Acts 3:16 (ESV)
And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong
whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man
this perfect health in the presence of you all.
How in this world can someone get into trouble for helping
to restore a crippled man to health? The Jewish leaders didn't care about the
wonderful healing of the man who had begged every day at the temple gate. His
healing meant nothing to them, because it did not happen under their control.
They didn't even consider that this healing displayed the glory of God. They
couldn't see beyond the problem they had with the name under which the healing
took place. To the Jewish leaders, Jesus was not the Messiah because he did not
free the people politically from Roman tyranny.
Theological squabbles often lead to spiritual blindness and
dryness. Why did such a powerful healing not touch the Jewish leaders? Because
they had closed themselves to the message and mission of Christ.
Why don't we hear of more miracles like these today? Most
of us do not doubt that God could perform miracles if he chose to. But have we
perhaps allowed secularism and theological pride to affect our teaching and
belief about miracles?
Today's story teaches that Jesus' name had the power to
heal. Today the name of Jesus still has the power to save the soul and heal the
body. Our belief or unbelief doesn't change the healing power of his name. But
have we changed? Do we believe in that power?
Dear Lord, forgive us if we have not acknowledged the power
of Your name in our lives and in the world today. Heal us of spiritual
blindness, we pray. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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