Can You Lend Me a Hand: The Church as a Lifter

Sermon in a Sentence:

God has called the church to be lifters of the “left behind” Millennials, Generation Z and through the power of Christ.

William Temple says, “If the gospel is true for anyone anywhere, it is true for all men everywhere, and the church is His church exactly in so far as it is carrying out its missionary task.”

Where is the church of tomorrow? As we introduced our sermon series two weeks ago, one can argue that the church as a whole has seen a decline in church attendance among youth and young adult. It maybe even safe to say that youth and young adult are present, but they are not active for a myriad of reasons. The church of today is leaving off the scene, and the local church is in danger of dying. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, the church was born and began to witness about Christ. This doctrinally developed, fellowship focused, evangelistically equipped, and discipleship determined group grew through the preaching of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit as “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

As we continue our series “Where is the church of tomorrow,” the scene shifts from the birthing of the church to the first encounter with the ministry of the church. Yes, the church was riding the wave of amazement and wonder, but the apostles and those in the room still held to the orthodox Judaism. Judaism is the oldest of the world’s three major monotheist faiths, whose beliefs and practices are based on the Hebrew Bible. Luke specifically mentions Peter and John going to the temple at the hour of prayer. What is significant about this? Though they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they still understood the importance of prayer. It was custom to go to the temple and pray and worship at the time of evening sacrifice (Exodus 29:39-40; Psalm 24:3; 122:4). This was the time of evening Tamid, one of the two sacrifice held daily in the temple. These had become prescribed times of prayer, and people would come to the temple at the sacrifice times to observe the ceremony and pray. The largest crowds would thus have been found at the times of sacrifice, as Peter and John must have been well aware; for they went to the temple for prayer and for witness. Peter’s presence is clear as God uses him to “lift” the man. Why was John present? His presence is based on a Jewish law that at least two witnesses are necessary to confirm any testimony (2 Cor. 13:1). This stems back to Jesus sending his disciples out on mission by pairs (Luke 10:1), a practice that still retains its wisdom and validity. While the were going to the temple to pray, a lame man “was being carried” to the gate. “Wherever ministry is present, there will be a need to be ministered too.” The church must be ready to be the “lifter for the lifted” when the opportunity presents itself. In these ordinary circumstances—apostles practicing their devotion to God, a lame man plying the only trade he knows, appealing to the generosity and piety of his peers—an extraordinary encounter occurs.

A Beggar’s Burden

The Problem of Assimilation in Church

In his book The Face of My Parish, the Rev. Tom Allan has the following things to say about what he calls “The Problem of Assimilation,” when he found himself “in danger of becoming the minister of two congregations worshipping in the same building” (pp. 32–33).

• Firstly, “It is a plain fact that a great number of the newcomers are simply chilled out of the church by the attitude of the old members” (p. 34).

• “… the hopeless inadequacy of our ‘non-Sabbatical’ activities within the church itself” (p. 35).

• “Time and again I have seen men lost to the Church—usually the kind of people we want most to have with us—simply because we have nothing to offer them” (p. 36).

• “… a cleavage between two types of secularism. The only difference is that the secularism of the church retains the tattered remnants of a Christian background” (p. 37).

• “And what happened to these people when they did come in? One of two things. Either they remained on the circumference of the congregation’s life; or by their very membership in the church they became separated from their social group” (p. 39).

• “What is the point of evangelism if we are incapable of assimilating the converts?” (p. 48).1

1 John Stott, The Preacher’s Notebook: The Collected Quotes, Illustrations, and Prayers of John Stott, ed. Mark Meynell (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).

The lame man was carried to the Beautiful Gate, one of the outed gates of the Temple Mount. Because of its proximity to Solomon’s Porch, some suggested that the Shushan Gate in the Eastern Wall of the Temple Mount, may have been the Beautiful Gate. The word beautiful here is horaios, pertaining to an opportune point of time, happening/coming at the right time, time. The idea of this gate speaks to not only the beauty of the gate, but how being at this gate also provided the right position to receive something. No doubt the man had been carried to this gate for years. Luke, the physician did not disclose the cause of this man’s lameness. Yet, we know that his condition required him to “be carried.” The phrase “was being carried” bastozo (βαστάζω) is an imperfect passive verb in the indicative tense that means to bear. Carrying is an exertion of power and thus includes an exercise and application of will, the word takes on ethical and religious significance. Metaphorically, the word denotes the outward carrying of the cross by Jesus (John 19:17), then the personal attitude (Luke 14:27). “People in your life make a conscious decisions to exert their power and will to carry you to where you can be lifted.” The lame man represents the youth and young adults of today are carried and dropped off by the gate with their “lameness” and then carried back home with their “lameness.” The man lameness was not his fault, nevertheless he had to bear the weight of this condition.

An Adjusted Perspective

What the lame man desired was dictated by his condition, thus, causing him to become a beggar. The Beautiful Gate served as a main entrance into the temple and would provide the most potential for provision. Many people came through the gate and no doubt dropped the man some change. Begging was his trade for pure survival and Peter and John’s entrance was for communion with God. Did Peter and John look like they had money? They were just ordinary fishermen coming to the Temple for prayer and worship. The lame man saw them first, spoke out for help which garnered the apostle’s attention. Most would argue that Peter’s invoking the presence of Christ was the most important phrase, and I do agree with them. But i would like to argue that the most important phrase here is “Look at us.” This creates a transition point from the man’s condition to their condition. “If you are to be a “lifter” of the lame, you must willing to be transparent.” The man had been receiving alms for years, yet he continued begin carried to the gate daily. The phrase “Look at us” is an aorist active imperative verb meaning to take responsibility for causing something to happen—“to see to it that something happens, to arrange for something to happen.” Yes, the man was looking at them for one reason but Peter and John looked at him for another reason. The lame man wanted what was in their hands, but Peter and John wanted to give him what was in their hearts. There are times when you can’t help them like that, but you have a “this” that will heal them. The phrase “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” denotes the essence of a person. The power of the person is present and available in the name. The invocation of his name is a direct link between earth and heaven. It is not a magic formula but a simple recognition that if any salvation blessings are to come, they must arrive in and through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus so commissioned his disciples (Lk. 24:47) and the disciples so preached and ministered.

An Adjusted Position and Praise

After Peter invokes the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he takes his hand and raised him up. Raised is an aorist third person verb in the indicative meaning to restore, to cause again to be, restoration, to change to a good state. For so long the lame man was in a bad state, yet in the right place but never saw anything more than spare change and people carrying him to and fro. Peter’s extended his right hand (authority and power) hand allowed this lame man to touch heaven for an instant, and immediately was healed. “As people of God, we serve as points of contact for Millennials, Generation Z and A to touch heaven.” Think about the people who came in and out the temple through the Beautiful Gate, but never offered healing, only help. The lame man laid in that condition seeking help outside the “building” while people passed him going into the “building.” The man went from being carried to standing, and from standing to walking. But the greatest sign is that he entered the temple walking and leaping. His position changed from lame to standing to walking to leaping in a matter of an instant. The miracle moved those present because they knew the man one way and now they see him in another manner.

Practical Application

Prayer is still a priority even when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.

The presence of Christ in us empowers us to be “lifters” of the lame.

God lifts you to be a testimony to others about the power of God.