Gtcotr/ws111523
Shortly after God sent His Holy Spirit to those 120 Believers who were praying in that upper room in Jerusalem on that first Pentecost Sunday, we find the Church organized and in full operation. The Apostles of Jesus along with many of those who had recently been saved were gathering together to fellowship, observe communion, hear the preaching of the Word of God, and pray. The Church was even observing a designated time that was set aside and called the hour of prayer.
Jewish tradition holds that there are three hours of prayer. The first hour of prayer was instituted, they say, by Abraham when he got up early and went out to a place where he prayed. It is observed at 6am. The second is attributed to Isaac and corelates to noon while the third hour of prayer is evening prayer which the Jews believe is owed to Jacob who prayed to God in the evening. The evening hour of prayer is 3pm.
Although the first Church in Jerusalem most likely followed the Jewish tradition, Luke specifically focuses on a miracle which took place when the Apostles Peter and John were on their way to the Temple to pray during the evening prayer at 3pm. Bear in mind the Church was also well aware that this was the time of the day when Jesus offered His last utterance to God in prayer prior to His death on the cross.
Luke 23:46 says it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon when Jesus said: “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And then He breathed His last breath.
Let’s read from the book of Acts, chapter 3.
Acts 3 NKJV
1 ¶ Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
12 ¶ So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
14 “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
16 “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18 “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 “and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
22 “For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.
23 ‘And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
24 “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.
25 “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
26 “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
This is the Gospel:
God raised Jesus as a Servant and sent Him to bless you in turning you away from your iniquities.
