‘Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk’. Acts 3:7
There are times in life when we all need a hand. When we need someone to help us out of a situation that has overwhelmed us or a problem to which we can’t seem to find a way out of. That is why the Lord has not left us alone. He has put us in community, he has given us a family. A place where we can find help, support, love and encouragement. You see the body of Christ is the Lord’s master plan to make sure that we can enjoy the fulness of life that he died to bring us and to see other people finding this freedom, joy and purpose.
This is what I love about today’s verse. It's like a master class in how the body of Christ should function. Firstly, we see how Peter responds to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He sees this man, speaks healing over him and then he helps him up. Peter’s actions prove that he had faith that his words carried power. He didn’t just speak and then look at the man expecting him to jump up on his own. He demonstrated to the man that this Jesus he spoke of will change your life and he reached out to him encouraging him to believe in this awesome power. What I believe happens here is that the man and Peter join together, they come into agreement with what has been declared. They believe the words and act upon them and it is in this moment that the man gained his strength. As Peter stretched out his hands and helped him up we read that the man’s ankles and feet became strong.
Secondly, look at the details that are included here. They take him by the right hand: In bible times the right hand was used to greet a friend or someone in your station in life. When Peter reached out his right hand he was treating the lame man as an equal. Peter was reaching out his hand to a man who had spent his life time on the ground, begging for a living being literally looked down on by everyone. And here Peter lifts him up.
Now finally we find another incredible truth when we study the word here used to describe how Peter helps him or lifts him up. The word is ‘egeiro', which is literally raised him up. In fact it can also be used to describe resurrection, literally bringing someone back to life. Look at it in this context. Peter is showing this man the resurrection power of Jesus, bringing him out of death into a new life. He is restored physically but he has also encountered the power of the living God and the life of Jesus and he will never be the same again.
What a picture of our amazing role as the church today. We are equipped to go out and speak life to people who don’t know Jesus but who are calling out for help. We can show them his incredible power and help them out of their troubles. We can raise them up as they step out of darkness and receive God’s love and grace and we can show them the right hand of friendship and treat them with the dignity, respect and worth with which Jesus sees them. Let’s have eyes to see who Jesus is leading us to today and let’s dare to believe that we can be used to see lives touched and transformed by his grace.
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Unshakeable Hope Series – Exchange Church Belfast 2021