What Do You Have To Give?

Is the Christian life one that leads only to failure? We might ask is the sunshine a failure? The Christian life that is portrayed by the world, which misses what we read about Pentecost and its power, is a failure because it is like handing a stone to a hungry soul. The world’s view of the Christian life never touches the need of the human heart. The message we give today it about two men filled with the Spirit of prayer and power who give beyond what was needed. God is that way with us for He has more than we need.

What do you have to give?

Are we really hungry for God? I am sent by God to be His light but I can do nothing of importance unless He comes. The disciples waited for the power from the Holy Spirit and then the church became alive. My prayer is that we become an alive church.

Acts 3:1-10 reference also to 11-26

1. We have A picture of desire. Acts 3:1-3 “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.

And a certain man, lame from his mother’s womb. This man was both poor and helpless. He was humble in that he was willing to be carried and laid in a way to get help. He was not full of pride or ashamed of his deformity to be where others could help him. He was born so; his lameness came not through any disease or fall, or any external hurt, but from a defect in nature, in one of his limbs, or more; which made the after miracle the more He was well known by the people, and to have been of a long time lame, even ever since he was born. He was there when the disciples were going to their time of prayer. Just as they were entering through the gate at which he lay, he looked at them and though they were strangers to him, he seemed to know they had something. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GIVE?

2. An application of belief “Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!" Peter fastening his eyes upon him, with John who was equally concerned in this cure, said, “Look on us”; which raised his attention to them. 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting a gift. "He looked at them" as they offered him something he thought. He was not only attentive to them in his mind, but he directed his eyes towards them, and looked hopefully at them. He expected to receive something from them, not a cure for his lameness. He was hoping for some money. It appears to me that these men had a difference about them because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. It causes me to ask is my life different that other notice. Lorna Christenson 6 Peter said, "We have none". But what I have, I will give you. He wanted to give gift of healing. By curing him of his lameness, he had to use the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. That it was by the command of Christ he said what follows; and by his power, he produced the cure. He said, “Rise up and walk”. He did not make use of any medicines, or applied anything to him. They did not even take time to have a prayer meeting or anoint him with oil. Believing that power would go a long with the words, and strength would be communicated to him, by him in whose name he spoke. The cross and the Holy Spirit are the only remedy that God has for the lame and helpless humanity. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GIVE?

3. It was An amazing thing of Grace. 7 “Immediately it happened.” And he took him by the right hand which was an imitation of Christ, whom he had often seen using the same action on such occasions. He lifted him up; believing he was cured. Immediately his feet and anklebones received strength; where, it seems, his lameness lay. Can you feel the excitement in this scene? 8 And he leaping up From off the bed or couch, or ground on which he lay: stood and walked; stood firm and strong upon his feet, and walked about; by which it was abundantly manifest to himself and others, that he had a perfect cure. I wonder how that prayer meeting that day was changed when he walked into the room. 9 The people that were in the temple, saw him walking, who before lay on a couch, or on the ground, and was so lame, that he was obliged to be carried. He praised God, for this amazing cure. He entered into the temple with the apostles, in order to offer up the sacrifice of praise to God there. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO GIVE?