Acts 3:1-8 “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 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 of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: 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. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

Text Acts 3:6 “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee”

Within the context of the miraculous healing of the cripple, lies a subtle, yet profound truth; “You can’t give what you don’t possess!” Peter’s failure to provide the cripple with silver was not for the lack of passion, but possession, he had none! While Peter was void of physical wealth, he was in possession of a powerful word, “rise up and walk.” In his epistle, Peter admonishes us to have a word for the sinner, “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (I Peter 3:15). The word “ready” means to be prepared or to be fit. The child of God is to be in a perpetual state of readiness; equipped with the Scriptures and endued with the Spirit so that we may share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul admonishes us to have a word for the saint, “And the things that thou hast heard of me . . . the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (II Timothy 2:2). The word “commit” means to place alongside, to present truth, to deposit for safe keeping. Paul has taught Timothy and Timothy is to teach others, who in turn are to teach others. This is only accomplished when one gives themselves to the passionate study of the Word of God.

When the time comes to deliver a word will we have to mimic the words of the man in Luke 11:6, “a friend . . . is come to me . . . and I have nothing to set before him.”