Evening star., 1920-01-10
by REV. HUGH T.. STEVENSON.

oo III the dawn of the apostolic
church life only one is recorded at
length Peter and John were on their
way TO attend the evening service in
'he temple when they were attracted
by a beggar's cry for aid The un-
fortunate mans physical condition had
deprived him of the privileges of
worshiping God within the holy sane
'uarE. Forty years he had been un-
doie TO walk because of congenital
weakness of the ankle joint His
Irithds had placed him right by the
portal of the central gate that open
ed from the outer court on its eastern
side. 1t was the most costly, larg-
est ana finest gate that afforded ac-
cess to the faithful to the second or
sacred inciosure. 1t led the worshiper
rleht IN front of the sanctuary and
altar. which explains why it was made
the Gate Beautiful. Josephus describes
1t as made of Corinthian brass. richly
oVeriaid with gold and silver plates
and so massive that - required the
strength of twenty men to turn il on
its hinges.
Men il all ages and countries have
brought suffering humanity to the
portals of religion. The pressing prob
lens OF life cause all men to turn
toward God and His followers for as
Sistance. Nearly all the charities of
society depend for their support
upon those who habitually attend the
services of Gods people. Beggars
have recognized this fact and in their
shrewdness are always to be found
near the place of worship. Some have
wondered how it was possible that
this lame man did not receive healing
from the Lord Jesus. who must have
passed in and ont that very gate of
the temple many times during His
no 20 O.
Testament records a few cases of the
Masters healing men. who neither
sought it nor We're brought to Him by
their friends. close study of HIS
miracles of healing will show that
those cases were the exceptional and
that they We're due to either the in
ward fitness of the one. who lacked
either the courage or opportunity to
request His help, or else He healed
them because ii would glorify God
and advance His kingdom. The lame
man was surprised at the way In
which his appeal for sympathy was
answered by the two apostles. Their
command for him to look upon them
enabled the penetrating gaze of Peter
to discover that there existed withiS
the soul of the cripple sufficient faitn
for him to be healed. Peter possessed
what the cripple at the gate needea
more than gold and silver. and under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
Peter gave it to him.
One sees in this ministry of healing
A resumption by the Lord Jesus OF
His work on earth as the Head ana
Life of the church. Peter follows
closely the methods of Jesus. and with
miraculous results. for at the COM
mand, I'm the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth. walk" the cripple evil
dently felt the thrill of new power
that encouraged Him to make the
effort to walk. Peters outstretched
hand offered him help. He grasped
and powerless to compel his muscles,
made way for itself under the impulse
Of authority" SO that, aided by Peters
helping hand. he rose and walked
and praised God. Many a man had
gifts of money that pro-
vided temporary relief, but the two
ministers of the gospel. in their ef-
forts to aid the lame man. have left
a speaking parable to teach the fol-
lowers of the Lord Jesus that they
must not depend upon temporary re-
lief in their charities. but to seek to
the cause of poverty by Sc
curing for each individual the opp r
tunity of self-help.
Luke. who was physician. sup
plies testimony to prove that the man
was completely cured physically and
spiritually. He was present within
the temple LOT tHe HTSI time III HIS
life in the inner court. which was
reserved for those who were qualified
and prepared to share the worship of
Jehovah in accordance with the law
Of Moses. The new worshiper filled
the minds of the others with wonder
and amazement when they saw him
enter the sacred precincts of the tenn
pie. clinging close to his friends,
Ieaping, as Isaiah had foretold the
anne would do. and praising God. He
was well known, and as the news
spread around the temple the multi
tudeS were attracted to the apostles
and the man who had been healed.
When they retired to the outer
court. after the evening service, and
had crossed it to the usual meeting
place of the disciples, who followed
the practice of Jesus in the use of
the double colonnade which ran along
the eastern wall of the temple area,
a great crowd hurried after them
anxious to catch glimpse of the
healed man. In reply to their eager
looks and questions concerning the
miracle that had been performed.
Peter delivered a sermon that ranks
with the message delivered at Pente-
cost as defense of the new faith.
In studying the message one de-
tects the close parallel that exists
between the two. He opens both by
seeking to correct the mistaken
views of the multitude. The lame
man had not been cured by any mag1-
cal power that either he or John pos
sessed, but by the Lord Jesus, who
was the worker of both miracles. He
affirms the Messiahship of the Mas
ter and reproves them for their treat
ment of the Lord. He not only speci-
fies their crime as betrayal, denial
and murder. but he aggravates 1t by
opposing the righteous Leader and
fa w
to death. to the insurgent murderer
whom they saved alive. He then
turns as in the pentecostal message
to trace the glory of the risen Chrlst.
The second part of this sermon Is
given with more fullness. 1t was like
the former message in that Peter
sought to secure spirit OF repent
ance in their hearts SO that their SINS
could be blotted out. He uses with
rare tact motives that would De most
likely to cause Jew to become rec
onciied to God. He suggested that
the fact that they had done 1T in
IGNORANCE. In this Peter probably
had in mind the words of Chrlsts
PRAYER on the cross, Father, forgive
them, for they know not what tney
do He then reminded them how
their sinful mistakes had, through
the loving purposes OF Goa. Deen
used to provide for them savior.
Peter sounded a new note in TINS
sermon when he urged his country
men to repent in order that the times
of refreshing may come from the
presence of the Lord. In predicating
the return of the Lord to hinge upon
their repentance the apostle does not
abandon his hereditary hope TOT ms
nation. for. as he pointed out IN MS
epistles, written great many years
later. the Lord is not slack concern
ing His promise to return; he IS