Tuesday- 28 April 2020- Acts 3:11-19
Canvey Island Methodist Church Bible Study and Reflection.
-Greetings and welcome to our Bible Study and reflections for today. I have taken these from the Methodist Church Prayer Handbook which for today, 28th April explores the theme to “See and Know” , taken from the encounter that the disciples Peter and John had with a lame man who they had met sitting in Solomon's Portico as referenced in (v. 16)-Acts 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
“16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see”. New International Version (NIV)
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-The reflection begins with the inspirational words of Psalm 113 in which we, as readers, are encouraged to trust in God as “the Helper of the Needy”.
“Psalm 113- Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time on and for evermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
He raises the poor from the dust,
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!”
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-Prayer: Almighty God, Creator, Sustainer and mighty Lord. We give you our praise for raising us up to a new day. Lord of Love, King of Kings, Saviour of our souls and great Shepherd of the sheep, we praise you for lifting us up into new and heavenly places in and through your Son Jesus Christ. Open our eyes that we may see the world through your eyes, open our ears that we may hear the world’s cries through your ears, and open our hearts that we may pray for all with the compassion and love that flows out from your heart. May the water of life, released to us from the wounds of Christ bring healing, grace, salvation and renewal for all for whom we pray.
In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
-Reading: Acts 3:1-26; New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
“Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar
3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried in. People would lay him daily at the gate of the temple called the Beautiful Gate so that he could ask for alms from those entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked them for alms. 4 Peter looked intently at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,[a] stand up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 Jumping up, he stood and began to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized him as the one who used to sit and ask for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. 12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites,[b] why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant[c] Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. 14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus[d] has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
17 “And now, friends,[e] I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah[f] would suffer. 19 Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, 20 so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah[g] appointed for you, that is, Jesus, 21 who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people[h] a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23 And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.’ 24 And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. 25 You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant,[i] he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
Footnotes:
a)Acts 3:6 Gk the Nazorean
b)Acts 3:12 Gk Men, Israelites
c)Acts 3:13 Or child
d)Acts 3:16 Gk him
e)Acts 3:17 Gk brothers
f)Acts 3:18 Or his Christ
g)Acts 3:20 Or the Christ
h)Acts 3:22 Gk brothers
I)Acts 3:26 Or child
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Reflective Art:
-Many artists over the years have endeavoured to capture the drama, passion, questionings and hope of this encounter between the Apostles John and Peter at Solomon’s Portico. Here are two examples for our ponderings today.
Poussin, Saints Peter and John healing the lame man, 1665.
Venetian, 16th Century.
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-Michael King, a Methodist local preacher in the Salisbury Circuit, offers some background comment to this dramatic encounter between Saints Peter and John and the lame man.
“Background- Once some people in the temple area saw the beggar healed and transformed, "walking and praising God" (Acts 3:9), news spread fast. People came running from all over. If there was any temptation on Peter's part to take the credit for this healing, he doesn't show it. Immediately he launches into a sermon that gives the glory to Jesus "and the faith that is through Jesus has given him [the crippled man] this perfect health in the presence of all of you."
Seeing or witnessing is a key theme in today's passage. The crowd is faced with a healed man and they have to decide who or what has healed him. Peter spells out that Jesus is the healer. But Peter also says clearly in verse 15 that he and others are "witnesses" that God raised Jesus from the dead. Two extraordinary events have been witnessed, but what will the crowd around Peter and John make of it all?
Peter has a clear invitation here for the newly assembled crowd. With the evidence before them of a man who had been crippled from birth now able to walk, will they acknowledge the authority and power of Jesus? Peter is not condemning of this Jewish crowd. He does say that they and their leaders have acted in ignorance towards Jesus (verse 17). What is important here is not criticism. Peter is pointing to a better way, a different way, a journey that needs to begin with a change of heart - or repentance.
Another lovely phrase to look at is in verse 20.(“so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus”). Peter tells his audience that a change of heart will result in "times of refreshing" as they receive Jesus into their hearts. If they (and if we) sincerely change our ways and align ourselves to God's will, this enables God to provide the most wonderful sense of refreshment. The world looks different, our relationships take on a different dimension, the life and breath that we have been given, even today itself, is marvellously precious. And the glory goes to God, our Creator, Saviour and Sustainer.
-To Ponder:
If you haven't already given God thanks for your life today, this may be an appropriate time to do so.
"Times of refreshing" are precious in a journey of faith. Reflect on a previous oasis in your life, or it might even be an opportunity given to you during ‘lockdown’. Ask God for greater discernment to glimpse God's glory in the everyday events of this day.
Bible notes author, Michael King- “Michael King is a Methodist local preacher in the Salisbury Circuit. From 2000-2011, he was leader of the Methodist Church's World Church Relationships team, and was the Vice-President of the Methodist Conference in 2012/2013”.
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-Charles Wesley wrote many wonderful hymns and one that speaks of the joy and celebration that comes about as God lifts us up out of despair into the light, hope and the joy of knowing him in a loving relationship is “Let earth and heaven combine”.
Singing The Faith 358
1. Let earth and heav'n agree,
Angels and men be joined,
To celebrate with me
The Saviour of mankind;
To adore the all-atoning Lamb,
And bless the sound of Jesus' name.
2. Jesus, transporting sound!
The joy of earth and heaven;
No other help is found,
No other name is given,
By which we can salvation have;
But Jesus came the world to save.
3. Jesus, harmonious Name!
It charms the hosts above;
They evermore proclaim,
And wonder at his love;
'Tis all their happiness to gaze:
'Tis heaven to see our Jesus' face.
4. His name the sinner hears,
And is from sin set free:
Tis music in his ears,
Tis life and victory:
New songs do now his lips employ,
And dances his glad heart for joy.
5. Stung by the scorpion sin,
My poor expiring soul
The balmy sound drinks in,
And is at once made whole:
See there my Lord upon the tree!
I hear, I feel, he died for me.
6. O unexampled love!
O all-redeeming grace!
How swiftly didst thou move
To save a fallen race!
What shall I do to make it known
What thou for all mankind hast done?
7. O for a trumpet voice,
On all the world to call!
To bid their hearts rejoice
In him who died for all!
For all my Lord was crucified:
For all, for all my Saviour died!
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-God’s redeeming love comes to us through care and sacrifice and the image of Jesus as “The Good Shepherd” caring sacrificially for those who follow him (his flock), underpins the essence of the loving and close relationship we have with him. In John 10:1-10, Jesus extends this imagery further, describing himself not only as “The Good Shepherd” but also as the “gate of the sheep”, the one who looks out for our spiritual safety. He not only “lifts us up in healing and new hope” as with the lame man in “Solomon’s Portico”, but he stays with us in a committed relationship.
“-John 10:1-10 New International Version (NIV)- The Good Shepherd and His Sheep- 10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Footnotes: a)John 10:9 Or kept safe”.
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Reflection:
Reflect on the image of the disciple as a sheep. What does this mean for you?
What does it mean to listen to the voice of Jesus?
Also, listen for the characteristics of the life that Christians share together in the readings from Acts2:42-47; and 1Peter2:19-25;
“Acts 2:42-47 English Standard Version (ESV)-The Fellowship of the Believers
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Footnotes:Acts 2:43 Or fear”
“1 Peter 2:19-25 English Standard Version (ESV)-19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
We will explore these last three readings in a little more depth this coming Sunday.
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-Prayer of the Day
“O Christ the Morning Star, when the night of this world is past, bring to us the promised light of life, opening into everlasting day. Amen”.
(The Venerable Bede (c.673-735)-
“Eternal beauty, who came in Christ and is present by your Spirit, we praise you for the love that birthed creation and thank you that we can never exhaust the goodness of your gifts. Enable us to hear your call and to respond to your prompting, that our hands may be the hands of your Son, Jesus Christ, and our lives become a perfect offering through your blessed Spirit.
May we flourish with your creation as we work with your grace for the good of all you have made. Amen.”
Kerry Tankard, Yorkshire West District Chair-
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Please do write back with your thoughts and reflections.
May God bless you all.
Colin