This is Acts 3:1-10:

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze 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 and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise 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 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Imagine being crippled from birth, and there is no modern medicine; there is no modern hospital with all of its technologies to go to. You are carried to the gate of the temple, and you lie there in your crippled condition, just begging. It is as sad as it gets. But the miracles, that of healing, like the one that we witness, have so much to teach us because they are clear demonstrations of the heart of God. God is a God of justice; the heart of justice is to right wrongs. He's a God of mercy, alleviating suffering. And he is quite willing to exercise his power to deliver people, not because they are worthy, but because he is just that loving. This poor crippled man had been crippled from birth, and his life was reduced to little more than lying at the gate of the temple, miserable in his state and begging. What a sad way for a human being, made in the image of God, to live.

And so, as Peter and John are going to go into the temple, he tries to get their attention. He's hoping for a monetary gift, and Peter says, "I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you." And Peter commands him, "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk!" Now this is incredible. I would have probably said, "What are you talking about? I can't walk!" But Peter helps him up, and for the very first time in forty years, this man stands with the ability to walk. The passage says he is even jumping around in the temple. What a beautiful picture of the love of God and his compassion through Peter.

But there's more. Every miracle in Scripture preaches the gospel. The gospel of the existence of God, the gospel of his sovereign rule over his creation, the gospel of his merciful love, the gospel of the dark drama of human need, the gospel of the grace and power of divine provisions. See, the miracles are meant to confront us; we are not okay. We are broken and needy! We are all cripples; we are all lame because that is what sin does to us. We are a bunch of poor beggars crying out for some kind of intervention.

And the greatest of miracles, the greatest of provision, isn't physical; it's spiritual! Every miracle sets up, then, the preaching of the gospel of our brokenness, our sin, and our need for the miracle of God's forgiveness. And that's exactly what happens in this passage. Immediately after this phenomenal miracle of giving this man his legs back again, Peter and John begin to preach because they want people to understand that this miracle preaches the gospel of human brokenness and human need!

Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion

1. How does this passage from Acts 3 help you to understand your own brokenness and neediness before God? In what ways does the miracle of healing the crippled man point you to the ways that the Lord miraculously heals your spiritual brokenness?

2. Why is it that miracles seem to capture our attention much more than other things, and why do you think God intentionally uses them and highlights them so much in Scripture?

3. Why is it a good thing to admit to God, yourself, and others that you are a broken and needy person? Why do you think God continually shows us in Scripture that he loves and moves toward the needy and broken? Take some time right now to admit your brokenness and neediness before God. Ask him to step in, help you, and fill your empty hands with his perfect provision.

4. Why is spiritual healing greater than physical healing? How do your actions, words, and prayers reflect the need for spiritual healing in you and through you toward others?

Conversation Prompts to Use with Children

For Younger Children:

  • Why do you think God loves it when people admit that they need a lot from him? What do you need from God? How can I help you pray that God would supply you with what you need from him?
  • What is a miracle? Why do you think miracles are so exciting when we read about them in the Bible? Why is it a miracle when God saves us from our own sin?

For Older Children:

  • Why do you think miracles are so often recorded in the Bible? What can miracles teach us today about God, ourselves, and the way sin has impacted our lives?
  • How do you normally feel about people who are needy? How do you think God feels about needy people? In what ways are you willing to admit that you are a needy person too?
  • Why is spiritual healing greater than physical healing?