We
come up to this passage and understand completely that God indeed has made a
change. The promised Messiah has come and gone; the whole world is upside down
and they just don’t know it yet. The precious and vital Holy Spirit has been
released on that group in the upper chamber and now it seems there will be no
end to it. God is assembling His forces to wage a different kind of war, a war
for the souls of men. The weapons of our warfare are self-sacrifice,
selflessness, beauty, truth, hope, and service all of which is totally
worthless without what? What ties it all together, what’s the most important
aspect of a Christian’s daily life? In warfare throughout the ages if you could
control this one thing you could not fail. In fact, it is an amazing study all
of its own to see how different nations have gone to extreme measures to
protect this one asset knowing without it they are doomed.
Imagine
1000 soldiers, a Battalion scattered through the jungle with no form of communication-
they are lost men. They have a commander but he can’t reach them, chains of
command break down and every man does what is right in his own eyes. But with
it they will overwhelm and overcome the objective. Christians are much the same only we have the
third person of the trinity, the seal of our salvation and in our daily lives.
Directing and controlling an innumerable force moving through history
accomplishing his desired goals.
Read Acts 3:1-11
1) What are the basic facts?
a. The ninth hour –about three in the afternoon. The
church was still practicing prayer at 9 am 12am and 3pm according to Jewish
tradition like Daniel
i.
A transitional
time.
ii.
The church is
being created in order to be scattered
Like Samson’s foxes through the wheat
fields of the world.
b. Beggar in the gate
i.
Because of Levitical
law there was in Israel a cultural compassion on the needy. Gleaning- jubilee-
gifts for the poor-widow and fatherless were all ways God led Israel to care
for others. Leviticus 19:10; 23:22
ii.
The gate
beautiful
1. A tall double gate at the entrance to the main temple
a. Doors 50 cubits tall – 82 feet
b. 40 cubits wide- 65.6
c. Made of Corinthian brass with silver and gold plates
d. Extremely heavy needing 20 men to close it at just
under ten thousand pounds @6”
2. Situated on the east side of the temple facing the Mount
of Olives. Inside was the court of the women followed by the court of the
Israelites and then the court of the priests, then the porch, sanctuary and
finally the holy of holies
3. Because of this man’s position at this gate everyone
knew him
a. He was in his forties Acts 4:22
b. Lame since birth Acts 3:2
c. Cultural custom to take care of him Leviticus
2) What’s the real story?
a. Before- Three main biblical descriptions
i.
Blind –Jeremiah
5:21 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless
people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.
ii.
Deaf - John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I
proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? Even
because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and
the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of
it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye
believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And
if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God's words:
ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
iii.
Lame -Proverbs
26:7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
iv.
Gods answer àLuke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set
at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s
favor.” – Jesus introduction of his ministry.
1. Superstition= unreasonable belief lacking actual
evidence.
i.
Cross fingers –
break your word
ii.
Good things come
in threes
iii.
Our prayers can
be superstitious when we babble. Matthew 6:7 “And when you pray, do not heap up
empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for
their many words.
1. When the world puts up signs that say love faith and
hope, it is false and it is superstition without Jesus.
2. Faith Hebrew 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things
hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.-“Faith is trust standing on the
ground of relationship” Brad Worel.
a. Assurance-5287 Hupostasis=(hoop-os’-tas-is) assurance,
substance, reality
b. Conviction-1649 Elegchos=(el’-eng-khos) a proof, persuasion
“Faith
must have adequate evidence, else it is mere superstition.” ~ A. A. Hodge (Leader in the American
Presbyterian Church)
c. Saving faith =”It’s were the head and the heart come
together about sin and the savior.”
i.
Psalm 51:17 The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you
will not despise.
ii.
Romans 10:9 if
you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that
God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
b. After
i.
Such as I have
Acts 2:36 What? -Titles
1. The Christ = Christos =Anointed One; the Messiah, the
Christ.
a. Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
i.
The world is
suffering and hopeless not knowing they are slaves and lost. – Preach the word.
2. The Lord= Kurios =Lord, master, siràproperly, a person exercising absolute ownership rights
a. Sovereignty= the creators prerogative to direct his
creation. Acts 4:11 –13 “capstone”
i.
Holds it all
together- order-peace-successful economies – liberty
"For the first time in
400 years, the Geneva Bible is available again … This Christmas, as we celebrate
the Word becoming flesh (John 1:1,14) through the birth of Christ, I want
people to see that the Geneva Bible ultimately inspired the end of slavery and
the caste system, the solidification of free enterprise and private property,
the Puritan work-ethic which animated the scientific and industrial
revolutions, and the wholesome, uplifting literature which we all treasure
today." -Marshall Foster, historian
Any action or policy from a magistrate of any kind must
be in accordance with God’s word or it is direct rebellion to Jesus the Messiah
Lord of all the earth.
3. Holy Spirit –
a. Comforter- John 14:26 But the
Comforter/Helper/Attorney, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I
have said to you.
b. Communicator-
i.
John 16:13 When
the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will
not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he
will declare to you the things that are to come.
ii.
Romans 8:26-27
26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray
for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too
deep for words. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of
God.
ii.
Give I unto you (Familistic and cultural)
1. Who God has made us
a. We are the light and salt
b. Blessed and confessed by God before angels
c. We are not condemned
d. Disciples and sons
e. Friend of Jesus
f. His witnesses
g. Accepted and justified
h. Reconciled
i.
Dead to sin and
alive to God
j.
Servants of
righteousness
k. Heirs and conquerors
l.
Temple of the
Spirit
m. Debtors to God
n. The Lords
o. Sanctified
p. Ambassadors
q. Abrahams seed
r.
Gods workmanship
s. A chosen generation
t.
A royal
priesthood
2. Share what we’ve seen and heard
a. Acts 4:20 -for we cannot but speak of what we have
seen and heard.
b. 1 John 1:1-3 1That which was from the beginning, which
we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have
touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2the life was made
manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the
eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3that
which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have
fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son Jesus Christ
c. Revelation 12:11 And they have conquered him by the
blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their
lives even unto death.
3. It’s not superiority no it’s a quality gift – no room
for religious pride.
a. I am saved and you need to clean your life up like I
did-no
b. I was broken and lost and Jesus saved me! What you now see before you is the imputed righteousness
of Christ. Repent and be saved!
4. What are you giving
a. Husbands what are you giving to your wife and
children? – sacrificial love
b. Wives what are you giving to your husband and children
-selfless patience
c. Children what are you giving to your Father and mother
– genuine honor
d. Christian soldier what are you giving to this savior
and to the world. – humble obedience to God (Daniel/Joseph)
(Love humility and
meekness) Speak the truth.
Just
as we didn’t get what we deserve, we give what others can’t earn.
iii.
The lame man
responds
1. Acts 3:3-8
2. Humbly looks to (perceive/discern) Peter- Acts 3:4 (we
are the children of God and have something to give)
3. Empty of pride he obeys-
a. Peter touched him – God heals
iv.
What’s the big
deal – You are the temple
1. You are the
light of the world(repeat)
a. The world has been clothed in darkness for thousands
of years. And now his light goes out into the darkness
i.
You are that
light.
1. The whole world is in bondage to sin, controlled and
motivated by self- the very thing God set you free from. They are in chains you
are free!
2. Hudson Taylor- We are supernatural people, born again
by a supernatural birth, kept by a supernatural power, sustained on
supernatural food, taught by a supernatural Teacher from a supernatural Book.
We are led by a supernatural Captain in right paths to assured victories. The
risen Saviour, ere He ascended on high, said: 'All power is given unto Me. Go
ye therefore."
3) What do we do with it?
It
would be foolish to say this is just a miraculous phenomena of the past far
removed from our reality.
When
what we really have is an analogist display of truth showing the transformation
of Gods covenant and of all reality.
This is a new world order under Christ
Ephesians
4:20 17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as
the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18They are darkened in their
understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is
in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19They have become callous and have given
themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
20But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21assuming that you have heard
about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22to put off your
old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful
desires, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to put on
the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and
holiness.
25Therefore,
having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his
neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26Be angry and do not sin; do not
let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the
devil. 28Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest
work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in
need. 29Let no corrupting talk come
out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, (other
focus) as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do
not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be
put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
“Emotional
flamboyance is of the flesh, it is false selfish and grieves the Holy Spirit.”
B.A.Worel
A. The application of the Spirit in your heart
a. Humility – modest-respectful-grounded-(from the
earth/low)- a correct response to God
b. Pride- self preserving- self-serving -inflated view of
self
"Idolatry=getting a sense of purpose joy or security from something
besides God."B.A.W
c. There is a critical need for humility in the body of
believers. A lack of humility is an indication of a larger problem, it’s a can
worms. Let’s just crack the lid and look inside. How do you know if you are
prideful? You never seem to need to confess sins to others; you were justified
in your actions. The fault never seems to land on you. You will as a matter of
course defends your actions and attitudes; which means you will be defending
sin. Why would you do that? Emotional immaturity and selfishness. You have a
problem with selfish emotional passion that is self-serving and self-seeking.
You may be a Christian but you’re acting like a babe! Be broken from all your
self-preserving ways!
i.
Our problem is we
think we are ok when we must surrender or be doubleminded. James 4:8 Draw near
to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you double-minded. -----Through confession and repentance!
ii.
Consider others
better than yourself- Philippians 2:3
iii.
Confess your sins
one to another. James 5:16
iv.
Jesus humbled
himself to become a man – Follow him. His humiliation is our exaltation- how
corrupt is our pride! Philippians 2:7
v.
“Maturity in
Christ is not about knowledge it is about Character!” B.A.Worel
B. Let’s be practical
a. Find a place of self-sacrificial service within your
realm of life and serve diligently until it is your pleasure and delight. Let
Christ rule in you richly and he will meet you at that point where the flesh
dies and the spirit lives. Serve your brother serve your sister serve your
mother and father, serve the week and serve your enemy just serve-serve-serve!
i.
You say you can’t
and that’s right because the spirit is at enmity with the flesh and you serve
your selfish sensual heart! Christian
soldiers are unstoppable because they delight in the selfless service of others
unto salvation and the order and riches of Christ being lived out in every
area.
ii.
Your thoughts are
about yourself and your way and you shield that from others, you are lame blind
and deaf.
iii.
We are called of
God to live selfless lives building up and empowering others in our homes
churches and community guided by the holy Spirit- it’s a vision of victory for
the kingdom of God
iv.
The welfare state
reinforces a spirit of entitlement and selfishness that empowers the state at
the expense of character.
Jesus died so parents would not be soiled with the
blood of their children in abortion.
Jesus died so men and women would not dirty their
lives with immorality
Jesus died so you would not curse yourself with other
men’s goods.
Jesus died so your mouth would not devour your life
with deception.
The most single fact in all of history is that Jesus
of Nazareth lived died and who rose again on the third day he is the Messiah!
HE LIVES
Jesus lives that you will be content.
Jesus lives that you will have selfless patience.
Jesus lives that you will have fellowship.
Jesus lives that you will delight in service and
sacrifice for others!
Does he live? Most assuredly!
He is the rock the builders rejected and he is my
Salvation!
When the Holy Spirit leads
you past a poor lame man --what will you have
that you may give?
