A Gift that is Greater than Gold
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning Church!
It’s good to be in the house of the Lord this morning, Amen?
I want to thank each of you who have come out and joined in with us today and all those who may be joining online with us as well.
It’s good to have each and every one of you with us.
This morning we are going to be picking up right where we left off last week in the Book of Acts.
This morning we will be in Chapter 3 and we’re going to be picking up in Verse 1 and reading down through Verse 10 today at a message I’ve entitled “A Gift that is Greater than Gold — Getting more than You Bargained for.”
Is anyone familiar with that old saying?
“I got more than I bargained for.”
Well today, we are going to be looking at a fellow who definitely got more than he bargained for and by the end of the message, my prayer is that each and every person sitting here, who has been born again, will leave here understanding that each of us have received way more than we bargained for.
We’ve received a gift that is far greater than gold; a gift that is eternal and will never fade away.
Peter said in,
1 peter 1:3-4
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
This morning friend, if you have been born again, you have a living hope and His name is Jesus and if you have put your faith in Him, you have an inheritance waiting for you on heaven’s bright shore, amen!
On heaven's bright shore
There'll be no dying (over there)
Not one little grave
In all that fair land (that wonderful land.)
Not even a tear will dim the eye
And no one up there will say goodbye
Just singing his praise through endless days
On heaven's bright shore
Oh what a wonderful day that’s gonna be, amen!
An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that fadeth not away!
That will be the culmination of us getting more than we bargained for, hallelujah!
God’s grace gives us more than we deserve or could’ve ever bargained for!
So with no further ado, if you have your Bible’s turned to Acts 3 this morning and you’re looking at Verse 1 would you say, Amen.
The Request — (Vs. 1-3)
The Request — (Vs. 1-3)
Vs. 1 — The Disciples
Now, the Bible tells us here in Verse 1 that Peter and John went up to the temple at the hour of prayer, being about the ninth hour.
The Jews had set aside three different times of prayer in the temple…9 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3 p.m.
When the Bible says, “the ninth hour” you have to remember their day started at 6 in morning so the ninth hour here would be around 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
And we see Peter and John making their way to the temple to join with others in prayer.
Now, I want you to see something that we haven’t seen really up to this point.
Who is it that’s going together?
Peter and John, right?
Up to now, it’s always been Peter and Andrew and James and John. Brothers sticking with Brothers for the most part.
Or when the Lord called His inner circle farther, it was always…Peter, James and John.
But this day, we see Peter and John together. It’s almost as if their relationship had changed and for the better.
If you will remember, when Jesus restored Peter there was some jealousy on Peter’s part towards John. Remember that?
Jesus basically told Peter how he would one day die and John was following behind them and Peter said, “what about him?”
Jesus basically said, “well Peter, if I decide to let John live until I return what business is that of yours? You just need to worry about following me!”
So we see that Peter and John haven’t always had the best relationship but here on this day we see them together headed to the temple to join in prayer together.
I like what John Phillips said about this scene.
John Phillips — Peter and John! That was different. It used to be Peter and Andrew, James and John. Now it is Peter and John. Calvary had brought these men into closer fellowship with each other. By nature and temperament they were different. Peter was a doer, John was a dreamer; Peter was a motivator, John was a mystic; Peter had his feet on the rock, John had his head in the clouds. Peter would point to John and demand of the Lord, “And what shall this man do?” (John 21:21). John would quietly whisper to Peter in a moment of doubt, “It is the Lord” (21:7); John would outrun Peter to the tomb; Peter would push past John and rush right in; Peter would dash on out again, his mind in a whirl; John would walk away thinking deeply over the significance of those strangely ordered grave clothes. Peter and John were opposites. By nature they would get on each other’s nerves, but now they walked together. We read, “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple.” Before, they had been mutual disciples of Jesus, now they were members of a common body; before, they knew friendship, now they enjoyed fellowship.
We talked about fellowship this last Sunday and I just want to say this past Wednesday we got a glimpse of what true fellowship is. People were giving testimonies, people were praising other members for their hard work and dedication to the Lord. It was just an amazing thing to see and a special service to be a part of! It was true fellowship!
But we see Peter and John here and they’re making their way to the temple to pray and they’re are about to find themselves posed with a request to which they would give the most unsuspecting response.
Look at Verse 2 with me.
Vs. 2 — The Disabled
He was a certain man — He was known by all who visited the temple daily.
He had a crippling condition & had to be carried — He was lame…he was unable to walk due to a disability...and he had to be carried daily to sit at the temple.
His condition was continuous from birth — His condition had been this way since birth and it didn’t look like there was any end to it in sight!
John Phillips said — There had never been a day in this man’s life when he had not been a burden to somebody. He could not walk, and he could not work. All he could do was beg, sit there, and hope that his plight would provoke pity.
Listen Church, this man was helpless.
He could not walk.
He could not work.
And because of his helpless condition, he had a hopeless future.
How long would someone be willing to carry him to the gate to beg for money?
What if he couldn’t get enough to eat?
What if he couldn’t get enough to care for his broken body?
Life for this poor fellow was grim.
But every day someone would take him and set him at this beautiful gate.
As you can see from the picture, there were multiple gates to enter the different courtyards of the temple and most believe it was either the Corinthian gate or the Nicanor gate here that Luke refers to as the beautiful gate.
John Phillips — If one had to beg, probably this was as desirable a spot as any. It was a place of beauty. The man was placed on the steps leading up to the Nicanor Gate through which Jews passed from the Court of the Gentiles to the Court of the Women.
It was here that the famous barrier was erected known as “The Middle Wall of Partition,” where announcements in Latin and Greek warned Gentiles, upon pain of death, to go no further. Nine gates led through this barrier, of which the Beautiful Gate was one.
From where he lay the lame man could contemplate the beauty of that gate. It is said to have been made of Corinthian bronze wrought with such rich ornamentation that it far exceeded in value gates plated with silver and set with gold.
So we see that this Corinthian gate would have been a sight to see, a beautiful gate!
But the Nicanor gate was no slouch itself.
Rod Mattoon — The gate itself was of unusual size and splendor. It received the name “Nicanor” from it being the work, or having been constructed at the expense of an Alexandrian Jew of this name.
According to Josephus, it measured 75 feet high by 60 feet wide. The gate was adorned with thick plates of gold and silver. Its weight was so great that it took twenty men to move it. Its massiveness and magnificence, therefore, well earned for it the name “Beautiful.”
Now, we can’t be for sure exactly which gate this lame man was laid at but every day this disabled man would be brought and laid at the beautiful gate in order that he might beg of someone some money.
This was his only means of a living.
This is how he ate.
This is how he cared for and provided for himself.
This may have even been how he continued to get someone to bring him back day after day. He might have been giving these men a cut of the money he was able to gain.
But day after day, things never changed for this fellow. That is until this day.
Look on down at Verse 3 with me.
Vs. 3
Makes you wonder what it was about Peter and John that made this man ask them for some money, doesn’t it?
Was it the fact that they seemed to have a spirit of happiness about them?
Was it the fellowship this lame man seen Peter and John sharing that drew him to ask?
Maybe he had heard of the mighty revival that had broken out and how that Peter and John were a part of?
Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t because these weren’t rich men.
If anything, they were probably on the poorer side of the tracks than most.
But something about Peter and John drew this cripple man to ask of them some alms or money.
Little did he know that this request was about to change his life forever!
Look on down with me at...
The Reply & The Remedy — (Vs. 4-6)
The Reply & The Remedy — (Vs. 4-6)
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
When the Bible says here that Peter and John fastened their eyes upon the lame beggar it means they “looked intently.”
They were looking past the ailments, past his condition, past his beggarly state and they were looking into the very soul of this man.
And the Bible says, “he gave heed unto them.”
He looked up at them expecting some money but what he was about to get was more than money could ever buy!
He wanted money but he got a miracle, amen!
Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none; but what I have I give unto thee! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
You want money friend, I’m fresh out!
Money will come and go. Materials will come and go.
But how about I give you something better! How about I give you something you can never lose! How about I introduce you to the one who will never leave you nor forsake you!
How about we give you more than you bargained for, Amen!
“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
Oh praise God, look what happens next in Verse 7.
The Rousing & Receiving of Strength — (Vs. 7)
The Rousing & Receiving of Strength — (Vs. 7)
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.
Peter reaches down and grabs this fellow by the right hand and goes to pull him up.
Praise God when I was putting this altogether I couldn’t help but to think how we all need a hand up sometimes don’t we?
We get down in the dumps of despair and sometimes it can even be crippling and sometimes all we need is another Brother or Sister to show up and give us a hand up!
This fellow was taking all the handouts he could get but Peter didn’t have a handout to give! All he could provide was a hand up and it’s exactly what this lame beggar needed!
The Bible says, “immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”
When it says they “received strength” it means they became strong! It means to solidify which comes from a word meaning “to make solid or stable.”
For someone who has never walked a day in their life, these bones and tendons and muscles undoubtedly were weak but praise God, when the reply came and the word of God was sewn in this man’s heart and took root, faith began to sprout and that seed of faith began to blossom and it opened the door for God to do His greatest work and what a work He did, Amen!
This man who had never stood before was now standing on his own two feet but that wasn’t all!
Look on down at Verse 8 with me at...
The Rejoicing — (Vs. 8)
The Rejoicing — (Vs. 8)
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
He didn’t just stand, he leaped up and then he began to walk and notice the first place he went?
Into the temple, Amen!
Up to this point, this man had only ever been able to sit at the beautiful gate but today, this day, he would get to enter in and enter in he did!
He entered in with praise on his lips and thanksgiving in his heart for what God had done for him!
Notice he didn’t give Peter and John praise, no...he gave praise to the one who he knew had healed him and mad him whole!
Now, look on down a the reaction of the crowd in Verses 9-10.
The Reaction — (Vs. 9-10)
The Reaction — (Vs. 9-10)
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Remember that “certain man”?
Everyone else remembered him!
But now there was something different!
He was a new man! He was a changed man! He was a man made whole, Amen !
And the change that had taken place in this man was evident and it filled the crowd with wonder and amazement!
That word amazement means they were literally in a trance!
They couldn’t believe what they were seeing, Amen!
Can I just say, there was a point and time when people wondered and were amazed at me!
I was a heathen. I liked to drink. I liked to party. I liked party and live on the wild side but God almighty got ahold of me friend and He changed me!
I wasn’t the same person anymore!
I didn’t want to drink. I didn’t want to curse. I didn’t want to party anymore!
I wanted to live for God!
And there’s no doubt that some of the people in the town I grew up in who knew me best…when they heard I was preaching, I’ll guarantee they wondered and were amazed, Amen!
But that’s what God does when He does a work in a man or a woman!
He don’t just come in and set up shop and leave you the same way He found you! Oh no! He comes in and before He sets up shop, He cleans the shop up, Amen!
And the man or woman you used to be ain’t the man or woman you are anymore!
He changes you and when He changes you, He changes you from the inside out!
And here’s the point I want to end with today.
Closing
Closing
In God’s divine wisdom, majesty, and might, this man who had been nothing but a burden to those around him his entire life, would now be a blessing of God to all those he come in contact with!
And that should be the life of all who have bowed the knee to God. We’ve gotten so much more than we’ve bargained for. God is so good to us!
Maybe this morning, you just need to be like Peter and John and maybe there’s someone God is trying to reach through you. Maybe there’s someone who needs a hand up like this fellow before us and you are the vessel God wants to use to be that blessing.
You may not have silver and you may not have gold but dear friend, if you’ve been born again, you have a gift that is much greater than silver or gold could ever be!
You have an eternal gift that has been given you that you can share with others.
Think about this man’s testimony from this day forward.
What a testimony this man would now have for God!
He’s blessed us with such heavenly blessings and we in turn ought to be a blessing from God to all those around us!
And if you are here and you’re lost; you’ve never accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior I want to show you something as we come to a close.
These verses are a beautiful picture of salvation if you look at it from a birds eye view.
This man we read about today was only ever able to sit outside the gate. His broken condition kept him from entering the beautiful gate and making his way into the temple.
We are no different than this cripple man we just read about. We too are crippled by our sins and without the Lord Jesus Christ have no hope of ever entering those beautiful gates of heaven!
But dear friend, if you are willing to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, just like this fellow in our story did this morning, then you too can enter those gates with praise and thanksgiving!
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
There is a gift that is greater than all the silver and gold this world has to offer and it’s the gift of salvation.
And this morning, if you will accept this free gift of salvation from the Lord Jesus Christ I assure you that you will leave here with more than you bargained for!
It’s not God’s will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
If God is dealing with your heart and telling you that you need to be saved, won’t you make that move today and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ before it’s everlasting and too late.
I want you to imagine for just a moment what would have happened to this guy if he’d of just said… “nah I don’t want what you guys are offering. I need money! I have bills to pay and I need food to eat! What you are offering won’t fix any of my problems.”
What do you think would’ve happened if he’d of said that?
He’d of remained a cripple and he’d of died a cripple.
But by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior he got what he needed and more!
The most important thing he got was the gift of eternal life!
And if you are here this morning and you feel something tugging on your heart, some still, small voice telling you that you are lost and need to be saved, listen, that’s the Holy Spirit drawing you to salvation.
Make the same move this lame beggar made and put your faith in Jesus this morning and be made whole!