Introduction:
When Jesus called on His disciples, He did not sit them down one by one to negotiate their salary. He did not ask them for a resume, He did not ask them for a reference because no one knew them better than He did. There’s no explanation in the Bible as why He chose His twelve disciples, but among these twelve was Peter and John. They were both fisherman; I guess by now you can call them retired fisherman because Jesus changed their job description, He said to them, “Follow Me, and I’ll make you fishers of men…” and so their job description was to preach the Gospel to Israel and to lay hands on the sick, blind, and lame. That was a part of their job description. The job or the task that God gave didn’t come with money or fringe benefits, there was no silver and gold included but God did give them the power to do great things.
In fact, in Luke 24: 49 Jesus told them, “…I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Before they could accomplish their mission the church needed something else—and it wasn’t silver and gold. The church needed the power of God and these two preachers of the early church, Peter and John was more concerned about the power that comes only from God than the perceived power that comes from money. Right now there are people who preach on the power of money and say nothing about the power of God. They are more concerned about what money can do rather than what God do, because they are under the illusion that money can buy anything.
If you look in the eighth chapter of Acts there was a man named Simon who thought he could buy God’s power and Peter told him in so many words that God’s power was not for sale. God’s power is only given to those who have faith and trust Him and not in this world.
Peter and John did not have any money but they did have something that money couldn’t buy. Did you know that money is the single biggest killer in life? I don’t mean physical life, but I mean “life” in the sense of joy, relationships, acceptance, purpose, and love. Not money itself but the love of money kills all those things that really matter. Money has become a god to many people today, if you think that nobody cares if you’re alive just miss a couple of car payments—and you’ll see that their mind is on you almost twenty four hours a day. In fact, today there are too many people who are willing to spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they really don’t want, in order to impress people they really don’t like.
Here in the text we find the miracle of healing, the miracle was of God and the instruments that God chose to use was just two broke preachers—they didn’t have any money but they did have was power from on high. They didn’t pastor a mega church, they didn’t live in the Hampton or Park Avenue, they didn’t drive a big expensive car, they didn’t wear $1000 tailor-made suits or anything like that, they did not graduate from Yale or Harvard but they were God’s preachers—it’s true that there are some preachers who are money’s preachers but these two men were for sure God’s preachers. In fact if you read the fourth chapter of Acts they are described as being bold preachers since the day of Pentecost, and this boldness of theirs came as a result of being close to Jesus. At first they were thought of as being “unlearned and ignorant men” it was not due to their education or their learning or a huge bank account that caused people recognize who they were—it was the fact that they were with Jesus that made all the difference in the world—it gave them boldness in their preaching. And that’s what we need more of today when it comes to the preached Word, we need preachers like Peter and John who are not concerned about how comfortable they make folk feel. In fact, people who are headed in the wrong direction need to feel uncomfortable if that’s what it takes to help them in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Peter and John were just two broke preachers but they were God’s preachers—and also in the fourth chapter of Acts they were even locked up because they dare to tell the truth about Jesus’ death and resurrection—and so being a broke preacher gave them more leverage because they were not constrained by a paycheck, they were not afraid of losing their salary and their position or their popularity because they made somebody angry over what they preached. They were free to preach the whole Word of God and not just one those “feel good sermons” if you were headed for life of eternal damnation they did not hesitate to let you know. They did not have to report to tricky trustees and devilish deacons, there was no butterflies, unicorns or flowers in their preaching, they were not motivational speakers, they were just two broke preachers assigned to preached the Word of God and then allow the chips to fall where they may.
In order us understand the text a little more let me give a short review: In Acts chapter 1, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to the disciples and then He ascends into Heaven right in front of their eyes. In Acts chapter 2, there’s the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Rev. Simon Peter preaches a powerful sermon and three thousand souls are added to the Church followed by signs and wonders. The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, and this is when Church is born and begins to make an impact on the world. You see, you need to know this in order understand what’s going on here in chapter 3.
1. MUCH MORE THAN A HEALING
What’s going here involves a healing, but actually it involves something even more spectacular than a healing. It is the first sign to the Church of God’s kingdom here on earth. A man in his 40’s who has never walked a day in his life—in fact he spent his whole life begging, is now healed in the name of Jesus, and praises God and it puzzles the people because God chose to use two uneducated and broke preachers to heal this man. If God had of used a rich man from well-known school of learning, it would be understandable to them (I think) because they had the education and financial means. And here they thought that Peter and John didn’t have anything of value—this was a healing and even more than a healing because it was also proof that Jesus was who said He was, it was proof that the power of Jesus Christ was in the Church—people thought that after the crucifixion it was over; but here was proof of God’s power & Jesus’ resurrection all in one.
The story begins in an ordinary way – Peter and John going to worship and pray (that was normal) they were men of God and that’s what men of God are known to do (worship and pray). I could see in my mind’s eye, these two preachers walking together towards the Church or the Temple pretty much minding their own business (but if I know Peter and John) they probably were praying on their way there. It was just an ordinary scene that day, because it was normal to see a beggar or two along the way and in particular this beggar sitting in a public place and hoping somebody would pass by with a just few pennies to give him, in his mind a few pennies would get him by until the next day—this beggar is just doing what he has always done. Hanging in the same place he has always hung out, it was business as usual for him. It is what we call a vicious cycle, because it was the same place, same time, same station, everyday. That’s kind of like some of us isn’t it? We can be found doing what we’ve always done. Because some of us are like this beggar, we’ve been down so long until getting up is not on minds right now—some of us are like this beggar, willing to embrace and accept mediocrity. Willing to accept whatever small things the world can give us in order to somehow get by for the moment.
It’s sad to say, but in today’s Church we can be mediocre and still be acceptable. In fact, it seems more acceptable to accept the status quo than to reach out for excellence. But in today’s Church a lot of us would much rather lie down or sit down than rise up and walk. And this is where boldness of preaching comes in to play because like Peter and John said to this beggar, somebody needs to the tell those members of the Church who are restful in Zion that they need to get up and start walking the walk that God intended for them to walk! You have two choices in life; you can lie down in pity or rise up and walk. God has been to good to us for us to just lie down and do nothing—when actually our main purpose in life is to serve and worship Him.
What if God ever decides to treat us, the same way we treat Him? What if He decides to only give us the exact time we’ve been giving Him? Would that be all right with some of us? If He only gave us two or three hours on Sunday or every other Sunday and that’s it, would be that be okay? Would it be all right for Him to lie down on us, the way some of us lie down on Him? Peter said, “look on his” because we are the real thing on the outside you see one thing but on the inside there’s something much greater—take a deep look at us and let your faith connect with our faith in Jesus Christ the One who said that, “all power has been given to me in heaven and in earth.”
2. THEY FASTENED THEIR EYES ON HIM
When we read verse 1 thru verse 3 it’s just an ordinary, normal setting, but when we get to verse 4 things starts to change. When these two broke preachers, Peter and John actually stop and look. This man doesn’t know what he’s in for! Peter & John “fastened” their eyes on the man—up until now this man must have accepted his condition, he was used being dropped off on a daily basis at the gate. The Bible doesn’t say who dropped him off; the Bible doesn’t say whether they were family or friends. The Bible just indicates that he was used to being dropped off by somebody, he was used to being carried only so far—if you asked me, I’d say that they should have carried him all the way into the Church house so he could participate in the prayer meeting because if anybody needed prayer he did. And the scene was of him sitting at the gate without looking in the eyes of people he begged because he was so ashamed of his condition. The people most likely didn’t care to look at him either and he accepted the world’s view of him being less than acceptable to society. I can see him just holding out his cup staring into space not expecting nothing but a few penny’s, and he especially did not expect for anyone to take any kind of interest in him other than to throw some loose change at him every once in a while.
But Peter & John “fastened” their eyes on him, I don’t know how he felt because for a long time no one has ever focused their eyes on him. Up until now, very few if any actually cared about what he was going through and here is somebody who has taken the time to actually focus their eyes on him. And then Peter said, “Look on us” (some of your Bibles) might say “Look at us” but it doesn’t really mean to simply take a look, what it really means here in the text is that Peter is telling this man to take a look inside. Not simply to look at his outward appearance but to take a look at his inward appearance. Because on the outside all you’re going to see is a man, but take into how I live my life, we always want to deal with what’s on the surface, we like to deal with what we can see —Peter and John said don’t just look at us but look into our lives, look into our character, our make up—look at how we talk, look at how we walk, and here’s a question I brought with me all the way from Houston, Texas this morning: Can you and I comfortably tell someone to look into us and not just at us. This is an important question because if you’re not on Wednesday what you are Sunday then you are misrepresenting who say you are called to represent.
To the real Christian it doesn’t have to be Sunday for him or her to praise God, it doesn’t have to be Sunday morning for him or her to put on their Church face. To a real Christian your name doesn’t have to be on program in order to make you show up for worship, and I know that not everybody that comes to Church is coming to worship and you can have the event of worship, and still not have an encounter with Lord. Why? Some of us love to stand on the premises and not the promise. And so Peter wants to make sure that the beggar understands who he is, he is the man that Jesus called the “Rock” and John is the man Jesus called “beloved”—Peter wanted the beggar to know that it wasn’t just two broke preachers standing there talking to him—he had the “rock upon which the Church was built and the beloved of Jesus Christ standing before him that day, Peter said “look on us” we’re not just someone passing by with some spare change in our pockets. And their meeting each other was no accident; he and John actually represent God Himself and so Peter said to the beggar, “look on us” because we are the real deal.
I believe what Peter was trying to say here to the beggar that you’ve been sitting here for a long time now settling for whatever you can get. That’s kind of like some of us isn’t it? Some of us have a complacent spirit within us, and there’s nothing worse than a complacent Christian because complacency hinders their spiritual growth. The spiritually complacent Christian has the attitude that he doesn't need to come to Bible Study or Sunday school like someone else does because they already got everything figured out. "I don't need to get involved"; "I don't want to get involved"; "I'm fine, I don't need to grow; I've already arrived". That is a dangerous spot to get in because you have become a part of the devil plan to reduce the Church from being an organism that emphasizes glorifying God to an organization of people meeting together socially with a desire to be entertained and a desire for someone make them feel better about themselves, your place—is in God’s work, your purpose—is in God’s work, and believe or not, your prize—is also in God’ work. People ought to be able to look at you and say that you’re counterfeit Christian because you are the real deal.
Peter said, “Look on us” in other words, look into us, look into our lives, love into our character, look at how we talk, look at how we walk—can people look into you without you being embarrassed at what they might see? Because if you’re not on Wednesday what you say you are Sunday you are misrepresenting who you say you are everyday. To a real Christian it doesn’t have to be Sunday at 11am in the morning to get your Church on, in fact most of the time a real Christian has gotten his or her church on when they first opened up their eyes to see a brand new day. When you think about the goodness of God and all that He’s done for you, the doors that He’s opened for you, when you think about how He made a way out of no way for you, when you think about the God of the universe has His mind on little old you it ought not make any difference if it’s Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday—morning, noon, or night. I don’t know about you but when I think about Jesus, I’ve got to give Him some praise.
Peter told the man, “Look on us” –and the man must have been surprised because very few people would even give him the time of day because they didn’t value his soul. And let me say to the Church this morning, never ever underestimate the value of a soul. Never give up on anybody, I don’t care how bad you think he is or she is—don’t give up on them yet. Peter and John actually stopped and looked at the man, because the presence of God was in them through Holy Spirit and they were able to see this man differently than what the world would see in him. The world saw a dirty crippled man lying on the ground trying to milk whomever he could for a few pennies, they saw somebody they considered to be already dead (that’s what the world saw) they saw a man not worth their time other than to throw some pocket change at him, he made them happy only because he made them feel that at least they were better than he was and so it wouldn’t make sense to them to waste their time with a nobody and beggar because their friends might get the wrong idea. That’s what they saw, but Peter and John saw a person! They saw a real, living, hurting, needy person – a person who is loved by God. Peter fastened "his eyes upon him." He didn’t look away. He didn’t say that this was just another beggar looking for a handout. He just fixed his eyes on him—sometimes we pass up our mission on our way to mission. Peter said, “look at me or look on me”—I want to give this beggar a high five if I could because verse five says that, “…he gave heed to them, expecting to receive something from them”.
3. HE EXPECTED SOMETHING
I believe sometimes the reason we don’t receive anything is because we don’t expect to. I believe our expectations are based sometimes on what our friends think…what our family has to say…and what the world has to offer. And so at least this beggar was expecting something. He was expecting to receive something from Peter and John. He was looking for someone to meet his needs . . .to put food on his table . . .to pay his bills. But that day, he got something that lasted him a lifetime . . .the beggar was touched by the power of the Holy Ghost. Peter raised that beggar’s expectation. The beggar was looking for just enough food to get by . . .to make ends meet. But when he met the power of the Holy Ghost something was loosed on the inside of him.
When you come to Church, what do you expect? Do you expect your needs to be met? Do you expect to continue to have good health? Do you expect to have enough money to pay the rent? Do you expect to make all your car payment? If you don’t have a right relationship with God, what do you expect? In other words, if you don’t have a right relationship with God—you can only expect to keep getting what you got. But when you decide for yourself that your going to serve the Lord, you can expect to receive from God those things that the world can’t give. When you decide to serve God—you can say, “After all the things I’ve been through I still have joy” and “All things work out for the good to them who love the Lord”
CONCLUSION
Peter and John said to the man, “Look at us” look into us, do we look like we have any money? We are just two broke preachers, on our way to prayer meeting. Look at us; we don’t fit the world’s description of success and prestige. We’ll never appear on the television program called, “Lifestyles of the rich and famous, because we’re just two broke preachers, on our way to Church.
But still you need to look at us, and the Bible says that the man focused his attention on them expecting to receive something from them. Peter said, “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee” the man was expecting Peter and John to help him keep on begging—but Peter and John said we didn’t come here for that; we’re here to help change your life. We came to bring you something you need—silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk, not in Peter’s name, not in John but in the name of Jesus rise up & walk. There’s power in the name of Jesus. Amen.
