“For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him.”
Acts 3:13 (NLT)
After we see the beautiful story of the lame man becoming a leaping man, Peter captures an opportunity to preach. The power of God is on display through the lame walking, and Peter has to explain what’s going on so those who aren’t saved have a chance to get saved, and those who are saved know how to walk out their saving.
Peter says, “People of Israel… why are you looking at John and I like we made this guy walk with our own power or godliness?” We didn’t do it. Verse 13 reminds us it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. So, God brought glory to Jesus by healing this man.
Peter doesn’t hide the truth. He rebukes their sin to try and save them: you handed Jesus over, rejected the Holy and Righteous One, and begged for a murderer to be released instead of the spotless Lamb. Then he says, “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.”
And the epicenter of this chapter is verse 16: through faith in the name of Jesus this man was healed. It is Jesus’s name and the faith that comes through him that made this man strong. This verse assembles what Jesus taught in Mark 11:22–25 and what he prophesied in John 16:23–24: don’t doubt, but believe, and ask in Jesus’ name. And we ask in accordance with what Jesus wants by abiding and remaining in relationship with him, like John 15:7 says.
So here’s what I’m taking into today: it is almost an act of worship when we have faith in Jesus and offer it to others through prayer, where God provides miracle power through Holy Spirit in us. Jesus is glorified through His power on display with answered prayer. So don’t doubt. Believe. Ask in His name. Stand as a witness.