Acts 3:9-12 NLT. [9] All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. [10] When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! [11] They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John. [12] Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd…

The commotion drew a crowd.  When a supernatural encounter with Jesus takes place, people will want to see what’s happening.  Miraculous transformations in people’s hearts and lives defy the laws of nature and run counter to the norms and expectations of society.  This beggar was suddenly changed through the supernatural power in the name of Jesus, and that change was so noticeable that people gathered to see what was going on.

As we go through our daily routines and minister to people in need, the power in the name of Jesus will bring miraculous transformations into their lives.  Those supernatural experiences with Jesus will have a definite effect in the lives of the people He touches.  Sometimes those effects will be so dramatic that the changes will draw the attention of people who know the ones who have been changed.

An addict puts down the booze or the meth.  A foul mouth suddenly starts apologizing for using profanity.  A mean-spirited individual begins to do random acts of kindness.  A constantly complaining grumbler begins to give God praises for her blessings.  A person who always went fishing or hunting on the weekends begins to show up for worship services.  These kinds of changes will draw the attention of others because they know what the people used to be like.  The people in the temple realized the guy running and leaping and praising God was the lame beggar.  They wanted to see what had happened.

Now here’s something to notice.  The average person inside the temple was astounded.  These people who claimed to believe in God and were at a prayer meeting were amazed when He moved in a life.  They would have been praying for Israel’s freedom from Rome.  They would have been praying for Messiah to be revealed, if they were not among the 3,000 who had heard Peter’s Pentecost message and believed in Jesus.  They would have been praying for God’s help and provision.  But they were amazed when God did move.  It might make us wonder just how much faith did they really have in the God to whom they were praying.

But let’s not be quick to pass judgement on their amazement at the miraculous healing of the lame beggar.  When someone starts to attend church, have you ever heard the statement, “He/She won’t last.  They never do”?  Have we ever prayed for God to move in someone’s life, but we never treated that someone like God was moving in their life?  Have we ever asked God for a miracle and thought, “Maybe God will show up”?  I fear we may be more like these folks who were astounded at the healing than we want to admit.

Those people had gone a very long time without seeing any great manifestation of the power of God in Israel.  It had been around 400 years between the last Old Testament prophet and the preaching of John the Baptist and the appearance of Jesus in Israel.  They had not grown up hearing about current miracles.  They had never seen anyone perform miracles like Jesus had performed.  They were simply curious about what had happened to the beggar because his transformation was not the norm.

And to be honest with you, I believe today’s average person who doesn’t know Jesus as savior would react the same way.  However, life-changing experiences with Jesus don’t make the evening news.  Supernatural experiences are downplayed by many as being emotionalism brought on by religious fervor.  Skeptics abound in our society.  In order for the unbelievers to pay attention to what God is doing, we will need to get their attention.

If we are going to get their attention, then we are going to have to minister to people like Peter and John did.  We are going to have to proclaim transformation in people’s lives through the authority given to Jesus.  When we do that, the miracles that occur will get their attention.  

Notice what the first part of verse 12 says:  Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd…  Peter saw he had an opportunity to talk to the people because they were interested in what was going on.  He realized their attention was on the lame beggar who had been changed, and he decided to talk to the people crowded around the man.  He realized they were curious enough to listen as he explained what had happened to the beggar.

Allow me to repeat myself here.  If we are going to get the attention of people who are hurting, desperate, unbelieving, and on the way to hell and spiritual destruction, then we are going to have to minister in the same authority that Peter and John ministered.  We must meet the deeper needs of the modern-day beggars through the power in the name of Jesus, the power that is able to break every chain that binds lives today.  We must pray like we have never prayed before.  We must listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit like never before.  We must perform any action necessary in order to give people the miracles Jesus wants them to experience.

When we do what Peter and John did under the direction of the Holy Spirit, then we will get the attention of those who don’t know Jesus.  Who wants to be led by the Holy Spirit like they were?  Who wants to see lives changed through the power in the name of Jesus?  Who wants to go out into this community this week and get the attention of those who need Jesus? 

Next Week’s Message:  The Source of the Power