What Do You Have?

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Memory verse for March:? Acts 1:8? ?But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.?

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1.? Context:? (DO while reading from Bible- see my notes)

??? Time line:

o?????? Jesus had ascended

o?????? told them to wait on HS who would empower them to be martyrs

o?????? Pentecost

o?????? ?Sermon

o?????? ?3,000 added

o?????? ?church met together- all things in common- ?added to number daily?

??? Read:? Acts 3

o?????? The Apostles were keeping with Jewish custom of praying 3 times daily (9AM, 12 noon, 3PM)? prayer offered in the Temple was especially precious?

o?????? It was the custom of beggars to sit near the entrance of places of worship because people were more inclined to be generous?

o?????? The miracle DID happen because even the enemies of Jesus could not deny it!? (Acts 4:16)

??? The apostles did not take credit- they immediately pointed to Jesus

???????? Acts 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.?

o?????? Acts 3:17-18 tells us God can accomplish His will inspite of the ignorance of man!

o?????? Acts 3:19 Acts 3:19? ?Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,?

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2.??? The Core:? ?What are we going to focus on today??

??? Acts 3:6? ?Then Peter said, ?Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.? In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.?

??? Turn to John 18:?? Compare Peter to this chapter??

o?????? What is the difference? He had denied knowing Jesus just about a month and a half earlier now had boldness, authority, power & willingness to die- martus- sermons Act 2& 3 - and confidence healing the lame man- no long prayer with disclaimers, but in the name of Jesus rise up and walk!

o?????? Why the change?? Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

??? They had probably walked by this same man on many occasions.? Why heal him now?

o?????? Timing?

o?????? Provided the apostles an opportunity to preach Christ

???????? Just as on the day of Pentecost w/ speaking in other languages, this miracle had far reaching impact on all the people?? they all recognized him as the man who had sat there begging, and they were filled with wonder and amazement (v 10)

???????? The people came ?running? to them? instant audience, and Peter did not miss the opportunity to preach once again!

???????? He immediately disclaims this as HIS Power, but through the power of the name of Jesus?? a name was more than a label, but implies the character of the person

???????? They did not profess to know anything but Christ and him crucified... and resurrected?

???????? Same as Paul, 1 Cor. 2:2? the apostles did not cloud the message with all types of theological debate!

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3.? The Correlation:? ?What does that mean to me??

??? Main Point:? ?What I have, God can use!?

??? Do Miracles of healing still exist?

??? Can God do miracles of healing through us as He did through Peter & John?

??? Prescriptive or Descriptive?

o?????? Miracles DO continue!? (Ask Pastor Al!)

o?????? God can do miracles through us!

??? 1 Cor. 12:27-31?? ?Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.? ????(No?? & we are not told all of the believers in Acts performed healings? )

??? So- God CAN work miracles of healing through us, but He doesn?t always give everyone that gift!

??? However- God HAS given Everyone a gift!

??? ?1 Cor. 12:7-11 ??Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.?? 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.?

??? What gift do you have??

??? Turn to:? Exodus 4:1-5?

??? ?(Tell story)? Moses was ?Floating? as a shepherd of a flock of sheep that belonged to his father-in-law, Jethro.? Moses walked along, leaning on his staff, picking his way through the rough terrain of Mt. Horeb.? Occasionally, Moses would prod the sheep that had strayed from the path with the staff/rod in his hand.???? Suddenly God appeared to Moses out of a burning bush.?? God spoke to Moses and told him that he would (one day) lead the children of Israel out of slavery.?? Moses protested and gave God 4 reasons why he wouldn?t be able to: (1) Unworthy ? he was a murderer
(2) Ignorant ? no godly training (3) lacked the eloquence of being able to speak (4) no one would believe him.

??? Exodus 4:1-5? ?Moses answered, ?What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ?The Lord did not appear to you??? 2 Then the Lord said to him, ?What is that in your hand??? ?A staff,? he replied.?? 3 The Lord said, ?Throw it on the ground.? Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, ?Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.? So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 ?This,? said the Lord, ?is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers ? the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob ? has appeared to you.?

??? ?God did a lot with Moses? staff:

o?????? Moses struck the Nile river and it turned to blood (7:17),? brought a plague of frogs out of the waters (8:5),? struck the dust and turned them into gnats (8:16), stretched it toward heaven to bring down fire, thunder, and hail (9:23),? brought a plague of locust (10:13),?? divided the Red Sea (14:16),???? struck a rock with it and got water (17:6)? and when he held it high in the air, his warriors prevailed in battle (17:9). God used the staff in Moses? hand - As a tool of God?s authority, to accomplish His purpose!

? God has always used fallible people and taken what was in their hands to bring glory to himself:

o???? David had a sling in his hand, and the Goliath fell when he used it. ?

o???? All the widow had was enough food for one more meal for her and her son, but she offered it up for God?s prophet, Elijah.

o???? The widow had two small coins

o???? All that Mary of Bethany had was a jar of $perfume to bless Jesus.

o???? All the little boy had was a sack lunch, but Jesus used it to feed 5000.

o???? What do you have in your hand?

? What can we learn from Moses, Peter, & John?
1. ?Moses, Peter, & John went through a period of Floating- waiting? wilderness & upper room

2.? Moses, Peter, & John had an Ignition experience- they had an encounter with God!? The Burning bush & the HS ? tongues of fire!

God cannot use anything we have until we let go of it. He will not force us to give up anything. ?But when we willingly offer it to Him, He will do great things with whatever we have.
3. God used what they Had & empowered it, or Gave them something? New to Give!?? Staff,? power!
4. All three became intently focused- Resolute- on serving God to the point of being willing to give their lives!?? (martus)?

o???? Acts 3:4 ?Peter looked straight at him, as did John.?

5.? All three experienced Great fruit from their willingness to be instruments of God! They were Effective! The work He does through us is ?so that they may believe!? (Ex 4:5) ?But many who heard the message believed.? (Acts 4:4)?

??? What is in Your hand??

o?????? Scapel, Hammer, Wrench, Paintbrush, Mop, Time, Energy, A listening ear,?

??? Main Point:? ?What I have, God can use!?