Such as I have...
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Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.
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;
who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.
And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.”
So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
Look on us
Look on us
Before they did anything, they asked for his attention
Peter said “look on us”
This is worth noticing: So often we want people in need to look at anyone but us.
We want people to look to the church, look to the pastor, look to the government, look to the rich guy down the street
But When the disciples were faced with hungry people Jesus had told them “You give them something to eat” ()
Peter and John were going into the temple as fellow worshipers, they were not the rabbis, and they were not on staff
Why isn’t every Christian saying to the world “look on us”?
One of the reasons we are not asking the world to look maybe that we are not acting like Jesus in our character and lifestyle
If we want to be Ambassadors for Jesus Christ, we ought to be living in such a way that we can say “look on us”
Some Christians may not want to be looked at too closely for fear of being recognized from earlier in the week
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.”
And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
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.
act3.6-
Silver and Gold are not always the answer
we tend to measure everything in money, but somethings are more valuable than money
But what I do have....
Peter understood that he possessed something which he was able to impart unto others
what “I” have “I” give to you
We have received power from God, we should use it ()
It is important to understand that there were still some people that were not healed. There were times when miracles were not performed (like when James was killed)
Healing and other miracles were and still are part of the salvation experience ()
God has not changed
This does not mean that we can just go empty out hospitals
Sometimes it is required that there is faith in the part of the receiver (as we will see Later with Paul in Lystra)
There had to be faith active in the minister of the miracle also
Peter and John were prepared to be used
they had been regularly in prayer (they were there at the hour of prayer)
they had received the Holy Ghost (they had been saved and experienced and acknowledged the manifest presence of God in their lives)
They were ready to be used by Him
They were looking for an opportunity
They understood the purpose of the gifts, as we will see
they had a right motive
Motives are very important in the gifts of the Spirit
It is not enough to simply want to do good deeds and believe you can
Why do you want to? Your glory? Or His?
How will you use the attention when it comes?
Too many people want the power of Jesus apart from the gospel of Jesus. This is not an option
Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
act3.11-
Why do you marvel at this
Why do you marvel at this
Why do you marvel?
This is a good question. We should expect God to do miracles?
Is anything too hard for Him?
Jesus said “These signs will follow them that believe...”
Why look so intently at us?
Earlier Peter said to “look on us”
Now he asks “why are you looking at us?”
As I have been saying, the purpose of all of the miracles is to glorify Jesus, to point to Him
We want people to look on us, so that we can tell them to look on to Jesus!
Some people just want to be seen -
I’m not just trying to sound cliche
This is an important point, and maybe a large part of why we don’t see as many miracles today
We need to check ourselves, evaluate our own motives
He is the beginning and the end
Are we wanting people to see Jesus, or us? (hero syndrome)
Jesus is the beginning and the end
He is the first and the Last
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has glorified His son Jesus....
He didn’t say God has helped this worthy person
Or God helped this needy person because of his need
rather, God has glorified Jesus!! That is what miracles, and all of our works ought to do
you cannot be saved by works, but if you are saved you will have works
And if your works are of God, they will be for the glory of Jesus Christ, not for wages or reward
But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
“Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.
act3.14-
“You denied the Holy One and the Just...
Why are we so afraid of telling people their errors?
People don’t want to be told that they are wrong anymore
So many churches are built on the foundation of “Selfianity” and a doctrine of “comfort first” which demands that we never make people uncomfortable
God demands exactly the opposite - If you are in sin you should be uncomfortable
In fact Jeremiah criticized the prophets and Pastors who made people comfortable in their sin
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?
Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.”
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This is a an irrefutable fact, that all people must come to understand
We have all denied the Holy one
As Christians we must also help people with “specific” understanding of this truth
Peter was very specific in which way they had erred - They desire the murderer
So his charge could be applied both generally and specifically
Paul teaches that we must continue this necessity if we are going to lead people to Jesus
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2tim4.
Notice that Peter seized on this opportunity to rebuke the people (lovingly) for their sin, and call them to Jesus
How would such an action be received today?
Wouldn’t a good many Christians think that he was being a downer?
Think about what a spoiler that must have been: Here they were rejoicing and excited, and suddenly Peter says “this was by Jesus.. and by the way, you have rejected Him, and You have murdered Him, and you have turned to others instead of Him....
What would we say today of that methodology?
How many of you watching today want to see Jesus Christ’s power manifested, but don’t want to offend anyone, or risk making anyone uncomfortable
As we continue in this study you will find that the disciples nearly always did this
They regularly told the Jews that they were wrong to reject Jesus, and that without Him they could not be saved
They regularly told the Gentiles that they were wrong to worship false Gods and idols, and in fact that their gods were not gods
We must be willing to tell the muslims and Hindus and Buddhists of our day that they are wrong. That they cannot be saved apart from Jesus Christ
The gospel is not “inclusive” in that sense.
all our included in the invitation. But the only door is Jesus Christ. You are invited to enter through that door, but no other door will open to heaven
Through Faith in His Name
Through Faith in His Name
again, the message comes back to Jesus
Jesus said “apart from Me you can do nothing”
It was “faith in that name” which made this man strong
It is “faith in that name which will give you victory today!
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
phile2.5-8
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
We know that whover calls upon this name will be saved
That is as true today as it was 2,000 years ago
And this salvation is e
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
this same Jesus is ready and willing and able to save you today
And this salvation in Him is everything you will ever need
He is still saving to the uttermost
He still heals the sick
He still sets the captives free - free from every bondage
He still gives strength to the weak
HE still gives hope to the hopeless
He still gives comfort to those who mourn
He still gives sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf
He still gives love, peace joy, and all goodness to those who call upon Him
He still gives forgiveness to the guilty and redemption to those who are condemned
He still gives the abundant life for today and everlasting life forevermore!
His Name! Through Faith in His Name!
His Name! Through Faith in His Name!
It is His Name, Through faith in His Name, which will make you strong today!
Don’t wait another moment
Call upon Him while it is yet today!
We know that whoever calls upon this name will be saved
act3.19-
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Repent and be converted
Thank God that he didn’t only say to repent
He did tell them where they were going wrong, and that they needed to repent
But he didn’t stop there - Oh thank the Lord
Be Converted
Be Converted
Be converted that your sins may be blotted out!
This is God’s will for you - that you may be converted
We don’t have to stay in sin and bondage
As far as the east is from the west....
Jesus did not come to condemn a sinful world
He came to redeem a condemned world - that we could be converted
Those who were afar off can now come nigh
Those who were born into sin, children of the devil, can be adopted into Christ, accepted as children of the most High
This is good news!
So times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord!
Who needs some refreshing?
Come unto him and drink
act3.
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
He has not gone away forever
“until the times of restoration of all things”
Jesus Christ will return - sooner now than when we believed
Soon and very soon, we will be with Him in His Kingdom
When He comes, He will be restoring all things
the lamb will lie down with the wolf
the lion will eat grass like the ox
there will be peace throughout the earth
sin will be done away with the devil will be silent
sorrow and death will be abolished
Oh what a day will that be!
Will you take part in that celebration?
Who will you bring to the party?
