1. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Acts 3

2. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
As we look back at last week’s lesson, we saw that the people gathered in the upper room were filled with the Holy Spirit
Luke also tells us that Peter, filled with the Spirit, preached a very powerful message

3. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Peter’s Message
God sent Jesus to Mankind
Many in the crowd had put Jesus to death
Jesus did not stay dead – He rose from the grave
Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God to rule and reign

4. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Peter’s Message
The people were convicted, and asked “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter’s reply was wildly simple and direct – so undeserved

5. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Peter’s Message
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)
We are then told that as a result, 3,000 souls were added that day

6. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
What a mountaintop experience
Peter was already filled with the Holy Spirit, but imagine the impact of 3,000 souls coming to Christ had on Peter and all the disciples
Think Peter was ready to preach some more?

7. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Lesson 5
Luke then moves us to Acts 3
He indicates that Peter and John were going to the temple – at the hour of prayer

8. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Lesson 5
We do not have an exact timeline, but if Acts 3 happened shortly after Pentecost, Peter may have been so excited that he was going back to the Temple to find more people to preach to
He may very well have been on his way to the Temple to do “church stuff”

9. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Lesson 5
But then, he get interrupted by a cripple who is looking for a handout
It might seem like the cripple is an interference in Peter’s plans, because Peter was not looking for a cripple to heal that day
He was on his way to “church”

10. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Illustration of a Florida Church

11. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Perhaps Peter was on his way to do “church stuff”
Perhaps the cripple was a distraction
But, the difference was this – unlike the worshippers in the Florida church – Peter stopped

12. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
He did not hurry past this man
He was not bothered as others were by the cripple’s plea for alms
He was not repelled by this cripple

13. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Peter then reached out and healed the cripple
Many of us would then say that, well, Peter was an apostle and he had that power, but I can not do that
There must not be much for me to learn in Acts 3

14. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
But, you and I would be wrong if we felt that way
Notice what Peter says:
“I have not silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.” (Acts 3:6)

15. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
But, you and I would be wrong
Notice what Peter says:
“I have not silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.” (Acts 3:6)
“What I have…I give to you”

16. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Consider this
We are followers of Jesus Christ
We are called to do Church, like Jesus did Church
There are Church-people who think that doing “Church” is what we do in the building
If we sing some songs, pray some prayers, take some communion, and listen to a sermon, we have done our religious thing for the week
We have done Church

17. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Consider this
Now, Jesus did worship regularly at the synagogue, but Jesus did “Church” all through the week
He did it by reaching out to people whom others would not touch
He ate with tax collectors and sinners

18. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Consider this
He spent time reaching out to prostitutes and outcasts
He put mud on the eyes of the blind
And, He reached out and physically touched the bodies of lepers…something no one else would do

19. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Jesus did Church
the way we should do Church

20. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Church is when you show
that you CARE for someone

21. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
God worked mightily through Peter and John, two guys who were on there way to a prayer meeting
I believe God wants to do something through you and me, if we develop certain habits
Acts 3 tells us of 5 habits we should develop for God to do something through us

22. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day (Acts 3:1)
Think about a couple of guys on their way to a prayer meeting
God uses them for a great miracle

23. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day (Acts 3:1)
Jesus told us to “Go and make disciples…”
Scholars tell us that the Greek properly interpreted would say: “While you are going, make disciples…”

24. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day (Acts 3:1)
Somewhere there is a person God wants you to meet
That cashier at Wal-Mart might need to be encouraged and invited to church
That guy who changes the oil in your car might need to know what God has done in your life

25. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day (Acts 3:1)
Somewhere there is a person God wants you to meet
That one whose marriage is on the rocks might need your prayers to turn it around
That family down the street who lost a family member might need a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen

26. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day (Acts 3:1)
Do not discount the little things God does to work miracles through your life every day if you are open to Him as you go about your day

27. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See the needs around you (Acts 3:2-5)
Stay tuned to the needs that exist all around you
It is not hard to hear and see if you are tuned in
The sigh of a discouraged friend
The person who lashes out at everything (Hurting people hurt people?)
The one who is a little quiet today

28. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See the needs around you (Acts 3:2-5)
Stay tuned to the needs that exist all around you
It is not hard to hear and see if you are tuned in
That family member who is going through something not too many people know about
That person in church who makes a prayer request

29. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See the needs around you (Acts 3:2-5)
You can look around and see hurts and needs, if you will stay tuned
Jesus did that – we are told that when He saw needs, He was moved with compassion for them, a feeling of love and pity

30. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See the needs around you (Acts 3:2-5)
When he saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)
When Jesus went out He saw a great multitude, and He was moved with compassion for them and healed the sick. (Matthew 14:14)

31. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See the needs around you (Acts 3:2-5)
Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said, “I am willing, be cleansed.” (Mark 1:41)
We are called to be like Jesus, and that means feeling like He felt, and acting like He acted

32. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Meet them with God’s love and power (Acts 3:6-8)
Think of what Peter could have said
“I am sorry, but I do not have any silver or gold – sorry man. Have a great day. God bless.”

33. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Meet them with God’s love and power (Acts 3:6-8)
Think of what Peter could have said
“I am sorry, but I do not have any silver or gold – sorry man. Have a great day. God bless.”
Instead, Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you.” (Acts 3:6)

34. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Meet them with God’s love and power (Acts 3:6-8)
It is a great temptation to think that we do not have anything to offer
WHEN I win the lottery, I will help someone
WHEN I have the President’s influence, I will help someone
WHEN I have studied the Bible for a few more years, I will start offering people its answers

35. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Meet them with God’s love and power (Acts 3:6-8)
It is a great temptation to think that we do not have anything to offer
WHEN I have walked with God for a few more years, I will tell people He can change their lives
WHEN I have my own life in order, I will reach out to others

36. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Meet them with God’s love and power (Acts 3:6-8)
God calls us to give WHAT WE HAVE
This is not what we will have someday
He has work for you and me RIGHT NOW

37. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Give the glory to God (Acts 3:9-12)
Many people say it is not a common thing to meet needs of others today – people are too busy with their lives
However, when you do help someone, you will have plenty of instances where someone will give you praise

38. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Give the glory to God (Acts 3:9-12)
Saying a polite “Thank you” is fine, but they need to know ultimately who gets the credit

39. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Give the glory to God (Acts 3:9-12)
Saying a polite “Thank you” is fine, but they need to know ultimately who gets the credit
Illustration of Young Man Starting a Restaurant

40. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Give the glory to God (Acts 3:9-12)
When we contemplate the things we will do each day, we need to ask: “Whose glory am I living for?

41. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
Give the glory to God (Acts 3:9-12)
When we contemplate the things we will do each day, we need to ask: “Whose glory am I living for?
Give the glory to God

42. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth (Acts 3:13-26)
Often, meeting a need in someone’s life will give you the chance to tell them and others what they need to hear
If Peter had just started preaching, he would not have had nearly the success

43. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth (Acts 3:13-26)
God gave Peter the ability to meet the cripple’s need, but he did not stop there
He went on to tell all the ultimate need of their heart – forgiveness

44. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth (Acts 3:13-26)
The ultimate need of the cripple was not to be healed and to be able to walk again
His ultimate need, and that of many others that day, was to hear

45. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth (Acts 3:13-26)
They need to hear
They had murdered Jesus (Acts 3:14-15)
They needed to have a change of mind and behavior (Acts 3:19)

46. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Habits
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth (Acts 3:13-26)
Keep your eyes open, because when you comfort a friend, minister to a single mother, reach out to a hurting family, you will have a chance to tell them what they need to hear
God has something better for them than how they have been living

47. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Acts 3 presents 5 habits we should develop to show that we care for others
Be open to God’s direction as you go about your day
See the needs around you
Meet them with God’s love and power
Give the glory to God
See meeting needs as opportunities to tell people the truth

48. POWER IN WORD AND IN DEED
Will you develop
these habits
in your daily life?