to “receive alms”. (v.3) You see, he had settled for “loose change”. How often do we “cash out” so to speak? We stop looking for God’s miraculous work… stop believing he is still moving… and settle for the “loose change” of the natural world? This man had given up on healing, he just wanted some cash. I don’t blame him. So many years of remaining crippled… it must take a huge toll on a person. Money would never fix what was wrong with this crippled man. Money really doesn’t fix a whole lot… although we think it will! Little did he know that today was the day that God would remove what had crippled him from birth. GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF FIXING WHAT CRIPPLES US. It happens over time. It comes when we least expect it. God never leaves his children “lame”forever. That day this man really received two things: his mobility and FAITH. “And Jesus’ name—by faith in Jesus name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” (3:16) Christ restored this man’s HOPE. Remember, faith is “the assurance of things HOPED for and the conviction of things unseen.” (cf. Heb. 11) God had restored his hope as well as his legs and movement. God had restored what had crippled him from birth! 

I want you to notice one other thing: “leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.” (v.8)  Have you ever watched a baby learn to walk? DO you realize that this man had never walked before? now he is LEAPING and WALKING instantly!?! It was not just that God healed his “lame-ness”, he also supernaturally made up for the lost years of development. This dude instantly walked. He was jumping! how awesome is that?  God removes wha cripples us and makes up for the lost years. God will make it right. I don’t know exactly how he does it in every situation, but I know he will. That is FAITH. His healing doesn’t just stop at getting working legs, he instantly knows how to use them. The man had hoped that being near the Temple would bring him near to God and potentially heal him… all these years later, Peter (and all God’s people) are now the Temple of God - God’s dwelling place - and as the “Temple” drew near to this man, God DID heal him! 

One final note is that this healing came about in community. It is humbling for us to admit, but we need to be carried to the place of restoration… we need to be carried to the place we will be healed. We cannot get there on our own. We are carried there by others, and others are used by God to bring this healing. Friends carried this man to the Temple that morning. Peter and John gave what God hd given them to give. This is how God works. Some of you this morning need to stop fighting and allow those around you to carry you where you need to go. Some of you this morning need to realize that God has given you more than “loose change” to hand out in this world! He has given you his very presence! He has given you POWERFUL AND REAL work to do. Some of you this morning need to know that there is still hope for you… hope for the lost years… restoration… a chance to leap and praise! You need not settle for “loose change”. Draw near to the Lord… be carried into his presence… watch him work and heal what has crippled you since birth. I ache to see this type of ministry more often. I admit that reading this, I can become a little frustrated. Why have I not been a part of this type of thing Lord? and then I realize that in some ways I have… and I am hungry for more. It takes practice and time. The people of God need to be awakened again to HIS work in this world. We need to stop settling for the “loose change” of earthly ministry… the eager “alms” of doing things that WE come up with and scramble for. I am praying that our hearts and imaginations are captured anew by the hope of Christ. May we begin to walk again… “leap up”… and raise him. God wants to remove wha cripples you. Humble yourself and be carried into the presence of God. God wants to use you to give something so much more precious than “loose change”: “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (v.6) Lets quit complaining about not having “silver and gold” to give and start giving what God has entrusted to us! Love you guys. - JDP