What the Spirit-Filled Church Gives (Acts 3)

When: May 13, 2001

Why: To show that the Spirit impacts the world through the Spirit-filled church, by healing, bringing joy and refreshment, and the wonder of the presence of God.

Text: Acts 3:1-10 (for Scripture reading); Acts 3 as text

Introduction

As we sincerely seek the filling of the Spirit in our lives, yielding ourselves to Him, experiencing His power, and presence, and passion for God's glory, we naturally long that those with which we worship be of like mind. A Spirit-filled church becomes very important. If we are not a part of a Spirit-filled church, we long for the church we are a part of to experience an outpouring of the Spirit. We pray for God's blessing. We intercede for the church, eager that all would repent of sins, seek reconciliation and restitution with others in the body, correct wrongs in our lives, experience the power and love of the Holy Spirit's presence.

The young church, freshly baptized in the Holy Spirit, is our model of the Spirit-filled church. It was a learning church, a fellowshipping church, a worshipping church, a praying church, a reverent church, a sharing church, a happy church, a welcoming church.

At that point, had it not been propelled by the Holy Spirit, it would have been easy for the church to become complacent and satisfied with themselves. They could have gotten really happy with the status quo. They could have become like a old country club, satisfied with it's membership and what it can do for itself. It could have become ingrown.

But the Holy Spirit had other things in mind. "What they experienced under the Spirit's reign was so explosive and expansive, they just had to get going! So in Acts 3 we see the church moving out into the world with healing power- Exhibit A of what a Spirit-filled church can do." [Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]

Transition

The Spirit was at work. The church was responding. They had something to give. In short order, the Spirit began moving them beyond the comforts of their fellowship.

Here's our main idea: Supplied with all the resources necessary for bringing glory to God, the Spirit-filled church has something to give. Looking beyond it's borders, it takes the presence of God "to the streets." What does the Spirit-filled church have to give? How does the Spirit-filled church give it?

What the Spirit-filled church has to give

1. The setting- here's what happened.
1. In the midst of this wonderful season of God's anointing, Peter and John go up to the temple to pray at 3:00 PM. They had not yet made a break with the Jewish temple worship. "For the devout Jew there were three special hours of prayer- 9 a.m., 12 midday and 3 p.m." [Barclay, William, Daily Study Bible Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Revised Edition), (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press) 2000, c1976.]
2. We are not certain if there is some special significance for them going to pray at this hour. It's possible they went to all three prayer hours. Or perhaps 3:00 PM had special significance for them since that was the hour that Jesus had cried out from the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30).
3. It was the busiest prayer hour of the day. It was the time of day that the maximum number of people would be able to witness the amazing event which was about to unfold.
4. 3:2. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put everyday to beg from those going into the temple courts.
1. Notice significant facts: He had been a congenital cripple all his life.
2. People who knew him- perhaps family members- put him there everyday to beg.
1. He was a common sight. Everyone knew him.
2. We don't know his family background. Perhaps he was dearly loved. Perhaps he was a nuisance. Perhaps he had been placed there to beg so that he could contribute- at least something- to the family needs.
3. We can only imagine the deep psychological scars, the sense of inferiority, the hopelessness, even anger that this individual may have felt. What a lot in life. Just begging- day after day. Fortunately for him, something incredible was about to happen. The leaders of the Spirit-filled church were going up to the temple to pray.
3. He was near the gate called Beautiful. And it was.
1. "His begging post was one of the best spots in the entire city because it was at the Beautiful Gate, or Nicanor Gate, which Josephus tells us was fifty cubits high and forty cubits wide, was overlaid with Corinthian bronze, and was such a work of art that it 'far exceeded in value those plated with silver set in gold.'" [Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]
2. This gate was huge: 40' wide by 75' high!
3. It was between the large Court of the Gentiles where everyone could go and the Inner Courts where only the Jews could go.
4. It was a high traffic area, perfect for the begging business- and for the Spirit-filled church to boldly go where it had not gone before.
5. 3:3-6. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
1. Peter got his attention. The man was expecting to be given some money.
2. Peter made it clear they had no money to give. Silver and gold I do not have. . .
1. They had been sharing with the believers. Perhaps they had already relinquished all their personal belongings to the needs of other Christians.
2. Peter and John knew that what this man needed was more than some money- even all the money the young church may be able to gather. What he really needed- and what everyone around needed and needed to see- was the life transforming power of God.
3. But what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.
4. There's a lot of drama here. What a bold, powerful pronouncement!
2. What did the Spirit-filled church give that day?
1. The Spirit-filled church gave healing.
1. This man had never walked in his life. He couldn't even imagine such a change coming to his life.
2. Peter takes his hand and helps him up. Instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
3. One commentator helps us to understand the vivid drama that Dr. Luke wanted to convey as he described this miracle: "Perhaps only medical men can fully appreciate the meaning of these words; they are the peculiar, technical words of a medical man. The word translated feet is only used by Luke, and occurs nowhere else. It indicates his discrimination between different parts of the human heel. The phrase ankle-bones is again a medical phrase to be found nowhere else. The word 'leaping up' describes the coming suddenly into socket of something that was out of place, the articulation of a joint. This then is a very careful medical description of what happened in connection with this man." [Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]
2. "Sometimes we miss the drama and the significance of miracles like this one because we do not allow our imaginations to catch the fact that it happened instantly. In Matthew we read that one Sabbath Jesus told the man with the withered hand to reach out his hand, and as he did, his hand was healed. That hand was crippled, and before everyone's eyes it became whole. In Matthew 8 at the end of the Sermon on the Mount we learn of a leper who came through the crowd crying, "Unclean, unclean." The man was full of leprosy. He had grotesque features, and Jesus healed him in full view of the people. The man's eyebrows grew back, and his face took shape. His hair and his vocal cords were made whole. He was healed right before their eyes!" [Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]
3. The Spirit-filled church gave joy.
1. 3:8. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
2. Kent Hughes: Erma Bombeck tells how she was sitting in church one Sunday when a small child turned around and began to smile at the people behind her. She was smiling, doing nothing else, not making a sound. When her mother noticed, she said in a stage whisper, "Stop that grinning- you're in church," gave her child a swat, and said, "That's better!" Erma concluded that some people come to church looking like their deceased rich aunt left everything to her pet hamster! In contrast, the Spirit-filled church overflows with joy! [ Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]
3. God's touch through the Spirit-filled church brings a totally different attitude. Unbridled joy. Freedom. Elation in giving glory to God.
4. The Spirit-filled church gave wonder and amazement.
1. 3:10. They recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
5. What does the Spirit-filled church give? The Spirit-filled church gives what is has.
1. Did you notice? The Spirit-filled church gave what it had already been given. Healing power. Unbridled joy. Awe and amazement and wonder and praise at the glorious work of God.
2. You cannot not give away what you do not possess.
3. Kent Hughes: The old commentator Cornelius a Lapide tells how Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II while he was counting a large sum of money. "You see, Thomas," said the Pope, "the church can no longer say, 'Silver and gold have I none.': " "True, holy Father," said Thomas, "and neither can she now say, 'Arise and walk.' "
4. What about us? What is our experience with Christ? The Spirit-filled church imparts what it has. [ Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts- The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]

How the Spirit-filled church gives it

1. They disavowed any power in themselves.
1. As the Spirit-filled church begins to make an impact on it's world, there is a tendency for some people to look to the leaders and start giving them credit, following them. Peter and John disavowed any power or authority in and of themselves. They wanted to make that perfectly clear.
2. 3:11-12. While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. When was the last time that God did something so incredible that it made you come running?
3. 3:12. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk."
2. They directed everyone's attention to Jesus.
1. Peter reviews with them what had happened to Jesus.
1. 3:13. You handed him over to be killed.
2. 3:13. You disowned him before Pilate.
3. 3:14. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One.
4. 3:14. You asked for a murderer in His place.
5. 3:15. You killed the author of life.
6. 3:15. BUT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD. We are witnesses of this.
2. What healed this man? What made a difference in his life? What changed him completely?
1. 3:16. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him as you can all see.
2. 3:19. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshment may come from the Lord.