p. 12 | The Sunday School

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 7, 1897

The Sunday School

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;” “that thy profiting may appear to all.”

LESSON IV.—SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 1897.

THE LAME MAN HEALED.

NOTE.—This lesson section includes the whole of the third chapter and the first thirty-one verses of the fourth. Read the whole of chapter 3. The special thoughts in this lesson are the power of God manifest in healing, wrought by the Spirit through the apostles, and the same power to all in saving from sin through faith. The time of this lesson was not long after Pentecost. The place was the entrance to the court of the women, at the “Beautiful Gate.”

Lesson Scripture, Acts 3:1-16, R. V.

1 “Now Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man that was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him, with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but what I have, that give I thee. 7 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. And he took him by the right hand, and raised him up: and immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength. 8 And leaping up, he stood, and began to walk; and he entered with them into the temple, walking, 9 and leaping, and praising God. 10 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they took knowledge of him, that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11 “And as he held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. 12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this man? or why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk? 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Servant Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied before the face of Pilate, when he had determined to release him. 14 But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life; 15 whom God raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 16 And by faith in his name hath his name made this man strong, whom ye behold and know; yea, the faith which is through him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”

Golden Text: “And by faith in His name hath His name made this man strong.” Verse 16.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) At what time were Peter and John found going into the temple? Verse 1. (2) Whom did they find, at the entrance of the temple? Verse 2. Note 1. (3) When he saw the apostles, what did he do? (4) How did Peter fix his attention? Verse 4. (5) What did this lead the man to expect? Verse 5. (6) What did Peter say? Verse 5. (7) How did Peter help his faith? and what was the result? Verse 7. (8) What did the man do? Verse 8. (9) Who were witnesses to this? Verse 9. Note 2. (10) Of what did they take knowledge? and how were they affected? Verse 10. (11) As the man held the apostles, what did the people do? Verse 11. (12) How did Peter turn the attention of the people from the apostles? Verse 12. (13) To whom did he ascribe all this power? Verse 13. Note 4. (14) What did he say the Jews had done? Verses 13, 14, 15. (15) But what did he say that God had done? Verse 15. (16) And how was the work wrought? and how complete was it? Verse 16. Note 5.

NOTES.

1. THE first scene is Peter and John going to public worship in the temple at 3 P.M. The second is meeting the lame man in the temple court, lame from birth, over forty years old, helpless. Beautiful Gate.—There were ten gates to the temple. The one referred to “was probably the massive doors of Corinthian brass, described by Josephus, leading from the court of the Gentiles to the court of the women.” The folds of this gate, says Hackett, “were seventy-five feet high, and sixty broad, and were covered with plates of gold and silver.”

2. The people saw.—When the power of God is truly manifest, we do not need to blaze it abroad to others to come and see us. They themselves will note the change if it is genuine. They knew that this was a genuine transformation.

3. THE apostles showed true humility; bold to speak God's message and to do his bidding, but ascribing all the glory and praise to God. What a proof this was to the people that Jesus was the Christ. It was Christ's name, Christ's character of righteousness, that the grave could not hold (Acts 2:24), and that made the man whole.

4. It was a real work that faith wrought. The man was given new life, new strength. So with the believing sinner. If he truly believes, he obtains new life, new power. The righteousness of Jesus by faith is as real as was the power given to this man. In fact the life, the righteousness, the healing, are the only real things, because they are of God. This is what God wishes us to grasp.