Message: COMMON BUT UNCOMMON

Passage:

Today we are going to look at Peter, and his life.

And one of the most Radical transformations that took place.

Acts 4.

CONTEXT

Holy Spirit God poured out to the Jews

People getting saved

PETER IS ON FIRE - LIKE A CHRISTIAN MICHAEL JORDAN IN 1996

Just crushing the game

Peter and John go to Temple

Heal a man disabled from birth

Everyone astounded

Peter seeing people looking at him, points to Jesus

Saducies and leaders, dont like it and arrest Peter and John

Stay in Jail overnight

Next day are brought before the Sanhedrin

This would have been an extremely high stress environment for Peter and John

Most educated, qualified scribes, teachers, and priests including the High Priest

Who was the highest religious authority.

Scholars say it would have beven similar to todays Supreme Court

Had the power to arrest and excommunicate them

PICTURE

The High Priest

Sagan

Scribes & Teachers

And on The End Two Scribes

who’s job was to take notes, but not about everything, only what can incriminate them.

This was the moment that could have dictated their future…

So in this environment, the scribes pose a question to them.

Who gave you authority to do this? WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?

Acts 4:8–14 ESV

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

Title: Common but Uncommon -

Prayer:

GOLF STORY

The other week a friend of mine invited me to play golf!

Three Rules in the Creasey Household

Don’t put salt on Carmel

Toilet paper goes OVER never Under

You ALWAYS Say YES to Cheap Golf

Invited Bennett

Little did we know we were playing at one of the nicest courses in Florida…

And I can clean up well but if I dont have warning imma show up in a t-shirt.

2 Bros

Bennetts Got a freshly cut mullet

Beater Car, No AC, Flat Tire, Bottom of the car scrapes the ground when we go over a bump.

Windows down, music pumping

Passing Mansions on the way in

Turn the corner

Instantly time stopped and everyone turns and looks at

It was like the parting of the read sea

We could feel the gaze of everyone on our neck

And we got out of the car and instantly tucked our shirts in

We instantly felt like we were not Educated enough not rich enough and that we have not done enough in our life to be there.

we felt like in the moment that we were not enough

And its funny because it is relatable…

WE HAVE ALL FELT THIS WAY IN OUR LIVES.

SOME OF US HAVE FELT THIS WAY OUR WHOLE LIVES.

The feeling of not being enough is running rampant in our generation

I come across people all the time that struggle with not being enough…

And if I am being honest so do I!

What I have begun to realize is that:

It doesn’t matter who you are, we all struggle trying to keep up the jones.

And the reason being Is that

There is a problem in our society right now

looking at ourselves and expecting something else.

If I only did this better, if I only looked this way, ,if I only had these things.

Because Our world is screaming right now, you have to be better, you have to have nicer things, look prettier, work harder.…

We all struggle sometimes with the thought that we are just ORDINARY UNEDUCATED COMMON PEOPLE...

And looking at my life, our life, by the worlds screaming standards its true… I AM NOT ENOUGH.

I WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH

BECAUSE THE ONLY PERSON THAT EVER WAS ENOUGH AND WILL EVER BE ENOUGH IS THE PERSON OF JESUS

And I thank God that he sent JESUS -

Who came and died and took my place… took my insecurity… took my COMMON NOT ENOUGH LIFE and gave me HIS UNCOMMON Extra ordinary purpose.

That is the great exchange

THAT is what we are here for!?

To live out our uncommon purpose

Even if we may be just common every day people.

We were called to be common people BUT WITH AN UNCOMMON PERPOSE

COMMON BUT UNCOMMON

IF WE HAVE JESUS, THE GREAT EXCHANGE

SO WHY THEN DO WE STILL STRUGGLE WITH THIS?

HOW DO WE MOVE ON FROM THE GRIPS OF THIS WORLD?

HOW DO WE LIKE PETER STAND UP INFRONT OF THE SANHEDRIN’S OF OUR LIFE AND BOLDY TAKE STEPS OUT INTO THE LIFE WE WERE MENT TO LIVE?

that’s what we’re going to look at today, how Peter got to the place he was at when standing in front of the Sanhedrin

Peter was not always this way.

3-4 Weels earlier from this point in the story we see Peter

Following Jesus as Jesus is led to stand before The High Priest himself…

And it says that he followed at a distance…

We see that he was Afraid of being found out, that he even knew JESUS

And he Denies him 3 times.

In the same company that he is in now.

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO PETER?

He was still the same COMMON MAN, But he had an UNCOMMON purpose.

3 Things that Peter REceived that helped him stand up and live out his uncommon purpose

You Ready!?

Point One: Received Redemption

After Peter denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus died…

How hard would it be for you if one of the last things you said before he died, was denying him?

And this was devastating to peter

What could have been peters darkest moment…

Some scholars believe that he did not regard himself as apart of the apostles at this time

We see a man that was defeted and racked with guilt…

But thank God that he did not let peter stay that way…

He had a plan

And thank God that he has a plan for your life

If you feel too far gone too far off. Can I encourage our God will come for you.

He goes after the 1!

Matthew 18:12 ESV

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

Such a beautiful picture of that.

Jesus reveals himself to peter on the shore

He doesn’t shame him for what had happened but redeems his calling

Asks him the same question 3 times.

John 21:15–17 ESV

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Reinstatement of Peter…

Not only did he redeem what had happened:

He Reminds him of his future.

He qualifies him for what is ahead

Out of this qualification peter presses on more confident than ever, but still on a journey of his uncommon purpose.

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8am end

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The very thing that he felt not enough for, is the very thing that he was put in leadership in.

Maybe the thing you are most afraid of is the very thing God wants to use you the most in

Maybe the thing you are most insecure of is the very thing God wants to use you the most in

Maybe the thing you dont among up to is the very thing God wants to use you the most in

Thats what happened with Peter, He went forward in this new calling into leadership.

Point Two: Received The Holy Spirit

Pouring out of the Holy Spirit - speaking up when the Holy Spirit spoke to him

Diciples went to wait for the Holy Spirit

As they were waiting God sent his Holy Spirit.

People started talking in different languages

Crowd was gathering

The thing I love about Peter when it comes to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, is he instantly knew that he needed to yield to what the Holy Spirit was doing

he made a choice to partner with what the Holy Spirit was doing

Acts 2:14 ESV

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

in Other words he joined in on what the Holy Spirit was doing.

Haylie Story

from Atlanta so she was terrible at driving

I let her drive - I don’t know what I was thinking.

I think many of us think that the Holy Spirit will to OUR PLANS

The Holy Spirit wont yeild to our plans we Ywild to what the Holy Spirit is doing

This is what Peter is doing in this passage

I would imagine that the last thing that HE wanted to do was explain the chaos that was going on all around him.

stopping at a roundabout to wait my turn is the last thing I wanna do. But it’s always better

But he FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT YIELDED TO HIS PLAN

What does it look like to yield to the Holy Spirit?

Saying I may have my plan but HOLY SPIRIT IF YOU ARE TELLING ME TO GO HERE I WILL PUT MY PLAN ASIDE AND FOLLOW WHAT YOU HAVE FOR ME.

Because what the Holy Spirit has for you, may be scary at times but it is ALAWYS BETTER.

How often do we ask ourselves what the Holy Spirit is doing?

Its one thing to recognize that the Holy Spirit is moving

And its another thing to know what he is Doing.

Thats why in worship when we feel the Holy Spirit moving one of the most powerful things you can do is ask

HOLY SPIRIT WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

Because when you know what the Holy Spirit is doing you can partner with it.

Yield to it.

What does a Common but Uncommon life look like?

It looks like a life that is yielded to the Holy Spirit.

What would it look like this year to have a church full of people that are Yielded to the Holy SPirit?

Think about the ground that could be taken

The lives that would be saved

Point Three: Received The Promise

Even with my Calling, and the Holy Spirit… I would still be scared standing in front of the Sanhedrin

How was Peter in this emense trial still bold?

How was Peter not scared

Peter was standing on a promise.

YOU SEE

Jesus Knew that Peter would one day stand there in that hall, surrounded by the most judgmental men…

He knew the struggle that he would face

Jesus knows YOUR struggle.

He wont abandon you

Can I encourage you he wants you to hold onto the Promises that he has given you

God Equipped Peter with a promise to stand on in that moment

And God will equip you with promises to stand on in your moment of trail.

but it comes with spending time with him

BECAUSE HARD TIMES WILL COME

JESUS WAS NOT SHY ABOUT THAT

But thank God he was not shy about the deliverance that he has for us.

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The Promise that Peter was standing on was found in Luke 12.

Luke 12:11–12 ESV

And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

He knew that he was living in the promise.

That is the promise, that the Holy Spirit would deliver them.

Jail the Night Before

I could imagine them in the jail the night before…

In what should have been one of the mose terrifying moments for them.

Peter and John BEAMING with expectation…

BECAUSE THEY HAD

REDEMPTION

A HELPER

AND A PROMISE

CALL:

Maybe you are in this room and you need

REDEMPTION

Maybe you are in this room and you need

HELPER

Maybe you are in this room and you need

PROMISE