Lesson 117 - Elementary

Memory Verse

"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15).

Notes

The Beautiful Temple

It is three o'clock in the afternoon in the City of Jerusalem, and time for the Jews' evening sacrifice, when they offer something to God. We see two men walking toward the Temple at this hour of prayer. We recognize them as Peter and John and we follow them, in our imagination.

As we near the Temple, we see that it is a very beautiful church. All around the outside are the porches, which are covered walks, separated by rows of large pillars or posts. The floors are of marble of many colours. The pillars are so large that three men can scarcely stretch their arms so as to meet around them. Some of the pillars are one hundred feet high. Along the walls we see seats for people to sit on, and all day long the people rest on the benches or move about between the pillars.

The Beautiful Gate, which leads to the Temple is made of dazzling brass, more costly than silver and gold, and it is very richly decorated. The double doors to this gate are so heavy that twenty men are needed to open and close them.

The Lame Man

We go with Peter and John as they make their way to that Beautiful Gate. Here they stop. Let us imagine that we are now close enough to hear what Peter is saying: "Look on us.” We see that he is talking to a lame man sitting near the Beautiful Gate. For many, many years this poor crippled man has been carried to the Temple gate. Day after day he has been sitting there begging for money from those who come to the Temple. He is now over 40 years of age, but has never walked. What a sad life he has had!

He looks up at Peter. This man will give me a piece of money, he hopes. But no! For an instant, Peter disappoints him by saying, "Silver and gold have I none.” But wait! Peter has more to say: "Such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

Healed

Then Peter takes hold of the right hand of the lame man and lifts him up. The feet and ankles of the helpless man received strength. For the first time in his life he stands alone! He walks! He leaps! He goes into the Temple with Peter and John, praising God as he enters! The happiest day of his life! No more need he be carried about; no more begging for money, for he is healed! All through the power of God.

The people in the Temple know the man who is healed. They all likely turn to see and listen as he praises God. For many years they probably had passed by this man as he sat at the gate and begged, and many times had dropped a coin into his hat or lap. Now he is walking and jumping. What has happened? They cannot understand!

Let us again imagine that we follow as the three men walk out on Solomon's porch. The man who has been healed walks between his newly found friends, Peter and John. He need not hold on to them, for he is now able to walk, but perhaps in order to show his love and thanks he is holding their hands. All the people follow us out on the porch. They stand and wonder. They cannot believe their eyes, but there before us stands the man whom God has healed.

Peter's Sermon

Peter must speak to the people. He asks them why they look so hard at John and himself, as if they had made the man to walk. Then he preaches a wonderful sermon to the people that day at the Temple. He reminds them that they had caused Jesus to die on the cross. But he tells them that Jesus has risen again from the grave. He says that it is through faith in that same Jesus, that the lame man is healed. He tells them to repent of their sins and be saved. He also tells them that Jesus has gone to Heaven but is coming back to earth someday.

As Peter preached to the people, the captain of the Temple – who was perhaps a policeman – and the priests and others took Peter and John and locked them up in a jail for the night. They did not want Peter to preach about Jesus. The next day the high priest asked them by what power they had made the sick man well. Peter told them that it was through the name of Jesus Christ. Then the officers told Peter and John not to speak or to teach in the name of Jesus. But that made no difference to these men of God, for Peter and John answered, saying, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye” [ACT:4:19]). And they kept right on telling many people about Jesus, and a great number believed on Jesus and were saved. And the officers too, knew that the disciples had been with Jesus. They saw the healed man stand before them, and they could say nothing against it.

The Power of God

How was Peter able to say to the sick man, "Rise up and walk”? Was it because he had seen Jesus heal the sick? At one time Jesus took hold of the hand of Peter's wife's mother, when she was sick with fever. Jesus lifted her up and the fever left her [MAK:1:30];[MAK:1:31]). It was not only because Peter had seen Jesus do these miracles but Peter was able to do this because he had the power of God with him. He had been saved and sanctified and he was one of those who were in the upper room when the baptism was given. He had received the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus had told the disciples that when the Holy Ghost came they should receive power to work for Him. Now Peter had that power and he was using it, too!

Jesus took care of Peter and John and would not let the officers hurt them. The officers let Peter and John go and they returned to their brothers and gave thanks to God. Jesus will always take care of His people. No one who loves Him, not even a little child, is forgotten by Him. Let us try to live every day so that others may say of us that we, too, have "been with Jesus.”

Questions

1. What did the lame man ask of Peter and John? [ACT:3:3].

2. What was Peter's reply? [ACT:3:6].

3. Tell what happened then. [ACT:3:7-8].

4. Was it through any power of Peter that the man was healed? [ACT:3:12-16].

5. What did the captain of the Temple do to Peter and John? [ACT:4:3].

 

GOD BE IN MY HEAD

 

God be in my head,

And in my understanding;

 

God be in my eyes

And in my looking;

 

God be in my mouth

And in my speaking;

 

God be in my heart

And in my thinking;

 

God be at my end,

And at my departing.

 

--- Sarum Primer