“Now Peter and John went wp together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. “And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the tem- mie Acts 4.1.12,
“A-l-m-s!
“Alms for the love of God!
“T pray thee! Give me alms!”
The broken voice, half whine, half sob, uttered its monotonous plaint early by the Temple gate. It had uttered the same plaint so often and for so many days, months, and years, that the exact number of times its dirge-like rise and fall had assaulted the ear of the passer-by was well nigh beyond human computation.
“A-l-m-s!
“For the love of God — alms!’
But though the insistent voice was sharpened by the pinch of hunger, the pitiful figure huddled in its shroud of hideous rags elicited small attention from the few pedestrians yet afoot in the Temple area.
Day wakes softly o’er the Holy City.
She blinks her lovely eyes and stretches her jewelled arms amid the fragrant green pillows of the softlymoulded hills.
She stirs slightly beneath her coverlet of rose and heliotrope. Slipping soundlessly into her trailing dressing-gown of pale pink gossamer, she rises, and tiptoeing down the hillside, preens herself long moments above the many-mirrored pools which dot Jerusalem, and they smile back into her radiant face.
Then donning the more sober robes of Day, all stern bronze, she descends into the market place.
“A-l-m-s!”’
The tired head must have fallen dejectedly upon his breast, and the aching, sun-burned eyes have closed wearily.
But hark! Quick footsteps neared the turn in the street. Kindly, earnest voices were heard in conversation. Peter and John are on their way to the Temple at the hour of prayer.
The lame man must pull himself together now!
Must lift this tired head and get this faltering, hoarse voice croaking again!
Must drag these limp, lifeless, wizened legs behind him and crawl into the center of the street somehow.
Must — reach out his arms and twine them about the feet of these men. Must — stop them — some way —
“Alms!”
One glimpse of the sweet, sincere, goodly faces of the men towering above the beggar reassured him. He increased his plea and “‘asked an alms” of them.
They were pausing! They were smiling pityingly, n c ouragingly!
“Look on us!”
At last! Money! Food! Possibly a new coat in which to wrap his ungainly body!
“Look on us!”
As though one could tear one’s eyes from their burning gaze! Steadfastly he looked upon them. What did their words portend? Eagerly, tremblingly, he held out his hand for the coins which were to fall. But the hands of the men made no move to draw forth a wallet.
“Silver and gold have I none,” said the taller and more sun-tanned of the two.
Ah! Then these kind men offer but sympathy. The beggar knew the type, and must have wilted with disappointment, his hand dropping heavily into his lap.
But hark! The voice continued:
“But such as I have give I thee.”
What could that be? If not money, what could be of value?
A cloak, perhaps?
That could not still the pangs of hunger!
Employment?
What could he do with those sick legs; that dead half of his being to which he was chained and which he must drag painfully wherever he went?
Peter, the Apostle, was bending over him, his warm, friendly, strong, wind-browned hand was clasping the weaker one of the beggar. ’T'was a different clasp than he had ever known before. Tingling life thrilled through his veins; hope and wonder surged upward within him.
“Tn the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”
The pressure on that right hand increased and rendered a steady upward pull. Like a flash, the significance of that Name “Jesus” electrified mind and being. Who in Jerusalem had not heard of the power of that matchless Name? That Name lived on with its power undiminished! The steady pull of the strong hand which gripped his weaker one, had lifted him to his feet. He was in an almost upright position! His own feet were under him! They were bearing his weight! They were not crumpling beneath him as
they had always been wont to do! They were thrill' ingly alive!
“Glory! Glory!
“Glory to God and unto His Christ!
“Hallelujah!”
His feet and ankle bones received strength; and he, leaping up, stood and walked and glorified the Lord! Acts 3:7-8.
Shouts of triumphant joy rang through the arched streets about the Temple! The lame man crying that he was lame no longer — Peter and John rejoicing because at this first testing of the Name of Names since the ascension of their Lord, its glorious and abiding power was demonstrated to have remained unchanged!
A criterion, this, of all that was to come! An example of what might be expected to transpire in the glorious days of the New Testament Church!
It is ever comparatively easy to assemble a crowd
in Jerusalem when excitement beckons. At this, the
ninth hour, many were in the vicinity. Thronging
about the three men, they began to ask questions, one
of the other.
The two Apostles entered the Temple area. _ The lame man who had been healed of his infirmity
followed close. Feeling his feet impelling his body
along the desired path for the first time in his life,
he began to leap and praise God afresh.
Startled, horrified, the Priests stood agape, beholding the spectacle!
When, since the days in which their Father David had brought up the ark with shouting and had sung and danced with all his might upon this very spot, vasi hill resounded with such praises of Almighty God?
Even the sellers of purple and doves must have paused, hands set in the frozen gestures of the moment.
Across the ornate pavings and up the broad temple steps they made their way. The beggar, leaping higher at each step, demonstrated the use of his new found limbs.
“And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew 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. And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that was called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.’ Acts 3:9-11.
Momentarily the crowds increased. The buzz of excitement swelled and spread!
“What is it?”
“Who is it?”
“A man leaping and dancing down the aisles of the Temple, shouting and creating a great commotion among the priests who are officiating at the altars.”
“Peter, who just preached that mighty Pentecostal sermon, and John, the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, are with him.”
“TDidst ever hear such shouting?”
“Wretched and disgusting clamor I call it! Who is he? Can you see his face? Why do they not still his raging?”
“As live! It is the paralytic beggar who has been carried daily to the gate which is called Beautiful!”
“He is standing upon his own feet! He is walking! He leaps and shouts ‘Glory unto God!’”’
“Impossible! It must be another!”
“Nay, I have known him for years and can positively swear that he has been lame from the hour of his birth! He has never walked — never taken a step — Hark! He has mounted the wide marble base of a pillar and is testifying.”’
“Hallelujah!
“T bear witness that I am completely healed!
“Behold my feet and ankle bones! They are strengthened! I walk! Hallelujah!”
“Thou wert right!
“Tt is he!”’
“Behold he is holding Peter and John as though he would never let them go!
“These men are gods!”
Then spake Peter:
“Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus
. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.”” Acts 3:12, 18,
Forthwith another tremendous sermon was launched and under way! Five thousand men gave their hearts to Christ as a result of that healing and the attendant and timely impassioned appeal.
There was no cessation of the miraculous healing power after the ascension of the Lord. In fact, this was but the beginning of a chain or miracles which increased until:
“There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.” Acts 5:16.
This and a mass of other scriptures thoroughly establishes the fact that the age of miracles did not pass with the ascension of the Christ; and that the church age which was then dawning, and in which we still live, was to inherit that glorious legacy — the attendance of the supernatural power of God in answer to believing prayer.
Had not Christ said:
“These signs shall follow them that believe?”
Well, here were the signs! And these signs are to continue how long?
As long as we “‘believe.’’ Amen!
When belief ceases, signs and miracles cease; and we are immediately put to it to invent excuses and subterfuges to still the questioning of the congregation. Some teachers claim that the reason there are no sick healed and no miracles performed under their ministry is because the day of miracles is passed; whereas in reality, the day of miracles is past only for those who have ceased to “believe.”
God is still on the Throne! It is we who have changed, not He.
When we return to Him, He will return to us.
The prayer of faith still calls down fire from Heaven; and Elijah’s ravens are still on the wing!
A veritable panorama of miracles, touching every phase of life, is spread out in delectable array before the eyes of the wistful reader who peruses the glowing pages of the Acts of the Apostles.
Sinners saved by the thousand!
Disciples reckoning their converts in four figures at the close of the day, and the number of baptisms by the same scale.
The sick healed in such throngs, that at times their very numbers precluded the individual laying on of
hands. Placed in the streets, till the shadow of the ~ believing disciple fell upon them, they leaped from
their pallets of pain as he passed by, to follow him
down the highway, shouting praises to God for their
healing, and bearing others to the pathway of faith.
Later, God wrought special miracles at the hands of Paul: “So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:12.
The dead were raised, as in the instance of Dorcas in Acts 9:36-42; and in the instance of the man who fell from the third loft and was taken up for dead, in Acts 20:9-12.
Hypocrites like Ananias and his wife Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Ghost, fell dead at the Word of Truth and Revelation as in Acts 5:5-10. The power of Se was attendant everywhere upon the preached word.
Persecution was powerless to paralyze their progress!