I Stand Amazed
Steve W. Reeves
steve@wschurch.net
stevereevesoutlines.blogspot.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. Many people today are interested in learning about ancestors. There is a web site
called Ancestry.com. The TLC channel has a show entitled, “Who Do You Think You
Are?” Although I have never seen the show, I do find it interesting to learn about my
ancestors with names like Reeves, Maddox, Cherry and Fowler. I have several books
that belonged to my grandparents and a bedspread made by my great grandmother.
1. Christians should be interested in our spiritual ancestry.
2. I enjoy learning of people who were the original members of West Side. I like to
read about early preachers in the restoration movement and have visited many of
the sites associated with the restoration of New Testament Christianity in
Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
3. Most importantly is my interest in the first generations of Christians pictured in the
New Testament book of Acts. Who were they and what were they like? What
characteristics did they possess? Acts is concerned not only about what these
people did but what effect the good news of Christ and the coming of the Holy
Spirit had on their lives.
B. When unbelievers look at you, the thing that will get their attention is not what you
say but how God has affected your life.
1. The book of Acts is like a movie with each scene depicting how God’s love and
grace through Jesus Christ transformed people. Throughout the book, the
transforming power of God produced amazement, awe and wonder.
2. There are over ten occasions in this book where these words are used. Here are a
few of them.
a. Acts 2:7 – “They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these
who are speaking Galileans?”
b. Acts 2:12 – “And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity,
saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
c. Acts 2:43 - “Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and
signs were taking place through the apostles.”
d. Acts 4:13 – “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and
understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed,
and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”
e. Acts 12:16 – “But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the
door, they saw him and were amazed.”
f. Also consider Acts 8:13; 9:21; 10:45; 13:12.
C. In this message I want us to focus our attention on the amazement described in Acts
3:1-11.
I. THE MAN
A. Sometime after the Day of Pentecost, Peter and John went up to the temple in
Jerusalem at the 9th hour of the day (3 p.m.)
1. Peter and John were close and perhaps life-long friends. They were fishing
buddies, they lived in the same area of Galilee around Capernaum and had
been called into ministry along with their brothers Andrew and James. During
Jesus’ ministry Peter, James and John were often with Jesus at important times.
2. The 9th hour was a regular time of prayer at the temple. It was also a time when
evening sacrifices would be offered. Thousands of people came to the temple at
this hour. This would have included many of the new converts to Christ.
According to Acts 2:46, “Day by day, with one mind, in the temple court and from
house to house ate their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.”
B. There was someone else at the temple. Although we do not know his name, what
happened to him on this occasion has permanently etched his place in history.
1. He was a beggar who had been lame from birth. Due to a deformity with his feet
and ankles he had never been able to stand, walk, run or jump like others. As a
child he had never been able to play a game of tag or run a race against the
other boys. As an adult he was unable to work. Without government assistance
there was no choice for him other than to beg.
2. Where do beggars go? You do not find them lining deserted country roads. They
go where people are. They are found at busy intersections or in the parking lots
of busy shopping centers. For this man, his location of choice was at the temple
gate called “Beautiful.”
a. This gate faced east overlooking the Kidron valley. It was the largest of all the
temple gates. The Roman historian Josephus described it as 75 feet tall and
60 feet wide. It was so enormous that opening and closing it required twenty
men. It was made of Corinthian brass embroidered with pure gold. No
wonder it was referred to as the “Beautiful” gate. Because of its size and
appearance, it was the favorite place for the people to enter the temple
complex.
3. It was at this beautiful gate that the lives of Peter, John and this beggar
intersected.
B. There are many beggars mentioned in the Bible.
1. Lazarus – Luke 15:19-24, sat at the gate of a rich man’s house.
2. Bartimaeus – Mark 10:46, a blind beggar sitting beside the road whom Jesus
healed.
3. In a spiritual sense we are all like these men. In the words of an old song,
“Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. Naked come to thee for
dress. Helpless look to thee for grace. Vile, I to the fountain fly. Wash me Savior
or I die.”
II. THE MIRACLE (vss. 4-8).
A. Stories are told by the use of verbs. This man’s story can be summed up by
noticing the verbs that are found in verses 2ff. They are “carried,” “beg,” “saw,”
“asked,” “gazed,” “expecting,” “leaping,” “standing,” “walking,” “praising,” and
“worshipping.”
1. He was carried to the temple gate where he begged for money. When he saw
Peter and John, he asked them for money.
2. Peter and John did not have money. Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold,
but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,
walk” (vs.6).
3. Peter reached out and grabbed the man by the right wrist pulling him to his feet.
The man’s feet and ankles were strengthened and he immediately began
leaping for joy. There was no surgery, no rehab, no therapy. The man was
instantly and completely cured.
B. This is a good place to ask an important question. What are we to make of the
miracles that take place in the book of Acts?
1. Jesus performed many miracles. John wrote, “So then, many other signs Jesus
also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this
book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
(John 20:30-31).
2. When the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church, He gave the apostles of
Jesus miraculous power to heal others as Jesus did.
3. The miracles validated the apostles as true spokesmen for God.
a. Nicodemus told Jesus, “we know you are a teacher from God for no one can
do the things you do unless God is with you.”
b. Acts 5:12 –15
4. When it comes to performing miracles you need to recognize some important
facts.
a. Every miracle in the book of Acts was performed by an apostle or someone
very closely associated with them upon whom they had laid hands. In fact, the
only two people in Acts who performed miracles other than the apostles were
Stephen and Barnabas.
b. The purpose of miracles was to confirm the authority of the apostles. There
were no miraculous healings where there were no apostles. There are no
miraculous healings mentioned in the Bible after the book of Acts.
C. The healing of this man was a continuation of the signs and wonders mentioned
in Acts 2:43.
III. THE MARVEL
A. How did people respond when they saw this man they recognized as a beggar,
leaping for joy, walking and running?
1. Acts 3:10 – “and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had
happened to him.”
2. Peter replied in verse 12, “But when Peter saw this, he replied to the peopled
“Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why are you staring at us, as
though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?”
B. Can you imagine how exciting this must have been? There was great rejoicing.
People were praising God and worshipping.
1. A man was visiting a church one Sunday. As the sermon progressed he
occasionally spoke, “Amen.” Soon one of the ushers approached him and said,
“Sir,” we do not say ‘Amen’ at this church.” The man responded, “Why not? I
have joy!” The usher said, “You didn’t get it here so please be quiet.”
2. A friend of mine worked with a church in northwest Arkansas. During the
singing of the song “It Only Takes A Spark,” a group of teenagers yelled out,
“Praise God.” The next day a man came to my friend and said, “We’re not going
to have any of that praising God at this church.”
3. Have we become so “dignified:” that we are “petrified.”
IV. THE MESSAGE
A. As the people crowded around Peter, he began to preach just as he had on the
Day of Pentecost.
1. He reminded the crowd of how Pilate had given them a choice concerning
Jesus. Instead of releasing him, they chose a thief and a robber while crying
out to crucify Jesus.
2. In verse 19 he said, “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be
wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the
Lord.”
3. According to Acts 4:4 many who heard Peter believed and the number of men
was about 5000.
B. Many years ago I was watching an episode of the game show “Family Feud,” (not
the current series). The question was “What is the most boring place?” The
number one response was, “church.”
C. One fellow visited a church and heard the announcement that there would be a
meeting of the board. He attended saying, “No one was more bored than me.”
Another man visiting a church saw a plaque in the foyer with names on it. “What’s
this,” he asked? “It’s the named of our members who died in the service.” He
quickly replied, “Which one, the morning or evening?”
1. I do not advocate empty emotionalism.
2. I am concerned that many of us have lost our sense of amazement at the grace
of God, the sacrifice of Jesus and the gift of salvation. Our hearts have grown
cold. Our faith has become stale. Our zeal has become lukewarm. We need a
revival to return to the awe, wonder and amazement of the early church.
CONCLUSION:
A. You do not need a supernatural miracle to be filled with awe and wonder.
B. “Have you ever stood at the ocean with the white foam at your feet?
Have you ever stood at the sunset with the sky bellowing red?
Have you ever stood in the family with the Lord there in your midst?
Have you ever stood at the cross, with the man hanging in pain? Seen the look of
love in His eyes, then I say, you’ve seen Jesus my Lord.”
C. Will you stand amazed and come
