Where are You Looking | Single Message of the Series

Introduction

This story allows us to look at a miraculous moment through the eyes of different people. You’ll notice that each look - looks through the scenario to see Jesus.

Tonight I want us to take each look and study the message.

Let’s read together Acts 3:1-10

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.

Does anyone know who wrote Acts? =LUKE. I think its interesting that God lead Luke to write about a lame man being healed. The doctor is writing about people being healed.

Let’s pray together!

One of the greatest pivotal points in the New Testament was the dwelling of the Holy Spirit upon each of them. It deeply & spiritually changed them. Now we have Peter and John going into the temple… we just read the story but you may not remember or fully understand the scenario — so lets act this out together.

I need someone who is lame

I need two people to carry the lame person “lay him at the beautiful gate right here”

I need a Peter & John “go stand by the door and wait for your cue

Here is the script:

A lame man was brought to the Beautiful Gate to beg for money

Peter & John were going to the temple

As they got close to the temple, the lame man asked for alms. (“I need alms”

{Did you say arms? It’s your legs that don’t work. A.L.M.S}

Peter directed his gaze at him, — so did John, and said “Look at us”

Crowd pauses in interest at what is about to happen

The lame guy fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something.

Peter gazing at him 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!”

They took him by his arms that worked fine before, even though this lame guy was asking for it.

Immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. He’s leaping, jumping, and walking while praising God.

All the people recognized him as the lame guy at the beautiful gate. They were saying things like “WOW” - “AMAZING” - “I wonder if they can help my non-literal lame friend… if you know what i mean.”

Everyone can find their seat now. Now that we have a better visual of the story, lets look at a miraculous moment through the eyes of different people. You’ll notice that each look - looks through the scenario to see Jesus.

The first look is the LOOK FROM THE DISCIPLES…

DISCIPLES - Look Where the Spirit Directs

Peter and John headed to the temple for a time to teach. There is no indication they were planning to meet up with the lame guy and heal him. The two disciples were simply going to teach. Even though they were following their plan, they were not spiritually distracted to where the Spirit directs. The only way Peter would’ve directed his gaze and told him to look at him was by the direction of the Holy Spirit which now lives within him.

During your daily routine, are you looking to where the Holy Spirit directs you? The same Spirit that lived in Peter and John lives within us! He wants to direct us the same way He directed Peter and John. We have to be on the look out for where he directs.

When you start to drive, you learn to have this fifth sense of police cars. While you are jamming out to music, talking with friends and family, or just thinking. Every white or dark suv/car with tinted window is sus.

While we are living life, going to school, going to sports, going to extra curriculars, going with friends and family — you are looking where the spirit directs. When you are spiritually looking for where the spirit directs, its in these moments you will see the need around you.

An important question we all must ask is, “How do I look where the Spirit directs?”

AWARE of the Spirit | 1 John 3:24

1 John 3:24 ESV

24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

We must aware that the Holy Spirit is apart of the trinity. When we get saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. If you do not obey God’s command which is to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus, you will never be aware of the Spirit.

Do you realize what their awareness of the Holy Spirit means?

Listen to Ephesians 1:13-14

Ephesians 1:13–14 (ESV)

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

You’re awareness of the Holy Spirit is your guarantee/down payment for you heavenly inheritance. This inheritance is you eternal perfect body which you will have in heaven with Jesus. If you are not aware of what Jesus did on the cross, repent of your sins, and believe in Him — — you are not aware of the Holy Spirit because He does not dwell with you.

2. AWAKE to the Spirit | Revelation 2:7

Revelation 2:7 (ESV)

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…

We also have to be awake to the Spirit. When we are aware He is there we must also be awake to the Spirit by listening. Have you ever been in bed and supposed to be getting up and your parents tell you something, and later they ask you about that conversation and you have no idea what they are talking about?

Same idea here. We must be alert and awake to the Spirit, ready to listen and able to comprehend. Peter and John’s alertness and focus are an example that they were awake to the Spirit. Their action to look at the man and be active is a testament they were awake to the Spirit.

How many opportunities do we all miss because we are not awake to the Spirit’s direction in all areas of life? Think about opportunities at school, practice, travel, hanging out, church. What are the opportunities around you? You will never know the opportunities are there unless you are awake to the Holy Spirit.

How can I be awake to the Holy Spirit like Peter and John so that I don’t miss an opportunity? Starts with the condition of where the Holy Spirit abides. He abides within your heart. If your heart is cluttered with sin, then there is a barrier blocking you from listening to the Holy Spirit.

If you are not awake to the Holy Spirit then you are not able to answer the Holy Spirit.

3. ANSWER the Spirit | Galatians 5:16

Galatians 5:16 ESV

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

We know from earlier in Acts that Peter and John were aware to the Holy Spirit and in this chapter they are awake. This enabled them to answer the Holy Spirit by being obedient and stopping to take the opportunity.

When you are aware of the Spirit and awake to the Spirit then you must answer the Spirit. We see in the passage that Peter were at this point - he answered the Spirit. Answer the Spirit by walking by the Spirit!

Answer the Spirit will involve speaking when it may seem scary.

Answering the Spirit will involve acting when it may seem awkward.

Answering the Spirit will involve caring when you may want to give the cold-shoulder.

Answering the Spirit will involve trust when the timing seems wrong.

Answering the Spirit must be unconditional no matter what your usual is.

Let’s take a moment to look through the LAME BEGGAR

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.

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!”

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.

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.

PEOPLE - Look Where the Spirit Surprises

What People See {will affect} What People are Interested in {and will determine} What People Believe in.

What People See (ref 3:9)

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God”

Before your life is changed

People living life and following regular routine.

What have the people seen for years & decades?

People were familiar that he was lame and that he was a beggar

People are familiar with the life you live before your miracle

What is your miracle? SALVATION

There is a life that people see and become accustomed to interacting with

Topics of conversation

Use of language

Styles of conversation: gossip, lies

Lifestyles

After your life is changed

There was a Wonder and Amazement when LB’s life was changed

The ordinary they saw was now reversed to this outstanding surprise

The life they were familiar to seeing is no longer familiar.

The moment Jesus changed your life - there should be Wonder & Amazement because… “The ordinary they saw was now reversed to this outstanding surprise”

The life people are accustomed to interacting will be different. People will see and experience and change in…

Topics of conversation

Use of language

Styles of conversation

Lifestyles

A changed life by Jesus is evident by the people around you because the Holy Spirit that lives inside of you will direct you from sin and convict you of sin.

WHAT PEOPLE SEE will affect …⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

What People are Interested in (ref 3:10)

“And they were filled with wonder and amazement”

The difference they SAW affected their interest

The difference the world SEES in you will affect their interest

LB received this physical healing and a supernatural salvation

Their interest in what happened to him will lead them to WHO changed him

If the life that is changed is not DIFFERENT & PRAISING, the potential interest in WHO did the changing will immediately be deflated.

The presence of interest in a non-believer leads to an easier conversation

Missions example

Friends example

Peter took the opportunity of interest to invite people

Acts 3:11–16 ESV

11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Acts 3:19–20 ESV

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

Acts 3:26 ESV

26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Never miss the opportunity of interest to invite people

WHAT PEOPLE SEE will affect WHAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN and will determine…⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

What People Believe in (ref 4:4)

Acts 4:4 “4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

Conclusion

I told you at the beginning…

“This story allows us to look at a miraculous moment through the eyes of different people. You’ll notice that each look - looks through the scenario to see Jesus.”

The Disciples saw how the Holy Spirit guided