Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk.” Then Peter took him by the right hand and helped him up. At once the man’s feet and ankles became strong. (Acts 3:6-7) Luke, the writer of Luke and of Acts tells this story from the perspective condition and situation. What I mean by this is that Luke shows the reader the condition of hopelessly pitiful man and the condition of Peter and John’s heart. Let me explain it to you. Luke’s story picks up where the beggar is sitting there as somebody who is to be pitied for no other reason other than the fact that he was born. It is a sad condition and state of affairs. Then enters Peter and John, their condition is that of God’s– wanting to love other. That’s the condition we are introduced to. It isn’t a situation that the beggar even had a choice in. He was just born that way and so he suffers, that is his lot. Likewise, Peter and John are at a place in their lives where they have the heart of Jesus flowing through them. Now, here’s the situation: Peter and John locks eyes with the beggar. If any of you have seen the condition of somebody who is to be pitied because he or she, with no fault of their own, lives in involuntary squalor, then you know that you need to do something, anything. Unfortunately, you can’t and you know it and they know it because both your conditions dictate that nothing can be done and that is ultimately the situation. Luke tells the story in this vein and in rings true to life, especially in the New York Metropolitan area. You know how this situation goes, both you and the other party hopes for the best and you drop some money trying to quell your conscience in the hopes of improving the conditions of that person you locked eyes on, and keep then you keep it moving. That’s exactly the situation Peter and John are in. They locked eyes with the man. They knew they had to do something and conventionally they would have given the guy some money and called it a day, being proud of the fact that they reached deep when they didn’t have to in order to help somebody, but they don’t do any of that; rather, they use the situation to change the condition based on their situation in Christ. So what does that mean? Peter and John heal the guy who never walked in the name of Jesus. Peter and John’s situation provided them an opportunity to alter the condition of the lame man. They were in a very unique situation because of their condition in Jesus. Given the right situation, with Jesus, the conditions of the lame man changed. However, I believe the condition of Peter and John’s heart also changed. How can you be an instrument of Gods blessing this week, to the world around you?
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