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As I was preparing my lesson for the kids devotional this week I noticed something new. In the past I've taught this idea of expectation from the beggars perspective based off from verses four and five, 'And fixing his eyes on him with John, Peter said, "Look at us." 'So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.' but today I would like to look at the expectation of everyone involved and you may need to duck because it also includes yours and mine.
It says that this particular beggar was lame since birth and that his family or friends carried him daily to this particular gate called Beautiful to ask alms. Everyday they did what they could for Him. They carried him. Everyday they parked him here at this gate and it was their expectation to have to continue this task the rest of his life. They carried him here every single day to ask alms. Alms means compassion that is active, so everyday he was carried and put in this particular spot because they felt that this was the best place to expect and to receive alms or rather some compassion from those entering and leaving the temple.
This is were I have to tell you something really important. Nobody, had an expectation that this man's circumstances were about to change! This was a day like every other. He was the Beautiful Gate beggar, plain and simple, and that was his expected lot in life! Did the beggar have a different expectation? No! His begging was pretty routine. Peter and John had to speak to him before he even bothered to look at them. It was only after Peter said 'Look at us.' did he pay any attention to them. It was then that he suddenly had an expectation to receive. Did he know his whole world was about to change because of this sudden expectation to receive? No. He was the Beautiful Gate beggar and that was his lot in life. His only expectation was to maybe receive alms from those coming and going to and from the house of God.
What about you and I? Do we know some Beautiful Gate Beggars. Are we just like him? Do we live our lots in life without really expecting God to change our circumstances? What is our expectation in Him? I ask that because the next expectation I want to look at is the disciples, Peter and John's. What was their expectation? They were approaching the temple at the ninth hour when they hear the beggar saying, "Alms, alms, alms, for the poor." How many times over the years had they passed by this particular beggar? What was different this time? This time they heard him. This time, as disciples of Jesus, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they had ears to hear and eyes to see! When they heard his cry for compassion, even a rote one, they were moved to respond. From the moment they heard his plea for compassion their expectation is that he would receive it! They didn't even hesitate!
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." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood, walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God.' He didn't waver! He didn't wonder! He spoke, "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." with the expectation that the man would do exactly that. He expected him to rise up and walk! Immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength! Jesus had taught them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be removed and cast into the sea,' it will be done. And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:21-22 He also told them, "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:13-14 They expected the 'immediately' that followed. They expected his feet and ankle bones to receive strength and they expected him to rise because that is what they spoke! As His disciples they expected the result they got because that is how Jesus and the Holy Spirit trained and equipped them.They understood the authority the name of Jesus has over everything. They spoke it because they expected it to happen!
How about you and I? Do we as believers need to work up our faith when we are moved by compassion to pray for someone? Do we pray for people with the expectation that the result is a sure thing? Do we expect the lame to walk, the deaf to hear, the blind to see? Do we expect the 'immediately' to happen when we apply the authority of His name to a situation? Do we expect the healing or do we doubt?
We all have Beautiful Gate beggars in our lives. We all have people that we have seen dealing with their lot in life the best they know how; struggling along looking for compassion where they can get it. Maybe we are the ones carrying them. Maybe we are the ones who throw a little 'silver and gold' their way once in a while. But what if? What if we started acting like we really believed the words that Jesus spoke the way that Peter in John did. What if we started speaking change into the lives of the Beautiful Gate beggars in our lives with the an expectation that His word is the truth!
Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be removed and cast into the sea,' and it will be done. And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:21-22 "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:13-14 The question you and I as believers need to ask ourselves at this point is, "Is it the truth or a lie? Do we believe or don't we?" If the answer is Jesus doesn't Lie. He only speaks the truth! Then like Peter and John we need to start landscaping! We need to start moving mountains and giving people the help they need by praying and speaking to the situations that have them bound up and lame. We need to have a heart that cries out, "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."
At the end of the day what is our expectation? Is our expectation going to be that it is their lot in life to bear. Are we going to be those who help by carrying them and leaving them outside the temple, looking for compassion or are we going to be followers of Jesus, like Peter and John who walk in the truth of His word and expect them to rise up and 'enter the temple with us--walking, leaping, and praising God.'
As believers our expectations when we pray can change a man's life! Are we willing to expect His word to be the truth and are we willing to expect the miracle?
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