Where are You Looking | Acts 3:1-10 (2)

Introduction

Last week we looked through Peter and John at where the Spirit directs. There were 3 ways to be aware of how the Spirit Directs:

Aware of the Spirit

Awake to the Spirit

Answer the Spirit

This looked onto the miracle from Peter and John eyes. Now we are going to look at the miracle from the Lame Beggar.

Let’s take a fresh look at the text together…

Acts 3:1–10 ESV

1 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.

Let’s pray together!

What would it be like to have to rely on people your whole life to carry you to a gate, outside the temple, and ask for money.

Let’s try this out…

I need a new Lame Guy

Remember the Beautiful gate is up here

You have to go to the gate to get money so you can eat. Who are you calling to take you?

There are three areas where the Lame Beggar looked and it was a result of the Spirit speaking.

LAME BEGGAR - Look Where the Spirit Speaks

Through People Who Carry You

The Lame Beggar, we’re going to call him LB. LB is helpless in this state and cannot live without the help of others. He likely lives life with no hope of ever walking. A small glimpse of joy must shine through when people are faithful to come and carry him. What LB and the people carrying him probably didn’t realize is that the Holy Spirt is at work everywhere. He will divinely work in others to put you where you need to be.

Whether this is your first time here or 100th time here, the Holy Spirit has divinely worked in your parents or friends to ensure you made it to Wednesday night.

We may not physically be lame, but we have all been spiritually lame. It was through the effort of people carrying us to church or a special event that introduced us to the Gospel for the first time.

Often times a combo love of the Holy Spirit and a Christian come together to eternally impact a person.

Even as Christians, sometimes we can feel like the paralyzed one: helpless, lost, feel like God has abandoned you. This is the vital time when you call on a Christian friend to carry you. The Holy Spirit will speak through those who carry you. You must first make sure that you are surrounded with people that will take where you need to be, not where you want to be.

This day, LB needed to be at the Temple to encounter Peter & John. He could’ve told his friends to take him anywhere else. There was no better place for his friends to carry him.

Could’ve ask to get wine and drink his emotions away, while at the same time cripple his mind and heart.

Could’ve asked to stay home and battle the evil spirit of depression. Be at war with his circumstance rather than the future outcome - being awake to Christ!

This was only possible because of people around LB who were faithful to carry him where he needed to be, not where he wanted to be.

Several of you in here have been the lame beggar and people around have brought you to where you needed to be and you encountered Christ! Now is the time you start looking for those like LB and carry them to Jesus. Be aware and ready for the combo love of the Holy Spirit and your love of people to come together and eternally impact a person.

Through the People Who Speak to You

Check out what Peter and John said, “Look at us.” It says that LB fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something. LB was likely expecting a very generous gift of money. LB was not looking where the Spirit speaks through the people who speak to you.

Check out what 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!”

Let’s understand the scene around them to better understand Peter’s message. The Beautiful Gate likely had silver & gold over the archway. Peter doesn’t have anything like that. What does Peter have? THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN HIM. Because the Holy Spirit was speaking to Peter and now through Peter, he proclaimed, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Understand this was not Peter’s power. This was the power of the Holy Spirit that now lives within Peter.

Just like LB, God has put people before you to share divine truth. They have shared the Gospel of Jesus with you that can save you from your paralyzing sin. For some of you in here, you may have hear people talk about it but you have not “fixed your attention” on the truth.

The Holy Spirit has divinely worked through people to carry you where you need to be so that you hear what you need to hear; BUT if you fail to fix your attention, you are going to miss the Divine intervention.

The Holy Spirit is trying to speak to you tonight! Some of you may only be hearing words. If you truly want to experience something different fix you attention on this {bump your neighbor and tell them to fix their attention on this}

Peter invoked the name of Jesus which called upon His authority and power. At this time not only had he received physical healing, but he had found spiritual acceptance as well. For the first time he was deemed worthy to enter the house of worship.

YOU CAN FIND THIS SAME GIFT if you will look to where the Spirit speaks through the people who speak to you.

LOOK WHERE THE SPIRIT SPEAKS THROUGH PEOPLE WHO CARRY YOU

LOOK WHERE THE SPIRIT SPEAKS THROUGH PEOPLE WHO SPEAK TO YOU

ALSO LOOK WHERE THE SPIRIT SPEAKS…

Through You with a Divine Intervention

Look at verse 7 with me: “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.”

When you encounter a divine intervention of the Holy Spirit changing your life, you are living proof that Holy Spirit works in peoples lives. Christ uses these moments for the Holy Spirit to speak into other lives.

Conclusion