THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING – Judea: My Community & My Neighbors
Acts 3:11-26 (pg. 760) July 12, 2015
Introduction:
How many of you have ever thrown a pebble into a pond? Most of us, huh? It hits with a big explosion and then the waves ripple out in concentric circles.
That has been the exact plan of Jesus for His disciples.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
I’m sure there are really smart people who could explain to me what happens when the rock hits the water...Kinetic energy and the effects of the rock’s mass, the resistance of the water tension and the pull of gravity...but I don’t care about the scientific particulars.
I just remember as a little boy being fascinated with the explosion and then watching the waves that came from it going on and on and on.
An explosion has happened in Jerusalem...It involves the movement of a rock as well...
Jesus has been crucified on Friday...the pond lay quiet, dark and still...but on “The first day of the week (Sunday), while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.” (John 20:1)
As she stands in the dark...weeping beside an empty tomb, she turns to see someone standing nearby...and says “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.” (John 20:15)
And then Jesus speaks her name “Mary!”
She cries out “Teacher” and I get the picture of her falling on his nail pierced feet...wrapping her arms around them.
Jesus said:
JOHN 20:17-18 (p. 756)
The resurrection is explosive material. It is the crowning proof of Jesus’ authority over everything...including death...It puts the stamp of “All authority in heaven and on earth” in His hands.
There is no good news to share unless sin and death are defeated. The disciples and future believers have no mission without the resurrection of a Messiah.
I. WE ARE CALLED TO BE WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION
The man who grabs onto Peter and John in verse 11 has been lame since the day he was born. As on adult, someone has had to carry him to the temple gate every single day...ironically it’s near the gate called “Beautiful” and here...every day he begs for money as people enter the temple.
I’ve hurt so bad physically I’ve been dependant on someone else for even the littlest things...my mom in the hospital when I was burned...my wife and children with back and hip issues, when I had my heart attack. I didn’t like it then...in fact as a man I hated it worse than the pain...but mom loves me...Kari, Karissa and my family love me. It wasn’t easy to ask...but it was easy for them to help this lame guy...because they love me and they wanted to.
But this man is forced to ask strangers for his daily bread...This man has to humble himself to ask people who don’t know him, don’t love him and don’t want to.
And every one of those people felt like you and I at the Speedway when the guy walks across the lot and says...“Can you spare a dollar?”
“Is he really lame?” He’s just gonna use it on meth or menthols...I work hard for my money...get a job.”
I’m not sure how many people avoided the “beautiful” gate because they knew he was there...or how many people walked by “quickly talking with friends” or just ignored him...but probably thousands.
So when Peter and John walk by about to enter he asks for money...they don’t avoid eye contact. Both of them look him straight in the eyes...He looks away...and these men say...“Look at us.” It gets his attention because he thinks there’s gonna be a pay off.
“Little does he know!”
ACTS 3:6-10 (p. 760)
I don’t have any money...but in the name of Jesus...WALK.
He does more than that...he jumps...he dances...he praises God.
People who know this man recognize what’s happened...they are filled with wonder and amazement.
A crowd gathers when lame people dance. “All the people were astonished and came running.” (v. 11)
By the way, Peter and John share it’s not “their power or godliness that enabled this man to walk.” (v. 12) “God has glorified Jesus to have His power.” (v. 13) “It is Jesus’ name and the faith that come through him that has completely healed him as you can see.” (v. 16)
I believe in faith healings...I have a lot of trouble with “faith healers” who make healings “selectively” dependent upon individuals who believe enough. This man didn’t believe anything except that he wanted money...but Peter and John, Apostles of Jesus healed him with the power of Christ anyway.
With this as a backdrop they turn to the group and say...
“You handed him over to be killed and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and righteous one and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life.
Bold truth...sin exposed...brass tacks nailed down...but the message of these apostles isn’t finished. “But God raised him from the dead.” “We are witnesses of this.”
So are we...People think the answer to their greatest need is silver and gold...but it’s not...the answer to humanity’s greatest need is forgiveness...no pictures of dead presidents, but a living Savior.
Not that we shouldn’t give...not that we shouldn’t write the check...but sin causes a more severe debt than not enough money or bankruptcy.
This is the message we must share with our community and neighbors.
Our witness for a resurrected Savior who empowers us for life must flow naturally to “our fellow Israelites,” our community, our neighbors...All Judea.
II. WITNESSING TO OUR “FELLOW ISRAELITES”
Peter and John are Jewish...They’re Israelites...the audience standing around them in the Temple are Jewish...They’re Israelites.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the God of all their fathers.
When Peter tells about God’s plan for a Messiah being revealed through the prophets like Moses and Samuel...his audience shared this understanding...They knew what he was talking about. They had a common heritage.
They just hadn’t connected what they knew so well with Jesus. Neither had their leaders...They acted in ignorance.
Peter and John knew that the first ripple of the resurrection explosion was Jerusalem and then all Judea. It was their job through the power of the Holy Spirit to connect the dots for their friends, family, community and neighbors.
To show them that in Jesus “God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets saying that the Messiah must suffer. (v. 18) The Lord your God will raise up from you a prophet like Moses...and the prophets foretold these days. (v. 22, 24)
When God raised up His prophet he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (v. 26)
Although we aren’t “Israelites” we’re Gentiles...grafted in by God’s grace. We share a common heritage with many of our neighbors, community, and friends.
And this might be one of the hardest audiences for us to witness to...first of all...they know us and second...many of them have had church experiences and Christian encounters all their lives.
Over 70% of the American community identifies itself with being “Christian.” That’s down 8% in the last decade, but still a large majority.
Most of us were raised in “a church.” Most of us wanted our children in “church” “connected” to the “community” of faith. We wanted them to get “baptized.” Go to VBS, camp and Sunday School. Many of us still want those very good things...but a majority of our children and grandchildren now identify themselves as what Philip Yancey calls “Post-Christian,” and David Kinnamon from the Barna research group calls “outsiders.” Somewhere around 66% of 16-29 year olds who were raised “in” church...or had Christian experiences from their childhood...now, reject that heritage.
Jonathan, 22 (describes his thoughts this way “Christians enjoy being in their own community. The more they seclude themselves, the less they can function in the real world. So many Christians are caught in the Christian “Bubble.”)
This is our Judea...our community...our neighbors...our “fellow countrymen and women” who share a history and ancestry...who have formed opinions about God, and His Word...but haven’t connected that opinion to Jesus.
And “MAN!!” Let me tell you something you already know...changing that opinion and perception requires “supernatural” power and influence because of how deeply it goes...Sometimes covered in a scar left by “religious” leaders who taught and showed a religion that was ignorant of Christ.
So what’s the answer? Well for grown up Christians the ultimate goal of transformation is to become like Christ...Paul writes to the Galatians and says, “what counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.”
Peter concludes his challenge to His gathered community of “fellow Israelites” with “When God raised up His servant he sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (v. 26)
A resurrected Jesus gave the gift of His Spirit to bless us...by transforming us into His image...leaving our wicked ways...to follow His holy ways.
Conclusion:
[Most people do not have a clear understanding of what this spiritual transformation looks like...So I’m going to end with a list of 7 passions that clearly identify a “Christ follower.” This is not a legalistic checklist. It’s just 7 realities that clearly identify our passion and priorities in our Judea:
We worship God intimately and passionately
We engage in spiritual friendships with other believers
We pursue faith in the context of family
We embrace intentional forms of spiritual growth
We serve others
We invest time and resources in spiritual pursuits
We have faith based conversations with outsiders (Those who are outside the Kingdom of God)
Christianity isn’t primarily about “avoiding sin.” It’s primarily about pursuing God.
Peter and John were headed to pursue God in prayer at 3 in the afternoon when it turned naturally into an opportunity for ministry. When we passionately come to God’s “Temple” to worship a Holy God it really does allow us to passionately witness for Him when “The Church leaves the building.”
Let’s pray.
