Introduction:
Have you ever known people who just “lift you up”? People who, just to be in their presence gave you a boost that sent you away with a smile on your face and joy in your heart? I have known many like that and numerous times I have wished that I could do that for others.
I have been down and out before. I have been dejected and depressed. However, after visits to certain homes, I have come away with a new focus and feeling like a million bucks.
I have met some people who, after being in their presence a few minutes and hearing them complain about all their troubles that I went away wonder if I could make through the day myself.
Then I have met people who, if they had any troubles at all, you could never tell it. They make me want to dig a little deeper. They make me feel like I could fight a bear.
Some people, both young and old, have lives that will lift you up both mentally and physically.
I want to share with you today of two men in Acts that had lives that lifted a man up and sent him on his way rejoicing. Follow along in Acts 3:1-10 as I read…
You can have the power to lift people up and send them on their way rejoicing only if you (1) desire it and (2) are willing to pay the price. In the lives of these two men we see three elements demonstrated that gave them the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.
If you are going to make a difference in the lives of others you must be…
I. Someone Who Prays.
A. Peter and John were men of prayer, it was central to their lives.
1. They had been with Jesus and seen Him pray.
a) They had witnessed the power of prayer in His life.
b) They had seen the intensity of His prayer life.
2. They had seen and felt prayer in their own lives.
a) They had just spent the past 10 days in a “prayer meeting” asking the Holy Spirit to come.
b) The result of their “prayer meeting” was that 3,000 souls were saved.
B. People who pray are people who lift other people.
1. They have spent more time with the Father in prayer.
a) They know how to pray because they spent long hours doing it.
b) They can pray and the Father listens and sends the Holy Spirit.
2. There is nothing more lifting than intercessory prayer.
a) A missionary once said that on one day she felt something special…
b) If you want too lift other, then learn how to be an intercessory in prayer.
(1) If you want to help someone out – put them on your prayer list and actually pray for them.
(a) Your pastor.
(b) The solider over seas.
(c) A school teacher.
(d) Someone sick.
(e) Someone who has a sack full of sorrows.
(2) I would rather have the knowledge that people are praying for me then have all the doctors and specialist in the world.
If you are going to make a difference in the lives of others you must be someone who prays, but you also need to be…
II. Someone Who Worships
A. These men, being men of prayer, went up to the temple at the appointed time - They went to worship
1. They could have prayed and worshipped anywhere.
a) But they respected the Temple as a place of worship.
b) They went regularly to it.
2. They were not like many people today:
a) People who stay away because they don’t like something that the church is doing.
(1) Or they don’t like some of the people who attend that church.
(2) Or they have something else to do.
b) They think they won’t be missed and can worship anywhere.
3. These men, at the hour of prayer, went up to worship God.
a) They didn’t agree with temple worship.
(1) They knew that some of the people there were hypocrites and insincere.
(2) They had heard their Master call them hypocrites and “a brood of vipers”.
b) But they went at the appointed time.
(1) Because they wanted to worship God.
B. There are some of you who come to worship here at FBC Runnelstown whose presence lifts others.
1. There are some who come who even inspire me.
a) Mrs. Emma Horn.
b) Mrs. Dovie Carter.
c) Brother Robert Bolling
2. If you want to lift others up, come to church!
a) You might get your opportunity.
If you are going to make a difference in the lives of others you must be someone who prays, someone who worships, but you also need to be…
III. Someone Who Shares.
A. Peter and John enter the Temple at the Beautiful Gate, there sat a man who was asking for alms.
1. All the people who enter the temple at that gate probably knew this man.
a) He was a cripple and was probably there on a daily basis.
2. As Peter and John entered the man asked for alms from them.
a) Peter tells him too look at him and the man fixes his attention on them, because he was expecting something from them.
b) But look at what Peter tells him…
3. Peter and John Shared with this man what they had.
a) They simply shared:
(1) They didn’t give what they didn’t have.
(2) They didn’t give all of what they did have.
(3) They shared.
b) That is what sent this man on his way rejoicing.
(1) They shared Jesus with him.
B. If you want to lift people up, then share what you have.
1. Share your capital.
a) Find someone who needs help and then help.
(1) I am not talking about someone who will not try and help themselves.
(2) I am not talking about those who always need help.
(3) But there are some who need legitimate help.
(a) And it isn’t the government’s responsibility!
b) If you want to help the cause of Christ – share your money.
(1) Look at this homecoming fund.
(2) Help the youth, the children, the WMU, the RA’s the GA’s, the Drama team, the puppets.
(3) I can not explain what it feels like to give.
2. Share your capability.
a) If you can sing you should be in the choir.
b) If you have a magnetic personality, you should be visiting in the community and at the doors greeting our guest and members.
c) If you have the ability to teach, you need to be teaching
(1) Then eternity will only know how many lives were lifted because of you.
d) I could go on and on, but if you want to lift other share the talent that God has given you.
3. Share your Christ.
a) If you know someone whose burden is heavy, tell them of Jesus.
(1) The one who said the His burden is light and His yoke is easy.
(2) Let them know that He will carry their burdens for them.
b) If you know of someone who needs comforting, tell them of Jesus.
(1) Let them know that He can comfort their troubled heart, if they will let Him.
(2) Let them cry out with the Psalmist, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me”.
c) If you know someone who needs to be made well, tell them of Jesus.
(1) Introduce them to the great Physician, who can heal their body.
d) If you know someone who is lost – groping in the darkness of this world – tell them of Jesus.
If you are here today and you are without Jesus, this church desires to share Him with you this morning. Will you come and accept Him as your savoir this morning?
