'Instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God,' (Acts 3:7-8)
When Peter and John went to the temple, this man was sitting at the gate begging for money. The only thought in his mind was how he would get enough money to survive the day: money to live; money to buy food; just an existence; nothing more. Peter says, "Look at me" - I imagine the man looks up expectantly waiting to receive a few coins - but then Peter said, "I have no money; I have no gold, no silver. I have no dollars. I have no shekels. I cannot give you that. But I want to give you what I have. I have something worth more than gold. Something worth more than silver. I have the most precious, most wonderful thing in the world. What I've got I want to give you." And he reached out his hand, took hold of the hand of that lame man, and the man who was more than 40 years old, stood up; as he stood, he became strong. He was completely healed. Hallelujah!
Not only was he healed, but the miracle enabled him to enter the temple for the first time in his life. Can you understand his joy? He couldn't contain himself. The Bible says he was leaping and dancing. He had never walked in his life.
I've got three daughters, many of you have got children; when you teach children to walk, you encourage them to take their first steps, then they become stronger and stronger, and soon they are able to walk unaided. – This man had never learned to walk. He didn't even know how to put one foot in front of the other. All he knew for certain was, it is a miracle! A miracle has happened! "My life is changed. I am no longer lame. I've got new life. It is like being born again. It is just as if I have been born anew." He was so full of joy. He began to leap and run into the temple. Hallelujah! What a miracle!
The ministry of Jesus is to people like this. So often we read that the ones Jesus ministered to were not the religious, not the self-righteous, but the sinners who needed to be healed. Just as the healing of this man enabled him to go into the temple, so the ministry of Jesus enables us to enter the very presence of God. No one is excluded or shut out. Because of Jesus we all have direct access to God through prayer. Do you have the same joy this man had? Have you a reason to rejoice?
There is another miracle, if you read a little further in the story, Peter began to speak to the people, "Don't look at us", he said, "we didn't heal this man; the God of Abraham and Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Son Jesus. The Name of Jesus healed this man."
God exalted Jesus, gave Him a Name which is above every other name in heaven and on earth. I want to declare the glory of Jesus. Put your faith in Jesus. He has power to heal you, deliver you, and set you free. Peter said in Acts 3:20, turn to God and be cleansed of your sins, so that wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord. Turn to Jesus, He has a wonderful future in store for you. I want you to be full of joy: dancing and leaping in the presence of God.