Look, Step, Celebrate

Hook:Review of Previous -

Looking for something and forgot what it was? Found something better?

Looking for a place to eat… Thai food. Bec and I loved it in Washington. Washington, not that far from Thailand and the home land for Thai food… everywhere move one of the foods we are looking for.

Today we are going to see people who were looking for something but what they were looking for is not what they needed. Instead they had the opportunity to get what they really needed, or really wanted.

To get it however it was going to take a step of faith. They were going to need to do something based on nothing but the promise and words of someone else. Wether they took that step would depend on whether they would receive what they were actually needing and looking for and celebrate the result.

We see the first of these occurences in Acts Chapter 3

Bible options - Bring, Phone (Logos/YouVersion), Online (ESV.org)

Reminder: The Holy Spirit has Just come indwelling the 12 disciples and about 108 other followers. They came streaming out of the house and Paul gave a sermon that impacted over 3000 people. This is the how the Church (Ekklesia/ Body of Christ) was formed.

This new group of people Devoted themselves to things we at crossroads devote ourselves still today… in different words.

1) Disciples Teaching 2) the Fellowship 3) the Breaking of the Bread 4) the Prayers

Acts 3:1–10 ESV

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 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. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 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.

Lame Beggar

Lame from birth. Lame as in could not walk not lame as in uncool… though he may have been, we dont know him.

If you cannot work in the ancient world you still need to do something. Begging was much like baby sitting. They would leave a person in an area and go to work so they could make what money they could.

Giving to the poor and broken was a major part of Judaism worship. So, they would often leave people at the temple because they were already thinking about giving to God and thus were more likely to give.

This man was doubtful to be the only one there. like a good fishing spot, good places get over ran quickly.

Mexico

Ever been to mexico? Border towns? kids, Silas age, Jaels age, try to sell chiclets (gum) to who ever they can. It is enough to make you tear up when they come out in force. that being said if you show softness they will over run you.

Panhandrlers and beggers come to these border towns because you have huge volumes of tourists and thus money flowing through these areas. From my understanding you have to be very careful because diffrent crime synocates and maffias actualy keep people poor and send kids out to harvest money… i dont know… what i heard… anyway

Becky and I able to go with the family to South Padre Island. One day went to the town just accross the border. While there we were begining to become overwhelmed by the people, esspecially the children in need. One man selling hammaks in particular began to follow us and focused on Beckys dad.

Panhandlers/begger cannot go into the stores so we finaly ducked into a store and were able to esscape for a bit. When we looked around we couldn’t find Dad.

We joked around that the kids may have carried him off, but it was not until over an hour later we found him, caring a hammock. Turns out Dad had not wanted the hammock but the man kept trying to sell it and talking himself down. The man talked himself down so low, Bec’s dad felt bad not to buy it. If he let him keep going he might pay Dad to take it!

OK not really but it shows when there is an opportunity, people will flock there.

People dont change at the core. Just like today, when there is an opportinty peopel will be there. This man and who knows how many others were at the beautiful gate.

Beautiful Gate was one of the gates that lead into the temple. each one had a name. Just like finding your car at a huge mall, the airport or a sports event J12 tells you where you parked. Their names were obvioulsy alot better.

That Peter and John saw the man at all was incredible with undoutbly the amount of people there begging. But through God they saw the man, and the man did what He always did, asked them for money. it was nothing special just a regular interaction with hundreds of rejections each day, and expecting this to be just the same.

The lame man was not really looking at them, just expccting nothing or a few coins as tehy walked on their way. He had others to ask, more begging to do. Neither was he prepaired to actualy be looked at. he was used to be over looked and ignored. it would hurt, but it would become a way of life for any in his situation.

But Peter is no longer just like any other man. He has been changed by the Holy Spirit. “Look at me” you can hear Peter say with a gentle comand.

Acts 3:5 ESV

And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.

The man looked at Peter and John thinking he would get something but something greater happens.

Look

The man had been looking for money, something he could buy to ease the burden of life. But he found something much more, by taking a...

Step of Faith

When think of a step of faith i think of Indiana and the Last Crusade. *Spoiler altert* the movie has been out forever so… Indiana is trying to save his Dad from death and comes to a trial in a temple on his way to find the cup Jesus drank from at the last supper. He comes to this gigantic gap between sheer clifs with no way to cross and what looks like no bottom. He must take a step of faith to find there is actualy a hidden bridge right under his now shaky knees

for this man who is lame it comes from having enough faith to take this bizarre mans hand and stand up. There is no promise. there is no guarentee. This man and his freind may be playing a horrible prank on the lame man and walk off mocking him. but something tells theman to trust him and he does.

Acts 3:6–8 ESV

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!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

He stands up! Can you belive it! Amazing! Everyone around recognizes him and are filled with wonder and amazement. We would be to!!!

But what does the man do? He...

Celebrates and Worships

So now the experiance shifts from the Lame man with Peter and John to the...

The People

Now everyone thinks Peter and John have done this. Like they have some amazing ability or power… which they do but its not them… so Peter has to set the record straight.

Acts 3:11–16 ESV

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 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? 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. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 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.

Peter told the People it was not them, not their power or abilty. They were not special or holy enough for God to work through them. There was more. Why did Peter have to say that? Just like the man the people were looking for something…

Look

they thought they knew what to look for. People are people, we dont really change at the core. The people then were looking for power for good or evil. Power to heal, power to follow, Power to care for their pain, problems, hurt and emptiness they felt. They thought they knew what it was all about, but Peter is about to blow their mind… and make them angry.

Peter says

Acts 3:17–26 ESV

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 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.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

I love how Peter talks to the people, so much grace and mercy. He states it up front. You all killed Jesus! Jesus came to you from God and you killed Him! But I get it, you just didnt know what you were doing. I dont blame you I blame your ignorance. It gets across the improtance and the impact of what they did but also softens the blow so they could digest the satement with out being ofended. at its true. They were Ignorant!

and in there Peter also gives them an opportinity to take a

Step of Faith

vs 18 Peter says look Jesus was going to suffer and die any way. God alread had told us this was going to happen. It happened to happen at your hand (say that 10 times really fast… no cheating).

But… there is still hope if you repent… lets look at it again

Acts 3:19–21 ESV

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.

Repent so that

Your sins will be blotted out (restored relatioship with God

That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (so you can be in the presence of God)

That Jesus will come back (God will restore the kingdom of isreal to the focal point He promises in the Old Testament) Pssst… its not about us. This church thing is not talked about in the Old Testament. Think im wrong? find it and show it to me, ill change my mind :) This Church thing is as mystry as paul says (Eph 3:1-6)

Jesus is waiting in heaven for you to change your mind!

So do they? Do they take the peverbial hand of this weird man standing in their midts. Do they take the step of faith into the goarge to find that their is hope all along?

No. No they dont.

Acts 4:1–2 ESV

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

There is no...

Celebration nor Worship

and that leaves us with well… us

Humanty isnt that diffrent at its core. We dont really change from generation to generation. We all pretty much want the same things down deep

What are we Looking for

Today

Look

Its hope isnt it? Yes Love, Joy, Beauty, Saftey, Money, Power and the like. But i belevie all these can be found in hope. We have a longing in our hearts. An emptyness that says life is not supposed to be this way.

CS Lewis said it:

"The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can't supply is proof that Heaven must be our home." ~ C. S. Lewis

We are looking for what only can be found in the creator of the universe and we look every where but to Him. We look to Love, or our perversion of it. we look to our version of beatuy, and saftey. We use money and power to try and alter the world around us… all the while looking for what cannot be found here.

Like the People we think we know what we are doing, we think we have it all figured out, but on our own we really dont do we. its why we need so many pills to sleep, be awake, tune us in and zone us out. We think we know… but we dont.

Yet God through His loving kindness has provided a way in Jesus to take a ...

Step of Faith

by Beliving in Him we can have a restored relatioship with God, just like Peter said...

Acts 3:26 ESV

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

It started with Petecost, moved into the street and now to the temple. But we are faced with the same choice the crowd was . The same choice the lame man had. The same choice indiana jones had. Do we take that step of faith or not? The lame man grabed that hand, the people refused. What will you do?

For us it is not a physical hand but a choice. Will we Belive. Belive has two parts, first Repent - Mind change, turn around. Realize you cannot live a life perfect enough to be allowed into God’s eternal presences. Repent for the life you have lived and the lie you are living. Even our good things are more filthy than greasy rags that have fallen behind the work bench. We cannot repent if we do not belive.

If you dont belive the building is on fire you will not repent of siting in your chair (have a mind change) you will just sit there.

Have the mind change. God’s way is right. What we think is right is tainted at best

Then Belive.

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Belive that Jesus is God. That He Died and rose again. That His death was a total substitutinary payment for your evil life. Everything you have done, everything you will do has been payed by Jesus by the sacrifice of His life on the cross. Belive that through the Resurection from the Dead Jesus now sealed your eterniiny to be with Him starting now and lasting forever.

Finally once all that has been accomplisged once for all. Obey. Strive to live your life in God’s power. Live according to how Jesus says to live. Need to get intor the bible, talk with us we will help! Let us know if you are not here and we will send you a book on how to grow in Christ (best way is in a small group, growing together)

Obey. No you will not get it perfect, but day by day, step by step your life will become more like Jesus’. its called sanctification.

Then and only then can we

Celebrate and Worship

Who God is, What God has done, and our today, tomorrow and Eternity because of Him.

Bottom line

We are looking for something just like the man, and the People in the Temple. But what we think we are looking for is not what we actually need.

Take the step of faith. Trust this crazy guy up here like the lame man trusted Peter, when he says only through Jesus sent by God can their be Hope, Celebration and Worship

Believe, Repent, Obey

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Small Group/ Personal Study Questions

We grow best in the community. When we gather and discuss God’s word in a safe environment we grow more like Him. If you are here at Crossroads we encourage you to join a Small Group and talk over the Questions below. The Questions in Bold, are great places for your group to start. The other questions are for further study. May God Bless you in your pursuit of Him - Pastor Neil

1) Has anyone ever asked you what it takes to be a Christian? What does that even mean? How can someone go to heaven? What do you think? Why?

2) Read John 3:16-21

3) Why did God send Jesus? What does it mean to “believe in Him”? What does it mean “should not perish”? John says if we do not believe we are condemned, condemned to what and by who? is that a bad thing? why? What does it take not to be condemned?

5) Does not doing wicked things make you not condemned? why or why not? What does not doing wicked things show? How do we know what things are wicked? How are “true” things done (check vs 21)? what does that mean? Pastor Neil’s bottom line this week was “Believe, Repent, Obey”, does this correlate with these verses? How or why not?

6) What does this mean for you? Have you believed? Do you actions show a heart that believes or not? Why? Is this important information to share with a friend? who could you share this with this week? Need help? Ask us, we want to help :)