ACTS
CHAPTER THREE
OBSERVATION
STAGE
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the
normative rules of language, context and logic 
.which largely limits the observer to the
content offered by the books of Luke and Acts. Other passages must have a
relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural quotation or
reference in the passage at hand. This will serve to avoid going on
unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the
framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located
elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that
something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in
view.
I)
[Acts 3:1-26]:
A)
(Acts 3:1-7) PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING UP TO THE TEMPLE AT THE HOUR OF
PRAYER - THE NINTH HOUR; AND THEY ENCOUNTERED A LAME MAN FROM BIRTH
ASKING FOR ALMS AT THE "BEAUTIFUL GATE." PETER TOLD HIM TO
LOOK AT THEM AND WHEN HE DID, EXPECTING SOMETHING TO BE GIVEN TO HIM;
PETER SAID, "SILVER AND GOLD I DO NOT HAVE, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE I
GIVE YOU: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE UP AND WALK."
AND PETER TOOK HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND AND LIFTED HIM UP AND IMMEDIATELY
HIS FEET AND ANKLES WERE STRENTHENED
****** EXCERPT FROM ACTS
CHAPTER 2 ******
Or
skip to the next section in Acts chapter 3: 
(Acts
2:39-47) PETER DECLARED THAT THE PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS UNTO
ETERNAL LIFE IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD WAS TO JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE
- AS MANY AS THE LORD WILL CALL TO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST. PETER
EXHORTED THOSE TO WHOM HE PREACHED TO BE SAVED "FROM THIS PERVERSE
GENERATION." THREE THOUSAND SOULS WERE ADDED TO THE BODY OF
BELIEVERS THAT DAY; AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY TO BE TAUGHT BY THE
APOSTLES, REMAINING IN FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER AND IN PRAYER. THERE
WERE MANY SIGNS AND WONDERS DONE THROUGH THE APOSTLES. AND THE BELIEVERS
REMAINED TOGETHER, SELLING AND SHARING POSSESSIONS ACCORDING TO THEIR
NEEDS. DAILY, MORE WERE ADDED TO THEIR NUMBERS
[Compare
Acts 10:34-35]:
****** END OF EXCERPT
FROM ACTS CHAPTER 2 ******
(A
cont) (Acts 3:1-7 cont.) PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING UP TO THE TEMPLE AT
THE HOUR OF PRAYER - THE NINTH HOUR; AND THEY ENCOUNTERED A LAME MAN
FROM BIRTH ASKING FOR ALMS AT THE "BEAUTIFUL GATE." PETER TOLD
HIM TO LOOK AT THEM AND WHEN HE DID, EXPECTING SOMETHING TO BE GIVEN TO
HIM; PETER SAID, "SILVER AND GOLD I DO NOT HAVE, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE
I GIVE YOU: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE UP AND WALK."
AND PETER TOOK HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND AND LIFTED HIM UP AND IMMEDIATELY
HIS FEET AND ANKLES WERE STRENTHENED, cont.]:
B)
(3:8-11) THE LAME MAN, HAVING BEEN MADE COMPLETELY WHOLE, LEAPED UP,
STOOD AND WALKED. HE ENTERED THE TEMPLE WITH PETER AND JOHN - WALKING,
LEAPING AND PRAISING GOD, HOLDING ON TO THE TWO OF THEM. THOSE IN THE
TEMPLE SAW THE LAME MAN WALKING AND PRAISING GOD AND WERE REMEMBERING
HIM AS THE LAME MAN WHO SAT BEGGING ALMS AT THE "BEAUTIFUL GATE"
WITH WONDER AND AMAZEMENT. THEY RAN TOGETHER, FILLED WITH WONDER AND
AMAZEMENT, INTO "SOLOMON'S PORCH;" WHERE PETER, JOHN AND THE
LAME MAN HAD GONE
C)
(Acts 3:12-16) PETER'S ADDRESS WAS TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. ABSENT WAS
ANY ADDRESS TO INDIVIDUALS DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE CHURCH - THE BODY
OF CHRIST. HE INDICATED THAT THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN WAS NOT BY HIS
OWN POWER; BUT IT WAS BY THE POWER OF THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND
JACOB - OF THE GOD OF "OUR FATHERS," WHO DID GLORIFY "HIS
SERVANT" JESUS - A MESSIANIC TITLE IN SCRIPTURE. YET PETER DECLARED
THAT IT WAS JESUS WHOM THE JEWS DELIVERED UP TO BE CRUCIFIED, DENYING
HIM AS THEIR MESSIAH / SAVIOR IN THE PRESENCE OF PILATE; WHO JUDGED THAT
HE WAS NOT GUILTY AND SHOULD BE RELEASED. PETER CONTINUED TO CONFRONT
THE GREAT CROWD OF JEWS IN THE TEMPLE, STATING THAT THEY DENIED "THE
HOLY ONE," "THE JUST ONE" - TITLES OF THEIR MESSIAH /
SAVIOR FROM SCRIPTURE; AND ASKED INSTEAD FOR A MURDERER TO BE GIVEN HIS
FREEDOM! PETER FURTHER ACCUSED HIS FELLOW JEWS OF KILLING THE AUTHOR OF
LIFE - A TITLE OF GOD - WHOM GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD OF WHICH PETER AND
FELLOW APOSTLES AND BELIEVERS WERE WITNESSES. PETER THEN CONCLUDED HIS
POINT RELATIVE TO THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN: THAT THROUGH FAITH IN THE
NAME OF JESUS - IMPLYING HIS DIETY, THE MAN WAS HEALED IN THE JEWS'
PRESENCE. ONLY BY THE GRACE AND SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD WAS THERE NO VIOLENCE
TOWARD PETER
1)
[Compare Isa 42:1]:
2)
[Compare Isa 49:6-8]:
3)
[Compare Isa 52:13-14]:
4)
[Compare Isa 53:11-12]:
D)
(Acts 3:17-21) PETER BACKED AWAY FROM HIS SEVERE CONFRONTATION OF THE
JEWS, DECLARING THAT THEY AND THEIR RULERS KILLED JESUS IN IGNORANCE -
ALBEIT VOLITIONAL YET IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD; SO THAT
WHAT GOD HAD DECLARED THROUGH THE PROPHETS BEFOREHAND: THAT THE CHRIST /
MESSIAH OF THE JEWS SHOULD SUFFER WAS FULFILLED. WHEREUPON PETER
COMMANDED THEM TO REPENT AND TURN TO FAITH IN CHRIST FOR FORGIVENESS OF
SINS SO THAT THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD MAY COME WITH THE RETURN AND
PRESENCE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHOM GOD WILL SEND - THIS BEING
PREACHED TO THEM BEFORE. NEVERTHELESS, FOR A WHILE, JESUS WILL REMAIN IN
HEAVEN UNTIL IT IS GOD'S TIME FOR HIM TO RETURN - AS SPOKEN BY THE
PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN
1)
[Compare Acts 1:6]:
2)
[Compare Zech 12:1-13:6]:
E)
(Acts 3:22-26) PETER FURTHER CORROBORATED HIS TESTIMONY OF WHO JESUS WAS
BY SPEAKING OF MOSES' ADDRESS TO THE FATHERS - THE ANCESTORS OF THE JEWS
PETER WAS ADDRESSING: "THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A
PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN," WHOM PETER CONCLUDED WAS JESUS
- WHOM MOSES INDICATED WOULD BE AN EVEN GREATER PROPHET THAN MOSES WAS.
FOR MOSES DECLARED THAT IN ALL THINGS, WHATEVER THIS PROPHET WILL SAY,
WILL BE OF SUCH GREAT AND VITAL IMPORT THAT EVERY SOUL WHO REFUSED TO
HEAR WHAT THIS PROPHET HAD TO SAY "SHALL BE UTTERLY DESTROYED FROM
AMONG THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL." PETER ADDED THAT ALL THE PROPHETS FROM
SAMUEL ON ANNOUNCED THE DAYS OF THIS PROPHET'S ARRIVAL. PETER CONCLUDED
THAT THE JEWS OF HIS TIME WERE SONS OF THE PROPHETS AND OF THE ABRAHAMIC
COVENANT GOD MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN WHOSE SEED ALL THE FAMILIES OF
THE EARTH WILL BE BLESSED, WITH THE JEWS BEING FIRST RECIPIENTS. FOR GOD
HAVING RAISED UP HIS SERVANT JESUS, SENT HIM TO BLESS THE JEWS FIRST IN
TURNING EACH ONE OF THEM FROM THEIR INIQUITIES THROUGH A MOMENT OF FAITH
IN HIS ATONING SACRIFICE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD
1)
[Compare Dt 18:15-19]:
2)
[Compare Gen 26:1-5]:
Acts
chapter four
