GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE

ACTS 3:1-10

Acts 3:1–10 NASB 2020

1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order for him to beg for charitable gifts from those entering the temple grounds. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple grounds, he began asking to receive a charitable gift. 4 But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not have silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!” 7 And grasping him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they recognized him as being the very one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg for charitable gifts, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

INTRODUCTION

Common Ground

People are suffering all around us. This pervasive problem faces us everywhere we turn. It is present in hunger, pollution, threats of war, terrorism, mass shootings, greed, homelessness, mental and physical illness. For most of you here today these are not things that are distant concerns, but they are things that touch your lives in personal ways. Honestly, it is hard to see suffering and it not affect you.

As much as caring and conscious people desire to help, they often feel like they can’t. It is often stated: You Can’t Give What You Don’t have, but I believe the text challenges that assumption today.

Context of the text:

The New Testament documents provide little information concerning Luke. The canonical writings support four points about him:

1. Paul considered him a coworker (Phlm 24)

2. He was a physician (Col 4:14).

3. He was a Gentile.

4. He was occasionally one of Paul’s traveling companions (2 Tim 4:11).

It is to this person that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are ascribed to.

In chapter 1, he writes about the instruction that Jesus left for his disciples and about His ascension back into heaven. Chapter 2, shows that the disciples were obedient to the instructions left and received the promised Holy Spirit. I. Howard Marshall says: in Chapter 3, Luke frames the story as standing in continuity with the mighty acts of God recorded in the Old Testament and with the ministry of Jesus.

The story deals with an encounter that involved Peter, John, a lame man, and the people in close proximity to the action. The text says that Peter and John were on their way to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. Since The phrase “hour of prayer” occurs only in Acts 3:1, we should understand that this narrative t reflects the Jewish custom in NT times of regular hours of prayer three times a day.

Bandstra, A. J. 1979–1988. “Hour(s) of Prayer.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised, edited by Geoffrey W Bromiley, 2:769. Wm. B. Eerdmans.

On this particular day, they encountered a man who was unable to walk. Because of his condition he was relegated to begging. Seeing Peter and John going into the temple grounds he asked them for a monetary charitable gift. The reply to him was we don’t have any: “Silver and gold we do not have. “ The Gospel is this narrative is that they were not hindered by what they did not have.

CENTRAL IDEA:

Don’t let what you don’t have keep you from giving what you do have.

THE MAIN BODY

As we observe the text today there are at least three things that stand out as something every child of God can give.

A LOOK (Acts 3:4)

Acts 3:4 NASB 2020

4 But Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us!”

a)

b)

A WORD

a)

b)

A HAND

a)

b)

CONCLUSION

A) Believers always have something to give (no matter insignificant).

B) God can make significant what you thought insignificant