Preaching to the Choir?

Another pastor appointed to the first appointment I pastored. Listened to part of his sermon and believed God was going to do great things. Do I tell him this?

GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

I. Setting the scene

A. Going to the temple for prayer.

Ninth hour was 3 in the afternoon.

The Jewish day began at 6 am and ended at 6 pm. For devout Jews, there were three special times for prayer—morning, noon and evening. They agreed that prayer was effective wherever it was offered, but they felt that it was doubly precious when offered in the Temple courts. It is very interesting

B. Temple

image

C. Cripple

The setting turns to a man who has been lame from birth (ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός, ek koilias mētros, literally, from the mother’s womb). The lame are prominent in Jesus’s ministry

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (p. 159). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

The fact that the condition is from birth intensifies its severity

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (pp. 159–160). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

Lame: χωλός (chōlos, lame) refers not to complete paralysis but to damage to feet, ankles, knees, or hips. So the man is crippled but not completely paralyzed. This man has never known anything else, nor can he do anything.

So “each day” (καθʼ ἡμέραν, kath’ hēmeran) he is set (ἐτίθουν, etithoun, they placed) in the temple precincts in the hopes of obtaining financial aid for his condition. The imperfect verb is an example of a habitual imperfect (Wallace 1996: 548).

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (p. 160). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

We communicate to whom ever God places in our path.

II. Miracle

a funny thing happened on the way to the prayer meeting.

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.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:3–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

A. The exchange

leading to the miracle follows in these verses. The man is asking (ἠρώτα, ērōta) for alms. The imperfect tense points to repeated appeals or some kind of ongoing appeal to the two apostles. The lame man would have made this request of all who were passing by to go to the temple. Peter, with John, gives him attention. The text focuses on Peter, who is the main human character and apostolic spokesperson in these early chapters. His gaze is fixed (ἀτενίσας, atenisas) on the man (see BDAG 148: “to look intently at”

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (pp. 160–161). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

The lame man turns his attention (ἐπεῖχεν, epeichen) to them in the hope of receiving something. This term means “be especially observant

Bock, D. L. (2007). Acts (p. 161). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

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

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:5–7). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

B. When was the last time you were ready to be used by God on the way to a prayer meeting?

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.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:7–10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We communicate to whom ever God places in our path.

III. Sermon

A. Preaching for a response

1) 12b–13b Explanation of the miracle as God’s work

(2) 13c–19 Kergymatic proclamation and admission of ignorance

(3) 20–21 Apocalyptic digression about Jesus the Messiah

(4) 22–26 Prophecy has been fulfilled.1

1) 12b–13b Explanation of the miracle as God’s work

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?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:12). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:13). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Peter stresses that the miracle is God’s work and that Jerusalem Jews are the first candidates for the reception of blessings promised to Abraham, which are now being channeled through Jesus the Messiah. These blessings constitute God’s new mode of salvation, addressed to Jews first. Thus the fulfillment in Jesus of prophetic promises made of old is to be realized above all among his own people. Through them the promised blessings will be extended to all nations.1

The kerygmatic elements in the speech can be seen in the following details: the age of fulfillment has dawned (3:18

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:18). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:18). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles

the ministry and death of Jesus are recalled (3:13, 15),

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,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:13–15). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

capped by his resurrection (3:15); he is God’s appointed “Messiah” (3:20); a call

20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:20). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

is made for repentance (3:19, 25–26).1

19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:19). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 3:25–26). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We communicate to whom ever God places in our path.

Jesus is preaching to the choir.

Some know, some think they know, many did’t get it.

I have lead many to faith inside the Methodist Church who didn’t know, were members, but came to have there hearts strangely warmed.

We communicate to whom ever God places in our path.

Hoped they were going but didn’t know. We can know.

IV. Outcome

4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ac 4:1–4). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We communicate to whom ever God places in our path.

YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)

Conclusion:

1. If we refuse to repent and devote ourselves to this teaching, nothing will happen.

2. We must continue the journey of transformation… live in a new way in the light.