Sermon Tone Analysis

Good morning Calvary Chapel Lake City!

I’m Pastor Marc… Thanks for joining us!

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We are a Bible teaching church, so if you don’t have a Bible...

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And, if you have any anonymous prayers… there is a prayer basket.

Announcements:

Memorial Day

Fellowship Lunch: Next Week.

Acts 2:46 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart...”

That verse we looked at last week is a central verse to why we have our fellowship lunches.

And, Globally Calvary Chapel churches like to eat… thus it’s been suggested that we change our name to “Calorie Chapel.”

But, no one has made that change… not sure why?!

Bonfire Night: Thank you to all who joined to share ideas, and for wasting no time!

A night of fellowship.

Fri, June 10th at Pete & Lisa’s house on Packerton Rd in Claypool.

Feel free to invite a friend or neighbor (it’s not my house!)… invite everyone!

Pete & Lisa will provide drinks & smores.

And, it would be appreciated if you can bring a snack or dessert & a lawn chair.

Women’s Bible Study: Week 3 tonight at 6pm.

Still time to join the fellowship!

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Please turn in your Bibles to Act 3… as we continue Chapter-by-Chapter and Verse-by-Verse… now in Acts 3 and looking at VSS 1-10.

Last week, we finished Acts Chapter 2… which spoke of the promise of the Father… also the promise of Jesus… the Baptism with the Holy Spirit… which was fulfilled at Pentecost.

And, many Jews who were in Jerusalem for the feast… gathered to investigate the supernatural signs and wonders happening around and in the disciples.

As they Holy Spirit descended and filled the believers… a sound like wind… tongues like fire… and a gift of languages were all present.

So, Peter stood and addressed the crowd… and some doubted while others honestly inquired… desiring to understand.

After Peter’s first sermon… many Jews were cut to the heart realizing they crucified Jesus… and they would repent… they would turn to God… and 3000 souls were saved that day… and then baptized.

The early church was founded that day… founded on Jesus… founded on the Holy Spirit… and daily growing by a group of people who were steadfast in love and devotion to God and one another.

And, as they pressed into the simplicity of the word, fellowship, communion, and prayer… “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

V43 states, “Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”

Many wonder and signs were done through the apostles who were open to spiritual gifts… who were open to the Lord’s leading… who were open to the Lord working through them.

These wonders and signs were purposeful… as God is not haphazard.

Repeatedly in scripture God uses supernatural signs to substantiate a teaching… then the Holy Spirit pierces the hearts of listeners, and many say, “Yes” to Jesus.

The phrase in V43 “… many wonders and signs were done through the apostles…” that phrase should leave you wanting to know more… wanting to know how the Holy Spirit worked through them.

And, that’s exactly what Dr. Luke records next… an account of just one of the many wonders and signs done through the apostles.

The title of today’s message is “Wonders & Signs at The Gate Beautiful.”

Let’s Pray!

Acts 3:1 “Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”

Let’s pause there and take in the setting.

Peter and John… two of Jesus’ closest disciples… Peter, James and John… Jesus’ inner circle.

And, now these two head out to the temple at the “hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”

The Ninth hour… our 3pm.

Jews had 3 stated times of prayer...

Early morning in connection to the morning sacrifice.

The Ninth Hour in connection to the evening sacrifice.

And, sunset.

An interesting observation about the ninth hour… it was at the ninth hour that Jesus Cried out “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”…

… drawing the crowds attention to Ps 22 that He was fulfilling in their midst.

Jesus was the Passover Lamb, and He was the evening sacrifice.

It was at the ninth hour that Jesus was taking on the full weight of God’s wrath on sin… taking our place… as we place our faith in Him.

And, we will see in Acts 10, that at the ninth hour… the Centurion Cornelius has a vision from God to go to Peter… which was a major turning point as the gospel went to the Gentiles.

So, ninth hour… significant events…

At the Ninth Hour… Jesus bears the weight of sin for all mankind… Jew and Gentile alike.

At the Ninth Hour… through Peter… a miraculous healing and the gospel further extends to the Jews.

At the Ninth Hour… Cornelius has a vision…and the Holy Spirit will fall upon the Gentiles.

I’m not sure entirely what to make of that, but certainly it seems that at the Ninth Hour… God was on the move… moving at the time of prayer… at the evening sacrifice.

So, at this Ninth hour in Acts 3… Peter and John go out into the world… as Jesus told them to “Go and make disciples”…

And, as they go… they are met with ministry.

And, that’s what you should expect… not always, but be open and ready for ministry.

This reminds me of Peter’s admonishment of speaking freely of the Christian life even when facing persecution… 1 Pet 3:15 “But sanctify [or consecrate] the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense [Gk.

apŏlŏgia- an apologetic] to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear [gentleness and reverence]...”

If believers who faced persecution… were to be bold and fearless… speaking freely about their hope in Jesus…

How much more should we be open about our faith… knowing persecution is not knocking at our doors?

Think about it… if you’re not open with your faith in times of freedom… how will you do if persecution does come?

Be bold… open about the hope of Jesus.

And, the disciples were open to God moving in their lives… they had a sense of wonder what God was going to do… an expectation of Him moving.

I do too.

I don’t look for ministry, but in my openness to God moving… so often I find myself praying with people.

People are hurting and lost out there… they need prayer… some need the light of the gospel.

And, that’s exactly what happened to Peter and John… they were going to the temple for one purpose (to pray)… and God re-directed as their path crossed a man who knew hurt and feeling lost all too well.

Let’s see how Dr. Luke describes this man and his location…

Acts 2:2-3 “And a certain man [God sees the man first (his humanity)… and the condition second (his infirmity)] lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, [The Gate Beautiful] to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.”

So, we find ourselves at The Gate Beautiful.

I have slides depicting this gate… and I want you to envision the scene of this man laid here… as Peter and John approach the Temple…

This gate is also called “The Golden Gate” or “The Eastern Gate”… which scholars see as having future prophetic significance… Ezekiel wrote often of the East Gate.

The prophetic significance was known… even to the point that in 1540-41 A.D., by order of the Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent… this gate was sealed shut with 16’ of cement… which was believed would prevent the Jewish Messiah from gaining entrance to Jerusalem.

I can promise you… it will take more than 16’ of concrete to stop our God.

This gate was not called “Beautiful” for no reason… it was elegantly decorated in Corinthian brass… and it seems only the Nicanor or Corinthian Gate was decorated more exquisitely.

Both of these gates were covered in brass that was polished… reflective and eastern facing… brilliant in the morning sun.

Josephus wrote this of the Nicanor Gate, “there was one gate that was without [the inward court of] the holy house, which was of Corinthian brass, and greatly excelled those that were only covered over with silver and gold.”

Once a Jewish man or woman passed through the Beautiful gate they entered the Court of the Women… but, only men could proceed beyond that first court and ascend 14 steps leading to the Nicanor Gate into the Court of the Israelites.

Josephus continues, “Now the magnitudes of the other gates were equal one to another;…

Josephus states were nine gates total from the Court of the Gentiles… 3 to the Court of Women… and 6 to the Court of the Israelites, and they measured 45’ high x 22.5’ wide… massive gates… each forming squares.

Josephus continues “… the Corinthian gate [The Nicanor Gate], which opened on the east over against the gate of the holy house itself, was much larger; for its height was fifty cubits [one cubit is roughly 18”]; and its doors were forty cubits (75’ high x 60’ wide) ; and it was adorned after a most costly manner, as having much richer and thicker plates of silver and gold upon them than the other.”

So, that gives you a sense of the magnitude of the Temple… so much detail… overwhelming in size and beauty… even just in the gates.

And, these gates were designed to separate…

There was much exclusion… many barriers in Judaism to approach God.

Josephus in his book “Against Apion” wrote how the temple had many safeguards to protect the purity of the temple from being profaned…

And, the profanity was people… the safeguards were against ceremonial uncleanliness of people…

Josephus wrote, “Into the first court [the Court of the Gentiles] everybody was allowed to go, even foreigners [Gentiles]… all the Jews went into the second court, as well as their wives, when they were free from all uncleanness [all Jewish men and women were permitted into The Court of the Women, just beyond The Gate Beautiful]; into the third [the Court of the Israelites beyond the Nicanor Gate] went the Jewish men when they were clean and purified; into the fourth [the Court of the Priests and the Holy Place] went the priests, having on their sacerdotal garments; but for the most sacred place [The Most Holy Place… beyond the Veil], none went in but the high priests, clothed in their peculiar garments.”

[and only once a year on Yom Kippur, to offer the blood of sacrifice and incense.]

The message was clear… “keep out… keep out… keep out.”

Josephus wrote of signs in Greek and Roman letter hung stating, “no foreigner should go within that sanctuary.”

Contrast that with when Jesus “yielded up His spirit” “…the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom…” A clear message from God… that by His Son… anyone could now boldly come to the throne of grace.

For this lame man at The Gate Beautiful… it’s not certain if he was even permitted to enter beyond the Beautiful Gate.

In Lev 21, men with physical defects… lame, blind, broken hands, feet… even eczema… these prohibited a man from serving as a priest, but these were not prohibitions against lame men entering the temple to worship.

Later, in 2 Sam 5, the Jebusites mocked David as he approached a fortress on Mount Zion held by them… 2 Sam 5:6-8 reads, “And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.”

7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).

8 Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.”