Acts 6: Seeing and Hearing
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Thanksgiving … for being here
Next Sunday Christ the King… celebration of our being a part of the GMC
Thanks to Clyde and Pastor Phyllis
Today as you could tell by our scripture reading, we are getting back into our study of the book of Acts.
Went home… mom not well… visited her in the hospital… met cleaning lady… I left and told Michelle you don’t get that back home in MD
I love the book of Acts… because I love stories.
Sometimes we forget that the Gospel changes the Whole person.
When people are saved, they are entirely made new.
Not just your eternal destiny, but your passions on earth are made new.
The Spirit was at work in the lives of the early disciples… How can we see the Spirit move in us?
Learning from Peter and John:
The Spirit was using people who were:
The Spirit was using people who were doing the RIGHT things at the RIGHT time.
The Spirit was using people who were doing the RIGHT things at the RIGHT time.
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.
Three times to pray 3rd, 6th, 9th (9:00, 12:00, 3:00)
Time for evening sacrifice
Beautiful gate… everyone to enter
P&J were faithful Jews.... went to pray alongside people who were responsible for the death of Jesus.
But something else made this the truly right time… But we’ll get to that in a few minutes...
Right not I want us to appreciate that P&J were doing the right things at the right time
The Spirit uses people who are doing the right things.... at the right time… yet they are willing to be interrupted
that’s the second lesson from P&J
The Spirit was using people who were willing to be INTERRUPTED.
The Spirit was using people who were willing to be INTERRUPTED.
P&J left the house with one thing on their mind… go to the temple to pray… then they were interrupted.
What did they do in the interruption?
4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”
They stopped.
I got to thinking how well we handle interuptions? I can only speak for myself here.. but I wouldn’t say I hate them, but I really really really don’t like them.
They looked at him, but even more… they saw him.
When you go up to Acme and you see the panhandlers out there if you are like me, you see them from a distance, but as you get close you avoid eye contact… you do that??? why? Because when we really see someone in need, we have compassion on them right… they are a person with a life, and a story to tell
That’s the third lesson from P&J
The Spirit was using people who were paying ATTENTION to the NEEDS of others.
The Spirit was using people who were paying ATTENTION to the NEEDS of others.
As they looked at him, I believe the Spirit gave them discernment as to his real needs and in that moment, Peter said
4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”
Not only did they see him… but they invited him to see them.
When we say “Look at me...” something important is about to happen
This guy had been out here every day for years. He was as beat down as you could be. He had given up hope so much so he no longer even made eye contact with people… he just stuck out his cup and asked for money or food.
But P&J understood the importance of the moment.
That brings us to the 4th lesson from P&J
The Spirit was using people who were willing to give what THEY HAD.
The Spirit was using people who were willing to give what THEY HAD.
what did they have?
Not much in the worlds eyes. In fact you could say there weren’t much better off than the lame man. But what they did have was more than enough.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
They had just received the Spirit and Power of God and they were ready to share it with anyone who wanted it.
We always love hearing testimonies of people with dramatic deliverance stories… they have experienced the miraculous power of God… all at once… and they are passionate about God…
More often the rest of us sort of have God work in our lives progressively… slowly… over time we get closer and closer.
We are no less saved, no less changed, we just fail to appreciate the transformation that God has done in us.
P&J knew it… they had just experienced it… rather HIM and they were ready to share Him with everyone they could.
Which leads to the 5th lesson from P&J
The Spirit was using people who were willing to promote GOD, not THEMSELVES.
The Spirit was using people who were willing to promote GOD, not THEMSELVES.
Again they were willing participants in this… They didn’t heal the man… it was Jesus by the Holy Spirit at work through their lives.
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
P&J knew exactly what had happened even though everyone else was confused. There was someone else who understood what happened. The Lame man… because he had experienced it.
But P&J didn’t say look at us, what we can do… they said look to Jesus.
Next week we will get to Peter’s response to the crowd, but for now, just know that the Spirit wants to use people who are all about building His kingdom… not their own.
This applies to our families, our careers, our marriages, even our church.
Are were doing all the things we do in order to prove ourselves… or are we doing them to glorify God? And if we are doing them to glorify God, are we doing what we need to be doing in teh way we need to do it with teh attitude that He deserves...
Looking at P&J has caused me to really think about my life and created a desire in me to make sure I’m on the same page as the Holy Spirit.
But we aren’t finished… there’s another layer to the story… the lame man.
Learning from the beggar:
2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
We said P&J were faithful to go to pray, but something else that faithful Jews were supposed to do was give alms to the poor.
So he set up in the right place where everyone would come in and out of the temple at the time when everyone would be prepared to give to God their daily offering.
He knew what he was doing… he was no dummy.
P&J came upon him and he wanted P&J to bless him where he was… to fill the void that his disability, his problem, had created.
How often do we want that from Jesus?
Jesus bless my business… keep me safe on this trip… heal me of this illness…
But silver and gold… all he wanted… paled in comparison… God says, what if I can give you something so you no longer have to beg…
What if I could permanently change your life.
Would that work for you?
Jesus wants to lift us up to something new
That’s the lesson from the lame man… adn I think from this whole exchange
Instead of asking God to bless OUR AGENDA, let’s start praying for HIS AGENDA.
Instead of asking God to bless OUR AGENDA, let’s start praying for HIS AGENDA.
P&J weren’t looking to go out and heal people, they were going to pray… but they were open to God leading them somewhere else… and see what happened.
I told you earlier there was something else that made this the right time...
Think about it…
Remember, this guy had been at the gate every day for most of his adult life probably… certainly Jesus had already gone by him in his visits to the Temple, yet Jesus didn’t heal him… God waited until this moment.
Why does God wait… sometimes it’s because there is a greater purpose found when faithful people and his Spirit go to work.
God’s plan was to display the unstoppable power of the Gospel.
P&J testified to that when they healed the man…
Learning from Jesus:
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk
Which is the last take away I want to share with you this morning
There’s power in HIS NAME.
There’s power in HIS NAME.
Some pretty cool things happened in our churches this week.
Last Saturday… $5k for a Shoebox ministry and camp Pecometh
Ageless Wonders
40 Thanksgiving bags
Kids Ministry
Crisis ministry
All good stuff… but it’s all about this world.
The one thing that changes things for eternity is the name of Jesus.
Power to change lives
The thing we have our neighbor needs is Jesus. And the church is the only one equipped, empowered, and called to offer it.
Whole life transformed by the whole gospel
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Whether you came to church this morning looking for healing
Looking for Purpose
Or looking for Power
It’s in the name of Jesus… it’s a gift of Grace…
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COMMUNION
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Lift up your hearts and give thanks to God.
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Blessed are you, O God, who with your Word and Holy Spirit created all things and called them good.
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In Jesus Christ your Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
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Through Jesus' suffering and death you took upon yourself our sin and death and destroyed their power for ever.
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You raised from the dead this same Jesus, who now reigns with you in glory, and poured upon us your Holy Spirit, making us the people of your new covenant.
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On the night before meeting with death Jesus took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
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When the supper was over Jesus took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to the disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
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And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us.
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Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts, that in the breaking of this bread and the drinking of this wine we may know the presence of the living Christ and be renewed as the body of Christ for the world, redeemed by Christ's blood, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at your table for ever.
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Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.
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Amen.