Seize the Day
Acts 3
Years ago I can remember hosting an older pastor who our church was holding in revival. He was a wonderful preacher and really had a heart for people. Everyplace you took him he seemed to develop a meaningful conversation with someone, regardless of it was at a restaurant or in the hallways at church. One day we were out and he said before we leave I must talk to that young lady over there. He approached her and her son that was with her and they began to talk. During the conversation he learned of some needs she had and he led her to Christ.
For years I have admired this mans abilities to sense the needs of people.
• He has always had a knack for knowing if someone was in need of some help.
• He just is a very discerning man.
But you know, the more I think about it….the more I think I have been admiring just part of his gift.
• Yes, he was good about being able to discern the needs of individuals.
• But what I think I have grown to admire the most is His willingness to act towards those who have needs.
This dear old preacher who is no longer on this earth certainly taught me that it is one thing to
• Understand the needs of individuals
• And it is a completely different thing to actually help them.
Well in Acts 3, Peter and John kind of give us the same picture.
• They were two guys who were willing to act on needs.
• To get involved with those who needed assistance and give them a lift.
• They certainly were to men who were willing to seize the day!
• And take advantage of opportunities that God gave them to impact lives.
It is my prayer that God will give us this same kind of passion.
• Passion to understand how we can help.
• Passion to not be content until we get involved in the lives of people.
• I am praying that God will give all of us a Passion to Seize the Day!
As we look at this passage of scripture I am hoping that we will discover some qualities that made these disciples prepared to Seize the Day,
• Seize the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.
I. They Were Open to Interruptions. 1-11
As we read…we see that these disciples were on their way to worship…and guess what time they were going to worship.
• The Bible say’s they were going about the ninth hour.
• This was not only the time that Jesus died during the afternoon.
• But it was also the prescribed times for Jews to come to the temple to pray.
• This was the time in the afternoon when perhaps there would be the greatest crowd that came to offer their sacrifice and prayers.
Here we have two men- both driven to get to church so they can offer their sacrifices and prayers.
• And in verse two they are interrupted by a man who was crippled.
• A man who was placed at those gates everyday, so that he could beg for help.
This man’s life was obviously a tragic experience.
• He was lame from birth.
Think for just a moment what that had meant to his parents.
• Perhaps they looked at their little angel and saw that his legs weren’t right.
• The defect became more and more obvious with each passing month.
• He could not stand, and he never learned to walk.
Think for just a moment of what it meant to that boy.
• He could never run or romp..
• Never play games or join in on any activities.
• There had never been a day in this man’s life whenever he didn’t feel like he was a burden to someone.
• He would not walk and he couldn’t work.
• All he could do was to sit there and beg.
• And hope that his plight would produce pity.
As John and Peter passed through the gate called beautiful, they came into contact with this man.
• All he asked them for was a coin or two to help him buy a crust of bread.
• You know, when you stop and think about it….Grinding Poverty doesn’t tend to lift a person’s thoughts much higher than their pressing need.
• So all he asks for is a couple of coins to buy some bread.
Peter and John had an amazing couple of weeks. They were now celebrities…in Jerusalem.
• Thousand had come to Christ as a result of their preaching.
But I am so thankful they didn’t get caught up in Celebrity Status.
• They saw this poor lame beggar and while understanding he couldn’t walk
• They shared with him that he had a need much greater than strength for his legs.
Peter looks down at him and say’s “look at us!”
• So the man lifts his attention to them….”expecting to get something”
And Peter looks down and say’s “Silver or Gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”v. 6
You know Peters’ first words “Silver and Gold I do not have” must have dashed his hopes.
• Understandably the man needed money…. We all can understand that.
• But what this man really needed was a miracle.
• And even though Peter couldn’t provide money….He could PROVIDE THE MIRACLE.
When I thought about his, I couldn’t help but think….How different from the church today.
• We can provide the money….we just can provide the miracle so often.
Thomas Aquinas going to visit the pope and the pope was counting money. The pope said to Thomas…”A Thomas the church can no longer say “silver and gold have I none.” Thomas in his quick wit said to the pope and neither can it say “Arise and Walk”
Notice Peter….
• He may have been poor but he was exceedingly rich towards God.
• Peter said “what I have I give to you”
• Now in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and Walk.
I like what Peter does here.
• He doesn’t talk to him about Jesus. He asks him to put his faith in Jesus.
• I bet he had heard a lot of talk about Jesus in the last several weeks since Pentecost.
• But what this man needed was more knowledge about Jesus.
• He needed to put his faith in Jesus!
You know, this poor man is indeed a picture of the Human race.
• Men are born spiritually lame. With no standing before God.
• They stumble and fall through life and really don’t understand what they really need in life..
• So they pursue material possessions and prestige and basically get nowhere.
• Let’s face it..the very best person outside of Christ is a hopeless spiritual cripple, born that way; the wealthiest man is a spiritual beggar.
With that said “We must take on the nature of Peter and John.”
• To still find the time to stop and be interrupted from a busy schedule, a busy life.
• To get involved and share.
• And even though you might be like Peter and not have a dime on you.
• You can share your experience with Jesus.
Which leaves us with this question. “How much have you experienced with Jesus that you could share with others?”
II. The Were Prepared for Proclamation
A few years ago I went to visit a friend who was pastoring a church in Milford, Ohio. This Pastor is a great friend and a wonderful pastor. He saw me sneak in the back during the song service. When the music was over he looked back at me and said “it is great to have Brother Will Langford with us tonight…Bro. Will come on up and bring the evening message.” I could have shot him.” I’m sitting in the back and shaking my head like he was just joking and then he said “Come on Bro. don’t be shy we are all family here.” So I got out of my pew and began to walk the isle toward the pulpit and was reminded of something I heard a pastor share a few years earlier. He said “If you walk with Jesus, you will always have something to talk about.”
In are text, People had just seen a miracle. After all a huge crowd had gathered for the afternoon prayer and worship service.
• And they were all amazed at what they had just witnessed.
• This man whom they had seen crippled and begging for all these years.
• Was now up, jumping and leaping, and praising God.
• And so they naturally asked “how can this happen?”
So Peter, begins to deliver another message. Explaining what they had just witness.
What I admire about this message, was that he was simply proclaiming Jesus.
• He didn’t have a full manuscript.
• He didn’t take weeks and hours preparing an outline.
• He simply shared out of his own experience.
So Peter delivers a message that points attention away from Himself and towards what really matters.
He begins by telling them not to be surprised.
• What they had just witnessed was done by human power.
• But this was delivered by the power of God, who’s desire is to glorify Jesus his Son.
He reminds them of how they had rejected and disowned Jesus.
• That they had killed the Author of Life but God once again demonstrated his power and resurrected Christ from the dead.
He tells them that he knew they acted out of ignorance…./And their leaders led them out of ignorance.
• But now having seen God’s power demonstrated.
• They could now respond properly.
Which was to repent of their sins.
• And to turn to God and follow Him.
After all, why not…This isn’t new, this has been foretold for years.
• From Moses to Samuel
• Through several prophets we have heard foretold of God’s promise to send the Messiah.
• God has done that and His name is Jesus
• And He desires to have a relationship with you.
Peter, is quick to point men’s attention to the Savior and to the Scripture.
You see, all of us probably get many opportunities to Proclaim the goodness of God.
• And many of us are hesitant because we feel we are not prepared.
Peter shows us that one of the ways we can seize the day.
• Is to first, have plenty of experiences with God that you can draw on.
• In other words…You have to know Him to share Him.
• Which makes me wonder if perhaps one of our biggest problems to sharing is that we have too limited an experience with God to feel comfortable in sharing.
A second thing we need to see, is the most effective way to share.
• Is to deflect attention from yourself and keep the message on focus.
• The message is Jesus
• The more we stay on message the more people see Jesus.
• And the more Jesus is seen the greater impact there is on a person’s life.
III. They Were Willing to Risk Rejection 4:1-4
Well the temple Authorities grew pretty upset as they witnessed a growing crowd
• That was eager to hear the message that Peter had to share about the resurrected Christ
• And the difference Jesus can make in a person’s life.
• I mean not only did he speak the words but through this former LAME man they had a visual demonstration of what God could do.
The priests were upset for where Peter was preaching this message (just outside the temple)
• And the Sadducees were upset for what they were preaching (the resurrection of Chrsit).
But even in the midst of this miracle /the message of Christ still had its detractor’s.
Notice how these Temple Authorities chose to respond to the message and the miracle.
• They had Peter and John arrested and put on ice overnight.
But notice how God responded to their faithfulness in “Seizing the Day”
• “But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about 5,000.” 4
The point is simple
• Even though there will always be those who oppose the gospel and who are threatened by it.
• Even though there will be some who will reject the message.
• They can’t stop the message from being effective.
You see, the secret is that we have to be willing to “Risk” Rejection.
• What makes the difference is our level of conviction.
• If we really are convinced, if we indeed have a strong conviction, if we really believe
• Then we will be willing to lay it on the line for Christ, REGARDLESS
And the more we are willing to lay it on the line for Christ….
• The more willing we are going to be to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
• The more willing we are going to be to proclaim the Good News of Christ.
• The more willing we are going to be to risk rejection.
The more willing we are going to Seize the Day!
