Thursday, April 30, 2009
Peter Heals a Man Who is Crippled (Acts 3:1-4:31)
PRAY: Pray that God grant you boldness (See Acts 4:24-30).
PONDER:
What cripples or disables you? What are you afraid of? What in your life needs to experience Christ’s healing?
What does it mean to pray for boldness? How does God call us to be bold in our faith and proclamation? When might you offer such a prayer?
How does God answer such prayers? How did God answer the prayers of the early Christians in Acts?
Describe the “Holy Spirit”. Can you identify the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life?
Do you pray for God’s healing? What does such a prayer look like for you?
Why do we sometimes hesitate to invoke God’s name for the healing?
The name of Jesus is incredibly powerful in Acts. Remember the second commandment. How do you use (or fail to use) this name in your life? In your witness?
DO: Learn about Archbishop Oscar Romero and his boldness in faith. Search the internet for his name, watch the 1989 movie, Romero, read one (or more) of his books such as Voice of the Voiceless, or a biography (see authors James Brockman, Irene Hodgson, Marie Dennis, etc.).
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The book of Acts recounts the ministry of the early church – how they developed and lived into their identity as followers of Christ. After the Holy Spirit enters into the lives of believers at Pentecost, the Acts narrative conveys how quickly the good news about Jesus Christ was spread and the power that the name of Christ had in the lives of believers.
By What Power, By What Name
In the ancient Near East (as well as for early Judaism and Christianity) names were full of meaning and power. Names served the simple function of conveying a person’s origin and identity, as well the more descriptive function of describing his or her personality, status, and essential being. For this reason, names were often changed when a person experienced a significant change in their life/identity (Abram to Abraham; Saul to Paul). This is also the reason that Moses asks God for the divine name. And the reason that faithful Jews, out of respect, do not pronounce the divine name to this day.
What is God’s name? Identity? (cf. Exodus 3:13-16)
In your own words, who is God?
What is Jesus’ name? Identity? (cf. Matthew 1:19-25; Luke 1:26-33; Mark 8:27-30)
The New Testament reflects different views of when and how Jesus is the Christ (Acts 3:21), but all affirm that he is. Jesus is identified throughout the New Testament with the title Christ – a Greek translation of the Hebrew Messiah, which means “anointed one.” This title comes from the early Jewish practice of anointing of prophets, priests, and kings with oil as a sign of their consecration into a sacred office (cf. 1 Kings 19:16; Isaiah 61:1; Exodus 40:13-14; Leviticus 6:20-22; 1 Samuel 16:1-13). Jesus is anointed not with oil, but with the Holy Spirit at his baptism (cf. Luke 4:18-19). There have been many anointed prophets, priests, and kings, but to confess that Jesus is the Messiah means that Jesus is the definitive one chosen by God to fulfill all these roles – prophet (spokesperson), priest (mediator between God and people), king (ruler). To confess that Jesus is the Messiah recognizes God’s act, not Jesus’. During Jesus’ lifetime, very few (if any) understood Jesus’ role in this light.
In your own words, who is Jesus?
In whose name does Jesus act? (cf. Matthew 21:23-27ff.)
By whose authority does Christ act? (compare John 5:19, 30; 7:17, 28; 8:28, 42; 14:10 with 10:18)
In whose name / by whose authority do the apostles act? Why do you think they emphasize a difference? In your opinion, is there a difference between the authority of Jesus and of God?
In whose name / by whose authority do we act? How can we know? (cf. John 13:35)
Can we choose which actions we ascribe to God and which we ascribe to ourselves or others? Why or why not? What does this mean for our daily living?
Martin Luther writes, concerning the second commandment, “We are to fear and love God, so that we do not curse, swear, practice magic, lie, or deceive using God’s name, but instead use that very name in every time of need to call on, pray to, praise, and give thanks to God” (Small Catechism, I.4).
What might you add to this?
Miracles, Wonders, and Signs… Oh my!
The physical action of healing that begins Peter’s encounter with the people and, ultimately, the religious leaders, is only one example of the many “wonders and signs” performed at this time (Acts 2:43). Like Jesus’ miracles, this is a gift and blessing to the individual who is healed, but provides a witness that leads to the even greater opportunity to transform the lives of many more people (in Acts 4:4, about 5,000).
What is a miracle? How do you understand miracles? Can/do they still happen?
What is the purpose of a miracle?
What is required of the man for whom the miracle is performed? (compare Acts 3:2-6, 16)
What is required of us for God to act in our lives?
The Word “miracle” does not appear in the NRSV translation of the Bible at all. The Greek word for “sign” appears 77 times in the New Testament and the Greek word for “wonder” appears 16 times.
How do these translations change your perception of miracles (if at all)?
What is the function of the miracle (sign/wonder) performed in this story?
What is the function of God’s actions as they break into our lives?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ Proclaimed
Compare this sermon (Acts 3:12-26) with Peter’s sermon on Pentecost (Acts 2:14-36). Identify the “Law” and “Gospel” in each.
What can we learn from Peter about bearing witness?
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