REACHING YOUR JERUSALEM
Acts 5:12-16
Intro: People have all kinds of expectations about how things should happen in life. Husbands and wives have different expectations of each other. Bosses and workers have different expectations. Kids & parents; Govt. officials and citizens, etc. Something happens when these expectations are not met. Frustration is the result of unmet expectations. Sometimes expectations are not met because they are unrealistic. However, quite often, expectations are not met because they have not been communicated clearly. People cannot read your mind; therefore, they do not know how to go about meeting your expectations.
-Our heavenly Father has certain expectations of us as well. He has done a fantastic job of leaving us a record of His expectations. Of course, if we never read about them in the Bible, then we will likely fail to meet them. That will result in frustration on our part, at the very least because we will be missing out on what He wants from us. His expectations are not burdensome; rather, they are helpful and will help us navigate the troubled waters of this life. Among the expectations God has for us, there is one I’d like to focus on today.
Prop: God expects His people to make a difference in the world around them.
Interrogative: How can we do that?
TS: Let’s look at 4 expectations that will help us make a difference in our Jerusalem.
I. God Expects His People to Believe Him for Miracles (5:12, 15-16)
12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.
15 … people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
-We have talked about miracles and the power of God a number of times in the past several weeks. I cannot get away from the idea that God wants to do a lot more than we have seen Him do in our lives and in His church. Yet, I don’t have any instant solutions to what appears to be a lack of the miraculous. I am not saying that nothing is happening, because we have people sitting right here this morning who can attest to miracles of healing and provision in their lives. Miracles are not always accompanied by inspirational music and the flash of a Rolex. Sometimes the greatest miracles occur in the most ordinary circumstances. We should celebrate these and not minimize them. However, I think you know what I am saying when I say that there must be more!
-When I read v.16, that “Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed,” I have to say that I have never seen anything like that. Yes, I’ve seen people healed, and I have been healed myself, but can you imagine seeing everybody healed who came to you for prayer? I’m not sure I’m mature enough to handle power like that. Yet I sense that the church of Jesus Christ should be operating on that level.
-Do you trust God to work miracles on your behalf? Do you trust Him to work miracles for someone else through your prayers? I believe He wants to, but He is waiting for us to step up to the plate and start swinging. If we miss, swing again. If we strike out, I’m sure He will help us learn from it and improve our swing. But if we never get into the batter’s box, we will never get on base. What am I saying? Take a risk. Be willing to lay hands on someone who is sick and let them know that God wants to heal them. Pray a simple prayer of faith, trusting God to do what He already wants to do. Instead of worrying about what will happen if the person is not healed, start thinking about what could happen if he or she IS healed! Pray for people who do not yet know Jesus. Ask God to heal them and show Himself to them. He is just waiting for someone to be bold enough to put their reputation (and His) on the line.
II. God Expects His People to Foster a Sense of Community (5:12b)
12b And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
-Solomon’s Colonnade/Porch was a covered outer corridor lined with huge pillars on the east side of the temple. It was a massive area that could accommodate thousands of people. This meeting was probably one of the closest things we have to compare with our idea of “going to church.”
-It must have been an awesome thing to come together as a body of several thousand believers in this big hall area. What did these believers do when they came together here? Well, they most likely spent some time praying, since Acts 3 tells us that Peter and John customarily went to the temple to pray. After they healed the lame man, they apparently went to Solomon’s Porch, because Acts 3:11 says that many people gathered around them at Solomon’s Colonnade. They probably spent some time teaching. It was common for various rabbis or teachers to put their back against one of the huge pillars and to teach a group of people who would gather around. I am guessing that they also fellowshipped together. Most of this was probably done in their homes, but I am sure that they interacted coming in and going out.
-The important thing for us to glean from this is that they all met together, building their sense of oneness. The longer they continued coming together, the closer they got to one another.
-We can foster a sense of community within the Body of Christ here in Elgin. One thing we can do is keep showing up. Get together with other believers every chance you get. But beyond that, we may need to be more intentional about building close relationships with one another. They do not happen by accident. We will need to take the initiative to get closer to other believers. Someone said you don’t really know someone until you’ve seen their house in a mess. That may or may not be true, but it does send the message that it is not enough just to say hello on Sunday. We really need to network our lives with the lives of other believers. We need to visit them in their homes and invite them to our own homes. This is part of God’s plan for His people- meet together to pray for one another, worship, fellowship, learn together, and encourage one another.
-What are you doing to foster a greater sense of community in your church? Start somewhere. Set a goal to connect with at least one Christian in a meaningful way this week. God will help you and will reward your efforts.
-TS: Now, how should we present ourselves to those who do not yet believe?
III. God Expects His People to Build a Good Reputation (5:13)
13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
-It does matter how the world sees us! Too often we get this independent, take it or leave it attitude. Perhaps we think it helps protect us from rejection or ridicule. We are not out to please people, we are out to please God. However, part of His plan includes building good relationships with those around us. We should pursue favor with God and man.
-How can we earn the high regard of people within our community? A lot of it has to do with lifestyle. Pay your bills. Be honest. Don’t take advantage of people. Consider their needs before your own. Be a blessing to those around you. Be a good neighbor and lend a helping hand when you are able. Do something positive that will help improve your community. Ask yourself, “What positive impact does my life have on my neighborhood? How can I make a greater impact?”
-It is not always about getting your Bible out and discussing theology with your neighbor. It may be something as simple as offering to water their garden while they are out of town, or babysitting for them, or helping in some other way. Whether people agree with your beliefs or not, they should be drawn to your kindness (which really is not yours, but comes from the heart of your heavenly Father).
IV. God Expects His People to Grow (5:14)
14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
-God certainly wants each of us to grow spiritually, but His plan for His church is for people to be added to it. As we are living faithfully as Christ’s witnesses in our Jerusalem, God will add more men, women, and children to His church. It is not about how big our church can become. It is about another human being finding peace with God and receiving God’s free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. However, God does want His community of believers to always be increasing in number.
Conclusion: As we close, God has a master plan for reaching lost people. First, He plans to use normal people like you and me, but He expects certain things from us: He wants us to believe Him for miracles. He wants us to foster a sense of Christian community. He wants us to build a good reputation, being highly regarded by people. And finally, God wants us to keep on growing, reaching those around us with the good news of forgiveness and eternal life.
-Maybe you need His forgiveness today. Maybe you need to repair your relationship with Him, or perhaps start a right relationship with Him today……..
-Let’s pray and ask God to help us reach our Jerusalem according to His game plan.
