Subject: “Five Things A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Do”
Acts 3:1-10
Introduction:
During this season of Pentecost, I want us rediscover the purpose of the power made available to the Church. In describing the ministry of Jesus, Apostle Paul said, Ac 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” First these disciples were commanded to wait for the power from on high, and then in the upper room they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. The book of Acts often speaks of the many wonders and miraculous signs that were done by the apostles. Now, in Acts 3, we are given a detail account of the lame man who was healed at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. We not only are called to witness the great miracle but we are also called to listen to Peter’s second sermon.
On the Day of Pentecost, the power of God turned despairing, fearful men into dynamic disciples. They had received the Holy Spirit and were clothed with power from on high. But why was the power given? The power of God seemed to have two purposes (1) Personal transformation - power to become sons of God and power for kingdom building – to be witnesses to the entire world. The power of God energized them to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit enables his disciples to reach out and touch human needs and share the message of the Gospel. Pentecostal Power enables us to reach out and touch others.
In our text today, we see the power of God healing a human life. We see people who have been touched by the power of God touching others. It is the story of the lame man who begged by the gate called Beautiful. In this passage we see a real example of the power of God to heal. This man was healed physically, but the message of this text is not limited to physical healing in any way. This passage deals with human healing on every level.
The Scripture tells us that this forty year old man was crippled from birth. He had never been able to stand and walk, to run and play like the other boys. Now, he’s a grown man and every day friends must carry him to the Temple so he may beg for a living. There had never been a day in his life when he had not been a burden to somebody. He was born that way and he had never known the freedom of going anywhere with having to ask others to carry him there. This man really symbolizes all humanity as we struggle with tragedies of life. Everywhere we look there is human hurt, human suffering, and human tragedy. Sometimes it maybe physical affliction, mental turmoil or spiritual barrenness, but it is all around us. But A Church with Pentecostal Power can make a difference!
How many people do we pass everyday that are crippled by economic situations, or they don’t know what to do with their children; or their marriage is falling apart or their job is hanging by a thread or they struggle with low self-esteem, guilt or depression? Behind every door there is human need. Every person has a story to tell. We’ve all been hurt, we’ve all been used, we’ve all failed, and we all need healing. We need Jesus—and that’s the biggest need that anyone has.
The Church was empowered at Pentecost to help people receive a touch from God. Every day this man was brought to the Temple to beg. It was the most he could hope for. He is living on the sideline of life. He had never heard the good news. He couldn’t get into the church, and he thought, “All church people are good for is a hand out!”
Unfortunately, this is the attitude of many people today. They hurt, but they hurt in silence, and the church is the last place they want to go. Many of them view the church as self-righteous. But even if they have a good view of the church, they lack the motivation to get out of bed on a Sunday morning to come to Church. There are five things I believe a church with Pentecostal power ought to do: (1) A Church with Pentecostal Power ought to raise the level of Expectancy.
I. A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Raise The Level of EXPECTANCY – At the hour of prayer, Peter stopped and said to him, “Look at us!” And verse 5 said, the man expected to receive something from them. He did not know what he was going to get, probably thought it would be money, but his faith was quickened by Peter’s words. Expectation is necessary to be used by God and to receive anything from God. You must expect it. Peter and John knew what they had received and they expected something to happen. They raise the man’s level of expectation. Those who have received his power ought to expect to be used. We must help people raise their level of Expectancy. God will meet us at the level of our expectation.
II. A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Be Instruments of HEALING When Peter got the man’s attention: First, he admitted I might not have what you want, but I have just what you need. “Silver and Gold have I none” but “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise and walk.” We can give what we do not have. They had received power and they were “partakers of the divine nature”. They were instruments of the healing power of God. He could only give out what he had. And so it is with us. If we do not possess a living relationship with Jesus Christ, we will never be instruments of his power. You can only give what you have. The apostles didn’t have silver and gold, but they had the power of God. What we need are not possessions, but power: Power to touch people’s lives with the presence of the living God; power to reach out to people and lift them up out of their tragic circumstances and give them hope and healing, friendship and fellowship. Verses 7 say, “And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength”. A Church with Pentecostal power must raise the level of expectation and it must become instruments of the healing power of God.
III. A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Cause Great JOY
v. 8 “So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.” The man who had never walked in his life stood up with a leap and he didn’t quit leaping. The man was changed. Not only was he healed, but joy flooded his soul. The Scripture says, "Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God." Because someone cared enough to reach out to him in the name of Jesus, his life had been transformed.
Whenever we help others get up and get out, it is a cause for great joy. Now this poor man could move into the mainstream of life. He could walk, run, leap, work and live a full life. He knew somebody cared, God cared, and he had been healed in everyway. He was excited and so were the disciples. It’s OK to be excited.
In his book The Crisis in the University, Sir Walter Moberly tells professing Christians, “If one tenth of what you believe is true, you ought to be ten times as excited as you are.” A Church with Pentecostal Power ought have great joy and be the source of great joy and excitement over Christ.
IV. A Church with Pentecostal Power Ought Experience Signs and Wonders 3:9-10 “And all the people saw him walking and praising God. (10) Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” Acts 3: 9-10 (NKJV)
There was an immediate two-fold effect. The people were convinced that it was God at work, and that this miracle had been done in the name of Jesus. When people are convinced that God is at work and, and they will listen to his message. Peter preached the rest of the evening and no one left. God was working with them confirming their words with signs and wonders. People still need to experience the immediate presence of God.
A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Raise The Level of EXPECTANCY; A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Be An Instruments of HEALING; A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Cause Great JOY; A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Experience Signs and Wonders and finally, V. A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Be A Living WITNESS for God -
This man needed the same thing that all people need a touch from God. The power of Holy Spirit working in the life of believers made it available to him. The church was filled with Pentecostal power to be instruments used by God to lift fallen humanity who are hurting in silence, crippled in pain and do not even realize what they need. So they sit on the sideline of life asking for alms of silver and gold.
This story is a remarkable pattern for what a Church filled with Pentecostal Power ought to be doing. We are called to be witnesses to a lost world. The lost world is made up of people in desperate need—someone who has hit bottom, a wretched sinner who has nowhere to turn, who’s flat on his back. And it also made up of those who live in our neighborhood, who may be mobile and affluent, who seem to have everything they need. The kind of people I’m speaking of all have nice houses, manicured lawns, at least two nice cars, fine clothes, children who are doing well in school, great jobs, and plenty of money. What more could they need? The truth is, things are not always what they seem. The down-and-out and the up-and-out have at least two things in common: They are both human and they both have deep needs. Inside every one of those nice houses sitting on their manicured lawns are people who hurt, people who have unmet personal needs. Many of those people have their own story of human tragedy, which they could tell, and every one of them needs a touch from God. The church is the change agent that God has chosen to use.
A Church With Pentecostal Power Ought To Raise The Level of EXPECTANCY; To Be An Instruments of HEALING; To Cause Great JOY; To Cause An Unbelieving world To Experience Signs and Wonders and finally, and To Be A Living WITNESS for God –
Peter and John left us a pattern for witnessing. True witnessing always follows this pattern: (1) First God works: God does something. God changes a life. God does something that only God can do, that man cannot do at all. (2) Then People Wonder, the witness explains what God did: The person tells what happened, he saw, what he experienced and demonstrates the results. It becomes the basis for others to experience it. This is why Peter says, "Always be ready to give an answer to every man who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and courtesy," {1 Pet 3:15 KJV}.
Are you like this lame man? Perhaps you have been lying at the gate looking for help, and you don’t expect any more than a friendly hand, or a little help along the way. But God has so much more to give you -- so much more -- if you will hear that amazing name, the name of Jesus -- all that God has, wrapped up in that one name and made available to you, you too can rise up and walk. But more than that, you too can began leaping and praising God.
