3:12 “Men of Israel,
why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so intently at us, as though by
our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you
delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to
let Him go. 14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a
murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God
raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith
in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith
which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of
you all."
Faith. Who's faith? Who's faith healed that crippled man? His
own? Yes and not really. Had Peter never stopped and looked him in the eye and
said "...in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk"
the man would have had nothing to have faith in. Peter had to have faith before
the man could have any. Peter had to hear and believe the Voice that told him
to offer healing to this man. So the man had faith in Jesus in response to
Peter who also had faith in Jesus but it doesn't stop there. Peter could only
exercise faith in response to the Voice just like the man could only exercise
faith in response to Peter's offer.
Faith does not originate with us. It never does. The Bible
speaks of the faith of Jesus. Jesus had faith when He came to this earth. Jesus
had faith when He selected twelve men. Jesus had faith when He went to that
cross alone and by human calculation it appeared His mission was a colossal and
complete failure. Jesus had faith when it got so dark that day that it seemed
even His own Father had abandoned Him. He had faith when in opposition to that
feeling of abandonment He declared "Father into Your hands do I commit My
Spirit." Jesus had faith when met Mary near the tomb and said "...go
tell My disciples and Peter..." Jesus had faith when He met them on the
beach after they had given up and gone back fishing. Jesus had faith when He
made them breakfast and three times said to Peter "Feed My sheep".
Faith originates in Jesus. The Bible says faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the word of God. Jesus is the word of God. He speaks to
us of impossible things. Some hear and respond by faith. Others turn a deaf
ear.
Jesus had faith in Peter. That blows my mind. He has faith in
us still. That really blows my mind.
Do you know what else blows my mind? Peter's faith response
when Jesus whispered "Offer healing to this man" created the
opportunity for that lame man to put his faith in Jesus. Does that mean my
faith affects the faith opportunities of those I come in contact with?
Think about that...
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