Cling-on's

Acts 3:11
11 Now while he [still] firmly clung to Peter and John, all the people in utmost amazement ran together and crowded around them in the covered porch (walk) called Solomon's.

After receiving the Holy Spirit and the power to heal, Peter and John set out doing exactly what Jesus had told them to do. They were proclaiming the Gospel truth across the land and healing the sick and the lame in the name of Jesus Christ. One day, on their way into the temple to pray, Peter and John came upon a lame man at the gate. The man had been brought there daily and laid at the opening of the temple to beg money and food from the people as they passed by. Peter and John immediately recognized this man’s need and acted on it. They looked at him, they commanded that he look at them, and they laid hands on him. With the Spirit of God, and through the power of Jesus Christ, they reached out and healed this lame man. They didn’t give him what he sought, provisions for the day; they gave him healing, which was his provision for life!

Afterwards, this man was so thankful and greateful for what Peter and John had done that he literally clung to them as they all went into the temple to pray and worship. People crowded in amazement around them, desiring to see this man, who was a castaway member of society because of his lameness, now walking and rejoicing among them. The passage continues and Peter again preaches the Gospel truth to the people, giving all credit and honor to Jesus!

It’s interesting that Peter and John are the ones who God used to work this miracle. The name Peter means rock or stone. We know that the God wrote His law in stone, twice, for the people of Israel. So the rock, Peter, is a representation of the Law. The name John means God is gracious-mercy. So John is Grace. By inserting “The Law” in place of Peter and “God’s Gracious-mercy” in place of John, this same passage reads, “11 Now while he [still] firmly clung to The Law and God’s Gracious Mercy, all the people in utmost amazement ran together and crowded around them in the covered porch (walk) called Solomon's.” What a difference!

We were all “lame” when Jesus chose to sacrifice Himself for our sins. We were all set outside the temple of God begging and pleading for enough for one more day. But the Perfect Law and Gracious-mercy who is Christ Jesus stretched out His hands and gave us healing. He provided a way, not just to get through the day, but to have life everlasting. The lesson here is that we need to cling to the Law and God’s Gracious-mercy. The lame man in Acts realized how vitally important these two men were to his new life, likewise, we must realize how vitally important Jesus is to our new life. The people around were amazed and came RUNNING to see and learn what had happened to the lame man who was clinging to Peter and John. Are people running to see why you are clinging to Jesus?