I suppose that if I had to choose between being lame or blind I would chose to be lame. Blindness seems so devastating. Man can somehow help the lame. Man cannot make one born blind to see. There was a lame man that was carried daily to the gate called beautiful in the temple at Jerusalem. He begged for alms from those that went into the temple. If I were to hope for mercy from anyone in this world it would be from those to whom the Lord had been merciful. But so often the mercies that God extends to His people are not financial. Financial impoverishment seems so contrary to those that advocate the "gospel of prosperity". I suppose that if any would have been financially prosperous in this world wouldn't it have been the Lord and His apostles? But I recall that when the taxman came for the temple tax from Jesus, our Lord sent Peter fishing. He said go to the sea and cast a hook and the first fish that comes up look in his mouth and there shall be a piece of money.  And so it was. We don't see Peter remaining at the sea fishing to fill his pockets with pieces of money. When Peter and John saw this poor lame man Peter said, "Silver and Gold have I none but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."

First, what was it that Peter said he had? He had Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ had him.  He had Jesus Christ of Nazareth in him, the hope of glory! That was good news to that lame man that had never taken a step. He had the name of Jesus Christ the Saviour preached to him.  Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the one that could make the lame to rise up and walk, as he never had before. Jesus is the doer of the work but Peter reached down and took that poor one by the right hand and lifted him up. The gospel is God's way to extend the right hand and lift up God's born again people that are afflicted here in this world. The gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the elect is strengthening to those found begging at the mercy seat of God. When the lame man heard the good news that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the name by which one can be raised to walk, immediately his feet and anklebones received strength. He leapt up and stood. He walked and entered into the temple walking and leaping and praising God!

By the grace of God some are made sensible to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ. Christ is able to raise His elect from the debilitating effects of sins and trespasses and iniquity in this world. Though the born again may feel unfit and unable to take one step toward God, yet God is able to save His people to the uttermost and established their goings in this world. The gospel is strengthening to the lame in this world. It causes them to leap and take a stand against ungodliness. It causes them to praise God for His mercies that endure forever. It causes men that were once unfit to worship God to have light on the life they were given by the death burial and resurrection of Jesus the Christ of God. Those that hear indeed are strengthened to stand and leap and praise God. They are reminded of their lively hope in Christ. Those that hear the gospel should desire to enter with the apostles into the true worship service of God here in this world!

All the money in the world couldn't buy the good news of Jesus Christ that the poor lame man received that day. The gospel is still being freely preached today and shall continue as long as day has a night. Today some poor beggar will be lifted up and brought to the light of their Saviour. Such shall be lifted up again and again by the good news of the Great Physician. They shall hear once again that salvation is of the Lord!  None can preach Jesus, the way the truth and the life, but those that have Him abiding in them. The same Jesus Christ Peter preached is still the only hope for sensible sinners in this world today and Jesus has raised up more than we can count more often than we can imagine. 8/17/2005 Elder M. Hoogasian