“Be Ready”
Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 5 viewsWe are called to “be ready in season and out of season to give a reason for our faith”, but how do we do that? Peter and John’s experience with the lame man at the Temple gives us an answer…
Notes
Transcript
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
The disciples were clear; We are to be ready to explain our faith, to give a reason for our way of life!
The question is: “How?”
“How do we ‘Be Ready’?!?”
“How do we ensure that we are ready?”
“What does that even look like?”
And…
“Are Peter and Paul even talking to us? I mean Paul is giving Timothy instruction in leading the church…”
“Doesn’t that mean that it’s the pastor’s job?!?”
Look at 1 Pet 2:9
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Peter clearly understood Jesus’s last words to them.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
If you have given your life to Christ… If you have received the Holy Spirit… Then this command is for you!
The work of ministry — the work of witnessing — of sharing God’s Love and Grace — the work of sharing the Gospel — is the RESPONSIBILITY of all believers!
So… How do we do that?!?
That’s what we are going to discover at today.
11 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.
12 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?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
This is a crazy part of the story!
Remember that Peter and John were on their way to the Temple for the “time of prayer”…
Their intent was to get close to God… to seek His Face… to be refreshed in His presence, and probably to receive a word of direction from Him…
But…
Before they can even get into the Temple, they meet this lame man… They heal him, and intend to bring him with them into this prayer time, to allow him for the first time to draw near to God — in the house of God!
But before they can even get in there, they are confronted by a crowd of people!
It’s crazy!
All they wanted to do was to go and worship and pray… to draw near to their Lord!
But what they got was interruption!
Let me tell you: Often the biggest opportunities will come as interruptions to your plans!
Peter could have done what many of us do… He could have gotten frustrated… He could have gotten mad… He could have ignored all of them and told John, “Come on, we’ll find another way in, or go pray somewhere else.”
But he didn’t…
Look what he does:
11 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.
12 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?
Instead of avoiding them, he accepted the opportunity to preach his second sermon — an impromptu message to a group of amazed people!
He tells them: “Why are you amazed?! Why are you staring at us as if we did this?! The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob - Your God did this!”
“And He did it through the name of Jesus of Nazareth!”
Acts 3:13–16 (NIV)
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
I want you to see this… to catch this… If any preacher today preached a sermon like this today, he’d be drug out into the street and stoned!!!
Peter starts his sermon by accusing them of wrong-doing!
He points out that they — the Jewish people crucified Christ — They killed their own Messiah — by rejecting Him and handing Him over to Pilate…
Not only that, but they placed more value on a murderer’s life than
Christ’s!!!
Don’t we do the same thing?!?
When we reject Jesus for worldly reasons?
When we let worldly ideas about God. about Christ, about church… move us farther away from Him?
When we refuse to serve Him? Or worse, We serve, but take the glory for ourselves?
When we avoid sharing His Word, or demand “that’s the Pastor’s job!”?
When we choose worldly comfort over Spirit led worship?
Aren’t we doing the same thing when we say, “I don’t want anything to do with the ‘organized church’?”
— — Isn’t that simply a rejection of God because we don’t like the way a few people have acted?
Are we guilty of rejecting Jesus in the exact same way the Jewish people did?
So… What are we to do?!?
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Peter says, “I know you did this out of ignorance! Repent! Turn to God! He will forgive and refresh you!”
Look at Acts 3:13
Acts 3:13 (NIV)
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
and
Acts 3:15 (NIV)
15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Peter’s point: GOD HAS THE FINAL WORD!!!
God has the final word on their actions… It doesn’t matter what they did… It doesn’t matter what they think… God has the final Word on their lives!
And He does in our lives too!
Listen… I don’t care what is going on in your life right now… fear… doubt… insecurity… financial struggles… relationship struggles…
All those things threaten to drag us down — to discourage us — to hinder and harm us — by convincing us that don’t deserve love and peace…
Listen!!!
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL SAY!
ONLY GOD DOES!!!
This is why Paul said:
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And Jesus told us:
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
now listen to verse 33
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Did you get that?!?!
The Fear — the Doubt — the Struggles — the Condemnation — that this world throws at us DOESN’T MATTER!!!
ONLY FAITH DOES!!!
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.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
It’s all about Faith!
Life - Peace - Unconditional acceptance - are only found in FAITH!
How was this lame beggar healed?
How was this possible?
— Because of FAITH in Jesus’s Name, and what He CAN do!
This man’s response to Peter’s command and outstretched right hand demonstrated his Faith!
How do we learn to be ready in season and out of season?
By Faith!
We have to learn to let our FAITH guide us.
We have to learn to trust God completely — to put our Faith ONLY in Him, and then to allow Him to prove our Faith to us.
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
“But Pastor, I don’t know how to Trust God, I have to much fear!”
“But Pastor, God can’t use me, I’m not smart enough — I don’t have enough money — I don’t look good enough — I’m not worthy — I’ve done to many bad things in my life…”
Did you not hear Peter?!?!?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
— “You handed Him over; You disowned Him and reject5ed Him; You asked for a murderer to be released instead of Him; You killed the Author of Life!”
Who had more reason to fear?
Who had more reason to feel unworthy?
Who deserved salvation less than these good, pious, church folks?!?
Yet… Peter tells them: Acts 3:17-19
17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Do you hear him?
“You DESERVE it
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
If you hear nothing else today, hear this: “NOTHING can separate you fro the Love that God has for you!”
He loves you that much!!!
You are NEVER too far from God.
You can NEVER do anything that will completely separate you fro the love that God has for you!
Hear This!!!
The world doesn’t have the Final Word on your life… YOU don’t have the Final Word on your life… GOD DOES!!!
Don’t allow yourself to lose life because you rejected His Grace.
Don’t allow yourself to lose life because you refuse to be used by God.
Receive Him… Ask Him into your heart once more… HE WON’T DENY YOU!!!
Give yourself to Him, and share what you have been given!
Remember what Peter really gave that beggar… FAITH!
That’s all we have to give…
John 14:31 says: “I do what I do so that the world will know that I love my Father.” (emphasis mine)
(invitation)