Turning Lame Legs Into Leaping Legs Series

This morning I want to talk to you about your “stuff”

I want to make one thing clear

Your “stuff” are those things which God has given you

It is nothing of your own

What are you doing with your “stuff”?

God has given all of us “stuff” to do His work

We are to be His hands

And His mouthpiece

There are people all around who need your “stuff”

And as we will see, there are people who are expecting you to use your "stuff"

Let’s take a look at what is going on in this passage

There was a lame man who was brought to the temple, every day

He was brought there by his “buddies”

They thought they were helping, but were they?

I believe that these “buddies” represent the modern day, secularized church

They wanted all the quirks and perks of going to church

They tried bringing someone to church, but spiritually deserted them

Have you ever brought somebody to church and just left them there to fend for themselves?

This man was lame from birth.

He didn’t know how to walk

All he knew was begging - it was his life

He had become complacent – he was playing “the hand he was dealt” – he thought this is all his life would amount to

Complacency can be crippling

Being complacent is becoming comfortable in an uncomfortable situation or circumstance

This man was a professional beggar

He knew when people would be generous

The temple was packed with people

Passover had just ended

There were Jews from all over (Acts 2:5) who had come for the Passover

He was looking for someone to give him something to improve his impoverished condition

The church came walking by

How many walked past?

“The church” walked by

Better things to do?

Prayer meetings to go to?

Bible studies to attend?

TV to watch?

Lives to get on with?

We can get so wrapped up in everyday life, we can walk past God opportunities everyday

We miss opportunities to show those who are in need our “stuff”

God’s timing is incredible

Jesus often visited the temple in His time on Earth

Have you ever wondered why Jesus never healed this man?

Walked right past Him regularly

But God had a greater plan in mind

He wanted to demonstrate His power through a temperamental fisherman

The people of Jerusalem knew who Peter was

This is evident when Christ was tried, and there were those who recognized him as a follower of Christ

They saw him then as Simon – the fisherman

On this occasion, they saw Peter – the rock

God wanted to show all those "religious" people at the temple that He can use anybody

He wanted Peter to show his "stuff"

When people look at you, what do they see?

Peter told the lame man to look at him

The Bible tells us that the lame man looked at Peter expecting something

There are people today who are looking at you and they are expecting to see something

What do they see?

Stereotypical image of Church?

Says one thing and does another

Looks down on others with a pious attitude

Their lives demonstrate a whole lot of self and a lot less of Jesus

Those who passed this lame man by was an image of a stereotypical church

Child of God?

Someone who reaches out with the love of Christ

Peter and John demonstrates the true nature of being a child of God because they gave their “stuff”

What happens when you use your "stuff"

God can use you to help people do things they never could before

God used Peter to turn lame legs into leaping legs

That man had never, ever walked, much less leaped in his life

Peter knew what “stuff” he had and he USED it.

God gives the saints power through His Spirit to use their "stuff"

Jesus said, "But you shall receive power "dunamis” (dynamite) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” - Acts 1:8

Peter not only had the authority he also had the power to use it.

Acts of this kind should not be a surprise to us

Jesus said, "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father" – John 14:12 NLT

If you are sitting here today and you are blood bought, spirit filled, Bible quoting, Scripture toting, sin hating, devil stomping saint of God, you got the “stuff”

Closing

Peter didn’t rely on anything from the world to bless the man

Everyone else was giving silver and gold

But Peter gave the lame man his “stuff”

Peter knew exactly what it was he could give him

Peter had something to give and so do you and I.

Have you ever thought about what you have?

This church would be transformed!

We have what Peter had - do we use it?