Acts 1:8 (NKJV) 
⁸But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

The narrative in the book of Acts follows that plan. 
Chapters 1-7 give examples of the Jesus’ followers being witnesses in Jerusalem. 
Chapters 8-12 give examples of them being witnesses in Judea and Samaria. 
Chapters 13-28 give examples of them being witnesses to the end of the earth. 

Four times in the book of Acts we have the account of the Holy Spirit’s initial outpouring on one of the four people groups mentioned in Acts 1:8: 
Jerusalem - Acts 2 
Samaria - Acts 8 
Judea - Acts 10 
The end of the earth (Ephesus) - Acts 19 

Last week we studied the first of these events which is recorded in Acts chapter 2. Here we see the birth of the church as the Holy Spirit comes in His fullness and empowers believers to be witnesses of Jesus. We saw that this initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit was accompanied with the physical phenomena signaling the beginning of a new way of God interacting with His people. 

When the people of Jerusalem heard these believers praising God in their native languages and dialects they asked, “What does this mean?” which gave Peter the chance to stand up and boldly proclaim Christ to them. As a result, three thousand people repented, were baptized, and added to the church that day. 

That brings us up through verse 41 of chapter 2. 

Acts 2:42 - 6:7 describes the earliest days of the church at Jerusalem and covers the first three to five years in its history. Luke deals with this period by giving a paragraph that summarizes the activity of the church and then giving examples that illustrate that paragraph. 

Acts 2:42-47 gives a general description of the Early Church in its first days. Chapter 3 is a specific example to illustrate life in these early days. 

Acts 2:42-47 (NKJV) 
⁴²And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 
⁴⁶So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. 
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLV) | (KJV) | (NASB)

1. The apostles’ teaching
2. Fellowship with each other
3. Breaking of Bread - Communion (remembering Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf)
4. Prayer

The apostles’ teaching has been faithfully passed down to us through the NT record. In the NT we see how the truth they taught is based on the OT. 

Steadfastly teaching the Word of God must still be a priority for the church to be the church today. 

The Greek word for “fellowship with other believers” is koinonia and carries the idea of association, fellowship, and participation. As Christians, we share the same Lord Jesus, we share the same guide for life, we share the same love for God, we share the same desire to worship Him, we share the same struggles, we share the same victories, we share the same job of living for Him, we share the same joy of communicating the Gospel to others. 

These early believers studied God’s Word together, they worshipped together, they were involved in each other’s lives, and they prayed together. Everything else we read about the life and power of the Early Church flows from this foundation. 

Some people try to use vs. 44-45 to say that these early Christians were communists. The early believers were not "communists" - they were "commonists:" 
Communism says: “What’s yours is mine.” 
Commonism says: “What’s mine is yours.” 

The Early Church did this out of necessity, not because someone thought it was a neat idea. We may very well see Christians living this way again - but it won’t happen because someone says, “Let’s be like the Early Church….” If persecution were to fall upon this country, which it may; if the economy were to collapse, which it might; if things really get tough, which they could - you’ll be amazed how quickly and how beautifully the Church will come together communally. 

But until them - it’s artificial. 

The Jews had a tremendous custom of hospitality during any major feast like Pentecost. All visitors were received into private homes, and no one could charge for giving a bed or a room to a visitor or for supplying their basic needs. The Christians took this tremendous feast-time hospitality and made it an everyday thing. 

Later on the Christians were forced to leave the temple and were taught that the real temple of God is not a structure but believers themselves. But, in these early days the favorite meeting place of the early believers was in the Temple. Evidently they thought of themselves as the faithful remnant within Israel for whose sake all the institutions and customs of the nation existed. As such, their desire to influence their own people were associated with Jerusalem and the Temple. 

The initial response in Jerusalem to Christianity was largely favorable. And, as they focused on studying the Word, worshipping the Lord, fellowshipping with each other and prayer, the Lord added to the church. 

The church today should concentrate on these four things -- teaching the Word; fellowship; communion; and prayer -- things which only the church can genuinely provide. The world can out-fun us, out-entertain us, and out-slick us every time because whenever we try to copy what the world does, we never do it as well. What we can do is love people and give them the truth like the world never can. 

Verse 43 of chapter 2 tells us that many signs and wonders were done through the apostles. Chapter 3 is one example of the signs and wonders done by the apostles. 

Acts 3:1-10 (NKJV) 
¹ Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. ²And 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 from those who entered the temple; ³who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. ⁴And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." ⁵So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. ⁶Then 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." ⁷And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. ⁸So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. ⁹And all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 
(AMP) | (NIV) | (NLV) | (KJV) | (NASB)

I can’t help but notice the stark contrast in vs. 2 between the crippled man and the Beautiful Gate. Human effort can make beautiful things but it cannot meet man’s deepest needs. 

The lame man did what he did every day -- asked for money. He was simply asking to be supported in the condition that he was in. But God wanted to completely change his condition! 

Notice in vs. 4 that Peter’s first response to the lame man’s plea was to get his attention, “Look at us." Peter is following the example of Jesus who always got the attention of the individual: He wanted to heal and directed them to focus their gaze upon Him. 

One of the reason that there are people who attend church Sunday after Sunday for years but whose lives are hardly any different than when they first came is that have never given their attention to God. Unfortunately, there are those, young and old alike, who turn off their minds when they get into a church service. They start thinking of all kinds of other things, start taking mental trips and playing mental games. 

It would be most interesting after service to know where everyone had been. 

The life-changing truth that goes out from the Scriptures misses them, passes right by, and they can sit in church for years and never be changed. 

How can you give your attention to God? Here’s a couple of practical suggestions: 
Don’t come to church with the attitude of a spectator expecting to be entertained. 
Come to church with the attitude of a participant ready to be actively involved. 
Worship God by singing the songs 
Pray yourself at time of prayer 
Bring your Bible 
Bring a notebook to take notes - actively participate in the study of God’s Word. 
Be teachable - willing to change your mind - as you see truth from God’s Word. 
Keep your mind engaged! 

Once he had the lame man’s attention Peter then 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.” (v. 6) Then he took the man by the right hand and as he helped him up the lame man was healed. 

Peter passed his first big test after Pentecost by not taking credit for the healing himself. The lame man was clinging to him - no doubt telling him how wonderful he was. The people were amazed and focusing on Peter and John. 
But immediately Peter said, “Don’t look at us - look to Jesus!” 

The healing in chapter 3 gave Peter the same opportunity that the tongues speaking did in chapter 2. It gave him the opportunity to teach the Word and preach Christ. Peter knew that saving faith did not come by witnessing a miracle but rather faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17; NKJV) 

Before we leave what Peter said to this man, let’s learn from the first part of his statement as well, “Silver and gold I do not have…” 
This lame man is a picture of the world, lying at the door of God, asking for Help. 
They ask largely for material help. 
And the church has often made the mistake of doing its best to help only on that level. 

There is nothing wrong with that kind of help and it ought to be given. But that is not the real help the church can give. If that is all we give, we do no more than the Red Cross. 

It’s not the church’s business in this world to simply make the present condition more bearable. What is needed is what Peter and John gave. Not silver and gold, but the power of a new life in the name of Jesus. 

A man was healed here and that in itself is wonderful but something more is going on here as well. As you study this miracle you begin to understand that it was not just randomly selected. 

When you look at all of Peter’s sermon that follows you realize that this miracle would have had prophetic significance to this Jewish audience. Isaiah had prophesied (Isa. 35:6; NKJV) that one sign of the Messianic age would be that the “lame would leap for joy”. 

Peter proclaims Jesus as the Messiah - the One spoken of by Abraham and Moses. The kingdom is being offered to Israel one last time. Their continued rejection of Christ results in God laying Israel aside for a time while He builds His kingdom through the Church - largely made up of Gentiles. 

Jesus had promised in Acts 1:8 that the coming of the Holy Spirit would empower His followers to be witnesses. 
The events here in chapter 3 and those of chapter 2 show us the pattern for this witnessing. 

True witnessing always follows this pattern: 

1. First God works; God does something; God changes a life; God does something that only God can do, that man cannot do at all.
2. Then man explains what God did: The person to whom it happened says what happened to him.
3. As a result, God works again -witness - explanation - and on and on

1 Peter 3:15 - “Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” (NKJV)

If New Life is to be the church God intends it to be, we need to keep it simple and focus on the things that only the church can do: 
Teach God’s Word 
Provide a place for believers to take communion and worship God together 
Promote fellowship among believers 
Give ourselves to prayer - individually and as a group 

The promise is that, as we focus on these, that the Lord will add to the church. He will empower us through His Holy Spirit to meet the needs of people that only He can meet. 

A man was made whole in chapter 3. 
That is what God still offers today. 
He offers to make men and women whole. 
Sometimes on the outside through physical healing. 
But always on the inside through Jesus.