Sermon Notes 07-20-08

July 20th 2008 “Step-Up or Step-Over”
Acts 3:1-6

1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

Stepping up to the plate! What does that look like!

Why is it that so few achieve greatness?
Abraham, in Genesis 12:18-20, miss-represented to Pharaoh that his wife was his sister, because he had told Sarah that because of her beauty the Egyptians would kill him, so he told her to say that she was his sister! Wrong!
Stepping up to the plate means telling the truth even to your own hurt if necessary!

Points to Ponder: 1st It’s a matter of CHOICE!

A. Acts 3:1 “1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.”

It’s been about a year since Pentecost Sunday and here in verse 1 of chapter 3 we find Peter and John coming to the Temple to pray at 3PM, and the tense of the Greek verb here indicates that this is something that they did frequently.
Like all devout Jews it was the custom of these two constant companions to pray in the temple three times every day because Psalm 55:17 mentions three hours of prayer, "evening, morning, and noon..."
Most of the Jewish people living in Jerusalem took the teaching of this Psalm very seriously and came to the Temple in the morning-at 9AM; then they came back at 12Noon, and then once more in the evening-at 3PM like Peter and John were doing here.
I for one, think it is interesting to note that Peter and John-and apparently the rest of the members of the first Christian church-still kept up the Jewish habits and customs which they had learned from childhood.

Acts 3:2 “Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.”

Okay-at this point in his narrative, you'll see that Luke tells us about a beggar-who was over 40 years old and had been lame since birth. (Acts 4:22)
Apparently every day his friends would carry him to one of the Temple Gates-Luke says it was referred to in his day as "the Gate Beautiful."
It was probably the Eastern Gate of the Temple that led into the Court of the Women. This particular gate was very ornate and made of Corinthian bronze that looked like gold when polished.
According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, it was so large it took 20 men to close it.

Well, this same cripple had been sitting here in this same spot every day begging for decades. I mean, he was a regular fixture at this entrance to the temple. Everyone saw him every day. Jesus Himself probably passed by this guy during His ministry in the temple area numerous times.

Peter and John are no different that you or I—they have a decision to make—“Shall I Step Over This Guy or Shall I Do Something!”

Points to Ponder: 2nd It’s a matter of LOCATION!

A. Acts 3:2 “2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.”
The New Testament indicates that beggars in Palestine favored three locations:
The houses of the rich. Remember the story of the Lazarus and the rich man?
The main highways.
Remember the account of the healing of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10?
And finally the temple gates like we see here in Acts 3.

B. If you are going to see a Miracle—you have to go to the places where people are hurting!
We as a church have got to move our “vision” or “location” of vision from these walls to the “Fields that are white unto harvest!”
You see, if you’re not in the game, losing doesn’t hurt as much!

Peter and John were about to become involved in one of the great miracles of the bible!

Points to Ponder: 3rd It’s a matter of USING WHAT YOU’VE GOT!

A. Acts 3:3-6 “When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
The beggar asked for “Alms” “Alms”—“Back-sheis” “Back-Sheis!”
Peter and John “looked straight at him”
They didn’t look the other way, they didn’t avoid eye contact! They “fixed their eyes on him!” They saw the need!

This is the same Greek word used in Acts 1:10 when Jesus was being taken up into heaven! Gaze intently or at-en-id'-zo: to look straight into the eyes!

B. Peter and John knew that the beggar needed more than money! V6 “Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
It’s a matter of USING WHAT YOU’VE GOT! “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you."

But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, WALK!"

Dr. Luke says INSTANTLY the man was healed. I mean, in the time it took him to stand up, his tendons attached, his muscles grew, his bones straightened, his sockets aligned. In short, LIFE FILLED HIS LEGS.
It was an amazing, incredibly powerful miracle! He received his coordination and balance instantly. In fact, Luke says he began to leap!

C. Peter and John USED WHAT THEY HAD—“IN THE NAME OF JESUS, RISE UP AND WALK!”
What impossible thing would you like to see happen in you’re life?
What impossible thing would you like to do for the Lord?

Peter and John could have STEPPED OVER THE BEGGAR but they didn’t: THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE!
Moses said to God: Exodus 4:10 “10 Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

1st It’s a matter of CHOICE!
2nd It’s a matter of LOCATION!
3rd It’s a matter of USING WHAT YOU’VE GOT!

Peter and John said: Acts 3:6 “Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”