What is your hope in?

Introduction

Good morning LaFayette Baptist Family. It is great to be here with you all this Lord’s day morning. What a wonderful and treasured time this is together, getting to sing Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs together and learn from the Word together. Please go ahead and get out your Bible’s Our scripture today will be from the Book of Acts , specifically from Acts 3:1-10 . Acts 3:1-10, please go ahead and turn their in your Bible’s. As usual, the scripture will be on the screen for us in a few moments, but please have it open so that you can follow along.

While you are turning there, I want to share with you something that I came across this week. It’s actually a little evangelism tract. It’s titled, There is Hope in Jesus. All through this week, the idea of hope kept coming up over and over again. I want to share with you a few words from this tract. *read page 2.* From this, one thing is clear to both believer and non-believer alike. If our hope is not in Jesus, then we have something wrong and something needs change. So, today our main idea and sermon title will be the question, What is your hope in?

Scripture

If you would all please rise for the reading of God’s Word today. The words to the scripture will be on the screen, please read along with me as we are reading. When I am done I will say “this is The Word of The Lord” if you will all please respond with “Thanks be to God.” First, let’s pray.

Father God, thank You. Thank You for who You are and what You are doing to us in this place today. Father, as we are about to enter the Reading of Your Word, we ask that you would reform us and make us more like Jesus. Help us read this Word and take whatever it is You are going to share with us about Yourself and apply it to our lives. Because we want this, Father we ask that You take away any distraction from us, whether it be physical or mental. Make it go so far away and disappear in the Goodness and light that is Your Word. Sanctify us with Your Word, Your Word is truth. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen. 3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Context

This week we are beginning Chapter 3 in our acts Sermon series. As a quick reminder, next week will begin our church wide Easter time bible reading plan, so know that our sermon texts will be from that until easter time, and then we will return back to acts. I want you to see these points about hope in Acts 3:1-10.

In last week’s text, we finished out what happened immediately after Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost. Specifically, we looked at what the early Christian Church looked like, that what The Church is, is actually the believers within the church. From that, we observed what believers do (devote themselves the teaching, fellowship, the ordinances and fellowship meals, and prayer), then we described from the text who believers aren’t (that believers, even if they come or think they are a part of God’s covenant community; that doesn’t mean that are, rather they must submit their lives to The Lordship of Jesus Christ. Then we discussed where believers go, that are always going down the road that leads to God’s glory (as opposed to their own or someone elses). Finally, we looked from the text when believers are to worship; which is of course all the time every day of the week.

This week though, we are starting a new scene. Now that church in Jerusalem has been established, we enter into a portion of this book that is specifically about the church and the apostles while they were in Jerusalem. In today’s text, and when we come back from our easter series, we see a great story of hope. That is, hope that was in the wrong place but is put in the right place when it is in Jesus. We see this everywhere for us today, hope in the wrong times, places, people, and things. Hope that is much better placed in The Lord Jesus Christ the Righteous. So, today I want you to see these points about Hope in acts 3:1-10. Let’s dig into the text.

Message

The first point to see about hope is that we are Hopeless on our own

3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.

We begin with a scene that seemed to be a very common one for the early church in Jerusalem. Now, at the time, the Jewish people kept regular times of prayers throughout the day, and most scholars agree that there were at least 4 of them during the day. This one in particular, says it was at the ninth hour the day, for us this would be 3pm or 1500. At this time, as was probably very common. Two men were carrying in a man who the text says was lame (meaning unable to walk) from birth. Notice how the text really points this out, this detail that it was from birth. This emphasizes that without others help, in a time where technology and laws/ regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Acts, he was in a very bad situation. In fact, he relied on others to carry him to somewhere that he could beg and receive what he needed to survive. This doesn’t sound like someone that was thriving does it? Here was a man who was just getting by. He had no power or ability on his own to provide for himself. Without the mercy of the men carrying him and the generosity of others, his day’s prospects were hopeless.

Bringing him to the temple would have been the natural thing to do, as all to often people would strangely seem to get more generous than before when nearing the temple, I think you know what I mean by that. So, here he was, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it was common to see others like him near the temple. Why would they bring him here, to receive alms or generosity so that he could merely live for one more day. This is so much like all of mankind. In fact, though the conditions of our legs may be very different than this man, the condition of our eternal soul is or was much the same. This is because the power of sin, the weight of sin, is so great is so crippling that no man will ever be able to overcome it on their own. In fact, no team, or group, or collective, or nation, or the entire world (assume that we all came together and worked on this) could ever move the weight of sin off our own backs. Only God is powerful and mighty enough to this, because He is infinitely infinite. He is infinitely infinite in so many things, and among those things are grace and mercy. So, what is sin? It is what separates us from God. How do we overcome sin, by relying on a work. By relying on the payment that only God could and has made. This was the final and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. With faith in Him and His payment (a word we call atonement) we have cause for great hope in front of God. Without Jesus, we are hopeless in our state, and are every second closer to meeting God and receiving a just and right guilty verdict that we deserve. Thank you, God, thank you Jesus. Thank you, lord, for your generosity to people like us, who give freely even though we, you, I don’t deserve it.

The next point to see is, Hope in the wrong place

3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

As Peter and John are going in. All of the sudden, out of nowhere everything for this man is about to change. This was probably a very normal day for him. He was out, doing what he regularly did every day, begging so that he could receive alms to survive for another day. Then. Boom. Peter and John look at him. Here starts a very personal a relationship driven moment. Think about it, what probably happened most times as he begged, he would likely hold out his cup or hands to receive from people, but as is common even today in this situation, they probably didn’t look him in the eyes. They probably didn’t see or acknowledge that here was another man, just as we are, another image bearer of God. Instead, he was probably used to the humiliation that came along with the situation, that even though they pitied him and often gave him money, the people probably thought of him as either sub-human or not as an image bearer. Their alms weren’t generosity, they were pity.

John and Peter though, make this a very personal thing. He was given from them something he probably wasn’t used to receiving, respect and love from another human being. These in particular were servants of God and they saw him for what he was, a beautiful person, an image bearer of God, whom deserves a certain dignity because he was made in God’s image like any other. The man though, didn’t understand this and wasn’t thinking on the love of God. He had his hope in something. What was it? It was the false alms (which was actually pity or sinful self-righteousness). In essence, he relied on the vainness and sinful nature of man to provide for his daily needs. The text here says, that he was expecting to receive something from them. What exactly? Silver and gold most likely, so that he could pay for food and perhaps even pay the men who carried him every day. Humble or not in his estate, this man relied on money. He relied on providing for himself, but in his own way. It doesn’t say anywhere in the text that he was seeking or relying on God, he might have been but the text doesn’t show it anywhere. Still, God used this man for His glory. And as we will see in future weeks, even if he hadn’t sought God before, he certainly was going to now.

This man’s hope was in what? It was in self, it was in money, it was others sin. Know this beloved, this man’s hope was in the wrong place. Know this too, all to often is likely that your hope is in the wrong place. We can hope in all kinds of things. We can hope in doctors to heal us or make us well, we can hope in money to provide us security and shelter, we can hope in a spouse to provide or meet our needs, we can hope in our family to make us feel wanted. Any time you put your hope in any of these or anything other than God, you. Will. Be. Disappointed. Why? Because you have forgotten where these come from. In and of themselves, these are not bad things. In fact, they are gifts from God for certain reasons in our lives. Our hope is better placed in God, instead of a gift from God. When we do this, we have placed our hope in the wrong place. For example. Suppose that a new and deadly disease comes into the world. Let’s say you get it, and the doctor tells you. Your prospects look bad, lets say you are only given a few months to live. At that moment, what do you hope for? A pill or a cure? You hope for a cure, and that may come from a pill. As such, we need to hope in God who will provide things for us in certain ways. The most important thing of all, and what everything is to be centrally around (and often it isn’t) is the great Hope that God has given us, in a restored and perfect relationship with Him. This can only be found in Jesus Christ which brings us to our next point.

The third point about hope is, Hope in Jesus Name

6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God

Here it comes, the moment that this man’s life is changed forever. Peter tells him, I don’t have any money to help you. BUT, I will give you what I do have. This in fact is the most important, most valuable thing that any person could ever have. It was exactly what the man needed in that moment. Peter calls upon who for help here? In where is his hope? It is in Jesus’ name. He says it here, In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (so, by the authority of Jesus), rise up and walk! So, what happened. Exactly that, suddenly, a man who had not been able to walk his entire life, was raised up and before their very eyes his feet and ankles were made strong. Astounding. Then, he did what? He leaped up, he walked, he entered the temple on his own accord. These are things that he had never ever been able to do before, and things that honestly he never would have dreamed of happening.

What did the man see, what did the man know? He knew and could see quite clearly that God. Had. Healed. Him. It had to be and only could have been God. So what did He do, He praised God. He made a big deal about it, he made a big deal about God and what he had done to him. Why? Just because? No, because he was so thankful. He knew that as he was, his life was hopeless. Now, in the blink of an eye God did a work and nothing would ever be the same for him.

Again, this is just like us before our salvation. Weather it be early in life or later in life, we were just like this man. We were hopeless. Our hope was in the wrong place. But great hope and real lasting hope is found in Jesus name. You see, God does a great and wonderful thing, when He redeems sinners. When He redeems blatant rebels against Him and His Kingdom and yes, every person in this room and every person you will ever encounter either are or were like this at one time. The only way you ever receive the hope, the only hope that really matters ( the hope that means your sins are cleansed) is through accepting the final and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Maybe this is you today, and you are ready to know hope. If so, I urge you don’t wait. Know Christ and know peace and hope for the first time in your life. Believer, maybe you have forgotten of that hope. Maybe you know this, but find it hard to remember sometimes, go back and think on that hope and what it means everywhere in your life. This brings us to our next point.

Another point about hope to see is, Hope in full display

9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

As I had just shared, this man made a big deal about this situation. He was a man, that probably everyone in the temple would have recognized, because they had all probably each walked by him almost every day of the year for many years. So, they saw him, they recognized him. What was he doing? Walking and praising God. Wow. Wouldn’t that catch your eye? Put yourself in the eyes of the temple goers their. If you saw a man like this and all of the sudden he was walking, had received hope, and was vocally proclaiming why he had this hope; wouldn’t you think that something very special and unique was going on? Of course you would have, no one could put on a fake show for years or months like that and not be figured out. Non-the-less here he stands. So, the text reads, And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. And rightly so, rightly so.

This man’s hope was on full display. Everyone could see, and everyone knew. There was no question about it, this man had been healed by God. This man was healed by the power and name of Jesus Christ. Now, this man knows where his hope is to be. And he wasn’t afraid to show it. We are to be like this. We know that we have hope, and just like the song this little light of mine, we gotta let it shine. Let it shine let it shine let it shine. What’s the light what’s the hope? It’s the name of Jesus. Jesus is the light. The light is the light of truth, the gospel message that is only found in Jesus Christ the righteous to cleans us from all evil and sin. So, we can’t keep our faiths under a basket and hidden. Show what your hope is, in the gospel message that because of God’s great love for us, he provided the way to saved and stand right and in perfect relationship with God, by putting your faith in and submitting to the Lordship of Jesus. There is no greater joy, no greater hope, don’t let the evils of this life, of your life bog you down and take your eyes off what really matters: That Jesus saves and people have to know.

Conclusion

Beloved, did you see the points about hope in the text? Do you understand that on our own, by our own means, that we are Hopeless in our estate. That nothing we do will ever be good enough to keep the correct and earned wrath of God away from us outside of faith in Christ? Do you see that so often our Hope is in the wrong place, which always points to something other than God and the gospel message. See and know that hope is only found in Jesus name, no other thing is worthy of hope. Finally, is this hope that you have on full display. If so, why not? Do you not know understand the hope that you have? Maybe you have put your hopes in the wrong thing. All of this might mean, that you need to ask yourself, What is your hope in?

Friends, we have all heard the gospel message several times today. If you are ready to receive this message today, that Jesus died for your sins that you could be made holy and new before God, than do this today. You now know and are accountable for your response.

Let’s conclude. Brothers and sisters, I love you all. If you need someone to talk to or prayer, I will be up here during our last song together. I would love to listen and pray for you. Let’s pray. Father God, only You are a God of Hope. All to often in our lives, do we look or turn towards false gods or false ideas that never really give us hope. Help us turn towards you and true and perfect hope. Help us live hopeful lives and share the hope that we have with others. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and Precious name that I pray. Amen.