Dated May 26, 2007
From Begging to Blessing
Acts – 3
Pastor Gary Tolbert
Intro: When you read Acts 3 you discover it is a story of a crippled man who was healed. It is a tremendous story; a fantastic event. People get healed today. Some get healed by God and some by the intervention of science and medicine. That scene is somewhat blurred. Which is supernatural or natural? Natives along the Amazon might think using a cell phone and computer is a supernatural event. Our society is full of surprises.
I've always wanted the gift of healing. But I wonder if I would know if I had it?
There is a greater miracle than a physical healing. Physical healing is only temporary. The greater one is the miracle of a new spiritual life. That is not temporary, that is eternal. So this morning as we look at this healing experience we will also be looking at the spiritual aspect of healing in our lives.
I. Lame from birth
Acts 3:1, The time of prayer. Before they met Jesus, Peter and John had been fishing partners. Jesus called them from their nets Luke tells us in his gospel (Luke 5:10) and now they have become partners in fishing for men.
A nameless man, at least 40 years old has been lame from birth. Acts 3:2, Crippled from birth. He heard that Jesus was a healer and longed to meet him. But then he heard that Jesus had been killed, hope died within him. Each day friends would take him to the temple gate called beautiful.
It probably had that name because it was the most intricately crafted and designed gate. Even though it was made of bronze it was considered more beautiful than any of the gates that had gold or silver inlayed. Unfortunately the gate did not last to our day.
He would beg of the rich people going church. But one day his begging was turned to blessing; his poverty was turned to praise; his weakness was turned to power; his predicament became promising. The hand of God touched him and his life was never the same. God's touch is like no other. It is not easy for a human to deny the powerful effect of God's touch.
As I thought of this cripple, I thought of the spiritual cripples there are in the world. In fact the whole world is crippled from birth because of sin. There are so many ways we become crippled. We can be crippled physically, emotionally and even spiritually. The church today is filled with spiritual cripples in at least two ways:
1- Religion can be crippling, that's right, religion because it gives a false sense of security. Religion can be described as no more than a man-made device to build up an institution often called a denomination. Yes, God's hand has been leading in the Adventist denomination but it is still run by sinful and wayward people. Because of this following God might be difficult as one gets involved in the gears of a human led institution.
There are people in our church who have had difficulties with the church of yesterday. I missed out on that because I wasn't raised an Adventist. People speak of legalistic discipline, wrong answers to serious questions or being told they shouldn't ask, and emphasis upon the outward while ignoring the inward life. This creates a cynical cripple. I am not pointing fingers outward; I'm pointing them inward, at myself also. It is too bad people still suffer lack of trust because of negative experiences of yesterday. I hope we have learned something as a denomination. Following a church system does not make me OK. Following Jesus Christ does. I hope we have learned the difference.
Some think because they are church leaders they have a shoe-in to heaven. Some people make deals with God. Ill. Street preacher’s deal with God to preach. "I have these secret sins but because I do these religious acts, God and I are okay." That is not the way it works preachers and leaders.
2- Abuse: There is another way to be crippled: being distracted from God because of a painful, tragic event like an abusive relationship, physical or spiritual (yes, there are spiritual abuses) with a parent, relative, friend, or spouse that has not been dealt with properly and has religious overtones. That can cripple someone and keep them from finding forgiveness. Lives can be wrecked because of tragedies in the past that have not been worked through, presented to God, and forgiveness found. Matthew 11:28-30, You who are weary & burdened, come for rest. Ill. Yoke not a burden. Initially this text is talking about working for and with Christ. The yolk is to make our work easier and more fun. Ill. Your burden is heavy? But sometimes our burdens are not work for the Lord but carrying the junk from our past. God wants us to let go of those past burdens and leave them at the cross. It sounds so simple. But it is so hard. Ill. Trouble tree. Sometimes going through the motions helps us accept God taking our burdens.
II. Daily at the gate
You have to say one thing for this cripple, he didn't give up. He was daily at the gate. He was constantly reminded of his need and he was constantly driven to have that need fulfilled. Now we are all constantly reminded of our need. But are we driven to have that need fulfill? Or do we simply whine and complain about our lack? Sometimes I think we don't want to get rid of the iron junk. We are comfortable with the complaining. Ill. Complain, camels. Ill. Rats in the house. This crippled man was their daily. He demonstrated his need.
III. Power to praise
What did Peter and John do? They just spoke the words, Acts 3:3-8, In the name of Jesus Christ walk. Here is one time when it is all right to dance, even in church. Instead of a coin, God gave him the cure. He received more than he even thought possible. He never dreamed he would actually walk. He got more than he asked for.
This is often the way God works. In our sinful eye we can't see the blessing that God wants to give us. That is why we must have faith and believe the impossible. God specializes in the mission impossible. Acts 3:17-19, Times of refreshing. If God can give a physical cripple more than he asked for, he can give a spiritual cripple more.
Let's digest this a little:
1-They spoke the name of Jesus. Acts 3:16, By faith in the name of Jesus. They simply spoke the name of Jesus. It wasn't just the words that brought healing; it was the meaning of those words, Jesus Christ. Jesus: the Savior; Christ: the Messiah. It was faith in those words, he was more than a man; he was the creator, the Almighty, the healer and the great lover. Speaking those words unleashed the storehouse of heaven and the man who was born lame was healed.
Why can't we speak those words that way? If we really understand those words and we have faith in those words, then the one who is called the Word will come to our aid. Say them with me, "Jesus Christ". Do you know what you're saying? Jesus Christ, Greek: Yesus Christos, Heb: Yeshua Masheeak. It doesn't matter how you say it. It isn't the word; it is what is behind the word. Ill. In the name of Jesus, Soren Kierkegaard.
If you have lost hope; if you have lost faith; if you have lost touch with God; if you are not sure you can even trust God? Ill. A young child walking on the beach with her mother.
Life comes at us that way sometimes. Maybe we are like this little child and her mother is our God; we are doing a religious thing which lulls us into a false sense of familiarity. Although Christian disciplines of prayer, study and meditation are good and they help us in our understanding of God, that understanding always has limitations. And going at our speed maybe we have wandered away from God at his speed but we don't know it. We expect religion to be the answer and when we find out it is not we feel abandoned. 1 Corinthians 13:12, Now we see a poor reflection.
Sometimes it seems that God is hiding. Isaiah 45:15, You are a God who hides. Even the great prophet Isaiah had moments of the wilderness. Fortunately he also says this: Isaiah 40:27, 28, He will not grow tired or weary. One way you could look at that is, He never grows tired of us. Even as the toddler’s mother comes to her rescue, God knows where to find me and you. He may seem hidden from my view but I cannot hide from his. We are all homesick for heaven but don't let that cause you to give up. We are to love and trust him anyway. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. God wants people who can see him without their eyes, hear him without their ears and feel him without a touch. The spirit that doesn't give up is the spirit in us that holds onto heaven. Isaiah 40:31, Hope in the Lord.
God can heal us because he can feel with us. Notice him in the Garden of Gethsemane where the world's guilt is beginning to press down on the Messiah. It's here that the tears of this man of sorrows turns into sweat like great drops of blood. Jesus struggles to accept an enormous burden. He takes on the cruelty of men, all of it, from the Assyrians skinning their captives alive to the Nazis gassing Jewish men, women and children by the millions to the hundreds who are tortured to death each year in Third World countries. No wonder Jesus shudders at such a burden.
Can God touch your pain? Yes, he already has, all of it. He knows what it's like to be a victim. On the cross Jesus was crushed beneath the weight of all of humanity's tragedies and all of our pain. God can heal us because he can feel with us.
But this Christ can give us more than sympathy. He also showers on us his unique kind of love. That's another reason he is the great healer. Christ doesn't just talk about love; he demonstrates it; he expresses it.
He disarms the quarreling disciples by washing their feet.
He honors small children being pushed aside as the first to enter his kingdom.
When the woman of ill repute who had just anointed Jesus feet was being humiliated by the remarks of the guests, he held up her act as a thing of great significance. He turned the criticized intruder into a memorable example of pure, generous devotion.
When Christ's mother Mary crumbled at the foot of the Cross, overwhelmed by the ordeal of her Son, Jesus reached out from his own crushing agony and gave to her his closest disciple John, as lifelong companion and comfort.
Yes, Jesus knows how to love the hurting. He knows just the right balm for our wounds.
I'm not talking about something magical. Ill. Singer tells story of God healing her winning windshield. Ill. Lady prays over her washing machine, yet some people with cancer don't get healed. Religion has sure confused us.
Conclude: I am talking about meeting Christ as he reaches out to you. I can't tell you how to do that, other than: 1-Accepting Christ in your mind, 2-Going through the motions in your life.
Do you need help with that? We all do. I invite you when we had our prayer this morning to come down and asked God for the touch of healing. I am going to do it for my need. You can do it with me. Then you and I together can walk in joyful life.
From Begging to Blessing
Acts – 3
Possible Screen texts
Acts 3:1, The time of prayer
Acts 3:2, Crippled from birth
Matthew 11:28-30, You who are weary & burdened
Acts 3:3-8, In the name of Jesus Christ
Acts 3:17-19, Times of refreshing
Acts 3:16, By faith in the name
Isaiah 45:15, You are a God who hides
Isaiah 40:27, 28, He will not grow tired or weary
Isaiah 40:31, Hope in the Lord
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