ALL ABOUT THAT FAITH
ACTS 3:16
INTRODUCTION… Bible Game Show at NBCC “lame” (p)
The other weekend we had a gathering on Sunday Evening that we call the NBCC Family Reunion. It is a time when people from all 3 services get together. We plan different events throughout the year to foster fellowship and help us meet one another. The last Family Reunion we had we planned a Bible game show. In one round of the game show, the contestants were listing off miracles of Jesus. The contestants were doing an excellent job. They mentioned lepers being healed. They mentioned walking on water. Several contestants mentioned the people that Jesus healed that were crippled or paralyzed. After listing 2 or 3 of those, I remarked that we were “done with the lame stories.”
If I remember correctly, this threw one of our contestants off because he could not figure out how any miracle Jesus performed could be considered lame. All miracles that Jesus did are amazing and powerful and point directly to God. What miracle of Jesus could possibly be lame?
Lame has two definitions I guess. The urban dictionary (urbandictionary.com), my go to source for all things slang defines “lame” as “just plain stupid, un-original, someone who is not funny, something not cool, someone who just doesn’t get it, or something boring, or unadventurous.” This morning I will be asking you a question, but I am not asking you where you are “just plain stupid, un-original, not funny, not cool, not getting it, boring or unadventurous.”
This morning when I ask you a question and it contains the word “lame” I am speaking more of the classic definition (dictionary.com) which means “an injury or illness or being feeble.” When I ask this question though, I am not necessarily thinking about physical injury or physical illness or being physically feeble.
I am thinking about areas of our lives where sin has made us spiritually sick.
I am thinking about decisions we have made that have impacted our faith and made us doubt.
I am thinking about temptations and addictions that have turned into sin habits.
I am thinking about spiritual disciplines we no longer practice and we are feeble in those areas.
I am thinking about sins we have that are dragging us down and away from God regularly.
Those are the kinds of things I want us to think about when I ask the question.
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
INTRODUCTION
Our Bible passage today centers on two of the apostles and the adventure they had one day heading to
the temple. Peter and John were heading to the Temple to pray as was their custom. Most of these early Christians were people converted from Judaism, so they often followed Jewish practices. They were on their way to the temple to pray. I am sure they also saw this as a great opportunity to preach. What better place to preach the Word than at a place where all the devout Jews would be? Everyone would be there, in the temple, ready to pray. It was a great place to spread the Word about Jesus. I am sure that came up in their conversation as they went along.
As they were walking, they entered the Temple through one of the main gates. There were several ways to enter the Temple. And the crowds poured into all of them. The two disciples were walking and just following the crowds into the Temple. They entered through the gate called Beautiful. It was the most popular gate to go into. It was the largest gate and was overlaid with bronze from Corinth—the gate was really a work of art.
In ancient times, poor beggars often were found by rich people's houses as well as by highways and anywhere else many people would pass. Not much has changed if you drive around in Tampa these days. They were especially found near the temple gates. They wanted to be where the people were at so they could get help. This beggar had been crippled all his life. He had grown up unable to care for himself. One thing we must note about this beggar is that, unlike the cripple at the pool of Bethesda whom we read about in John 7, this beggar had friends or family or someone who would carry him places. The text tells us that he was carried to this beautiful temple gate daily and placed there to beg from people. Why do you think the beggar went to the temple gate? He knew that those coming to the temple to worship would probably be in a state of great mental holiness and so they would be generous toward people like him. How could a person truly worship without showing mercy to a miserable beggar? How could someone resist tossing him a coin or two? In addition, the beggar knew that giving alms was considered to be admirable and praiseworthy, especially to pious Jews. So he went daily to the temple gates and, as he thought they would, worshipers would toss small coins to him as they went into the temple to pray.
And here we find Peter and John. The beggar saw these two men and asked them for money. The next few events seem rather strange. Both Peter and John just looked straight at him. They just looked right at him. What was in their hearts? Nothing but sympathy and a desire to help. Compassion. Willingness. Peter spoke up and said, “Look at us.” Perhaps the beggar was already scouting out his next giving soul and just kind of expected them to give. Perhaps because of his infirmity he never looked anyone in the face and he was shy and withdrawn. Peter said, “Look at us.” And so he did.
Now what happened?
The minute Peter had this man's attention, he did two things that are most interesting: First, he admitted his bankruptcy in the material things: "Silver or gold I do not have" (verse 6). I know that's what you are looking for, but I sure can't help you there. I don’t have money. I don’t have food or clothing to give you. I don’t have housing or shelter to help you out. I don’t have those things. And then, Peter demonstrated his amazing understanding and faith in the spiritual realm: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk" (verse 6).
And you know, honestly—the man really didn’t need silver or gold. What he really needed was physical and spiritual. I think, that above all things, a person’s spiritual welfare is the most basic need each of us has. Sometimes we think we need material things to make us whole. Sometimes, like this beggar, we think we need money. Others of us think another car will make us whole. Sometimes we seek our life fulfilled in other people. Maybe we seek out alcohol or drugs to try and make it. The world out there… and all of us in here… are searching for wholeness… as was this beggar… and wholeness can only be found in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was what Peter offered that man.
In that electric moment, as this lame man was looking at Peter and John and heard these words, at the mention of the name of Jesus something remarkable happened. Strength came flowing into his ankles. Peter sensing it took him by the right hand and lifted him up. The man rose and began to leap and shout and jump around, trying out this new-found strength in his legs which he had never known because he was lame from birth. It was absolutely amazing. This shy reserved embarrassed beggar was healed on the inside and the outside. He was standing, walking, leaping, and praising God. He was changed. He got what he needed most.
To be honest, all of that is just the back story to what we really need to look at today. All of that happens in the first 10 verses of Acts 3. What we are looking at today is Acts 3:16. Acts 3:16 comes amidst the words that the Apostle Peter preaches to the crowds as they gather around this leaping-formerly-lame-man and the two men who seemed to cause his healing. Peter addresses the crowd that is gathering after the man is healed. Let’s read from Acts 3.
READ ACTS 3:12-26
"Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. 17 "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-- even Jesus.”
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
The Apostle Peter points out some basic things about Jesus that I want to make sure we don’t miss in case you are here and you know little or nothing about Jesus Christ. God sent Jesus Christ who was promised in the Old Testament as the plan to redeem human beings and pay for sin and offer forgiveness. Jesus was innocent both morally and in a court of law and yet He died on a cross as a horrible criminal might. Jesus did not stay dead, but rose from the grave which means in theological and spiritual terms He defeated death and sin for our benefit. Because of Jesus, we have the opportunity to have our sins wiped out and we can be made clean before God. That is what Peter says.
Now out of those verses, I want to point out 3:16…
READ ACTS 3:16
“By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
As we look at Acts 3:16, Peter explains some very important thoughts as the crowd is gathering and the formerly lame man is leaping about.
I. BY FAITH IN THE NAME OF JESUS
Peter first explains that the miracle that just occurred had nothing to do with him or John. The source of the miracle was Jesus Christ. Jesus alone has the power to heal. That is why when he heals the man, Peter says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (verse 6). That is why Peter says “by faith in the name of Jesus” (verse 16) when he is explaining to the crowds what happened. Peter was stating something in faith that he would hope would bring about faith in the beggar.
Peter was remembering and acting on the words of Jesus:
John 14:13, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.”
John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
John 16:23, “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”
Peter acted on faith to produce a miracle in the legs and life of the beggar that he believed would produce faith in the spiritual life of that man. Peter, as the messenger, certainly had faith that Jesus could make this lame beggar well. This lame man had to have some small ounce of faith as well. We know the lame beggar attributed his healing to God because verse 8 says: “Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.” Not praising Peter. Not praising John. Praising God.
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
II. COMPLETE HEALING TOOK PLACE
The second spiritual and theological truth that Peter explains to the crowd is that when God heals, He heals completely. When God makes something new, it is completely restored. When God forgives, He forgives with no reservations.
I want you to think about this… he has never walked before… he has never jumped before… he has never run before… he has never skipped or tripped or flipped. And yet, from the moment he is healed he is able to do all of those things and more because he who was once lame is totally and completely healed.
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
APPLICATION
I keep asking the same question over and over as we have looked at Acts 3:16 this morning. I keep asking “Where are you lame?” I told you I would. I keep asking that question because it was the question that kept rolling around my head and my heart as I was reading Acts 3. When we think about our lives, when we think about our personal relationships with God, when we think about our day to day life… where are we lame? It is my heart’s desire that each of us who are part of the congregation here at NBCC have an authentic relationship with God. That means every so often we need to take an introspective look at ourselves and identify where we are failing. That means we don’t kid ourselves or fool ourselves when it comes to life with God. It means we are honest and ask for forgiveness when needed. It means we push ourselves forward in faithfulness to become more like Christ. Lameness can creep in.
I am thinking about areas of our lives where sin has made us spiritually sick.
I am thinking about decisions we have made that have impacted our faith and made us doubt.
I am thinking about temptations and addictions that have turned into sin habits.
I am thinking about spiritual disciplines we no longer practice and we are feeble in those areas.
I am thinking about sins we have that are dragging us down and away from God regularly.
I have noticed recently that in my own life I have become very judgmental. I used to be able to keep that attitude problem within me in check, but recently it has gotten quite out of hand and it is making me sin sick. I have begun to pray about this on a regular basis and I have even talked with Kelly about it. To be honest, I think she has become a bit fed up with my bad attitude and I am as well. That is not who I want to be and that is not who Christ wants me to be wither. Being “lame” in this way impacts my ability to forgive and give grace. It makes me quick to anger when I should not be. It is something that I have noticed about me that I know God does not want in me. I am lame in this area.
Please notice that Acts 3:16 gives us answers and help with our faith. I want to read Acts 3:16 together, but I would like you to read it along with me out loud.
READ ACTS 3:16
“By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
The Apostle Peter communicates two important truths about lameness:
First, it is only by faith in Jesus Christ than any of us will ever become more like Him. It is all about that faith. It is all about trusting and believing and moving forward knowing that Jesus is all we need.
Second, when we enlist the help of Jesus, He is in it to heal us completely whatever that looks like. Jesus does not play around with holiness. If you want to be His, He will make you His completely.
QUESTION: Where are you lame?
CONCLUSION AND INVITATION
