In Acts 3, we read about a crippled man, coming to faith in Jesus, because Peter and John made the gospel matter the most.

At this time in history, a crippled man, was an outcast in society.  Likely, he would have been taught to believe that he was cursed; that is ailment was a direct result of that curse.  He would have likely been ignored by the general public, mocked by the passerby, and even worse unwanted in the temple.

In Acts 3:2, Luke records this, “Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put everyday to beg from those going into the Temple courts.”

Every day, this crippled man, came to the Temple to beg.  Every day, religious folk, would walk by this man.  Every day, this crippled man, would have witnessed the Pharisees and the Rabbis, and the disciples of the rabbis, and the common Jewish person, coming to the Temple to worship God, yet, no one would have paid attention to the crippled man.  The people were there to pray, yet, no one seemed to notice the crippled beggar.  And every day, this crippled man, would witness religion without action.

The crippled beggar had been coming everyday to the temple, so it would even be save to suggest, that Peter and John on the days they came to the temple to pray, would have walked by this crippled man, just like the rest of those who came to pray.

But this one day, recorded for us, is a different day; Peter on this day, made the gospel matter the most.

Peter, instead of coins, offers to this helpless and hopeless cripple—whom he’s passed a numerous of times—Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  Peter decides in this moment, that the gospel matters the most, and that the gospel is more important to this man, then any amount of coin.   And that the gospel was more important than religious duty and tradition.

Peter, in his busyness of life, takes time to open his eyes, to the world around him, and see the need of one man.   He’s sees in this man, dignity.  He sees in this man, possibility.  He sees in this man, Jesus.

Peter may have been reminded as he walked by this man, of a parable Jesus told, about sheep and goats.  Jesus in this story, tells of the King inviting the sheep, into the kingdom of God.  Matthew 25:35-40 records this:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

Jesus replies, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Peter, as he calls out to the crippled man, sees Jesus.  He sees Jesus in this man, and he offers grace.  Peter brings restoration to his physical ailment, but in doing so, Peter through his actions, offers to this man, the gift of eternal grace, a spiritual restoration.  He offers the gospel.

May we, as followers of Jesus, be so in tune with the gospel, that it drives every part of our lives.  May we, as we live our lives, at home, at work, at church, not miss the opportunities around us, to be Jesus to people that desperately need His grace.  May we remember that religion without action is meaningless.  And may we, make the gospel, above all else, matter the most.

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