DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY!
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
LIFE IS FILLED WITH MOMENTS—
SOME PLANNED, SOME UNEXPECTED—
BUT ALL FILLED WITH POTENTIAL.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMPACT AND INACTIVITY
OFTEN COMES DOWN TO WHETHER WE RECOGNIZE
AND RESPOND TO DIVINE OPPORTUNITIES.
IN ACTS 3, PETER AND JOHN ARE ON THEIR WAY TO PRAYER
NOT A REVIVAL SERVICE, NOT A CONFERENCE,
JUST A ROUTINE MOMENT.
YET GOD TURNS A ROUTINE INTO A REVELATION.
A CRIPPLED MAN IS PLACED IN THEIR PATH,
AND WHAT LOOKED LIKE A DAILY INTERRUPTION
BECAME A DIVINE APPOINTMENT.
CHURCH, DON’T MISS THIS:
GOD OFTEN HIDES HIS GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES
INSIDE ORDINARY MOMENTS.
YOU’RE NOT JUST GOING TO WORK…
YOU’RE WALKING INTO OPPORTUNITY.
YOU’RE NOT JUST RUNNING ERRANDS…
YOU’RE STEPPING INTO DIVINE ENCOUNTERS.
THE QUESTION IS NOT—ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES?
THE QUESTION IS—WILL WE SEIZE THEM?
I. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PERCEIVE
I. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PERCEIVE
LOOK AT VERSE 1
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
PETER AND JOHN WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER,
THE NINTH HOUR, WHICH WAS ABOUT 3:00 P.M.
THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAD THREE ESTABLISHED TIMES FOR CORPORATE PRAYER:
9:00 A.M.,
12:00 NOON,
AND 3:00 P.M.
THE NINTH HOUR WAS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT
BECAUSE IT COINCIDED WITH THE EVENING SACRIFICE.
GOD USED THIS MOMENT TO CREATE AN UNEXPECTED MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY.
LOOK AT VERSE 2-4
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
BECAUSE PETER AND JOHN WERE SENSITIVE TO THOSE AROUND THEM,
THEY NOTICED A LAME MAN WHO HAD BEEN IN THIS CONDITION FROM BIRTH.
HE SAT DAILY AT THE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL,
BEGGING FOR HELP.
MANY OTHER WORSHIPERS LIKELY PASSED BY HIM
EACH DAY WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT.
HOWEVER, PETER AND JOHN
DIDN’T JUST PASS BY
THEY PAID ATTENTION.
PERCEIVED WHAT OTHERS MISSED.
THEY DID NOT JUST SEE A MAN BEGGING.
THEY SAW A DIVINE APPOINTMENT.
INSTEAD OF IGNORING A MAN IN NEED,
PETER AND JOHN ENGAGED HIM.
PETER FIXED HIS EYES ON THE MAN AND SAID, “LOOK AT US” (ACTS 3:4).
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
THEIR RESPONSE REMINDS US THAT
MINISTRY BEGINS WITH AWARENESS.
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
THOSE WAITING FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SEE
THOSE IN NEED OF GOD’S GRACE
THOSE IN NEED OF GOD’S MERCY
THOSE IN NEED OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHIRST
TRUE SERVICE STARTS BY PERCEIVING
THE OPPORTUNITIES GOD PLACES DIRECTLY IN OUR PATH.
DON’T PASS BY THE
NEEDY SOUL
SEEKING SINNER
RESTLESS RECEIVER
THE BANK TELLER, CASHIER, GREETER AT WALMART
DON’T PASS BY THE
CONVICTED CONSCIENCE
LOST LISTENER
OPEN OBSERVER
THE CLASSMATE, TEACHER, LAWYER, DOCTOR, CABLE GUY
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PERCEIVE
TO LOOK
STOPPED LONG ENOUGH
TO REALLY SEE THE PERSON,
DON’T JUST PASS BY
STOPPED LONG ENOUGH
TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF
A SOUL IN NEED OF SAVING
II. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT HIS WAYS
II. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT HIS WAYS
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
IN RESPONSE TO THE MAN’S REQUEST,
PETER AND JOHN USED THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PROMOTE THE WAYS OF THE GOD.
THEY REALIZED WHAT THE LAME MAN REALLY NEEDED.
GIVING ALMS WOULD BRING TEMPORARY COMFORT
BUT THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD
THIS MAN’S LIFE COULD HAVE LASTING CHANGE.
THE APOSTLES OFFERED HIM JESUS
AND NOT SILVER AND GOLD.
THEY USED THE OPPORTUNITY
GIVEN TO THEM TO PROMOTE
THAT HEALING,
LIFE-CHANGE,
AND RESTORATION
IS FOUND IN THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST.
PETER SAID, “IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, RISE UP AND WALK.”
THEIR WORK OPERATED BY FAITH IN CHRIST
AND SOUGHT TO EXALT CHRIST—NOT THEMSELVES.
LOOK AT VERSE 7
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
PETER’S ACTIONS REPRESENTED OBEDIENT FAITH.
HE REACHED OUT,
TOOK THE MAN BY THE HAND,
AND LIFTED HIM UP
BEFORE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HEALING HAD OCCURRED.
HE ACTED BEFORE THE RESULTS WERE VISIBLE.
THROUGH THIS MOMENT,
PETER AND JOHN DEMONSTRATED
THAT GOD’S WAYS ARE
PURPOSEFUL, POWERFUL, AND RESTORATIVE.
IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR BELIEVERS TO PATTERN
THEIR WAYS AFTER CHRIST.
WE MUST LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DISPLAY
HIS LOVE, COMPASSION, AND CARE
WHENEVER THEY ARISE—
IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE
THE WAYS OF GOD WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY
EVEN WHEN WE ARE ON OUR WAY
TO CHURCH,
TO WORK,
OR TO PLAY.
YOU JUST MIGHT FIND
A HEART READY FOR HOPE
OR
A LIFE LONGING FOR LIGHT
III. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PROCLAIM HIS WORKS
III. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PROCLAIM HIS WORKS
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
THE MAN WAS HEALED THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD.
IN RESPONSE, THE ONCE-LAME MAN LEAPED AND PRAISED GOD.
HE HAD BEEN LIMITED TO SITTING
OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE,
BUT NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
HE WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE TEMPLE.
HE BECAME A VISIBLE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST’S POWER
WORKING THROUGH HIS DISCIPLES.
THE VERY PLACE WHERE HE ONCE SAT
BECAME A STAGE ON WHICH
GOD DISPLAYED HIS WORK IN HIS LIFE.
THE PLACE WHERE HE PLEADED FOR HELP
BECAME A PLATFORM FROM WHICH
PRAISE WAS OFFERED TO GOD.
THE WORK OF GOD IS UNDENIABLE
WHEN IT TRANSFORMS A PERSON’S LIFE.
LOOK AT VERSE 9
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
LUKE IS METICULOUS
HE NOTED THAT “ALL THE PEOPLE SAW HIM WALKING AND PRAISING GOD” (V. 9).
LOOK AT VERSE 10
10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
THEY RECOGNIZED HIM AS THE SAME MAN WHO HAD BEGGED AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE.
THIS RECOGNITION IS CRUCIAL,
BECAUSE GOD’S WORKS ARE MAGNIFIED
WHEN THE CONTRAST BETWEEN A PERSON’S FORMER CONDITION
AND PRESENT CHANGE IS CLEARLY SEEN.
THE HEALING REMOVED ALL DOUBT
AMONG THE PEOPLE.
WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE WAS UNMISTAKABLY
THE WORK OF GOD THROUGH PETER AND JOHN
THIS WONDER AND AMAZEMENT CREATED THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR PETER TO PROCLAIM CHRIST. M
THE HEALED MAN DID NOT PREACH A SERMON,
YET HIS LIFE PROCLAIMED GOD’S WORK.
HIS PRAISE POINTED UPWARD,
AND HIS TRANSFORMATION POINTED OUTWARD.
GOD USED THIS RESTORED MAN
TO CAPTURE HEARTS AND MINDS,
PROVING THAT
WHEN HE WORKS,
HE ALSO OPENS THE DOOR
FOR HIS WORD TO BE PROCLAIMED.
CONCLUSION: MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE TODAY,
GOD MAY PLACE A PERSON IN YOUR PATH.
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
LIKE PETER AND JOHN,
YOU MAY BE ON YOUR WAY TO SOMETHING GOOD,
EVEN SOMETHING SPIRITUAL,
BUT GOD MAY BE CALLING YOU
TO NOTICE
A PERSON PURSUING PEACE
A SINNER SENSING HIS NEED
A HEART HUNGRY FOR HELP
A LIFE LOOKING FOR THE LORD
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
DON’T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
TO PERCEIVE
TO PRESENT HIS WAYS
TO PROCLAIM HIS WORKS
SO HERE IS THE CHALLENGE:
THIS WEEK, SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO SEE.
ASK GOD TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE PEOPLE
YOU NORMALLY WALK PAST.
BE WILLING
TO STOP,
TO SPEAK,
AND TO POINT OTHERS TO CHRIST.
YOU MAY NOT HAVE SILVER OR GOLD,
BUT YOU HAVE WHAT TRULY MATTERS.
REMEMBER,
THE TRANSFORMATION STARTED WITH
THEM BECOMING AWARE OF THE MAN’S REAL CONDITION
HE DID NOT NEED MONEY
HE NEEDED A MIRACLE
YOU MAY HAVE MISSED OPPORTUNITIES IN PAST
YOU CAN’T CHANGE THE PAST
BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE
DON’T LET THE WANDERER LEAVE WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD
DON’T LET THE DRIFTER DEPART WITHOUT DECLARATION
DON’T LET THE SEEKER SLIP AWAY WITHOUT THE SCRIPTURES
DON’T LET THE PASSERBY PART WITHOUT PROCLAMATION
DON’T LET THE TRAVELER TURN AWAY WITHOUT TRUTH
