Sermon Tone Analysis

Acts 3:1-26

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2001

Motivation For Ministry

 

The moderator of a Presbyterian Church in Melbourne once gave J. Hudson Taylor a flattering introduction.

When the founder of the China Inland Mission stepped into the pulpit, he quietly said, /dear friends, I am the little servant of an Illustrious Master.

/

 

Introduction

 

Two weeks ago we saw how God has saved us that we might become His ministers.

/Firstly,/ we saw Christ's assessment for ministry.

The Lord is looking for people who are */faithful, available /*and*/ teachable./*

/Secondly, /we saw Christ's appointment to ministry.

When Christ finds people who are faithful, available and teachable, He appoints them to ministry.

This involves training them, empowering them and sending them out into His service.

Today I want to continue this theme of ministry.

/ /

Christian ministry is the responsibility of every believer.

/But what is the difference between Evangelism, Discipleship and Ministry?/

*/Evangelism/* is only the first step in making a disciple.

*/Discipleship/* is the process of becoming like Jesus Christ.

We follow Jesus and learn to live the way that He did.

*/Ministry/* is the part that we play in God's service.

It involves much more than evangelism.

God wants us to use our gifts and talents to minister to others.

Ministry is anything that we do in serving the Lord.

Ministry is serving people in Christ's name.

We will look at the way the apostles ministered.

Today, I want to look at the right motives for ministry.

/ /

/Warren Weirsbe/ said this about ministry.

*/Ministry takes place when Divine Resources meet Human Needs, through Loving Channels to the Glory Of God./*

In Acts chapter three we will see all four of these vital ingredients powerfully demonstrated.

/Firstly/    Human Needs

 

*Acts 3:1-3* /Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, 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 from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms./

The first thing that we notice is that Peter was already serving the Lord when he ministered to this lame man.

He was going to the temple to pray and no doubt share Christ when this encounter took place.

Peter wasn't sitting around waiting for God to light up the sky and direct him to meet some need.

The Lord provided this opportunity to minister as Peter was going to a prayer meeting.

/a.

Physical Needs/

 

/Firstly,/ this man had physical needs.

He was lame.

He relied completely on the help of others.

This poor man had to be carried from place to place.

He wouldn't have been able to do much for himself.

He needed a great deal of care and attention.

Because he was lame he couldn't earn a living by working.

This would have been very humiliating for him.

But he had known no other life from the day of his birth.

/b.

Financial Needs/

 

/Secondly,/ he had financial needs.

Since he couldn't work he had to beg for money.

This was the only way that he could obtain money to buy food and clothes.

He relied completely on the generosity of others.

He would have lived in poverty.

This too would have been degrading.

This was the situation Peter found him in.

The lame man asked Peter and John for financial help as they went into the temple.

/c.

Spiritual Needs/

 

/Last,/ but not at all least, this man had spiritual needs.

Like all of us he needed God's forgiveness for his sins.

He was spiritually dead.

He needed to come into a right relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Application

 

God knew this man's needs and wanted to meet them but He needed a willing servant to do so.

God knows the needs of all men and longs to meet them.

If we will look around us the needs are great.

People have physical needs, financial needs, emotional needs and spiritual needs.

/How can we make a difference when the needs are so great?/

The first thing we need to do is become intimately aware of them.

/Do you really care about the people around you who have needs?/

/Are you willing to do something about them?/

We can't meet every need, but we can help some.

We must also realize we can't meet these needs ourselves.

We need help.

/Secondly/ Divine Resources

 

*Acts 3:4-7* /And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, Look at us.

So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

Then 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.

And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength./

/ /

/a.

They're Not Physical/

/ /

Peter had no money to share with this needy man.*

Human resources will always fail us.*

This lame man was looking for money to live on.

Yet Peter had no silver or gold.

/How could Peter help him?

What could Peter give this needy man?

Why was he wasting his time on one lame man when he had nothing to give him?/

But Peter knew that/ /divine resources aren't governed by material possessions.

His resources were adequate because they came from God.

 

/b.

They're Spiritual/

 

Peter shared Christ with Him.

He healed him in Jesus name.

This was the best thing that he could do because Christ was able to meet all of his needs.

Peter experienced God's grace first hand and knew Jesus was what the lame man needed most.

God's grace is what all men need.

It is sufficient for all of our needs.

Every believer has received God's grace in Christ.

We are channels of God's resources, not reservoirs.