Butterflies - 5

THE GIFT

We have to ask ourselves at this point in the study, What was the gift that Peter and John gave to this poor lame man?

Acts 3:6 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

The man was clearly there to beg for money, food, or any gift of value. Peter said, I don’t have “silver and gold” but what I do have, I give to you. We could certainly say that the gift was his healing. Watching that man jump up and down on those new legs and feet, his leaping around, and praising God, must have been a sight to see. Also, can you imagine being Peter and John, and seeing God do such a miraculous thing as this? But I am sure, that it was not the power God worked through them to heal this man that could thrill their heart.

But as we examine this story, we must realize, that the Apostles were not looking for people to bring physical healing to, though we see them doing that quite often. But their drive and passion was pointing people to the Lord Jesus. So, if the gift that Peter had, that he offered to this man was not healing, what was it? And the answer is Eternal Life. But there was a problem, this man couldn’t see the glory just inside the Beautiful gate because of his awful disease. He was consumed with it, and it had blinded his eyes, though the glory was right in front of him. We too will come in contact with people every day, that though salvation is right in front of their eyes, they cannot see it, because of all the things in their lives, and we have to do what I have heard a very wise evangelist say one time, we have to get people lost, before we can get them saved. We have to remove the thing that blinds them from the Love of God, in this case, it was this man’s desire to survive as a lame man in a whole man’s world. So the gift wasn’t the healing, that only served to help this man see the Lord, and his salvation.

But back to the gift for a moment. Eternal Life. There are people all through history that have given their lives, rather than denounce the name of Jesus, Why? There are people that have sold everything that they own in this world, and moved to a strange land, lived in mud huts, slept on a dirt floor, just for a chance to point someone to the Lord Jesus Christ, Why? It is because this Gift of Eternal Life is of more value than all the gold and silver in the world. Its value will last beyond the existence of this world as we know it, and its joy, runs far deeper, and surer than any happiness all the money in the world can offer.

Read this passage with me, I will add a little comment in parenthesis, but let God’s word move your heart as you read this:

2 Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes (Because we being in sin, having no hope, and without God in this world, we were poor, and destitute in this world) he became poor (Not only did he die, but he bore in his body your sin, the sins of the whole world, and suffered the eternal judgment we deserved), that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Romans 6:23 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

You carry in your heart, that precious gift of God, Eternal Life. When all the world is falling apart, when all around you is chaos, there is a deep abiding peace and Joy that floods your soul. When even death knocks on our door, we do not fear, for this life is eternal. Death is an early exit, and a blessed homecoming. Don’t ever think of our mission as a mobile hospital, bringing physical healing, and prosperity to man, but by using miracles like that, and preaching, and living for God, shinning for him in this sin darkened world. For the greatest gift we ever received, was God’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And that will be the greatest gift you can ever offer to anyone in this world.

Butterflies! How beautiful God has made a worm like me. When you get to heaven, look for me, I will be fluttering all over, ever consumed with his wonder, love, and grace.