Theme: A Model of Worship for a Church That Sets the Captives
Text: Acts 3:1-10
1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Introduction:
1. vs. 1 – “Peter & John” – worship has a relational dimension; it joins me to my brother. Peter & John were different, but they could worship & pray together. This speaks to us about unity of purpose in spite of our differences.
Peter: His profession – fisher; married. Peter appears always as the spokesperson for the 12 disciples, speaking more than the rest, both in the Gospels and in the book of Acts. Peter’s character appears to be one of impulsivity and reactionary, always with a quick and immediate respond. We find him with a wavering faith, even to the point of denying and abandoning the Master in His time of suffering, yet slowly maturing and developing a strong character and ultimately a firm faith. History says that he was crucified upside down, not feeling deserving to die the way that Jesus had died.
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John: He is known as the beloved disciple. He’s the disciple that is described as the one that Jesus loved. He is the one that would lean on his Master’s chest and hear his heartbeat. It was to him whom Jesus entrusted his mother Mary at the time of his death. He died in and island close to Ephesus.
We can be different, but at the time of gathering for worship, we need to leave our differences aside. We can be:
• Republicans or Democrats
• Black or white
• Latinos or Anglos
• Mexicans or Puerto Ricans
• Citizens or Resident Aliens
• Rich or Poor
True worship is relational; it makes me relate to with my sister and my brother. A church that sets the captives free is a church that is intertwined with the brethren.
#2 – vs. 1 – “were going up” – they were going up together: worship also has a corporate dimension. Personal experiences are great, but there is no greater, transcending and satisfying experience than worshiping together with our brother. The psalmist said: “I was glad when they said unto me, le us go into the house of the Lord.” A church that sets the captives free is a church that experiences corporate worship.
#3 – vs. 1 – “up to the temple” – the temple is God’s idea. Some say that it is not necessary to go to church, but the bible says that we should not stop from gathering at the temple as others have grown accustomed to. We need to come into the temple to worship God. If we are going to be a church that sets the captives free, we have to be a church that comes into the temple to worship.
It’s true, because it’s biblical, that in this new covenant, WE are the temple of the Spirit. He abides in us. But there is a blessing when we come together as a body, in one place to worship and receive instruction and revelation from the Lord.
#4 – vs. 1 – “at the time of prayer” – It is said that a professional boxer once became a Christian and he retired and left the ring behind and dedicated his life to preaching the gospel. Once day, as he was on his way to preach at a street rally, he notices he was running a bit late and cut across a farm in order to save some time. Suddenly the owner of the farm appeared and cursed at him and challenged him to fight. Not knowing that this preacher had been a boxer at one time, he kept on challenging him to fight. The preacher kept on putting him off but finally he said to the farmer: “OK, you want to fight me, that am not a problem. But allow me to pray before I fight you, for I always pray before I do anything. Having said this, much to the amazement of the farmer, the preacher took off his Hat and knelt down to pray. And this is what he said: “Lord, you know I used to be a professional boxer, and you know how many times I took out the eyes of my rivals and to how many others I broke their noses. Lord you know how many ribs I broke, and how many had to be taken out in stretchers after I knocked them out. And Lord I remember the fighter that died after I punched him only once. So Lord, please don’t allow this farmer to die today, here in this lonely, quiet farm. Suddenly, the farmer interrupted the former boxer and said: “Enough, stop praying. There’s no need for us to fight. As a matter or fact, you can go through my farm anytime you wish. “PRAYER WORKS!”
Someone has said that today’s Christians are barely praying to survive. We barely pray for our food, or before we go to bed. Allow me to tell you that with amount of prayer, we are not going to win the world for Christ. We need to go back to our old fashioned prayer meetings. And I mean Prayer Meetings. Today’s prayer meetings in most churches are more like concerts or even social gatherings. A church that sets the captives free is a church that prays. One that gets on its knees and knows how to cry out before the Lord.
#5 – vs. 2 – “near the temple called The Beautiful there was a man that couldn’t walk.” – Church, listen to me. The church was beautiful, but it wasn’t fulfilling its purpose. Paterson, NJ has more than 150 Christian churches. Yet Paterson ranks one of the highest cities in the state of New Jersey in violence, drugs, domestic violence and burglaries. What good is it to have over 150+ churches if we are not doing the work we’ve been called to do? What good is it if we have beautiful temples but there are people sitting in front of them who can’t walk spiritually? They’re sitting outside because they can’t come in. What’s sad is that many times they’re not even welcomed in our church. Why? Because they look funny, or they smell funny. Well if they are not welcomed in the church where are they going to go to find healing for their hurting hearts? A club? A bar? Its is here where they are supposed to find that oasis. If we are not willing to take in the prostitute, the desolate, the hurting, the drug addict, the divorced, the homeless, the sick and afflicted, then we might as well close our doors and go home. Because we have been called to be salt of the earth. It’s up to us to bring life into this lost generation. A church that sets the captives free is a church that accepts the hurting and needy into its family.
#6 – vs. 2 – the King James version says he was asking for alms. Do you know what alms are? Alms are money, food, or other donations given to the poor or needy; anything given as charity money, food, or other donations given to the poor or needy; anything given as charity. Isn’t it an oxymoron that with as much revelation and knowledge that we have in our churches, there are still people begging for crumbs? Brothers and sisters, we do not need to settle for crumbs when we have the Lord of abundant blessing. If we are going to be a church that sets the captives free, we have to be a church that lives in the richness and prosperity of the Gospel.
#7 – vs. 4 - And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John - We need to take a close look at those around us. Have you taken a good look lately at those that are sitting outside the church? Are we aware of the need of our neighbors? Or are so blessed that we can’t see the human suffering and pain around us? Are we so busy with our programs for our bless me clubs that we don’t notice the blind and lame that sit outside our temples. A church that is going to set the captives free is a church that notices those that are at the door.
#8 – vs. 4 – Peter told the man, “Look at us”. Listen to me, the people need to be able to look at us and see hope. We have to have the ability to attract the sinners. Our worship, our preaching, our programs, they all need to attract the sinner into the church. Church needs to be appealing. Peter said, “Look at us.” This is not a bless me club. It’s not a festival of lights. It’s a matter of reaching the lost. A church that is going to set the captives free is a church that is appealing to the sinners.
#9 – vs. 6 – “Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have”. People don’t want our silver and gold, they need more than that. They need to see the power of God through us. They need to be delivered, set free and made whole again. A church that is going to set the captives free is a church has the power of God. Signs and wonders are present in their meetings.
#10 – vs. 6 – “in the name of Jesus.” They declared the Word. Today, we find many motivational speakers in the church instead of prophets saying “Thus says the Lord.” In many churches, we quote Stephen Covey and Mother Teresa, more that we quote Jesus or the Apostle Paul. Its time to go back to “in the name of Jesus”. A Church that sets the captives free is a church that recognizes the power in the name of Jesus and knows how to use it.
#11 – vs. 7 – “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up.” It’s not enough to declare. (You can declare and decree all you want.) This is a co-laboring between the divine and the human. You see, they took him by the right, (he wasn’t a lefty), and God lifted him up. This means we need to do our part, and God will do His. We do the preaching, He does the saving. A church that sets the captives free is a church that extends its hand to the needy.
#12 – vs. 8 “He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” Once the miracle took place, the man could jump and celebrate and worship the Lord. A person that is bound can not jump, nor walk nor celebrate. A church that worships in Spirit and in truth is a church that sets the captives free.
Conclusion: God desires a church that sets the captives free. He not only wants us to come into the church and worship and pray, he wants us to come into the temple, worship and pray, and also, set the lives of the captives free.
Prayer: Lord I pray that you would use your church to be an agent of change. Use us Lord to set the captives free. In Jesus' name I pray...AMEN!
