WHEN LAME MEN LEAP
ACTS 3:1-10
INTRO: READ - PRAY - IMAGINE IF YOU WILL, A SCIENTIST WHO DISCOVERS A CURE FOR ALL CANCER. IT IS EASY TO ADMINISTER, HAS NO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS AND CURES ALL CANCER INSTANTLY. THE ONLY DIFFICULT PART ABOUT THIS CURE IS HOW IT IS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CANCER PATIENTS. THE ONLY WAY IT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE PATIENTS IS THROUGH PEOPLE WHO HAVE CANCER AND HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THIS CURE AND HAVE BEEN HEALED FROM THEIR CANCER. THESE CURED PEOPLE MUST BE WILLING TO TAKE THE MEDICINE TO EVERY CANCER PATIENT AND SAY TO THEM “LOOK AT ME I WAS LAME WITH CANCER, NOW I’M HEALED!” THEN THEY MUST OFFER TO HELP ADMINISTER THE MEDICINE TO THE CANCER PATIENT. IF THE CANCER PATIENT BELIEVES WHAT THE MESSENGER IS TELLING THEM AND ACCEPTS THE HELP BEING OFFERED THEY WILL BE CURED OF THEIR CANCER. THEN THEY MUST HELP TO SPREAD THIS AMAZING CURE TO OTHERS. I BELIEVE ANY CANCER PATIENT WOULD LEAP FOR JOY AT THIS NEWS!
SOUNDS PRETTY SIMPLE, ALSO SOUNDS LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT IS LOVING, COMPASSIONATE AND HUMANE. IN ACTS 3:1-10 WE FIND A SIMILAR SCENE TO WHAT I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED. THERE IS AN ALARMING MAN WHO IS DESPERATELY SICK. HE IS GIVEN AN ASSURING MESSAGE THAT THERE IS A CURE FOR HIS DISEASE AND WE SEE AN AMAZING MIRACLE TAKE PLACE AS HE BELIEVES AND ACCEPTS THIS GOOD NEWS. TO BEGIN, LETS LOOK CLOSER AT …
I. THE ALARMING MAN. V2-3
A. HIS PROBLEM V2
“LAME FROM HIS MOTHERS WOMB” “WAS CARRIED”
1. HE COULD NOT…
WALK – CRIPPLED FOR LIFE,
WHAT FRIENDS HE HAD CARRIED HIM
WORK – BEG TO LIVE, NO CAREER
EDUCATION – PRIDE – VALUE
WISH – A BETTER LIFE, A FAMILY, SUCCESS
DREAM
WIN – ONLY PAIN AND SUFFERING, IN
DEATH NO ONE WOULD EVEN HAVE
MISSED HIM
ILL: A PICTURE OF ALL OF US HERE.
1. THIS MAN WAS BORN LAME - ALL OF US BORN LAME
IN SIN, UNABLE TO WALK IN A WAY PLEASING TO GOD.
2. THIS MAN WAS POOR – ALL SINNERS ARE BANKRUPT
BEFORE GOD, UNABLE TO PAY THE GREAT DEBT WE
OWE FOR OUR SIN.
3. THIS MAN WAS OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE OF GOD – ALL
SINNERS ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD
4. THIS MAN WAS HEALED WHOLLY BY GODS GRACE –
THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO GET TO GOD, ONLY
BY HIS GRACE CAN WE COME TO HIM.
5. THIS MAN WAS HEALED IMMEDIATELY – WHEN A
SINNER COMES TO CHRIST WE ARE IMMEDIATELY
SAVED JUST AS WE ARE.
6. THE CHANGE IN THIS MAN WAS EVIDENT TO ALL –
WHEN A SINNER COMES TO CHRIST THERE IS A
CHANGE FOR THE BETTER AND PEOPLE KNOW IT.
B. V3 THIS MAN SAW PETER AND JOHN AND HOPED FOR A
FEW PENNIES. WHAT HE RECEIVED WAS SO MUCH
MORE. HE RECEIVED…
II. THE ASSURING MESSAGE. V4-6
A. THE MESSAGE WRAPPED IN PEOPLE V4 “LOOK AT US”
WHAT DID HE SEE?
1. WEALTH AND RICHES ILL: SAINT WALKS IN ON
BISHOP AND SEES HIM COUNTING MONEY.
EXCUSE ME I DID NOT MEAN TO INTERRUPT. AS HE TURNS TO LEAVE THE BISHOP SAYS “NO LONGER CAN THE CHURCH SAY SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE.” AS THE SAINT PULLS THE DOOR TO CLOSE IT HE RESPONDS, “NEITHER CAN THE CHURCH SAY TO THE LAME MAN RISE UP & WALK.”
WHAT HE NEEDED COULD NOT BE FOUND IN RICHES.
BUT WHAT HE SAW, REVEALED TO HIM HIS REAL NEED.
2. HE SAW LOVE AND HE HEARD TRUTH
THESE ARE INSEPARABLE TO THE CHRISTIAN
LOVE W/O TRUTH = LIBERALISM – DO WHAT YOU
WANT WE WILL LOVE YOU AND SO WILL GOD!
A LIE!
TRUTH W/O LOVE = LEGALISM – DO WHAT WE SAY OR
YOU’LL BURN. BE LIKE US OUR YOUR WRONG! A LIE!
GOD IS LOVE AND JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.
SHOW LOVE & SPEAK TRUTH & THE LAME WILL LEAP FOR JOY!
B. THE MESSAGE WRAPPED IN A PERSON
V6 “NAME OF JESUS”
1. NO MONEY COULD BUY WHAT MAN NEEDED
“SILVER AND GOLD I DO NOT HAVE”
2. JESUS IS YOUR HOPE “RISE UP & WALK”
YOU BELIEVE? ACT ON IT AND BE HEALED.
ONCE FAITH IS EVIDENT THEN WE CAN SEE…
III. THE AMAZING MIRACLE V7-10
A. CURE IS FOUND – 2 PARTS V6-7
1. V6 POWER TO HEAL FROM THE NAME OF JESUS
2. V7 POWER TO HELP CAME FROM THE EFFORT OF
A CHRISTIAN. ILL: THE POWER IS JESUS
BUT THE HAND IS PETERS. BOTH NEEDED
B. CHANGE IS SEEN
1. V8 HE LEAPED – NEVER BEFORE. V7 PERFECT
HEALING, STRONG ABLE- GET ALL JESUS
2. V8 HE ENTERED THE TEMPLE – NEVER BEFORE,
NOT ALLOWED, UNCLEAN. NOW HOLY
3. V8-9 HE PRAISED GOD – NEVER BEFORE,
CURSED? BUT NOW PRAISE
4. V10 OTHERS MARVELED AT HIS LIFE – NEVER
BEFORE, BEG, STUNK, NOTICE BECAUSE
OBNOXIOUS AT BEAUTIFUL GATE.
5. OTHERS CAME TO HEALING IN CHRIST BECAUSE
OF HIM – NEVER BEFORE. 4:4
GODS AMAZING MIRACLE OF LOVE IS FOR EVERYONE WHO IS WILLING TO RECEIVE IT. ALL IT TAKES IS SOMEONE TO SHARE THIS LOVE WITH ANOTHER. ONE LAME BEGGAR, WHO HAS BEEN HEALED, FED AND LOVED, TELLING ANOTHER LAME BEGGAR, “LOOK AT ME! LET ME TELL YOU HOW THIS HAPPENED”
PRAY
INVITATION:
ARE YOU WILLING TODAY TO BE THAT PERSON THAT SAYS “LOOK AT ME, I HAVE THE CURE FOR YOUR SIN!” ARE YOU WILLING TO SPREAD THE ASSURING MESSAGE THAT GOD LOVES EVERYONE AND THAT JESUS CAN SAVE ANYONE! THEN YOUR PRAYER TODAY IS “GOD I AM WILLING USE ME”
PERHAPS YOU ARE THAT LAME PERSON THAT HAS BEEN HEALED BY GODS INCREDIBLE LOVE. THEN PRAISE GOD FOR HIS WONDERFUL WORK IN YOUR LIFE. DO IT NOW. TELL HIM “THANK YOU JESUS FOR SAVING MY LIFE, I PRAISE YOU AND I THANK YOU.”
NOT A CHRISTIAN? 2 QUESTIONS
1. IF YOU WERE STANDING BEFORE GOD RIGHT NOW AND HE ASKED YOU WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO MY HEAVEN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? JOHN 14:6 “I AM THE WAY”(NO ONE)
JOHN 3:16
ADMIT YOU HAD THE WRONG ANSWER -RAISE HAND
2. IS THERE ANY REASON YOU WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO ACCEPT GODS GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE, JESUS CHRIST, RIGHT NOW? IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO THERE IS NOT THEN
PRAY
