Obey God

Obey God

Acts 3:1-4:20

Sermon by Rick Crandall

McClendon Baptist Church - June 14, 2009

*This past week we had a great Vacation Bible School! Everything ran like clock-work, but it wasn’t easy. Raymond McHenry told about a mom who brought her son to VBS for the first time. This boy was extremely active, very curious, and had the energy to outlast most adults.

*When Mom came to the part of the enrollment card called “Remarks,” she wrote in big, block letters, “BRACE YOURSELF!” (1)

*VBS is never easy, and we should have great gratitude for those who helped. This year our VBS kids took a trip on the Boomerang Express, where it all comes back to Jesus. They found out that we should follow Him, worship Him, confess Him, serve Him and obey Him.

*Today Peter will help us see some great ways to obey the Lord. Our Scripture takes place after Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, after Jesus returned to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to the church on the Day of Pentecost. The story starts in Acts 3:1-8. Think about obeying Jesus, as we stand in honor of the Word of God.

1. Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

2. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called 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.

4. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us.’’

5. So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

6. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’’

7. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

8. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them walking, leaping, and praising God.

1. Peter is going to show us some great ways to obey the Lord. First: obey Jesus by praying to the Lord.

*In Acts 3:1, Peter and John went together to the temple for the hour prayer. Devout Jews had three special hours set aside for prayer each day. In these verses, Peter and John went to pray at 3 in the afternoon.

*Peter and John went to pray, and a man born with a serious birth defect was miraculously healed. Peter and John went to pray, and chapter 4 will tell us that 5,000 people got saved! All of these great things happened, because Peter and John were obeying God’s command to pray. Great things happen when God’s people pray! I am quite sure this is one of the reasons why VBS went so well this year. God’s people were praying.

*There is no question that God commands us to pray.

-In Matt 6: 6, Jesus said, “when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

-In Matt 5: 44 Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

-Matt 9:37-38, He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

*On the night before the cross, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed in agony to the Father. In Matt 26:40-41, Jesus came to the disciples and found them asleep, and told Peter, “What, could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

*1 Thess 5:17 tells Christians to “pray without ceasing.” But there are also special times to pray:

-Like the Prayer Walk we had for VBS last Sunday night.

-Men’s Prayer Meeting every Sunday morning at 7:30 in Fellowship Hall.

-And our weekly Prayer Meeting on Wednesday night.

*One of the best ways the Lord showed His love for children was by praying for them. We see this in Matt 19:13-15:

13. Then little children were brought to (Jesus) that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

14. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’’