http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=15980&post=94562&uid=308173344359#post94562
1. Some observations on Acts 3 and Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s “A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical” (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), 17-22.
2. Benny Hinn. He has about 50 to the stage with minimal ailments from headache to minor fiber myralgia. Never quadriplegics. There are usually about 20,000 in attendance. Let us assume for the sake of the argument that: 1) that 500 come for healings and 2) only the 50 are healed. That’s a 1% cure rate. The NT miracles are 100% cure rate. Even with our assumptions, Hinn is a liar, charlatan and phony. This scribe intends, God willing, to attend Hinn Crusades in the future for investigation and coverage for these forums. We intend to develop this point in the years to come, Lord willing.
3. Peter heals a lame man in Jerusalem and preaches a sermon to the marveling multitudes.
4. The length after Pentecost is unknown. Peter and John are in the scene. In fact, they appear together routinely in the early chapters of Acts. Notice that they two are in attendance at “prayers” for the evening sacrifice, 3 PM. The man in question was “lame from his mother’s womb.” His inability was visible and marked. Noted by all. He required a physical escort to the “Gate of the Temple.” The man is not expecting a miracle. Peter commands the man to look at him and John. Peter says with 100% accuracy and power, “In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk.” The NT miracles know nothing of a 99% failure rate, unlike Hinn. The cure is not temporary. The man arises and follows John and Peter into the temple. “All the people saw him.” There was verification, unlike what is offered by faith-healers, including Hinn. Hinn has claimed he is not a doctor and does not do verification, unlike the NT record.
5. Of greater interest (and it is great) is that Peter proceeds to preach. The miracle focuses on Christ and the preaching of the Word. Notably, as well, the language is understandable to the people. This also cannot be understated---preaching in a known tongue here as well as the centrality of the sermon after the 100% miracle and 100% verification. We offer notes on the sermon.
6. Peter asks why the people are marveling? This God is sovereign. Jesus is sovereign and the sermon will focus on Christ. Peter, as a Jew, in a Jewish Temple, speaks like a Christian Jew, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified His Son Jesus.” Behind this lies the covenant of grace through history with the sign and seal of the covenant, e.g. Gen.17. The term “Son” merits wider review: Son of God, Son of Man, Servant, Messiah, Lord of Glory, Christ, and Prince of Peace, Governor, Shepherd, Lord, King, Prophet, Son of David and others exist. He was the Light of the world, the everlasting water, the way, truth, life. Peter says He was glorified. Christo-centricity is written all over this sermon, including the resurrection.
7. Peter, true to his commission, preaches repentance and pins the death of Christ on the listeners, “whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate.” They denied “the Holy One.” They desired a “murderer” be offered up in Christ’s place so that He might die. They killed the “Prince of Peace.” But Christ was He “whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.”
8. Let us pause. We also, as wicked sinners, as justified and beloved saints of Christ, put Him to the Cross. He died for us, even when we were enemies, like the leaders in Jerusalem. Application: Crouch? Hinn? Paula White? Copeland? Price? Arthur Blessitt? Joyce Meyers? Joel Osteen? Robert Schuller? Brian McClaren? Rick Warren? Once one ponders this sermon by Peter, one sees that these teachers have lost it. There is no parallel between these false teachers and Peter's sermon.
9. Peter tells them to repent. There will be a future restoration of all things. Jesus has ascended until that time of restoration. Peter is at pains to demonstrate from the Old Testament that Christ was preached from “the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Hence, that same effort should characterize all preaching from the Old and New Testaments. For the honest listener of TBN and other outlets, does this characterize preaching?
10. We stress. 100% cure rate. 100% verification. Preaching in a known tongue. Theocentric preaching. Biblical preaching. Good benchmarks for evaluation of TBN, Pentecostals, Emergents and Churchgrowthers, e.g. Warren.
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