Who Have You Been With?

Disclaimer:

Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon title, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these words. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.

Pastor James May

A portion of this sermon was taken from a sermon entitled "Too Obvious to Miss" by Rev. Kenneth Trent, a contributor at SermonCentral.com

WHO HAVE YOU BEEN WITH?

Acts 3:1-8, "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God."

Continuing into the next chapter…

Acts 4:7-13, "And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

Here is one of the most familiar stories of the New Testament, the story of the healing of the lame man at the gate of the temple.

Peter and James had not long left the Upper Room where the baptism in the Holy Spirit was poured out on the 120 who were there praying. From this place of power and the manifestation of the very presence of the majesty of God, they walked out into the world of suffering and shame that they now lived in.

Oh how they longed to stay in the presence of the Holy Spirit in that place of blessing and power, but life does not always leave us in those places and sooner or later we must face the realities of everyday life with all of its struggles, troubles and strife.

We have just come through another Holiday Season when it seems that the spirits of people are more giving, more loving and more caring than at any other time of the year. I have noticed quite a difference in this atmosphere of caring over the past years and it seems that every year there is less caring as people are more and more caught up into the commercialism and materialistic portrayal of the Christmas season. For many the Baby in the Manger is just a fairy tale and deserves no more attention than Cinderella or Rapunzel, perhaps even less.

For those who love the Lord though, this is a very special time indeed. We can only pray for the coming of the Lord when everyday will be a day of peace, joy and giving in love, and not just a few weeks out of the year.