Did Peter heal the lame man by resurrection power or by the power of the Messiah?
Peter healed the lame man not by resurrection power but by the power of the Messiah, the Christ, the Lord Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. He took the man by the hand and said, 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.'
Les explains that this healing was not on the power of resurrection but on the power of the Messiah, the Christ, the Lord Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. This event is an extension of Judaism—temple, worship, prayer at the ninth hour—and now they are healing the lame man. In Acts 3:6, Peter takes the lame man by the hand and says, 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.' Les says this was appropriate because Peter was continuing what Christ had been doing for three years. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would come and they would have power to do what He had been doing. The Holy Spirit would not come until He left. Les also notes there is no church language in these early chapters—no bishops, deacons, or pastors, and no instructions on behavior in the house of God; most local churches get their ideas of church government from Paul.