Friday, April 8, 2005
Acts 4:10 Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
ALIVE AND HEALING
Early in the book of Acts we read of Peter and John coming upon a crippled man at the temple gate called Beautiful. It was here that Peter spoke those famous words, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." The man got up and went into the temple courts walking, jumping, and praising God.
When news of this spread, some were astonished and came running to the place where Peter was. Others (especially the Sadducees) took it as an excuse to have the two apostles thrown in jail. Why? Because the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead and this miracle was proof that Jesus had truly risen!
There was no mistaking it-- Peter preached that the power of Jesus Christ had healed the crippled man ... And everybody realized that were Jesus dead, He surely could not have healed anybody. Seeing this man jumping and praising God by the power of Christ was a slap in the face to those who denied His resurrection.
But for you, it is the greatest comfort. See that your Jesus is alive to heal when it is His gracious will and to help you in all your need! See that He is not dead, but living-- to free you from all ills in this world and the next!
