"What Do You Have to Give?"

There was a man who was a beggar. Looking and expecting something from Peter and John, the man got more than he expected. What do you have to give?

What Do You Have To Give?

(Acts 3:1-10)

Intro:

A.  It was one of the most exciting statements made by Jesus.  Matthew records this discourse between Jesus and his disciples.  “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter’s response is one many are familiar with, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Jesus then affirms that answer and tells Peter that God revealed that truth and then Jesus gives a second truth.  “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

B.  When you study that passage you will see that the gates of Hades is referring to death itself.  Death cannot prevail.  But it is not death that is attacking, it is the church that Jesus established that is attacking the gates of Hades.  Gates are defensive measure, not offensive.  We are the ones on the attack and death itself will not be able to stand against the onslaught of the church.

C.  We, who are saved by God and added to the church, who responded to the message of salvation in faith through repentance and were baptized into Jesus, who have been given the Holy Spirit as our seal and guide, are on the attack!  Death does not stand a chance when God who raised Jesus from the dead raise us up with him into a new life.  Born again, not by human will, but by the Spirit.  Now is the time we live in this victory over the death of sin and take the good news to the people who need it.

D.  Commentator Lloyd Olgivie puts it like this – “The power of Pentecost is for people. What happened at Pentecost is for the paralysis of the world. The Holy Spirit is Christ in the present tense, and it is for the healing of people in the present age. The excitement and enthusiasm of the infilling of the Spirit was to create a people through whom the Lord could continue his ministry of restoration and healing. A new age was born, Christ was alive in his people, and they were now equipped to do the things he promised.”

E.  One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer and a man crippled from birth was laid at a gate.  The man was a beggar, but it was not money they offered.  “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  The man did, in fact he jumped and praised God.

I.  The Beggar

A.  This man, as blessed as he was to walk again, also was a living illustration.  Perhaps this beggar, sitting day after day, got what he wanted from people.  Maybe all he hoped for was just enough money to buy some food and get by on.  But here is the point; he never got what he needed.  What he needed was God’s touch, a healing.  Maybe he had seen it happen in the lives of others, but it didn’t happen to him.

B.  Jesus had healed people, and maybe he knew about Jesus, but Jesus was killed and people said he was raised back to life and ascended into heaven.  This Jesus was the Messiah and maybe, just maybe this man felt like he had missed the opportunity for a healing.

C.  There are many hurting and wounded people in this world.  People who are not much different from this beggar.  They may not be crippled, but they are spiritually crippled.  What’s worse is they may not understand their affliction.  At least this man did.  Maybe you are here today and feel this man’s pain as your own.  Or maybe you know someone who hurts deeply or feels alone.  What do you have to offer?  You walk by them day after day.  You talk to them, see them a work, meet them at the gym, facebook them, but what do you have to offer the spiritually hurting of this world?

II.  Peter’s Second Sermon

A.  Look with me at Acts 3:11-12.  This man’s healing astonished the people.  Peter takes this opportunity to share the power and real healing that can come to everyone.  Peter and John didn’t offer religious platitudes.  We tell people, “I’m praying for you.”  Great, but then pray, not just say nice words.  We tell people, “I know you are hurting.”  But we offer them nothing.  Jer. 8:21-22 says, “Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there no physician there?  Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?”

B.  There is an answer to Jeremiah’s question.  There is more that we can do than offer religious platitudes.  Peter saw the crowds and began to give them spiritual help.  Read verse 13-19.  What I can offer is more than a physical healing.  In the name of Jesus Christ, you can repent, turn to god and yours sins be wiped out.  Peter calls that a time of refreshing from the Lord.

C.  Peter and John told this man, “Look at us.”  The man expected something from them.  How many times do say to people, “Look at me.”  Get their attention.  People expect something from us that is not always what we have to give.  Peter’s statement to the crowd was, “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we made this man walk?”  I can’t fix you.  If you are here understand I can’t fix you, but I can tell you about the one who can.  Our job is to direct people to Jesus, not to us, not to this church, not to a set of ideals, but to Jesus.  When that happens they will also reach out to you, this church and the teachings of the Bible.

D.  Peter was not afraid of challenging them to look at their own sinfulness.  Until we realize our own sinfulness we won’t need a savior.  For it is only when turn to God can we experience a complete healing.  Verse 26 closes Peter’s second sermon.

Conclusion:

A.  To a world that is crippled by sin, what do you have to offer?  Your friendship?  Your companionship?  Money?  Advice? Love?  All of those are wonderful, but unless they are done in the name and power of Jesus they really don’t offer much.

B.  He went by Duck.  Yes, that was the name people called him.  I probably know why, but I have forgotten over the years.  His wife was a member of the church and his best friend was one of our elders, but Duck had no interest in religion.  He had seen his family hurt, his children suffer because of accident and abuse by others and he had no need of a God who would allow such things.  I had tried to be a friend to him, but he wasn’t ready.  I knew he Charles did some bass fishing in a private pond and I asked to come along.  I could go as long I didn’t push church on him.  We talked and fished, he opened up and we became friends.   One night as he was going to a poker game with several cases of beer in his pick-up he drove past our house and the lights were on.  He stopped in, and watched Caleb take his first steps.  He didn’t go to that poker game and has no idea what happened to that beer.  We began to study soon after that night and he became a Christian.  I could not offer silver or gold, but in the name of Jesus I could tell him about the one who could give him a complete healing.  You too can have that healing today.