An appropriate response – Acts 04:09-10

Acts 4:9-10 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, (10) let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

For any normal-thinking person, this accusation of the leaders against the disciples would be seen as ridiculous. The leaders should have lauded and thanked the disciples for the good work that was done. The highest body of the Jews had gathered, to come up with such an outrageous accusation against His disciples.  This is happening today and these are the ways of the devil. 

This was what the Lord had to experience in His ministry.  John 7:22-24 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. (23) If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? (24) Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The Lord told the leaders to learn what is righteous judgement and not judge by appearance. 

The Lord turned the table on the tables on the leaders and made them confront their own blindness.  John 10:32-33 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” (33) The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

The leaders then accepted that their real issue with Jesus was He, being a Man was making Himself to be God. Man’s problem is with His submission to God.

The good that the disciples had done and the good that we as His church are doing today, are known to everyone as good deeds.  Yet, the world is vehemently against us because they are being confronted with the God of heaven and earth, who is to be worshipped by submission to His will.  

The devil does not want anyone to submit to God.  The devil knows that he is destined to everlasting fire.  His intention is to take as many as he can with him to the same place of everlasting destruction.  The good work that we do is a clarion call for the people of the world to repent, surrender to the lordship of Christ and escape the eternal fire. The devil is preventing and causing people to resist God. 

Let us look at another matter regarding the healing of the lame man.  The lame man was made well.   The wellness that happened to this man was complete wellness. 

This man was lame on his feet but now he stood, walked, leapt, and was praising God.  Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (7) And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. (8) So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

The strength that the man received in his legs and ankles bones was such that he stood, walked, and leapt. Not only was this a powerful physical healing.  The man was also reconciled with God, internally, for he entered the temple to worship God with praise. 

Later we see that this man stood alongside Peter and John, as a witness for the disciples, as they were being questioned by the leaders. Acts 4:14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.

He was physically healed, he became a worshipper of God with praise, and he became a witness to Jesus.  This is the description of wellness.

When the Lord intervenes in a person’s life, He brings wellness.  He gives life in all its fullness.  Whereas, the devil’s agenda is to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. 

This is why Jesus came.  He came to seek and save those who are lost. Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The leaders were questioning the disciples about the wellness that had happened to the lame man.  This is the same line of questioning that has been happening all through the centuries and is happening even today.

We as His church must be familiar with their line of questioning and be prepared.  Peter and John responded to their questioning appropriately.  The Holy Spirit will enable us also to respond to the questioning that we are being subjected to, appropriately.

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