The Pentecost Effect - The Impact Of A Church With Pentecostal Power!

Sermon - The Impact of A Church With Pentecostal Power!

Scripture: Acts 3:1-11 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.” (NLT)

Introduction: During this season of Pentecost, I want us to rediscover the purpose of the power made available to the Church. In describing the ministry of Jesus, Apostle Paul said, Ac 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.”

Jesus’s disciples were commanded to wait for the power from on high, and there in an upper room they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The book of Acts often speaks of the many wonders and miraculous signs that were done by the apostles. Now, in Acts 3, we are given a detail account of the lame man who was healed at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. We not only are called to witness the great miracle, but we are also called to listen to Peter’s second sermon.

On the Day of Pentecost, the power of God turned despairing, fearful men into dynamic disciples. They had received the Holy Spirit and were clothed with power from on high. But why was the power given? The power of God seemed to have had two purposes. The first was power for personal transformation, power to become sons of God and secondly, power to assist in kingdom building through effective witness to the entire world. The power of God energized them and transformed them to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit enables his disciples to reach out and touch human needs and share God’s message of good news. Pentecostal Power enables us to reach out and touch others in profound ways.

In our text today, Acts 3:1-11 we will notice how the power of God working through the disciples brought healing to a human life. We observe that persons who have been touched by the power of God were able to touch others in His name. Let’s carefully read the text again.

“Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.”