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Tag: Acts of the Apostles

Silver and gold I do not have

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Acts, What’s new?.

What is the meaning of “silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you” (Acts 3:6)?


In Acts 3:6, Peter says to a lame beggar, “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” (NKJV). Peter did not have alms to give the beggar, but he gave him something better—he shared the healing power of Jesus with him.

The chapter begins with Peter and John heading to the temple for prayer when they encounter a man who had been “lame from birth” (Acts 3:2, ESV). Since the lame man could not walk, he was carried to the Beautiful Gate where he begged for alms. When the man asks Peter and John for alms, Peter responds with, “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” (Acts 3:6, NKJV). Peter then takes the man by the right hand, and immediately the man’s feet and ankles become strong. He leaps to his feet and begins to walk and jump around, praising God as he goes into the temple with them.

Peter’s words to the lame beggar demonstrate the surpassing worth of spiritual blessings over material wealth. Peter and John did not have material wealth, but they had something far more precious to offer—the healing power of Jesus Christ. There is power in the name of Jesus, including the power to heal a man who had been lame from birth. In John 14:13–14, Jesus says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” (ESV). In the name of Jesus, Peter provides the man with a new lease on life.

The Bible consistently teaches that true wealth is found in God. In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus calls His disciples to choose God over wealth:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21, ESV).

Peter and John showed where the true treasure lies. It is not in material wealth, but in the name of Jesus and the power of His resurrection.

Believers can learn at least two things from Peter’s words in Acts 3:6. First, we must not equate success with material accumulation. As Paul advises in 1 Timothy 6:17, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (ESV). We should focus on eternal treasures and use our resources to bless others, as Peter and John do in Acts 3:6.

Second, every believer has something to offer, even if it is not material wealth. This could be prayer, encouragement, or support. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10, ESV). Just as Peter and John shared what they had, believers are called to share love, grace, and truth with those in need.

Acts 3 relates a beautiful story about using our resources to bless others, even if the gift is immaterial. May we say with Peter, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you” (NKJV). Amen.

More blessed to give than to receive

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Acts, What’s new?.

Why is it more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)?

Acts 20:35, part of Paul’s address to the elders of the church of Ephesus, declares, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” These words of Jesus are not found in the Gospels, but they were obviously known to the Ephesian elders and mentioned by Paul as an authoritative declaration. The Gospel writers did not include everything done and said by Jesus (John 20:30–31; 21:25), and this is one example of a saying passed down orally until Luke recorded it in Acts. Our Lord taught the blessedness of giving.

Giving aligns with Jesus’ example and serves as a testament to the gospel. Jesus came to earth “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Therefore, giving reflects Christlikeness and offers a way to live out the gospel with our resources. Christians are called to be generous because we serve a God who gives sacrificially (John 3:16).

Giving develops our character, fostering selflessness and countering the natural tendency toward self-centeredness. When we readily give of our money, time, talents, and gifts, we step beyond our little world and serve others. The generous person develops more virtues than the constant receiver and builds responsibility. Other virtues cultivated in our giving include compassion, kindness, joy, and love.

Furthermore, giving fosters contentment. When we generously offer our resources, we express satisfaction in God’s blessings and acknowledge Him as Ultimate Provider. While it is undoubtedly blessed to receive, it is even more blessed to give.

Scripture warns against the love of money, calling it a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and giving financially can uproot this misplaced love. Ecclesiastes 5:10 emphasizes the futility of loving money by stating, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” There’s a grasping Shylock within each one of us, tempting us to greediness. We combat that temptation by freely giving to those in need.

Finally, giving allows us to accumulate treasures in heaven, “where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). Jesus also said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Paul reaffirms this promise of reward for generosity in his instructions to wealthy Christians (1 Timothy 6:17–19) and to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:6).

There is some value in receiving. After all, we don’t give anything to gain salvation, but only receive God’s forgiveness by faith. However, in our day-to-day lives, the blessings that come with giving far surpass any gift being received. Indeed, the generous giver reaps a bountiful harvest.

Testimony for Jesus

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Following God, What’s new?.

What does it mean that our lives should be a testimony for Jesus?

The “testimony for Jesus” in view here would be a lifestyle and words that openly acknowledge our personal experience of following Jesus Christ. A testimony must be public because its purpose is to tell others what has taken place. In the Christian experience, our regeneration should be a testament (evidence) to other people that Jesus is alive and is changing lives. We testify by our words and actions. If our lives are a testimony for Jesus Christ, then they should be reflections of Christ as we “follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

In Acts 4:33, the apostles give their testimony in words: “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” The apostles, testifying of the resurrection, were telling others what they had seen with their own eyes, heard with their own ears, and touched with their own hands—they gave a personal, eyewitness account of Christ’s resurrection. In the same way, believers today are commanded to tell others of what they have witnessed firsthand. We haven’t had a face-to-face experience with Jesus as the apostles did, but our conversion experience is no less genuine and no less proof of God’s supernatural work in our lives. We should eagerly share with boldness and humility the change that has taken place in our hearts.

Revelation 12:11 says that believers “triumphed over [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Notice the “word” of their testimony, meaning these triumphant ones spoke verbally, without shame or fear. Some believe that Christians ought not verbalize their testimony but should simply live it out in their daily lives. But it’s not an either-or proposition. Living the gospel message is important, but it’s no more important than our verbal testimony, since God has chosen “hearing” the Word as the means of producing faith (Romans 10:17; see also John 4:39).

A life dedicated to Christ is a powerful testimony. Paul describes such a life in 2 Corinthians 1:12, “We have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.” When our actions of godly living match the words coming from our lips, our testimony will be seen as true.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus provided a list of those who are blessed: “the poor in spirit . . . those who mourn [over their sin] . . . the meek . . . those who hunger and thirst for righteousness . . . the merciful . . . the pure in heart . . . the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:3–9). Jesus summed up a godly life with two commands: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37–38). A Christian who wants to live his life as a testimony for Jesus will love God above all else and love others above himself. When a believer shares what Jesus has done in his life and serves God and others in tangible ways, he will increasingly reflect the life-giving power of Christ into a dark and dismal world.