True Faith
Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewWhat does it take to become that 1st Century Church? What does it take to experience the blessings, the miracles, the lives changed, the explosive growth that they experienced every day? Peter and John show us that it is Faith — not the worldly faith that simply believes that something is real, but True, Complete, Total Faith.
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What does it take to become that 1st Century Church?
What does it take to become that 1st Century Church?
What does it take to experience the blessings, the miracles, the lives changed, the explosive growth that they experienced every day?
Peter and John show us what it takes…
Turn with me to Acts 3.
This is an interesting passage…
1. The disciples have experienced Peter’s restoration…
2. Jesus’s ascension…
3. Pentecost…
4.Peter’s sermon that day, and the results of it…
5. Been living together as a community (Acts 2 church)…
And now, we have this story…
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.
What are they doing?
Going to Church!!!
This part of the story begins with a reminder of the disciples’ Faithfulness…
Peter and John (and I’m sure the others) remained faithful to God…
They still went to the Temple…
They still worshipped with their fellow Jews…
They still observed the spiritual disciplines they had always observed… They just had a new purpose, a new mission.
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.
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.
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.
8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10 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.
Peter and John are headed to “Prayer Time” — They are headed to Church!!!
And they are confronted with this lame man… this beggar, who is always at the gate…
What did they do?
Did they hurry past, looking the other way?
Did they go to another gate?
NO!!!
Acts 3:4 (NIV)
4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”
They LOOKED at him!
They NOTICED him!
Then they told him to “Pay attention to them!”
Now… What did Peter say to him?
(Silver and Gold I don’t have, but what I have I give to you…)
YES! But what did he say next?
— “In the name of Jesus the Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”
What happened next? (Come on, someone say it)
(He was healed)
NO!!!
7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
Let me ask you — “What is this passage about?”
What did Peter give to this man that he and John had?
FAITH
Peter and John lived their lives in complete “pisteuo” — in complete and total trust of God —
What did Peter do?
Did he just pray and wait?
Did he make the man do something?
He acted! Acts 3:7
7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
Peter expected that God was GOING to heal this man, so he acted — he reached out, he took this man by the hand, and he picked him up —!
That was an act FAITH!!!
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
The Gospel is about putting our complete Faith in God — KNOWING that He has “Got This”! —
The Disciples lived their lives in the expectation that God was going to do something!
That’s how we need to live our lives!
We need to live our lives in the EXPECTATION that God WILL act!
I. Faith Expects An Open Door.
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.
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.
— If we are EXPECTING God to act / then we are LOOKING for opportunities…
Peter and John were just going to Church…
They were headed to the Temple…
It was their normal routine…(v 1)
three hours of prayer — 9:00, noon, and 3:00
Peter and John were still faithful Jews, they just had a new mission and purpose.
God presents us with opportunities to share the Gospel EVERYDAY!
The question is: “What will we do with them when God presents them?”
Peter and John didn’t miss the opportunity.
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.
Beggars would normally sit in places of high traffic.
This man was lame from birth… he survived on the generosity of others…
NOTICE… this was something he did everyday — THIS WAS HIS LIFE!!!
Can you imagine?
He knew nothing else…
Enter Peter and John.
Luke tells us that when this man saw Peter and John about to enter the Temple, he asked them for money.
He was just doing what he always did.
But God put Peter and John in his path.
God will put us in people’s paths.
Do We SEE Them?!?
Look at Acts 3:3
3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
He asked for money, but Peter was about to give him something so much better!
Peter and John had the opportunity to turn this everyday occurence into an event that changed this man’s life forever, but only because they EXPECTED GOD TO OPEN A DOOR!
Because they Expected God to open doors, they had their eyes open to see them.
II. Keep Our Eyes Open.
Thomas Edison once said: “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Expect God to open doors, AND… Be ready to walk through them when He does!
35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning,
36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.
God wants us to share the Gospel with people we meet everyday.
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
If God expects us to share the gospel with the world, He will open doors for us!!!
Do you believe that?!?
Do you think He will open doors at your work?
At your school?
With your family?
At the grocery store? the Gas station?
You see, The question isn’t “Will God open doors for us?”
It’s: “Are we willing to walk through them?”
The problem is just what Edison said, “It looks like work!”
so we avoid it!
It will cost us something, so we do like the Priest — We cross on the other side of the road!
That’s not how we are supposed to be!
When the door opens, we need to run through it as fast as we can!!!
And when we do, we need to...
III. Expect A Miracle.
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.
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.
8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
This is where the story gets interesting! (read passage)
Rather than just giving him money and moving on, or just ignoring him, Peter gave this man his undivided attention!
Then he asked the beggar to give him his.
The man wanted money, but Peter made it clear that he had something else in mind!
“In the name of Jesus the Christ (the Messiah) get up and walk!”
Notice something here…
Peter knows that he is not going to heal this man, but Jesus WILL!!!
Look what Peter does next.
Acts 3:7 (NIV)
7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
Peter didn’t just say he’d pray for him…
He didn’t just pray and walk away…
Peter reached out, grabbed him by the had, and helped him up!
That’s an expression of pure Faith!!!
Peter didn’t just hope that he would be healed, he believed it would happen!!!
He KNEW this man was ALREADY HEALED!!!
Why do we not see miracles like that today?!?
Because we don’t have that kind of faith!!!
Think about it — How do we pray? (example)
Peter KNEW IN HIS HEART that it had already happened, and this man was healed!
he stood up!
something he had never done before
his feet and ankles were instantly healed
WHY?!?!
Peter took a step of Faith!
Notice what the man does
8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
He doesn’t just stand up… He jumps up!
He began to walk around… he got excited, and began LEAPING!!!!
Then he did something he had never done before…
He went into the Temple!
as a cripple, he wasn’t allowed in the Temple.
for the first time in his life, he went into the Temple to worship!!!
Our FAITH should push us to
IV. Expect Everyday Miracles.
Peter expected a miracle, so he reached out and took hold of the man.
True Faith does the same!
There was a pastor in a community that was experiencing a severe drought… They hadn’t seen rain in months… One Sunday, he told his congregation, “Next week, we’re going to have service outside, and we’re going to pray for rain.”
The next Sunday came, and the pastor was very upset with his congregation…
Do you know why?
He was the only one who showed up with an umbrella!!!
Expect God to work a miracle, THROUGH YOU!
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
Did you hear that?!?
We CAN do what Jesus did!!!
What did Jesus do?!?
He healed
He cast out demons
He spoke life
He loved
God is still in the miracle business!!!!
But He wants to use you to make it happen.
Again, When God opens the door, Will you walk through it?
Now, when you do,
V. Expect People to Notice.
9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10 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.
They all knew this man.
They had seen him sitting there everyday.
They knew he had been lame his entire life.
Yet here he was, standing and walking…, but not only that, he was jumping and leaping, giving praise to God, and entering the Temple!
There was no doubt what had happened!
they couldn’t say it was fake
They KNEW this man!
They all stood up and took notice!
If we want to see these kinds of miracles, then we have to GET OFF THE BENCH!
Jim Cymbala, in his book Fresh Fire, says: “But just as there are people who watch from the bleachers and never know the challenge of competing on the court, we have millions of church-goers who sit in pews every week without ever entering the game. They sacrifice nothing, strain toward no ministry goals, never agonize in prayer for one soul, but pass judgment on how well the contest of faith is being played. Often they act as if ‘they know.’ It looks easy from where they’re sitting, but then again, they have never really attempted much for God.”
We need to GET OFF THE BENCH AND INTO THE GAME!
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Professing the name of Jesus is all about Faith!
Are we going to be people who expect miracles, who look for open doors to share the Gospel with people?
Or, Are we going to be the kind of person who people never knew we were Christian?
The world is watching how we live.
Let’s live our lives in a True Faith that EXPECTS God to move!