Peter’s healing and preaching in Acts 3 revealed the Holy Spirit’s power at work. Through both word and deed, Peter and John committed themselves to the all-encompassing mission of the gospel—that all they said and did would point back to the truth of Christ as Messiah.
What deeper meaning can we glean from this healing in Acts 3? How did this miracle reveal Jesus’ identity as the promised Messiah?
The man carried to the temple’s gate desired to receive something generous from Peter and John that afternoon; however, he did not expect to be walking around and worshiping God by the day’s end. It seemed that all those gathered around the temple likewise did not expect a miracle to occur in the life of this middle-aged man, as evidenced by their astonishment in this passage.
Though these disciples did not have money to give to this man in need, they did possess something of even greater value—faith in the name and person of Jesus Christ. They refused to withhold this power from the man, convicted of the importance of living on mission for the gospel. More than just doing good deeds before others, they knew the priority of proclaiming Jesus’ truth before them all, so that the man and the onlookers might find restoration in Christ’s name, too.
The significance of the man’s ability to not only walk but to leap cannot be understated. The prophet Isaiah declared such a miracle would stem from the Messiah’s power. (Isaiah 35:6) What was true then is still true today: God is restoring all things, and this healing further represented His ability to remedy our greatest need for salvation. This man was raised to walk again by the same power that raised Christ from the dead.
As you prepare to teach Acts 3, reflect on the Holy Spirit’s power at work within Peter. This disciple who denied Christ went on to empower others to repent of their own denial of the Messiah. The same Spirit who restored and redeemed this apostle has empowered you to declare this same hope to the children in your class.
Listen to the Weekly Leader Training for Preschool & Kids
Every week, members of The Gospel Project for Kids team offer guidance to help you as you prepare to teach every session to preschoolers and kids.
Podcast (kidsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
This training is available on Ministry Grid, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and other podcast platforms.
Need to contact our team? Connect through The Gospel Project for Kids Community Facebook page or email us.
