As we begin Acts 3, the church in Jerusalem is alive and growing. The Holy Spirit indwelled the disciples and through Peter’s sermon, God saved 3000 people. Last week we saw the discipleship life of the early church as they devoted themselves to worshiping, connecting in discipling relationships, and served one another. Acts 3:1-10 shows us the early church in operation. This section chronicles the healing of the lame beggar at the beautiful gate. Though we will only examine the event itself in the first 10 verses of chapter 3, I would encourage you to read the entire chapter before Sunday. The event of this man’s healing is explained by Peter in his sermon that follows in the Temple court. While the actual healing of this suffering man shows the compassion and the ministry of the church, and indeed, many people have drawn hope from the healing power of Jesus from this text, Peter’s sermon shows us the point of this miracle. The healing of this man’s physical infirmity is a sign that points to a greater reality. This miraculous event demonstrates that because Jesus is the messiah and has fulfilled the promised salvation, the coming kingdom of God is breaking into reality now. His physical healing is a glimpse of what is to come when all things are made new and the Christ who has brought deliverance, comes again in power and glory.

Peter’s sermon emphasizes that this healing miracle should lead the people to trust in Jesus so that their sins would be forgiven and when the Christ comes to restore all the things, they would receive times of refreshing from His presence (see Acts 3:19-21)

The healing of the beggar is not a declaration that all physical infirmities will be healed in this life. It is a preview of the kingdom to come when all sickness, disease, suffering, death and sin will be done away with forever. And that healing only comes by faith in the risen Messiah who is glorified at the Father’s side.

Peter has just preached his Pentecost sermon, the Holy Spirit moved and three thousand people are converted in a single instant. Now the Jerusalem church is faced with a logistical nightmare. In one moment it time, the church went from 120 people to 3,120. How can all these new Christians grow as disciples? How can the church disciple all these people with no infrastructure or programs? They did so by being devoted to worshiping together, connecting with one another in discipling relationships, and serving one another. That is the pattern of discipleship presented in Acts 2:42-47. The early church met in the Temple courts, and in smaller groups in their homes. They praised God together. They loved and cared for one another when needs arose. And God moved among them, adding to His church daily. Sunday, as we examine this passage, we will see the early church’s method of making disciples and we will see the discipleship that Christ calls for each of us to invest ourselves in.

Throughout history, man has come up with many different answers to the most important question in the universe. "How can I be right and righteous when I stand before my creator?" That is the question the crowd will ask Peter and the Apostles in Acts 2:37-41. After the Spirit came at Pentecost, Peter preached a sermon explaining what has happened and why it has happened. His message is that because Jesus is the Messiah, has risen from the grave, and is exalted at the right hand of the Father, He has poured out the Spirit in fulfillment of God’s promises. However, there is a troubling refrain repeated throughout Peter’s address to the Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem. He continually reminds them, "you killed Him," and "you crucified Him."

As the Spirit convicts them of their sin, they come to realize their desperate and hopeless position. Finally understanding the most crucial problem of all humanity, the crowd cries out, "Brothers what shall we do?" How this question is answered will reverberate through all eternity. Sunday, we will look at how Peter, moved by the Spirit, answers this question. His answer (in v.38) is one of the most debated passages in Scripture as several different groups build whole theologies based upon it.

Esau's genealogy reveals blessing after blessing from a worldly perspective

The Spirit has been poured out on the disciples and the spectacle of their testimony has drawn an enormous crowd in Jerusalem. Peter stands to explain this to the crowd and gives a powerful gospel sermon. Last week we heard him explain that this is the fulfillment of Joel’s “last days” prophecy when the Spirit would be poured out on all God’s people. As we begin in v.22, Peter will now explain why this is happening. He will explain why the Spirit has been poured out on this Pentecost feast? His answer is simple – because Jesus of Nazareth is God’s Messiah who was crucified, raised from the dead, and is now enthroned at the right hand of the Father.

The coming of the Spirit is a witness to Jesus’ exaltation and his fulfilling the covenant promises of His people. The Spirit has come in testimony that Jesus is Lord and salvation is found in no other name. Likewise, the Spirit empowers those united with Christ to be His witnesses.

Acts 2:22-36 is one of the most masterful sermons in all of Scripture which presents the glories of the exalted Jesus, glorified and reigning upon the throne. Yet it is also one of the most pointed as Peter shows us the difference between how God the Father sees His messiah and how His people viewed Him. Peter leads His hearers to the main conclusion saying, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) Sunday we will ask, “What have we done with this Jesus?”

As chapter 2 opens, we see the inauguration of a new era. The Spirit’s coming marks the fulfillment of God’s new covenant promise to indwell His people. Because Jesus has come, died to pay for sin, risen from the grave, and has been exalted to the right hand of the Father - God Himself has made his dwelling place within His people and by His Spirit, He makes us witnesses for His name. This incredible beginning of the church shows us that God is still advancing His kingdom in our world and He is faithful to His promises. Now - every single gospel-believer, from the least to the greatest, is imbued with power from on High. By the gospel, every Christian is a temple of the living God, born again to be His priests, His prophets, and His ambassadors as we bear witness to the gospel in the power of His Spirit.