Acts 3: Valuable or Invaluable?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Opening Question
I want us all to think of something in your life right now that is “invaluable to you.” Now that word is confusing… usually “in” as a prefix negates the word. For instance;
“in”articulate means you can’t articulate. “in”sane” means you are not sane.” But “in”valuable doesn’t mean it is not valuable. It means that its so valuable, that it is priceless.
But it’s confusing. The word is confusing, but we also tend to confuse the two. We treat valuables as invaluables...
Old Missionary Friend and wildfires. Instead of family photo albums, he came out with his husqvarna chainsaw.
I think he was confused… He confused something that was valuable, with something that is invaluable. And his wife let him know!
So we confuse valuable with invaluable.
So let me ask you: What is Jesus to you? Are you confused about Jesus?
Is he valuable or invaluable to you? That is what we are going to look at in our passage together today, and ultimately what we are going to find is that the only thing that is truly invaluable is faith in the name of Jesus.
Now we are going to look at the entire chapter, but I’ll break it up for us. Let’s begin by reading Acts 3:1-10 .
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.
Valueable or Invaluable: That’s what we are looking for here.
The Name of Jesus (3:1-10)
The Name of Jesus (3:1-10)
Context
So we discussed last week, that the church valued the gathering. And they would go to the Temple at the formal hours of prayer and this is exactly how Acts 3 opens up.
Peter and John are making their way up, and see a man, lame from birth, being laid at the Beautiful Gate to ask alms. To beg.
Pretty smart move on his part. Temple would have been crowded at this time, and a high value in judaism is charity and the giving to the poor, so everyday this lame man was laid at an entrance of the Temple to cash in.
But notice where they laid him: at the beautiful gate. That sounds pretty valuable. What is this Beautiful Gate.
Beautiful Gate
Now we don’t know for sure which gate this refers too, but from the 3rd century on people equated this gate with the Eastern Gate.
It stood 75 feet high, with huge double doors. And made of fine Corininthian Brass.
Josephus, a first century historian, wrote, “the beautiful gate grreatly execelled those that were only convered in silver and gold.”
Picture
When worshippers would walk up to this gate they’d be awestruck by its size, and beauty, and value!
So everyday this man sits there, “alms, alms, alms”.
But notice the action of Peter and John.
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.
The Value of a Look
Look at us… do you know how incredibly rare this would have been for that lame beggar. Everyday, “alms, alms, alms”… and these pious worshipers throwing a few coppers at him while their gaze is fixed on the Beautiful Gate. Not this poor, dirty beggar.
But Peter says, “look at us.”
This isn’t the point of the sermon, but I just want to say… “Don’t underestimate the value you bestow by looking at people as made by God.” Not some leech on soceity, but a son or daughter of the King!
Aishsa**
The Invaluable
So They look at him, and say Acts 3:6
Acts 3:6 (ESV)
“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!”
This man just wanted something valuable… a few coppers. THe ability to eat that day maybe. But instead HE GETS THE INVALUABLE. Something that is priceless!
The Name of Jesus.
Peter takes him by the hand and pulls him to his feet, and in an instant his deforemed feet and ankles mend.
And for the first time in his life… he walks and leps his way into the temple, bc according to OT Law he was forbidden from entering.
For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, or a man who has an injured foot or an injured hand,
A man came for something valuable… instead he found what was Invaluable… THE NAME OF JESUS.
And in the name of Jesus, he is healed, and all people notice it.
This is a scene!
Thousands of people there. Hearing the commotion. Watching somebody laugh and do cartwheels!
And they see that it’s none other than the beggar!
Now much like many of you, I would imagine there were a few cynics in the Temple… like aw man, I got duped. I gave that guy some money, I knew he wasn’t really a cripple.
But no! Because Acts 4:22 says, “for the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than 40 years old.!”
This guy couldn’t have been a confused with a fraud… because he had been there daily for 40 years! More than Jesus had been on earth, this man was crippled.
Came for something valuable, but left with something Invaluable.
So they are all filled with wonder and amazement, and just like on the day of Pentecost, Peter doesn’t miss an opportunity to witness.
Read
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.
Invaluable… the invaluable name of Jesus.
The Invaluable Name (3:11-26)
The Invaluable Name (3:11-26)
Here Peter begins his sermon by shoring up any confusion as to who was actually invaluable.
He makes it clear, it ain’t me. Don’t stare at us! As though we have some special power… it ain’t us! It’s Jesus. Jesus is invaluable. It is His Name.
Now you all know this I’m sure, but name is more than a label. Name’s have meaning. It represents an extension of that person’s being and personality.
Invoking Jesus’ name, as Peter did, was to invoke the power and authority of His person!
So what is this name? What about it makes it so invaluable?
First, Servant
Acts 3:13 (ESV)
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.
Jesus was not just a servant of God, but THE servant. Peter says that God has glorified His servant. This was a reference to Isaiah 52:13
Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
he shall be high and lifted up,
and shall be exalted.
God’s Servant would be glorified. Exalted.
But you delivered him and rejected him. Exactly what Isaiah prophecied
Isaiah 53:3 (ESV)
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
But he wasn’t just the Servant. He was the Holy and Righteous One.
Holy and Righteous One
Secondly, Peter describes this Invaluable Name as the Holy and Righteous One.
These are both Messianic descriptors.
Demons and men would both recognize this Jesus as such:
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
But again, Peter drives home… “You didn’t recognize how invaluable He was!” So instead you denied him, and asked for a murderer, Barabbas, to be released to you.
Author of Life
Finally, Peter describes this invaluable name as the Author of Life.
He is the source of all life, for He himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life, and He came that people may have life, and life abudantly!”
But you didn’t recognize Him, and ultimately you killed him.
An oxymoron right… You killed the author of life, but he didn’t stay dead. It was impossible for the author of life to remain dead, so God rasied him (vs.15) to this we are witnesses.
His Name is Invaluable. He is the suffering servant, He is the Holy and Righteous One, is the Author of Life… so the name is invaluable, but so is putting your faith in it.
Acts 3:16 (ESV)
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.
Faith in the Name
Faith in the Name
Peter argues this name… faith in this name… that’s invaluable.
Gold and silver comes and goes.
The beautiful gate, as astonishing as it is, will one day ruin.
Physical healing, even as amazing as that is, will eventually fade as we age and die.
But faith in the name of Jesus… that’s invaluable!
Now let’s read our final portion, and I want to show us why faith in the name of Jesus is so invaluable!
“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.”
— Bless you. The Invaluable Name of Jesus will bless you…
Now last chapter we saw that Peter’s sermon was full of haymakers… YOU crucified Him. YOU KILLED HIM. The guilt is yours!
But here he uses a softer tone… I konw you acted in ignornace.
Jesus did too, “Forgive them for they know not what they do.
But although they were ignorant, God wasn’t. Although they didn’t recognize how invaluable Jesus was, God did.
He had foretold it. Jesus fulfilled it. He is Invaluable.
And putting your faith in the invaluable name of Jesus WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
It will bless you.
3 Blessings of the Invaluable Name
3 Blessings of the Invaluable Name
How? Let me give you 3 ways. In fact, I’ll call them 3 blessings of the invaluable name of Jesus.
Removes
Removes
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
He Removes Your sins.
The word blot is “cleanse”. HE cleans you.
By putting your faith in the name of Jesus, you are forgiven, your sins are blotted out. You are cleansed.
Ya’ll, our sins defile us. They make us dirty.
David alludes to this in his repentance of adultery.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
The Bible clear, every human being born into this world is born a sinner. Your sin makes you unclean. Unfit to enter into the presence of God.
Just like the beggar in our story today. Due to his demority he wasn’t allowed into the Temple. He couldn’t cross the threshold of the Beautiful Gate to approach the presence of God. He was too dirty. And just like him, so are you. It isn’t a physical deformmity, but a spiritual one. Your sins make you too dirty, too unclean to come into His presence.
And no matter how hard you work, or try you can’t clean yourself up. The mess is to deep. The stain is to permanent. It’s like sharpie on your flooring, that one my kids may or may not have put there!
You can spray all kinds of clearner. You can scrub with all your heart. But that paper towel and some $9 bottle of essential oil homemade solution ain’t gonna cut it.
But you want to know what did work… the Magic Eraser! I don’t know how, I’m just telling you damp it a little, scrub a little, and poof gone. Cleansed. Blotted out.
Your sins stain you, and only those clean can enter into the presence of God. Fortunately, he has provided in his own love, grace, and mercy the “Magic Eraser”. The invaluable name of Jesus blots out our sins.
and by faith in his name, you stand justified, or clean before God.
Refreshes
Refreshes
But Peter urges us to repent and put our faith in the invaluable name of Jesus for a second reason.
Acts 3:20 (ESV)
that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
In Scripture, we find two Greek words used for “times”. I could talk about these words, and the signficacne of them in our faith for hours, but let me quickly say:
Here we find kairos. It means moments. Seasons. This is not a one and done, linear time of refreshing.
The point here is by placing faith in the invaluable name of Jesus we can experience ongoing, moements of refreshing from His presnence. Not just once at conversion, but ongoing through faith in His name.
I mean how good does that sound? How many of you could use some refreshing from jesus?
So what does this look like? Well, the applications are endless, but let me offer a few real quick.
He Refreshes us Physically
Elijah showdown on Mt. Carmel. The provision of Christ to Elijah who was battling despair, exhaustion, and suicidal thoughts was food, and sleep.
Ya’ll some of you are exhausted. Not eating well. Not sleeping well. Constantly driven by stress and anxiety.
Often overworking simply because you find your value in your work… You’re looking to be valuable, and lost sight of He who is invaluable. So you grind away, and perform, and run the rat race aware that it’s never enough.
Can I just say… The Lord is Your Shepherd. He makes us lie down in green pastures, he leads you beside waters of rest. He can refresh you!
When we can trust, really trust that he is the Author of Life… that upholds the universe by His own power… we can rest. Refresh physically.
He Refreshes us Emotionally
Paul in his second letter to Timothy reminds Timothy of all that happened to him in Asia. How he was mocked, beaten, and stoned, and says, “all who were with me turned away from me...”
But then he writes, “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me...”
Paul in prison, remembering all who had betrayed him and left him dejected and alone. But one saint… onesiphorus, finds him and refrehes him in the Lord.
Ya’ll, some of you are worn out emotionally. Hurt. Wounded. Dejected. Feel betrayed. God can refresh you.
I heard from someone recently in our church that was in this place. Confused. Kind of just wondering, and disconnected emotinoally. But through this church plant, she and her whole family have been refreshed in the Lord.
He can… Faith in his invaluale name refreshes us emotionally.
He Refreshes us Spiritually
Psalm 19:7 says, “the law of the lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.”
Ya’ll some of you are soul tired. Weary. Unable to fight temptation. Incapable of resisting the devil. Unmotivated in service.
Can I get real for a second… I know what this feels like.
After 3 years in Hindu South Asia I was worn out physically,emotionally, and spiritually.
But then God, in His grace and mercy, and tender love, whispered Jeremiah 31:25, “I will refresh the weary soul.”
and he did. He is faithful. He sends times of refreshing. Moments. Simply because His name is Invaluable.
But those moments don’t always come when we want them to right?
Not all people are healed like this beggar in our passage today. Not all cancer is taken away. Not all wrongs are made right relationally. So what then…
Well, praise God that He also Restores.
Restores
Restores
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.
A Time for Restoring
Second use of Time here is Chronos. A linear. Literal point of time. Not just a seasonal momenet, but a fixed date.
God has spoken long ago, that there will be a time when He Restores all things.
Our Relationship with Him will be fully Restored
Right now we see dimly, but then… face to face.
Revelation says the dwelling place of God will be with man. We will be His people, and He will be our God.
And there he will wipe every tear from our eyes. Death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain.
What he began as Alpha or in the Beginning… will be restored as Omega… in the end.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Put Your Faith in the Invaluable Name
For those who don’t… their sins won’t be removed. They won’t be refreshed. They won’t be restored. Vs. 23 says they will be destroyed.
So put put your faithin His Invaluable Name that he May bless you…
Communion
Communion
Communion, or the Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of Jesus for believers and functions as a symbol of the saving work in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It serves as a VISIBLE picture, of INVISIBLE grace that we receive through faith in Christ. Its a reminder and celebration of the forgiveness, one of the blessings we just talked about, through faith in Christ. If you aren’t a Christian, I just kindly ask you to let the elements pass before you but also invite you to think on Christ.
As we remember Jesus, Scripture also commands us that before we partake in communion, we need to “examine ourselves”. To ask God to reveal any sin or grievous way in us, and repent. Knowing that when we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteouness.
So as the elements are passed around, take a moment as John plays to remember and examine. If anybody needs a gluten free wafer, just raise your hand and someone will come to you.
Read Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
Why won’t you stand with me, and let’s worship the Lord together in our final song.