Acts 3
Stepping Into Faith: What Acts 3 Teaches Us About Risk, Power, and Love
Living on the Other Side of Easter
We’re still riding the high of Easter—celebrating the risen Jesus, worshiping with family and friends, and remembering that this moment in history changed eternity. And now we turn the page to Acts 3, where the disciples are living in that post-Easter, post-Pentecost reality. Jesus has ascended. The Holy Spirit has come. And we’re watching the early church take its first bold steps into a world desperate for healing, truth, and hope.
In Acts 3, Peter and John encounter a man who has been lame since birth, begging for money outside the temple. What unfolds in just a few verses reveals something powerful for us today: they didn’t give what they didn’t have—but they did give what they did have. They gave Jesus.
We Have Something to Give
Peter says to the man, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” And then he reaches out, takes the man’s hand, and pulls him up in faith. Strength floods into the man’s legs. A miracle happens. But maybe the greater miracle is what’s happening in Peter and John: they’re moving with the Spirit. They’re paying attention. They’re offering Jesus, not just words or money or a polite smile—but the power of a risen Savior.
This convicts us. How often do we keep what we “have” to ourselves? We may not have extra cash, a granola bar, or even a water bottle for someone in need—but we do have Jesus. The real question is: are we willing to give Him away?
We’re not meant to be secret agents in the kingdom of God. Peter’s courage calls us out of hiding and into the streets, into messy lives, into conversations where faith is risky. He didn’t wait to see if the miracle would happen before reaching out. He acted in faith—and the power followed.
The Pause Before the Power
Before Peter heals the man, something small—but deeply important—happens. He looks at him. In fact, both Peter and John do. There’s a moment of holy pause. A moment to ask, “Lord, what are You doing here? What are You inviting us into?” That pause is everything.
We’ve learned that spiritual power often begins with paying attention. Discernment isn’t flashy. It’s quiet, intentional, surrendered. It asks God what He’s doing before jumping in with our own plans.
And let’s be honest—there’s tension here. We’ve all felt it. Do we pray boldly and risk looking foolish? Do we step in and offer Jesus when we’re not sure what will happen? There’s fear of failure. Fear of misrepresenting God. But we’re learning that the real failure is doing nothing at all.
We’ve seen the Holy Spirit move. We’ve watched God heal. We’ve also prayed for healing and seen things not go how we hoped. But in both cases, God shows up. He comforts. He realigns. He restores in ways deeper than we understand.
The Greater Miracle
Yes, a man walked who couldn’t before. But that wasn’t the end. Peter goes on to preach the gospel to everyone around. And in that moment, even more healing happens—the kind that touches hearts and rewrites eternities.
The real miracle isn’t just the physical one. It’s that Peter and John stepped in. That they didn’t let fear win. That they gave what they had—Jesus—and trusted Him with the outcome. And through that, God moved.
So here’s our prayer as we reflect on Acts 3: God, we want to live like this. Help us pause. Help us pay attention. Give us courage to act. Let us not hold back what we have because of what we don’t. May we be people who say, “I have Jesus, and I give Him to you.”
Let’s risk more. Let’s pray more boldly. Let’s look people in the eye and step in when the Spirit nudges. Because we’re not the miracle workers—He is. And He’s still doing miracles today.
What’s one way you’ve seen God move when you stepped out in faith?
