How does Acts 3:12 challenge us to redirect glory to God in success? Setting the Scene - Outside the temple gate called Beautiful, a man lame from birth is healed through Peter and John (Acts 3:1-10). - A stunned crowd gathers, marveling at the miracle and instinctively crediting the apostles. - Scripture records this event exactly as it happened, showing God’s power breaking into everyday life just as literally today. Peter’s Immediate Response “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (Acts 3:12) - Peter refuses even a moment of misplaced honor. - He exposes the crowd’s assumption—that human ability accomplished the impossible. - Instantly, he pivots attention upward, preparing to preach Christ as the true source (vv. 13-16). Key Lessons for Redirecting Glory - Success can magnetize admiration toward us; Peter shows how to deflect it. - Acknowledging God as the doer preserves the miracle’s real purpose: to exalt Jesus, not human personalities. - The question “Why stare at us?” reminds believers that any spiritual fruit or earthly achievement remains God-enabled (John 15:5). - Humility is not self-deprecation; it is accurate attribution. Peter possessed boldness yet denied personal credit. - Redirecting glory protects both the onlookers (from idolatry) and the servant (from pride). Practical Ways to Live This Out - Verbally credit God when praised: “Thank you—God helped me do it.” - Share specific ways He supplied strength, wisdom, or opportunity. - Guard inner thoughts: rehearse how entirely dependent we are on grace (1 Corinthians 15:10). - Celebrate colleagues’ gifts as God’s provision, not merely talent. - In testimonies, prioritize what the Lord did over what you did. - Keep achievements on the altar of usefulness, asking how they can further His kingdom, not your platform. Scriptures that Echo This Call - Isaiah 42:8 — “I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another.” - Psalm 115:1 — “Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory.” - 1 Corinthians 1:31 — “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” - 2 Corinthians 4:7 — “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.” - James 1:17 — “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” Summary Encouragement Acts 3:12 invites every follower of Jesus to treat success as a spotlight—not on personal brilliance, but on the Savior’s power. Like Peter, we can enjoy God-given victories while instantly rerouting applause to the One who alone makes the lame leap and any work prosper. |
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