The Keys to a Beautiful Life

Sermon OverviewScripture Passage: Acts 3:1-10Acts 3 tells the story of Peter and John healing the crippled man at the gate of the temple in Jesus’ name. As a result, perhaps twenty thousand people came to know and follow Jesus Christ. In this passage, we can identify three keys to a beautiful life.These twenty thousand people who were saved were first confronted with a miracle. The man who would be healed by Jesus’ disciples had been crippled since birth. He resides at the gate of the temple (actually called ‘Beautiful’). Day after day, he lived on the outside of a beautiful life. Until one day, Peter and John approached him, offering him the healing power of Jesus Christ. The man was healed, free to leap, dance, and praise God. He entered through a gate called Beautiful, into the temple of God. This was a miracle that could not be reasonably denied or humanly explained, and it comes with a message for us all. This man represents those of us who are spiritually and morally crippled by birth. When Jesus—through the apostles—healed this man, His actions said this: “A touch from God leads to a beautiful life of serving, worshiping, and walking with God.”Secondly, Peter tells the crowd of the murder that condemned them. More than likely, the people in Act chapter 3 didn’t literally nail Jesus to the cross, but Peter said, “If you’re not with Him, you’re against Him. If you don’t crown Him, you crucify Him.” We learn from Peter’s accusations that it was our sin that nailed Jesus Christ to the cross. We’re implicated in His murder.Thirdly, there was a message that converted them. After the miracle grabbed the crowd’s attention, the stage was set for one of the greatest evangelistic messages ever preached.Peter’s message was, “Jesus is the risen Lord. We are witnesses. He is alive and He is present, even today. He redeems those who repent.”This message still rings true today, for us. Adrian Rogers says, “When you repent, Christ comes in and He gives you the power to live the life that you could not live.”Apply it to your lifeDo you want a beautiful life? Do you want to be spiritually healed? Repent! Change your mind about yourself, about sin, and about the Savior. And watch Him make something beautiful out of your life.