Empty Pockets

Acts 3:1-10
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ² And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. ³ Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. ⁴ And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” ⁵ And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶ But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” ⁷ And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. ⁸ And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

It’s the New Year! Everyone, it seems, is making resolutions and setting goals! They are making changes and are filled with hope about the year ahead!

Does just reading that make you cringe inside? If I’m honest, the holidays chewed me up and spit me out. I stumbled into 2020 wanting to hide under the covers. Waves of anxiety have knocked me down. Fears have felt crippling. And yet, I look around and I see all these roles and tasks that God has called me to and I think – “impossible”.

How can I possibly accomplish what is before me when I feel so empty?

Resolutions? Goals? Hope filled changes?

Those sound so daunting.

Maybe you’re feeling a bit like me today. As though you are Peter or John walking down the street, and everyone is calling out to you wanting something.

You look at your to-do list and you think… I can’t do this. I’m spent. My pockets are empty. I have nothing left to offer those around me.

Look back at the story above. What if in response to the beggar, Peter and John had reached into their pockets and handed him money? Or what if they had given him a place to stay at their nicely decorated and routinely cleaned home? What if they had served him a gourmet, organic meal made from scratch?

Those things would have been good! The man would have been served. He would have felt loved and cared for. I’m sure he would have appreciated their efforts. Maybe even posted pictures on social media so others could applaud the good works of his new found friends.

But here’s the thing… in the morning, when the man woke up, he would have still been crippled.

The next day he would have the same needs, and the same wants. The deep seated brokenness that runs through all of our lives – including his – would not have been fixed.

But that’s not what happened. They didn’t serve the man out of their own resources – because their resources were spent – and they had nothing to give.

“Look at us… I have no silver or gold.” (vs. 4 and 6)

Their pockets were empty. But they had one thing that would never run out.

They had Jesus.  

“…but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (v 6)

“…and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk…” (vs 7 and 8)

Did you catch the good news this story offers? God was not disappointed with their emptiness. He was not discouraged with their lack. He works best when we are at our lowest. He knows that when we give and serve out of our own strength – we offer good things – but we don’t offer the best thing.

God knew that what that crippled man needed most was the gospel.

What the people in our lives need the most is the gospel.

We all just need a whole lot more of Jesus.

We all need to know, for the first time or the 100th, that we don’t have to earn God’s love. That God doesn’t expect us to make our way towards him, but rather he has already made his way toward us. He came and dealt with the sin and brokenness in each of our lives and in the entire world – through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And he is coming again to bring it all to completion.

Peter and John could have offered temporary comfort to the crippled man. But Jesus accomplished the complete work of healing.

We can praise God that their pockets were empty that day. And we can praise God for our emptiness too. Because our emptiness creates the perfect space for Jesus to enter and accomplish his healing work in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Those we have been called to love and serve can also experience the leaping and praising that is the result of the redemptive work of Jesus. But only if we offer them Jesus.

That’s my prayer for all of us as we enter this year. When we feel like “we’ve got nothing”, that we would remember that is exactly where God wants us. If we relied on our own gifts, energy, strength, time management, etc. then we’d serve others well. But it would be shallow. It would leave them still needing to come back for more. They’ll appreciate it. They might even enjoy it. But it won’t cure them. We can’t fix others’ deepest hurts, and fears, and anxieties. Only Jesus can reach hearts and transform lives – ours and theirs.

That truth gives me the strength to come out from under the covers. And I hope it encourages you too. Happy New Year friends!

Marissa