This coming Sunday will be my first time teaching a Bible study class. If any of my teachers of the past knew this, I’m sure their eyes would be rolling. “Brian teaching, we could hardly keep him awake in school!” Hopefully I will not cause the same issues I suffered from in school, narcolepsy. My goal is to bring God’s word to the class, allow Him to be Glorified and for the class to see His Truth. This is how my lesson is shaping up.
Empowered to Help - Acts 3 and 4
Giving evidence that the Holy Spirit lives within us, by helping others physical and spiritual needs.
Acts 3 starts shortly after Pentecost and records Peter and John going to the temple in the afternoon to pray. There was a cripple man at the temple gate called beautiful, who begged for money on a regular basis. This cripple man could not walk and has been lame since birth. He asks Peter and John for some money, which they reply “Silver and Gold we do not have, but what we have we will give you.” They took the man by his hands and in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth healed him. This healing lead Peter and John to be able to proclaim the Truth about Jesus to the crowd and many where converted that day.
Two quick points here, first Peter and John gave him what they had. We should never underestimate the power of God to use even the smallest things to work large and wonderful miracles. Also they did not give the cripple man what he wanted, but gave him what he needed (Healing). Giving the cripple man money would do nothing but put a band aid over his bigger problem (Being Crippled). This really is a picture of us in relationship to God. We are crippled and lame (sinners-transgressors of God’s law). What we need is not a band aid but a cure to biggest problem we face. The separation from a Holy God because we are unholy.
We can see how the healing of the cripple man lead to the presentation of the Gospel and Salvation. This would not have been accomplished had Peter and John just passed the cripple beggar up or said God loves you. They gave him something far more valuable, a new (LIFE).
The next blog will pick up in Acts 4:5 after Peter and John had been arrested by the leading priests, the captain of the temple guard and some of the Sadducees. We will see how helping this cripple man led to a bigger audience and how the Holy Spirit took over and used Peter and John to speak Truth.
Empowered to Help - Acts 3 and 4
Giving evidence that the Holy Spirit lives within us, by helping others physical and spiritual needs.
Acts 3 starts shortly after Pentecost and records Peter and John going to the temple in the afternoon to pray. There was a cripple man at the temple gate called beautiful, who begged for money on a regular basis. This cripple man could not walk and has been lame since birth. He asks Peter and John for some money, which they reply “Silver and Gold we do not have, but what we have we will give you.” They took the man by his hands and in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth healed him. This healing lead Peter and John to be able to proclaim the Truth about Jesus to the crowd and many where converted that day.
Two quick points here, first Peter and John gave him what they had. We should never underestimate the power of God to use even the smallest things to work large and wonderful miracles. Also they did not give the cripple man what he wanted, but gave him what he needed (Healing). Giving the cripple man money would do nothing but put a band aid over his bigger problem (Being Crippled). This really is a picture of us in relationship to God. We are crippled and lame (sinners-transgressors of God’s law). What we need is not a band aid but a cure to biggest problem we face. The separation from a Holy God because we are unholy.
We can see how the healing of the cripple man lead to the presentation of the Gospel and Salvation. This would not have been accomplished had Peter and John just passed the cripple beggar up or said God loves you. They gave him something far more valuable, a new (LIFE).
The next blog will pick up in Acts 4:5 after Peter and John had been arrested by the leading priests, the captain of the temple guard and some of the Sadducees. We will see how helping this cripple man led to a bigger audience and how the Holy Spirit took over and used Peter and John to speak Truth.
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