Westminster Christian School | At the Beautiful Gate

Message

Do you ever get stuck in your thinking? Like when you know something is true about you, but you can’t quite believe it?

For example, you may have heard someone once say to you, “You are so smart.” But you don’t quite believe it.

Or maybe, you’re surrounded by a ton of friends, but you feel lonely.

I used to feel unworthy - like no one really cared about me - even though I knew a lot of people did, I found it hard to believe.

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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.

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Crucified and Risen during the Passover Feast - freedom from slavery in Egypt and now in Christ, freedom from sin

50 days later, the church was born during the Pentecost Feast, 50 days after Passover, which was a harvest feast. Now, the church signifies the true, eternal harvest of the world in Jesus.

A few months later, in this passage, Peter and John, are attending the Feast of Tabernacles, which Luke, the author of Acts, indicates by the name Beautiful Gate. This is the last of the major festivals and symbolizes God’s provision to Israel during their time in the wilderness and the eventual coming of the Messiah, who would one day save Israel.

During this festival, people constructed tents and ate and slept in them. In his death and resurrection, Jesus proved that he was the Messiah who came to save the whole world! Everybody from sin and despair and death!

Following Jesus’ resurrection and giving of His Spirit, Peter and John pointed to something greater - God’s Spirit alive in them, living in them!

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When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money.

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Peter and John dignified this man. They didn’t just walk by him and throw some money on the ground without even seeing him as a human being, one created in God’s image.

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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!”

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This is why I love this passage. What did you notice? Peter and John didn’t bring with them what Jewish men typically brought to festivals: money to offer those begging in the temple courts. Rather, they brought with them something infinitely greater: the power of Jesus!

Before the resurrection, Peter and John along with all the others fled and hid away for fear of their lives.

But after the resurrection, they lived with courage, might, and strength because the same power that raised Christ from the dead now lived in them.

They didn’t abandon their people and go live on a mountain top somewhere, they engaged their people and shared this power with whoever was open and willing to receive it.

After Jesus, they didn’t go back to normal, staying stuck in the same problems, the same tensions, the same anxieties and worries, the same grind.

Rather, they allowed the present hope and salvation of Jesus to guide their way!

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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. 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! Acts of the Apostles 3:1-10 NLT

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How would your life change if you lived like the resurrection was true for you?

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What would be different?

What wouldn’t take your brain space that right now takes your brain space?

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“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” John 11:25-26 NLT

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Live on the EDGE!

Evangelism - share Jesus

Discipleship - learn Jesus

Generosity - give Jesus

Empowerment - follow Jesus

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Peter, John, and all of those who followed Jesus lived on the EDGE, on the great adventure with Jesus!

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“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 NLT

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Let’s help one another, encourage one another. Another word for motivate is the word provoke.

Anyone play sports here? Or engage in competition? Perhaps debate? Any mathletes?

Competion brings out the best in motivation because a team tries to help and encourage and, at times, provoke others to win!

Has anyone seen the ESPN Plus series by Tom Brady called “Man in the Arena.”

In Episode 3, Brady and his former teammates, Tedi Bruschi and Mike Vrabel, talk about the key to the Patriot’s success. These guys called it the EDGE, and they called themselves the EDGERS, leading and influencing the team’s greatness by holding them accountable to achieve the mission!

Brady said in the episode, “You weren’t held accountable to the coach, you weren’t held accountable to the fans, you were held accountable by the guy sitting next to you everyday.”

Vrabel would say to his teammates, “Still not doing the extra? I’m getting the EDGE on you today.”

Together, these guys pushed and provoked their team to do more than they ever thought or imagined that they could do and, ultimately, won the Super Bowl that season.

Tedi Bruschi said, “It takes guts to [play like this]. It takes relationships, and it takes courage.”

Brady said, “It was the joy and enthusiasm of living on the EDGE that carried us [to victory].”

He said, “we ignored the noise. We were the EDGERS. We were going to prove to everyone that we did have the EDGE. We out-worked you. We out-competed you, and when the chance came, we out-willed you.”

When I watched this, I thought: am I watching a football documentary or am I listening to a vision for how the Jesus followers, the church, ought to live in this world?

Listen to the words that they used:

Accountability

Relationship

Courage

Joy

Enthusiasm

And together, they outwilled their opponents to achieve Super Bowl victory!

Jesus lived on the EDGE long before Tom Brady.

Today, we stand in a long line of EDGERS who made bold risks to advance God’s kingdom on mission!

Early church leaders like Paul and Timothy, great men of the faith.

Great women of the faith like Phoebe about whom Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Rome, “Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people.” Romans 16:2

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Be an EDGER!

Help each other.

Be kind and compassionate

Forgive one another.

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One of the easiest ways that we can encourage one another and help one another is by showing kindness and compassion to each other.

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Download the YouVersion Bible App

Invite a few friends to read a 5 day plan called “Why Easter?!”

Invite Jesus to do a healing work in your life.

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“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT

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Trust in Jesus, he is with you, his power lives in you, and he aims to give you a wonderful life, not a perfect life or a life without hardship, but a life full of his peace, love, grace, and salvation. Trust in Jesus. Let’s pray…