The Beautiful
J. W. Burn. Acts 3:2 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… I. A beautiful THING. "The gate Beautiful." 1. It was fitting that the approach to a beautiful place like the temple should be beautiful. Many beautiful things are marred by the ungainliness of their surroundings. A cathedral in a squalid neighbourhood, a mansion with a tumble-down entry, a picture in a broken frame, an untidy woman, are offensive incongruities. The most beautiful thing in the world is the religion of Christ, but how many are offended by what they see at the front of it — conditions of entrance which Christ never laid down, specimens of Christianity that Christ never produced. Reproduce the beauty of religion in yourselves, and make the path to it attractive, and there will be no difficulty in making converts. 2. The gate led to a beautiful place. This is not always the case. The best things only are placed in some windows. The world presents an attractive outside, but within is death. Once through the gate of God's house the worshipper should find everything in harmony with the beautiful work he has to perform there; the structure, the service in all its parts should be conducive to the beauty of holiness. An ugly, ill-kept church, a tame, bald service — how detrimental to devotion, how dishonouring to God. II. Beautiful CHARACTERS. 1. Peter. There were ugly seams in Peter's character. He was impulsive, he denied his Lord, he compromised at Antioch. But we must take that character as a whole. and like some vast mountainous region, although there may be a morass here, and stunted vegetation there, and yawning chasms yonder, yet how grand the whole! In his deep penitence, his burning enthusiasm, his teaching by word and pen, there have been few more admirable men than Peter. 2. John. If Peter represents the rugged, John exhibits the more symmetrical type of Christian character. He must have had exquisite qualities whom Jesus so loved, and who was specially selected for so beautiful a task as the care of Jesus' mother. And all these qualities, tenderness, love, loyalty, come out in his letters. 3. Peter and John, a combination which nearly makes perfection of beauty, power and gentleness, zeal and affection. And at the last a good deal of Peter came out in John, and a good deal of John in Perer. III. A beautiful ACT. 1. It was beautifully done. "Fastening his eyes upon him." "He took him by the right hand." How much may be accomplished by a look. The mere gaze of Peter and John inspired life into a hope that had been dead for long years. There is as much in the way a thing is done as in the thing itself. You may bestow alms so as to deprive them of half their value — grudgingly, morosely, even vindictively. You may help a man so as to make every nerve quiver, and so as to provoke a reluctance to be helped at all. You may wipe a tear and leave a wound in the process. The action should be suited to the act. And if you can do nothing you can always look something, which sometimes will answer as well, and if you can give nothing else you can give your hand, which often will be more acceptable. 2. The deed was beautiful. It was physician's work, and what more beautiful — restoration to health — for which in its literal sense we may not be qualified; but there are sick bodies to which we may minister by kindly attention — "Sick and ye visited Me": sick hearts to which we may administer comfort; sick minds that we may relieve by wise advice; sick souls that we may lead to the Great Physician. IV. A beautiful METHOD. 1. A frank recognition of the impossible. "Silver and gold have I none." There are few things more unpleasant than to attempt what is beyond our power. We excite expectations that are doomed to disappointment, and bring ourselves into contempt. Before you promise to do a thing be sure you have the means. Don't let people think that you are a philosopher if you have no wisdom, a philanthropist if you have no money, a doctor if you have no medical skill, a preacher if you cannot preach. Moral deformities are what a man pretends to have but has not. 2. Self-abnegation in favour of the able. "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth." To put oneself between the helpless and the helper, what more ugly. Who more despicable than the quack who interposes between the diseased and the doctor? Only he who stands between the sinner and the Saviour. If you cannot help a man, do not interfere with those who can. This is the least you can do; but the beautiful action is to get the two together and then stand aside. This is what Peter and John did; and this is what all men do in dealing with diseased souls, get them to Christ and then get out of the way. V. A beautiful EXPERIENCE. "Immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength." 1. Strength was given to the weak. Strength added to strength is abnormal, and therefore not beautiful. There is no grace in the opulent receiving money, or in the competent receiving help, but frequently the reverse. But if a starving man is fed, and a helpless man assisted to do a task otherwise impossible, a beautiful effect is produced. "The whole need not a physician," and to give medicine to the healthy only results in a disagreeable experience. Go, then, to the sinful, and lead them through the stages of repentance and faith until the dead in trespasses and sins become alive unto God through Christ, and the most beautiful of experiences is the result. 2. The weak was made strong. What experience is comparable to the consciousness of strength — strength of body, of intellect, above all of soul — to resist temptation, to live to and work for God. VI. A beautiful RESULT. 1. On the part of the man. "Walking and leaping and praising God." (1) Progression. (2) Elevation. (3) Worship — the three great characteristics of a personal Christian life. 2. On the part of the multitude. (1) "They saw and knew." (2) "They were filled with wonder and amazement." (3) Who can doubt that many were convinced and converted? 3. On the part of Peter. It led to two of the most beautiful sermons in all Christian literature. (J. W. Burn.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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; WEB: A certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.