January 14

Acts 3:1-5:15 This is our final day for this week to read from the Modern English Version. We will use a different translation starting tomorrow. Today we are back in the Church Stream in the book of Acts. We left off last week with Peter’s sermon after Pentecost and the believers living together in community. The excitement is picking up in the stream – it’s almost like white-water rafting today! 7streamsmethod.com <blockquote>Holy Spirit, we thank you for coming not only to comfort us but to lead us in every possible way. We are amazed at the work accomplished with Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate. A life with you is not dull and boring. We thank you for transforming lives. We are in awe of the story of Ananias and Sapphira. You know our secrets and you cannot be deceived. Amen.</blockquote> <p>In the first part of our story today, Peter and John are going to pray. A man was waiting at the gate. Don't you love how the gate is called Beautiful? I wonder what it looked like. He waited there every day. He didn't even know another kind of life. He must have made enough from begging to get by because he was brought to the same place every day for 40 something years. Every day was the same year after year. And then one day something was different. It probably started like every other day - he went about his normal routine got dropped off at the temple. And it's possible that Peter and John had seen him before, but this day was different for them too. They had received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and they really saw this man who was lame and his plight. With all boldness Peter commands him to rise up and walk and he did. He didn't have money to give to him but he gave him the ability to go out and work. That's the difference between welfare and farewell. We desire for our fellow man to farewell. So again a crowd assembles because it's pretty amazing to see a man who's been lame and now he's walking and Peter again gives an impromptu sermon. And watch the number of Believers continue to grow and the number of men