The Man at The Gate (Acts 3) - Pastor Daniel Banna

I want to, look at a story today. It took place very early in the life of the church, probably just days after the pouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. In Acts chapter two, verse 43, we read, then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And the first sign is mentioned in the beginning of chapter three. Chapter three of the book of Acts, verse one.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. Now, the Jews, male Jews, pray three times a day. The first prayer, they call it shaharit, from the word shahar, which means dawn. It's a morning prayer. Then you have mincha which is the noon prayer which means offering.

And you have a third prayer called ma'ariv or arvit, an evening prayer. Traditionally, women supposed to pray only one time, shakarit. Some might say two. Morning prayer or also noon prayer. Now, we see the disciples, John and Peter, go into the temple to pray at the ninth hour, that is the evening prayer.

The temple was still there, that magnificent temple, and the disciples frequently visited the temple. And if you read the scripture, you know, our Lord Jesus Christ frequently visited the temple. When he was still about 40 old, we know that his mother, Mary and Joseph, took him to the temple. We read that in Luke chapter two. Now when the days of purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord as it's written in the law.

We know that year after year, his mom and Joseph would take him up to the temple and we read that in the same chapter in verse 46. It says now, so it was after that three days they found him in the temple. In verse 41, it tells us his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. Every male Jew had to go to the temple at least three times a year. We know that.

During his early ministry, Jesus taught in the temple. He healed the sick in the temple. The blind and the lame came to him at the temple and he healed them. He cleansed the temple at least on two occasions. In John chapter two, in Matthew 21, we read, he made a cord of whips and he drove out the merchant of cows and sheep and pigeons.

He poured the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told him, do not make my father's house a house of trade. No one dared lay a hand on him. Where are the priests? Where are the temple guards?

They were temple guards. We're worthy. They were there but no one dared touch him. With which authority he did all of that? My father's house.

The authority of the owner. In Matthew twenty one thirteen, he says, see, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer and you have made it a den of thieves. It is my house. It is my father's house in this authority. He If he looks today at your house, would he be able to say I have full authority in this house?

To do to do all what I need to do? To cast out what is unfit? To turn up some tables, to change things. Can you say, I have authority in this house? Is the Bena residence?

Or your residence is a place where God feels comfortable. Can he say it is my father's house? It is my house. I full I have full authority in it. Can it be?

I wish it is his place of comfort. Now when it has become apparent that Israel rejected her king, In Matthew 23, it's very interesting to see these sad words when Jesus looked over Jerusalem. And you remember maybe these words when he says, oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. The city that kills the prophet and stones the ones who are sent to it. You know what did he say later?

He say, your house is left to you desolate. It's no longer my father's house. No longer my house. Now has become what? Your house.

It used to be my father's house. It used to be my house but it's no longer. The king is rejected. Messiah is rejected. Now, it is your house.

And this is what we should expect. When our house become our house, not God's, then he might tell you it is your house. Take care of it yourself. But if it's a house in our hands, it will become desolate. Now after Christ's ascension, the disciples continued to meet in the temple.

In Acts chapter two, we see this happening. In Acts chapter five, we see this happening. Acts two verse 46 tells us, so continuing daily with one accord in the temple. Five twelve. It says, and through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people and they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

That is the temple. In verse 42, the same chapter, and daily in the temple and in every house they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. They continued the disciples to meet in the temple. It was an ideal place. It was very large.

It's suited for thousands of people. It was a great place to preach the gospel to the many, many religious lost. And there the Sabbaths would meet, gather, teach, preach, even perform some of the signs and wonders. Let us continue reading in our story. 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 from those who enter the temple.

Verse three, who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked for alms, and fixing his eyes on him with John, Peter said, look at us. So he gave them his attention expecting to receive 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. 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.

So he leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them walking, leaping and praising God and all the people saw him walking and praising God, then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the beautiful gate of the temple and they were filled with wonder, amazement at what had happened to him. Verse 11. Now as the lame man who was healed held to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in a Porsche, which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. Now listen to the words of Peter and John. He said, men of Israel, why do you marvel at this or why you look at us so intently as though by our own power or godliness we have made this man walk.

Then you tell them, it is the God of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac. Faith in his name made this man walk. As I look at this story, I was able to get eight to 10 points or lessons, but I will be just maybe talking today about two to three points because of time. Three lessons, let us say, we want to learn together today from this little story. The first lesson is this.

It is not over until God says so. It's not over. It's not done until God says so. I want you to look at this man. He is lame, lame from his birth.

How old was he? Chapter four twenty two tells us how old he was. He was more than 40 years old. Now, what is the chance that this man going to walk again? I'm going to think it's zero, right?

Lame from birth, more than 40 years old, the chance is zero. That is his destiny. There is no hope for healing. But you know, maybe, maybe he had a glimpse of hope. Maybe.

In the last three years of his life, had some glimpses of hope. Maybe he heard that there is a man by the name of Jesus has healed some people like him with disabilities like him and it wasn't far away. It was just here in the temple that he missed the chance. And he was hoping that Jesus would visit again and he did visit again and did heal again. But again, he missed the chance.

He lost that opportunity and now at last he heard Jesus, this Yeshua was crucified and all her hope, his hopes were completely crushed and shattered. It's gone. It's over. Now, what he felt, what he was thinking was all natural. All of us would have felt exactly the same because we think and we live in this natural realm.

But the reality was very different. Listen, I want you to listen to me. Unless, unless you stop thinking and living in the natural world, the natural realm, and begin thinking and living in the biblical realm, you can never expect God to do great things and to see miracles happen in your life. Unless you stop living in this natural realm and begin living in the biblical realm, you cannot be able, you will not be able to see what God can do and expect great things. For this layman, this morning was like any other morning.

But it was God's appointed day for the greatest thing to happen in his life. Listen, when the natural says it is impossible, God says it is possible. When the natural say it is undoable, God says it is done. When the natural says there is no way, God says I have opened a door. We have to live in the biblical realm, not in the natural realm.

Peter and John going up to pray. And I'm telling you, when you go up to pray, you should expect great things to happen. Amen? God, we have a God who answers prayers. They were going up to pray.

Prompted by the spirit of God, this man asked Peter and John for money. That's what he knows to do. And prompted by the spirit of God, Peter and John stood there. Peter tells him, look at me. Look at us.

And he looked at them expecting to get something from them. He expected Peter or John or maybe both of them to just reach your hand to their pocket, pull a coin, and give to him. He says to himself, maybe this is my lucky day. But you know, it was his lucky day that Peter and John had no money. It was his lucky day that Peter and John had no money because if they had money, they would have given him, but they had something much greater.

They had Jesus Christ and his power. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up, stand up. And he did. Now, I want you for a moment to place yourself in the place of that lame man. Maybe you have lost a great opportunity or maybe many opportunities.

And you have been living in regrets and fears for months, maybe for you who are older, maybe for years. Your hopes have been crushed, and young people, I want to tell you, you're going to fall. I'm going to tell you, you're going to lose. Failure is going to happen and loss is going to happen, but would you rise again? Would you rise again?

This man have experienced failure all of his life. And it was, for him, over, but it was not all over. You may be convinced it's all over for you in regard to a particular situation. For some, maybe health situation, for others, business decision, for others, maybe relationship. It's all over.

I miss that opportunity. It's not over until God says so. Our destiny is not in the hand of circumstances. Our destiny is not in the hand of man. Our destiny is in the hand of God.

God, our God is a God of new opportunities, a God who changes circumstances, a God who often waits until we lose hope in everything else before he intervenes and brings solution, brings healing, brings deliverance. And don't forget, you have to ask. You have to ask God first, but often you have to ask even people. This man asked Peter and John and tell you something, if I didn't ask my wife for the date, I would not be with her today. Right?

If I didn't ask her to marry me, she would not have married me. And I guarantee you, it was not arranged marriage. So, yes, you do have to ask God and sometime by by prompting of the Holy Spirit, some people. Some advice, some leading, some guidance. But remember, it is not over until God says so.

Now, I want you to place yourself in the place of Peter and John. The first lesson we said is, it's not over until God says it is over. It is so. Second lesson is, do not keep what you have for yourself. Whatever you have, give.

Do not keep whatever you what you have for yourself. Whatever you have, give. Verse six. Then Peter said, silver and gold, I do not have, but what I do have I give you. I wanted to look at the life of the early apostles.

Look at the life of the early disciples. In Acts chapter four verse 32, listen to what the scripture tells us. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but he had all things in common. And with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

And greater grace was upon them all. This is the verse 34. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked, for all who were possessors of lands or houses, sold them and pro the proceed the things that were sold and laid them at the apostle's feet and they distributed to each as one had need. There was love. There was compassion.

There was sharing. Now, I must emphasize here, there is no mandate in scripture that for those who have money, for those who have position to sell everything and give to the poor. That's something the early disciples did was great, but there is no principle in scripture and we should do that. Right? You know what happens if all the wonderful rich believers sell everything they have and give to the poor?

The poor will spend everything and those who were rich and the poor all become biggers. Really, that's a fact. So there's no such a principle, but the principle is here that's articulated in scripture, no one said that what he owns was his, but it was God's. That's a principle that I need to learn and you need to learn. Nothing that I own is really mine, but it is God's.

Until I realize and recognize this principle, that nothing that I have is really mine but God's, I cannot be as effective steward and faithful steward as God wants me to be. Now, in second Corinthians, I love that, that part of scripture. In chapter eight, Paul talks about the believer of Macedonia. And listen what he says to them in verse in verse one about them. Second Corinthians eight.

He said, moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, that in a greater trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing. Employing us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of min ministering to the saint. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God. Now, look at this order.

They give first themselves to the Lord and then to us. Now these people were poor, weren't they? The Bible said were very poor. They were under trial. They were poor.

They were under trial, much trial yet were they were what? They were very, very generous. And the first thing they did what? They gave themselves to the Lord and they they give themselves to us, to others. And unless you give yourself first to the Lord, you cannot give yourself to others.

In Matthew chapter 10, just since the disciples, you don't have to open the air, and he tells them, you received without pay. Give without pay. Freely, you have been given. Freely, give. What tremendous instruction we have here.

Now question is, are we giving according to our means and beyond our means? This is what the Church of Macedonia did. They give according to their means, and they give beyond their means. It's good to give according to my means, but it's greater to give beyond my means. You know what that means, to give beyond my means?

That's what we call sacrifice. Going out of my way, that's what we call sacrifice. Now think about it. When did you give the last time beyond your means? Now, I know when we think about giving, we always think in the context of money.

No, no, no. I want you to little bit not think about it just in the context of money. Money is just one thing. Your time, your gift, yourself. There's much more in giving than just money.

Have you got out of your way to do something that otherwise you would not have done? I don't like to do it. I don't have the time to do it. I don't have the power to do it. I don't have the ability to do it.

I don't have the money to do it. Beyond your means, that is sacrifice. Now, think about it. When did you last time did something beyond your means? Can you think?

Can you think of it? I pray that God will give you that opportunity. Even this week will bring to your heart the attention to something to do, and you know it is beyond your means. But you say, Lord, I'm willing to do it. I will do it.

It is beyond my means, but I'm going to take the extra mile and go that extra mile. Peter and John did not have money, and you cannot give what you don't have. But you should give what you have been giving. Serving others, our time, our gifts and talents. And do you have Jesus?

If we have Jesus, we should be sharing Jesus. We should share it, share the gospel, proclaim the gospel, and not ever withhold it. It's not over until God says so. Give what you have. And the third and final point is this.

True believers, faithful Christians always turn the attention away from themselves and always toward God. Listen to this. Faithful believers, true Christians always turn the attention away from themselves and always toward God. I want to look quickly at the response of the crowds, at the response of the layman who walked, and at the response of the two apostles. The layman, he's healed.

The first thing he did, he stood. He started leaping. He started praising God. And second, we read about him in verse 11, he was clinging to Peter and John. He was sticking with Peter and John.

That's another lesson. We're not going to talk about it today. That's another lesson. Cling to believers. Stick with believers who are even older than you in the faith.

This is what he did. What did the crown do? They were all amazed. Verse 10, they were filled with wonder and amazement. And verse 11, they ran toward Peter and John.

What was the response of Peter and John? Beginning in verse 12, don't look at us. Don't stare at us as we have done anything. Really, we have done nothing at all. Everything has to do with Jesus.

Look at Jesus and not just Jesus the healer, but Jesus is the one that you have rejected, yet He is now alive and faith in His name made this man whole. And again, as Peter stands before the sinner dream, the Jewish council in Acts chapter four being questioned about this healing. Four verse 10, Peter says that the full council, Jewish council, he tells them in in in verse 10, let it be known to you all and all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the one you crucified whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands here before you whole. No fear. No fear.

The truth must be said. Listen to verse 12 what he tells him, nor is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Look at Jesus not just as the healer but as the only one, the only one who can save. This is the message of Peter and John. This should be my message today.

In chapter 14 of the book of Acts, in the city of Lystra, Paul and Barnabas are there. A man, a cripple from his birth. Paul looks at him and he see that he has faith to be healed and he tells him, in the name of Jesus Christ, be healed. And this man is made whole. When the crowd saw that, they said, The gods have come down to us.

And the priests of Zeus, where the crowds came with sacrifices, they want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. How did Paul and Barnabas react in chapter 14 of the book of Acts? They tore their garments in holy anger, in disagreements. Guys, what are you doing? It's not about us.

It's not about us. It's about God. It's about Jesus. We come to you to preach Jesus, not us. How many public speakers today, how many TV evangelists today, their goal is to bring attention to their lives, to themselves, to their own ministry.

I want to be glorified. My ministry. It's my ministry. It's me. No.

No. It's not about you. It's not about me. It's all about Jesus. When the Jews sent priests and Levites to John the Baptist to ask him about himself, who was he, they asked him, are you Elijah?

He said, no, I'm not. Are you the prophet? No, I'm not. Tell us who are you. We want to tell those who have sent us who are you.

Tell us. I mean John. John, this is your opportunity, man, to make something of yourself. After all, you are a great man. He just even testified about you that you are the greatest born of women.

What's wrong about you? Say that you are a prophet. Say that you have come to fulfill the ministry of Elijah. Say it. He said, no, I will not say it.

I'm no one in my own eyes. I'm no one in my own eyes. It's not about me, it is about Jesus. Who are you? You know what did he say?

You remember, I'm a voice of a one crying in the wilderness. Has any of you ever seen a voice? Has any one of you ever seen a voice? You don't see a voice. You hear a voice, right?

I hope you don't hear voices. You don't see the voice. You hear a voice. What John is telling them, listen, don't see me, hear me. See Jesus, but hear me leading you to him.

I'm just a voice crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord. You know, the next day, John saw Jesus. You know what he did? He what he said?

He see, behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. And the Bible tells us in the same chapter, and the next day, the following day, again, he saw Jesus and he said, behold the lamb of God. The first one, behold the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Christ and his work. The second day, behold the lamb of God.

Christ in his person. Don't look at me. Look at Jesus. Don't see me. See Jesus.

I am but a voice crying in the wilderness. And I pray today that all of us will have that attitude of John. I am a voice of one crying. I am no one. It's all about Jesus.

I'm just a messenger. Don't look at me. Look at Jesus. I know the world wants you to bring glory to yourself. This what we hear in the marketplace.

That's what we hear everywhere. It's about me. I pray today I pray today that each one of us will take our right position as a children of God, as faithful servant, pointing to Jesus and turning away the attention from ourselves to God. First, it's not over until God says so. Secondly, give what you have.

Don't withhold it. Share it. Give it. Freely you have been given. Freely give.

Thirdly, don't put attention to yourself. Point the attention to Jesus. He is worth it. Everything is about him. Let us pray.