The Whole Miracle

Acts 3:11 While he [the healed lame man] clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.  

My Thoughts:
For the first time in his life this lame man was strong. He’d just been miraculously healed but look at what verse 11 says, “he clung to Peter and John.” The miracle was more than physical healing.  It was the actual physical help he needed to stand on his own two feet for the first time.  That miracle was more than a sign of the “power or piety” of Peter and John’s faith, and certainly more than the faith of the crowd. What utterly astounded all the people that day was being eye witnesses of the truth of Peter’s words; “the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.”   “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers glorified his servant Jesus” in their presence — despite their guilty denial.  And now every time they saw that healed man stand and walk they would remember the power behind the whole miracle.  Jesus, “the Holy and Righteous One…the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead” had shown them His desire was to heal both the lame and the guilty — by faith in His name.