[2] You know, some people are more adventurous than others. For some people adventure means going mountain climbing or skydiving. For some people adventure means trying a new salad dressing. I’m somewhere in the middle. I like safe adventure.
[Giant water slide story.]
I firmly believe that living a life for Jesus Christ is the greatest adventure a person could ever be a part of. I mean, to have your life transformed by God. To really know what love is. To have your prayers answered by the invisible God. To see bonified miracles happen right in front of you. To have a 3,000 year old book speak to the very core of your life. To be able to be a part of what God is doing on this earth. To know that one day you’ll be in His presence. There’s just nothing that compares to a life lived for the Lord.
But sometimes we don’t seem to have much adventure in our Christian life. Sometimes we find ourselves a little bored or frustrated or even defeated. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The great adventure awaits us all because of Jesus Christ. We simply need to put into practice a few key principles that will enable us to experience all that God has for us.
In today’s passage we’ll be looking at an event that took place in Peter’s and John’s great adventure for the Lord. And I’ll bet that each of us here today will be able to relate to at least one of the characters in this story.
[Read Acts 3:1-10.]
Now that must have been one exciting adventure to be a part of. As we take a closer look at this event we’re going to see principles that’ll help us with our own great adventure.
[3] First of all, the great adventure is guided by purpose.
[Read Acts 3:1-3.]
Now there’s three different persons mentioned in this passage – “them” who carried the lame man to the Temple, the lame man himself and Peter and John. Each of these persons represent a different kind of life-purpose.
1. “Them” – going through the motions, self-centered purpose
Now basically we don’t know anything about these guys except the fact that they
carried this lame man, presumably from his home, every day to the Temple to beg for money where there were a lot of people. Now we don’t know how long they’d been doing it, but we do know that the man had been lame from birth and 4:22 tells us the man was 40 years old. So it’s safe to say that these men had done this for some time. This was their daily ritual. Maybe they did it as a favor? Maybe they did it out of duty? Maybe they did it for legalistic, religious reasons? But every day they went through the motions and took him to the Temple.
But I have some questions for these obviously able-bodied men. How come they didn’t help the poor man? I mean, instead of picking the guy up at his home, taking him to the Temple, picking him up after a few hours of begging and bringing him back home – why not just feed the poor guy a meal?
For one reason or another they were satisfied to go through the motions of life every day motivated by self.
2. Lame man – existing purpose
This man’s life purpose was to simply exist. He just wanted to stay alive. He wasn’t
thinking about a career, he wasn’t thinking about a family, and he probably wasn’t thinking about God and eternity. He just wanted to make it through the day alive.
3. Peter and John – God’s purpose
Peter and John on the other hand had a whole new reason for getting up and living
every day. They knew that the Lord had a purpose and plan for their lives and were eager to get out and live it. You see, they were on their way to the Temple to tell others of the living Savior Jesus Christ and adventure happened!
That’s how it is when your life’s purpose is to love God and to love others. Adventure just happens as you journey along. Knowing and understanding your purpose for being alive guides your life and enables you to experience the adventure God has just for you.
[Purpose Driven Life book promotion.]
The great adventure is guided by purpose. Also the great adventure is [4] lived in expectations. Expect a little – receive a little. Expect a lot – see what God can do!
[Read Acts 3:3-7.]
Did you notice the contrast in expectations there? The lame man just wanted some food to buy bread with. But Peter wanted to see God change a life!
The lame man had fallen into the trap that many people find themselves in – the trap of low expectations. He had settled for just getting some food in his belly. He had resigned the fact that life would always be bad and one day he would die.
But think about this, there he was at the doorstep of the Temple of God. Instead of asking God to work a miracle, he asked mere men for some pocket change. Talk about a missed opportunity. All because of low expectations.
Now Peter on the other hand, had the audacity to believe God could do the impossible!
[Read Acts 3:6.]
Remember, Peter had seen the Lord do countless miracles just like this one. Remember from John 5 where the Lord healed the lame man who for 38 years had been sitting by the pool of Bethesda waiting for healing? Peter had seen Jesus’ power and Jesus Himself told the disciples that they would be able to heal people just like He did.
In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus said, "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." Peter believed the Lord and expected God to work a miracle.
How often do we set our expectations low to minimize discouragement if things don’t go right? We are so afraid of failure that we don’t even try some times. First of all, failure just makes us stronger. Secondly, if we never try, we never succeed at anything. Our life – adventure is only going to live up to our expectation level. Expect a little – receive a little. Expect a lot – see what God can do!
The great adventure is lived in expectations. [5] The great adventure is also meaningful when selfless.
If we approach our lives and the great adventure only to serve ourselves then we will be sorely disappointed. There are so many people in the world who live their lives for themselves, yet are miserable inside. All the money and fame and prestige in the world can’t fill our hearts with true joy and peace.
Even Christian people can fall into this. Especially when they think their Christianity is all about themselves. Yes, being a Christian is great for self, but only when we lose our self in the purpose of God! A selfish life is an empty and often lonely life. But a selfless life is one that has meaning and adventure. Look at how Peter and John showed selflessness.
[Read Acts 3:3-4.]
Peter and John were on their way into the Temple to do ministry – but ministry stopped them before they went into the door. They could have just passed this crippled, poor, smelly, foul, annoying beggar by to go and talk with the important people inside the Temple. But they saw someone who needed some help and stopped, bent down, and look need right square in the eyes. And because of their selflessness, they were able to witness the power of God change a life.
They could have easily passed this guy by and missed what God wanted to do through them. But because they stopped and forgot about themselves, their adventure got amped up a little bit. The adventure is meaningful when selfless.
Now their selflessness did have power behind it. They had serious faith to pray over this man like they did. [6] Which shows us that the great adventure is fueled by faith.
[Read Acts 3:6.]
Again, they had seen the power of God through Jesus while He was on the earth. He told them they would be able to work miracles as well. And they had seen Jesus risen from the dead – an incredible display of God’s power. But even with all that evidence that God could do it, they still had to believe. “In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene – walk!”
Without faith the adventure is man’s religion. Without faith the adventure is pointless. Without faith the adventure isn’t of God. Without faith there is no adventure.
Faith is commonly defined as “believing in what you can’t see.” In our case were talking about believing in the invisible God. Of course, He isn’t as invisible as some people say. We can see Him in creation. We can see Him in His Word. We can see Him in other’s lives. We can see Him through the miraculous. We can see evidence that He exists.
But the question is – will we trust Him to do the impossible? That’s where the adventure comes.
If someone falls down and you pick them up – big deal. Any person can do that. But if someone’s been crippled for 40 years and mere words restore their mobility – then that’s something only God can do! And He can do anything! Will we trust Him to?
There will be times in your adventurous journey of life when you will be tested. Insurmountable odds will come your way and try to get you off track. But listen, the God whom you love, He created this universe, He parted the Red Sea, He fed the 5,000, He rose from the dead, and He’s saved your eternal soul. He can help you triumph over adventure-killers if you will have faith. Our adventure is fueled by faith.
Finally, [7] the great adventure is contagious when expressed.
[Read Acts 3:7-10.]
[Walking and leaping in the Temple demonstration.]
Peter and John weren’t embarrassed by this man’s appearance or undignified demeanor. They all went into the Temple full of joy and passion and praise for what God had done. And it was so contagious.
Next week we’re going to see what Peter did when he realized he had the attention of everyone in the Temple. But the fact is, they all wanted to know just how did this life-long cripple have the ability to now jump around and walk through the Temple himself. And why was he praising God so boldly. Just what had happened in his life? They wanted to know!
When people see others living out the great adventure with passion and love and sincerity they want to know what’s going on. It’s a contagious lifestyle that demands an answer. And you know, why wouldn’t we be outwardly expressing how great the adventure is? If God is working in your life, let it out!
[Football team wins, riding a horse, good mal, etc.]
When our faith comes bubbling out in word or song or “yippee” people will want to know what makes your life so exciting.
Well, where do you find yourself in this story?
- The men who carried the lame man who were going through the motions of life?
- The lame man who had given up on life and was just existing?
- Peter and John who were living out the great adventure?
[8] No matter where you find yourself, if you want your life to be a great adventure
for the Lord, remember these simple principles.
The great adventure is: guided by purpose
lived in expectations
meaningful when selfless
fueled by faith
contagious when expressed
The great adventure of life awaits us all! [9]
[Salvific, closing prayer.]
