All Part of the Plan

Bottom line

You don’t always know when or where, but you need to be ready when the Lord calls you to action.

Opening Line

How many of you have heard the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss?”

Introduction

It is a pretty popular phrase, implying that it is better to be blissfully unaware than to know more than you need to.

Did you know that phrase is actually only part of a bigger line? The person who first penned it was Thomas Gray. He was an English poet from the 18th century. One day, Thomas was watching some young boys playing sports and simply enjoying childhood. As he watched, he reflected on the fact they were completely unaware of everything that awaited them in adulthood. The hardships, heartbreak, and even suffering that comes with growing up.

In the midst of his reflecting, he wrote the poem Ode on a Distant Prosptect of Eton College. The last stanza of the poem goes like this:

To each his suff’rings: all are men,

Condemn’d alike to groan,

The tender for another’s pain;

Th’ unfeeling for his own.

Yet ah! why should they know their fate?

Since sorrow never comes too late.

And happiness too swiftly flies.

Thought would destroy their paradise.

No more; where ignorance is bliss,

‘Tis folly to be wise.

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Where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise. Let me ask you; based on the bit of the poem I read to you, do think that Thomas Gray is actually endorsing ignorance? No, his poem actually encourages the reader to guard the innocence of childhood and not to rob them unnecessarily of their joy.

Main Point

Today, ‘ignorance is bliss’ is used to jusitfy lazily avoiding the truth or staying uninformed. But I think I would like to add the back end of the phrase. Ignorance is bliss, until its not. You can be ignorant of the fact that the speed limit is 100 km/h, and blissfully drive over that limit until the police officer stops you and hands you the ticket. You can be ignorant of the ramifications of Bill C-9 and blissfully quote scripture to your neighbour until you quote the wrong passage and are being accused of hate speech.

Why it matters

But it is more than just being blissfully ignorant of the things of the world. You can also be ignorant of the things of God. You can miss opportunities to share the love of Christ if you are not prayed up and prepared. This morning as we dive into Acts, you are going to see God’s divine timing at work, and how that timing creates opportunities for amazing things to happen. But if you are not aware, or more importantly, if you are not praying, you can easily miss those opportunities when they come.

So we are in Acts 3 this morning. I think I have milked everything I can out of Acts 2:42. We can finally move on in the story.

Scripture

Acts 3:1–3 NLT

Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

So by way of introduction to this story, we meet an unnamed beggar who has been lame from birth. Now one of the things we don’t know is if he was being placed there each day for his own benefit, or if people were using his unfortunate situation to make an extra buck. Both are certainly possible.

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But there is a really important detail here that I think can be easy to miss. I will admit, I missed it until I started preparing for this morning. In chapter 4, we are going to learn that this man is 40 years, which means he’s sitting by the Beautiful Gate for years. That means that the disciples have probably walked past him before. It also means that Jesus probably walked past him.

That brings up an interesting point. If Jesus walked past this man who had been lame since birth, why didn’t he heal him? Didn’t Jesus heal everybody? No, in fact, Jesus didn’t heal everybody. He healed a lot of people. John says that if every miracle Jesus performed was recorded, the seas would run dry from the ink being used. But we know from the Gospels that Jesus in fact did not heal everyone that was sick.

Why? Well sometimes it was because people didn’t have enough faith. More often than not, as we are going to see with this unnamed beggar, there is more going on then we are aware of. Sometimes God doesn’t have to heal somebody in order for good to happen. Putting your faith in God means you put your faith not only in his perfect timing, but also his perfect plan.

I want to reiterate that to you. If you are here and you are believing for healing of some kind, for yourself or someone else, and it isn’t happening. Be encouraged. God’s timing is perfect, and maybe there’s something else going that you are not aware of. Ask God to speak to you and assure you of what the plan is.

Acts 3:4–8 NLT

Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

Now I don’t know about anyone else, but this story always caused me to go to worst case scenario. Whenever I read this story, I always wonder, “What if he wasn’t healed?” Could you imagine? Peter grabs this man by the hand, pulls him up, and his legs don’t work and he falls on his face. It would be embarassing for the man, humiliating for Peter. John is probably headed for the hills. Peter who? Most of all, what a terrible start to the church. The leader of the church is picking on lame people.

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I want to assure you that this is not instructions on how to do healing ministry. Do not go around grabbing people by the hand and just hoping for the best. That’s not what is going on here. You need to read chapter 3 in light of everything we just talked about in the first 2 chapters. What did the believers devote themselves to? Prayer.

Faith through Prayer

This is not blind faith at work. This is what happens when you have a devoted prayer life. God speaks to you, and you what seems like an extreme act of faith is simply just being obedient.

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Peter, following the example of Jesus and the instruction of Ps 5:3

Psalm 5:3 NLT

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Many of the Psalms talk about starting your day in prayer and the presence of the Lord. So Peter starts his day in prayer. His heart is ready and he is sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

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So as Peter and John approach the temple, they both feel a stir in their spirit. It says they both looked at him intently, but only Peter spoke. Obediently, he reaches down, grabs the man by the hand and pulls him up. Instantly in that moment he is healed.

If you don’t want to miss the opportunities God gives you to share about your faith, to be disciples who make disciples, it starts with have a devoted prayer life.

Acts 3:9–11 NLT

All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Needless to say, this healing stirs up the crowd. For years, they had all walked past him. Many of them had probably talked to him. He had become a staple in their journey to the temple. Never in their wildest dreams would did they think they would see him walking, let alone leaping and praising God.

But watch what Peter does in this moment.

Acts 3:12–16 NLT

Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

Just like at Pentecost, as the crowds gather in amazement with the miracle of speaking in tongues, Peter sees the crowd gathering to see what has happened, and he is not going to miss this opportunity.

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Peter starts by redirecting everyone’s attention to the one who truly healed the man. Peter humbly acknowledges that it is God who healed the man, through faith in Jesus.

But look at what Peter does in the start of his sermon. He asks them why they are so surprised. Why does he start there? Because it is an acknowledgment that even though this healing is miraculous, for God it is nothing. For God, nothing is impossible. By contrast, he also says that it is not by their power or godliness that healed him.

This is an important aspect when it comes to praying for healing. It starts with believing that what you are asking for is not impossible for God. In fact, in light of all the healings you read about in Scripture, this is just another healing for God. No matter how big the situation may feel for you, it is not that big for the God that you serve.

On the flip side, do not assume that the healing is dependent on your godliness. I believe that sometimes people will disqualify themselves from being healed because they fall short or they slipped up. God’s love and power is bigger than your miscues and mistakes. Even Peter and John knew they were sinners when the healing happened and it still happened.

When you pray for healing, for yourself or someone else, pray with the faith that it is possible, that God wants to heal, and don’t entertain any other thoughts unless God tells you otherwise. It is by faith in the Jesus’ name that the beggar was healed, and it is by faith in the name of Jesus that you can be healed as well!

Acts 3:17 NLT

“Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance.

There it is. What you did was done out of ignorance. Ignorance to what? Ignorance of who Jesus was really was. See the Pharisees believed that Jesus was just a man, not the Son of God. As such, they saw a rebellion, an uprising that Rome might have had to put down. In the Gospel of John, it says that the Pharisees concluded it would be better that one man die instead of the whole nation.

They were ignorant of the fact that Jesus was the Son of God, he was everything he said he was. The people were ignorant because they just went along with what the Pharisees wanted instead of asking questions. When Jesus was feeding people, they were on team Jesus. When the Pharisees lifted their voices and stirred the crowds, they were on team Pharisees.

But watch what Peter says next.

Acts 3:18–20 NLT

But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

What sins are Peter refering to? Well that is really on a person by person answer, but Peter is calling out the people to repent of their ignorance. The same people who called for the crucifixion of Christ are the same people who saw Jesus himself heal the sick, the same way God healed the beggar through Peter.

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But here is the gospel message in its purest. Repent of your sins, turn to God so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come. One of the weekend events I want to do at the church is something called Set Free. It is literally dealing with past sins. I’ve done it twice, and after each session I felt a weight drop off my shoulders. Refreshment is the right word when you know that God has dealt with your sin. You can experience that too, if you are willing to repent and turn to God.

Acts 3:21–26 NLT

For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’ “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

Peter wraps up his sermon by going back to prophets. Jesus is the Prophet that Moses spoke of. Samuel spoke of these days that followed Jesus’ ascension. This is all part of the plan. Nothing is happening that God is not aware of.

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I think someone here needs to hear that. God’s will is good, pleasing, and perfect. God has a plan, and everything is going according to plan, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Part of being a disciple and placing your faith in God is trusting not only his timing, but also the plan. God sees the world from a persective you and I simply cannot comprehend. We see the world linear, one moment at a time. God is outside of time and sees everything from beginning to end all at once. It is this reason that the prophets could speak with such accuracy about things that would happen hundreds of years later.

It is all part of the plan.

Transition to Application

But you have a part to play, and it requires you to be ready to respond when the moment presents itself.

Main To Do

So as I said last week, make prayer a priority! Start everyday in prayer. Start by asking God to increase your awareness of the needs that are around you.

Why it matters

For Peter and John, they saw someone they had probably walked by numerous times and knew that today was the day. Maybe for you, you see someone who normally rubs you the wrong way and suddenly you’re aware that they are struggling and simply needs an encouraging word. Maybe you see your neighbour doing a project and simply offer to help. It doesn’t have to be a miracle, it just has to show the love of Christ. The willing you are to be used by God, the more you will feel the Holy Spirit’s tug on your heart.

Closing Line

Who knows, maybe one day you’ll be the one grabbing someone by the hand and lifting them up to their healing.

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

How can we prepare our hearts for those moments when God calls us to take action in our daily lives?

What steps can you take to increase your awareness of the needs around you and be more responsive when God prompts you?

In what ways can you demonstrate the love of Christ in everyday actions, as Peter and John did?

What does it mean to you personally to trust in God’s timing and plan when things don’t happen as you expect?