What do you have?
Acts 3: 1-10
Here is a true story about three men. Two of which work for Jesus and the other we are not sure. We do know that he was a lame man, and been this way all his life.
{Set the stage:} Here is a man crippled since birth...who is brought everyday to the temple and laid there at a gate. Now you got to hand it to them...They was persistent. Are we? It does pay off you know. We are too quick to give up on folks that truly need God.
Anyway, this had been going on for a long time. Since birth...and by the way, we are born into sin. But anyway, I mean everyday these people would have something for this man. Food, money, closes, And everyday he would look forward to being there to receive their gifts. Then one morning this man was helped out of his bed, I would say someone dressed him, and then they carried this man to the temple.
But this day was going to be a day that would change this man forever. When you came to church this morning did you come expecting a blessing? Now this man expected something each time he was laid at this gate. Everytime time, everyday, he expected something. Well, It was morning as people would pass through and give him things...Then along about 3:00 in the afternoon these two Christian men walk up to the gate. John looks at Peter, Peter looks over at John and says: Now there is a man in need. Peter says: John let’s give glory to God right here; right now. Let us put into practice what God gave us when we became His child.
Let us leave our comfort zone and show this man what he really needs. And John says: alright Peter. Let’s make that man’s day!
I want to focus on something this morning that we don’t put into practice as much as we need to. Now, when I ask the question, “What do you have”? I’m not talking about worldly goods. I’m talking about the power of Jesus Christ. Now let me say that God saved us from the wrath to come, He saved us because He loves us, and He saved us to do the work through Him until He returns. And that is exactly what Peter and John was doing here. Now Peter probably had some silver and maybe gold...But this crippled had already been through this...He already had silver and maybe some gold, but he was still lame. He was laid daily at the gate of the temple. And I read into this that this man was laid there everyday since he was a child.
I can appreciate doctors and nurses, and emergency personal...I mean they are smart people. God gave them the knowledge to know all this stuff. Even the Bible says the sick needs a physician...But I’m talking about the spiritual need. Now Peter had something...He was telling this lame man in essence that he already had what was needed to see a doctor. Now Peter had something. He had something far more powerful than money. And when I got saved I got a dose of what Peter had to offer this crippled man. And everybody that has known me through my life, was amazed that I got saved. It’s like having a bad case of the red measles. You know you have them, and everybody around you knows you have them.
Then I thought of the way the others would just pass by this lamb man...Why would John and Peter be the only two that gave this poor man what he needed? You can assume that the others was going to the Temple to pray to. So what did Peter and John have that they didn’t have. In fact, what did Peter and John have that we don’t have? In other words, when the sinner person looks at you, what do they see? Christ said to His disciples, Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
You know something, if you are a born again Christian...I mean completely sold out to God, you are the only gospel that some people will ever see. So if we do not have something different that the world wants, we don’t have anything for the world.
Well, I must think of Peter and John and how they must have felt when this lamb man jumped up and started walking after forty pulse years. Was God proud of them? Was God proud to show them off? Sure He was. I believe when the world sees the real child of God, God is pleased and wants to show us off. Yes, we have faith in God. Yes, we depend on Him to come through for us. But does God have faith in you? Are you faithful to Him?
But if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are a lame person...And I use that is the spiritual sense. As a matter of fact, the Bible says you are dead. So what do you do? Believe in your heart that Jesus is the only Son of God...and that He died on a cross and shed His blood for your sins and rose again and is alive and well waiting for you to come to Him through faith. And at that point He will take His blood and write your name in the Lambs book of life and give you a new name. Let us pray.
