Acts 3 - A Study Guide by Mark A. Copeland

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                         "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

                             Chapter Three

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To study the healing of the lame man, noting various aspects of the
   miracle

2) To examine Peter's second gospel sermon, his call to repent and the
   blessings to follow

SUMMARY

The chapter opens with Peter and John going to the temple where they
encounter a man lame from birth begging for alms at the gate called
Beautiful.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Peter commands him
to rise up and walk.  Taking the lame man by the right hand and lifting
him up, the man is healed instantly and completely.  Walking, leaping,
and praising God, he accompanies Peter and John into the temple to the
wonder and amazement of the crowd (1-11).

On Solomon's porch, Peter explains that the healing occurred by faith in
the name of Jesus.  God has glorified His Servant Jesus, the Holy One
and the Just, the Prince of life, whom they denied and killed, but whom
God raised from the dead as witnessed by Peter and John.  While their
crimes were done in ignorance, even foretold and fulfilled by God, they
are commanded to repent and turn.  Those that do are promised to have
their sins blotted out and experience other blessings from Jesus who
will remain in heaven until the times of restoration of all things.
Those who do not heed Jesus will be utterly destroyed as foretold by
Moses (cf. Deut 18:15,18-19).  As sons of the prophets, and of the
covenant God made with Abraham to bless all families through his seed
(cf. Gen 22:18), to them first God has sent Jesus to bless them in
turning them away from their iniquities (12-26).

OUTLINE

I. THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN (1-11)

   A. THE MIRACLE AT THE TEMPLE GATE (1-8)
      1. Peter and John go to the temple
         a. At the hour of prayer
         b. Which was the ninth hour (3 p.m.)
      2. The lame man at the temple gate called Beautiful
         a. Lame from his mother's womb
         b. Carried daily to the gate to ask for alms
         c. Seeing Peter and John, asks them for alms
      3. Peter heals the lame man
         a. They fix their eyes on the man, and Peter tells him to look
            at them
         b. The man gives them his attention, expecting to receive
            something
         c. Peter has no gold or silver, but gives what he has
            1) He commands the lame man in the name of Jesus to rise up
               and walk
            2) He takes him by the right hand and lifts him up
         d. Immediately his feet and ankle bones receive strength
            1) Leaping up, the man stands and walks
            2) He enters the temple with Peter and John
            3) He is walking, leaping, and praising God

   B. THE RESPONSE OF THE CROWD (9-11)
      1. The people see the lame man walking and praising God
      2. The people know him as the one who begged alms at the Beautiful
         Gate
      3. They are filled with wonder and amazement at what happened
      4. As the lame man holds on to Peter and John, the people run to
         them in Solomon's Porch

II. PETER'S SECOND SERMON (12-26)

   A. THE MIRACLE EXPLAINED (12-16)
      1. Peter questions why the crowd marveled
         a. Why look at Peter and John so intently?
         b. As though by their own power or godliness they made the man
            walk?
      2. God has glorified His Servant Jesus
         a. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of their
            fathers
         b. Has glorified Jesus
            1) Whom they delivered up and denied
               a) In the presence of Pilate
               b) When he was determined to let Him God
            2) The Holy One and the Just
               a) Whom they denied
               b) And asked for a murderer to be granted to them
            3) The Prince of life
               a) Whom God raised up
               b) Of which Peter and John are witnesses
      3. It was through faith in His name that made the man strong
         a. A man whom they see and know
         b. Faith which comes through Jesus has given him perfect
            soundness in their presence

   B. THE CALL TO REPENT AND BE CONVERTED (17-26)
      1. Peter knows they and their rulers crucified Christ in their
         ignorance
         a. Those things God foretold by the mouth of His prophets
         b. How Christ would suffer, God has fulfilled
      2. Peter commands them to repent and be converted
         a. That their sins may be blotted out
         b. That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the
            Lord
         c. That God might send Jesus Christ
            1) Who was preached to them before
            2) Whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration
               of all things
               a) Which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy
                  prophets
               b) Since the world began
      3. Even as Moses warned the fathers (cf. Deut 18:15,18-19)
         a. That God would raise up for them a Prophet from their
            brethren
         b. Whom they should hear in all things, whatever He says
         c. Those who will not hear that Prophet will be utterly
            destroyed from among the people
         d. As all the prophets foretold these days, from Samuel and
            those who followed
      4. They are the sons of the prophets, of the covenant God made
         with their fathers
         a. Saying to Abraham, "And in your seed all the families of the
            earth shall be blessed"
         b. To them first, God sent His Servant Jesus to bless them
            1) Having raised Him up
            2) To turn every one of them from their iniquities

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The healing of the lame man (1-11)
   - Peter's second sermon (12-26)

2) When did Peter and John go up to the temple? (1)
   - At the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (3 p.m.)

3) What was the name of the gate of the temple where the lame man begged
   for alms? (2)
   - Beautiful

4) When Peter and John spoke to the lame man, what he expecting? (3-5)
   - To receive something from them

5) As Peter prepared to heal the lame man, what did he say?  What did
   Peter then do? (6-7)
   - "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
   - Took the lame man by the right hand and lifted him up

6) How soon was the lame man healed?  How did the lame man respond?
   (7-8)
   - Immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength
   - Leaping up, stood, walked into the temple, leaping and praising God

7) Who saw the lame man walking in the temple?  What was their reaction?
   (9-10)
   - All the people, who knew he had been the lame beggar at the gate
     Beautiful
   - Filled with wonder and amazement

8) Where did the crowd gather in the temple area? (11)
   - Solomon's porch

9) What did Peter first deny? (12)
   - That by their own power or godliness they made the man walk

10) What had God done through this miracle? (13)
   - Glorified His Servant Jesus

11) Of what did Peter accuse of the crowd concerning Jesus? (13-15)
   - They delivered and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, who wanted
     to let Him go
   - They denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for murderer to be
     granted to them
   - They killed the Prince of life

12) What did Peter then proclaim regarding Jesus?  What evidence does he
    provide? (15)
   - God raised Him from the dead; he and John as witnesses

13) To what does Peter attribute the healing of the lame man? (16)
   - The name of Jesus and faith in His name

14) What does Peter say regarding their guilt?  What else about their
    actions? (17-18)
   - They did it in ignorance, as did their rulers
   - It was foretold by God through His prophets, which God has now
     fulfilled

15) What two commands does Peter give to the people? (19)
   - Repent
   - Be converted (lit., turn)

16) What three blessings are extended to those who obey? (19-20)
   - That your sins may be blotted out
   - That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord
   - That He may send Jesus Christ

17) How long must Christ remain in heaven?   As described by whom? (21)
   - Until the times of restoration of all things
   - God, by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began

18) What did Moses promise to the fathers?  What did he also warn
    them? (22-23)
   - God would raise up a Prophet like him whom they should hear
   - Those who do not hear Him will be utterly destroyed

19) Who else foretold of these days? (24)
   - All the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed

20) How did Peter describe his audience? (25)
   - As sons of the prophets
   - As those of the covenant God made with their fathers

21) What promise did God make to Abraham? (25)
   - "And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

22) How was God seeking to bless the people? (26)
   - Having raised up Jesus, sending Him to bless them in turning people
     away from their iniquities
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