Priorities (Part B)

Silver and gold have I none, such as I have I give you. His priorities are right. I mean you need money. It's the way the world is set up. You have to have something to exchange with. And money is the principal way. He says what I do have I give you. Their priorities count.

I get that from this. That this counts, this man Peter counts because he's a man. He's a man of prayer. He's a man of the word.

He's got faults like everybody else. He's still impetuous, but he's used by God. Now here's Pastor Rick in the book of Acts chapter 3 as he continues his message called Priorities.

This morning, or any other likely, and we should be well aware that no one drifts into salvation. God is the author and finisher of our faith, and he uses us as part of the finishing and the authoring part. Faith has to come in contact with unbelievers. True believers are supposed to be in touch with them, and we're supposed to order our lives in such a way that we don't make it impossible by blowing our witness. I mean, there are a lot of Christians that are very well behaved in church, but then they go to the workplace and there's some of the most moody and nasty people you want to come across, and their witnesses compromise, and they want to hear the pastor tell how they can be used to save people. Or they want to bring somebody to the church and let the pastor save them because they've already ruined everything.

These things we should be aware of. But here's a question, and maybe this will be the question that sits with all of us today. Why should God do anything for you, or anybody else for that matter? None of us are entitled. In fact, we're lined up for judgment, for breaking his law and his universe, Romans 3.23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Why should God do anything for you?

I mean, we know the answer to this, but it is still a searching question, especially when you have needs, especially when you're crying out in physical pain or some other type of pain, because there are many brands of pain. God, however, is a God of love in response to those who respond to him, and that involves faith, not miracles. Of course, faith is a miracle. It is a spiritual event. It alerts the individuals, the witnesses to this event that there are great spiritual forces at work, and hopefully we recognize they come from heaven. Verse 4, and fixing his eyes on him with John, Peter said, look at us. This is one of those rare details that says so much. Fixing his eyes and fixing his eyes on him with John, Peter said, look at us.

Look at us. He is engaging this individual. This is deliberate. It is intelligent, and it has got to be piercing. It's cutting through.

It's doing something. The Holy Spirit, I don't know, when Luke recorded this, I don't know if he's just telling the facts as he knew them or if he's really understanding that the Holy Spirit is saying this is critical. Peter is making sure that there's eye-to-eye contact.

He doesn't want to be vague about what's going to happen to this man. How does Peter know God has imparted this faith to him on this occasion? I find this in gauging unbelievers eye-to-eye as a priority in our prayer, yes, and hope in our life. I find it better than leaving tracts or some desperate internet post.

I don't know. When a Christian goes on a website about, you know, how to repair a faucet, and they leave, you know, Jesus loves you, I think it does more damage than anything else. It just numbs down, and we're going to come to this when we find a young girl going ahead of Paul and Silas, if I recall. Yes, Silas, and Philippi.

These are the ones that show us the way of salvation. That message was true. Coming from her was no good. And I don't think Paul picked it up right away.

That's why it took him a few days to finally say, you know what, I have about enough of it. I know this is going on here. She's cheapening the gospel. She's dumbing it down. She has no authority to preach the gospel. She doesn't know Christ. And the sons of Sceva, they said, we cast you out, we exhort you to come out in the name of Jesus, who Paul spoke about. They did not have a relationship with Christ. And the spirit in that man beat them up, stripped them of their garments. God's saying, there's serious stuff here. You need to make contact with people if you're going to be used by Christ, not just throwing it up in the air and hope that it lands on the target.

If you did that with mortars, you might have them come down on your head. Eye to eye contact, close enough. I know it's difficult in the workplace because people get a chance to see you at your worst as far as you're witnessing. And you've got to be strong.

It's doable. And you can wear out that field. You've preached to everybody in the office. Well, Christ can bring other people your way outside the office.

Oh, here's Peter. He's going to take charge of this. He's going to change this man inside and out.

Of course, God doing it all, verse five. So he gave them his attention. I bet he did. I don't know if anybody's ever done this to him before.

Look at me. Most people just want to give him something and get out of my way. But here, Peter is stopped and he's engaging him.

He gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Zero faith in operation on that man's part. When Peter later on in verse 16 says, this is faith that has done this. He's not talking about this man's faith.

He's talking about this faith in Jesus Christ, Peter's faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, it's available to you do. Well, in this condition, he expected a handout, not a hand up. I don't like those phrases. I know a lot of people do, but just kind of cliche like.

But it's a fact. He's going to literally get a hand up. The right hand, the Bible will specify. And may we not look down on this man since in his condition, begging for money.

It's so easy to look down on people. Verse six. Then Peter said, silver and 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. It didn't take guts to do that on Peter's part. It took faith. It took a man that was just in tune with Christ and knew this is what had to happen. Then later on, John says, how did you know to do this?

I don't know. I just knew it. I just knew it.

It was imparted. I don't think I think John was right there with him. So let's pick somebody else, Andrew.

And how did that happen? Anyway, Peter's not apologizing for being broke. When someone asks me for something that I don't agree with or don't like, I don't want to say to them, sorry, because I'm not sorry. I don't have any money for you.

And if I'm not sorry, I don't want to say I am. That kind of drifts a little bit, but here's Peter broke. No money on him. So much for that greedy goblin prosperity teaching that God wants you rich with cash. Just put more money in the offering box.

Man, I don't want to be like that on Judgment Day. The prosperity movement cannot say silver and gold I do not have. They're loaded with cash that they've stolen from people by dangling a carrot in front of them. And the people are greedy enough to follow that. Or you'd say, well, they get what they deserve. There's a saying, you know, you get the church you deserve. Nor can the prosperity movement say, rise up and walk.

Trade off. Remember in verse one when I made a big deal about Peter being a man of prayer and we see him at every interval. The Book of Acts says, here's Peter at morning prayer. Here he is again at noon prayer. And then here he is again at evening prayer. Well, here he is involved in answering perhaps an unspoken prayer, certainly up to this time, an ungranted prayer. And this man of prayer is being used by God on their way to prayer. They're being used because people of prayer are effective people. But you have to learn how to pray, I think. I mean, the apostles came to Christ and said, teach us to pray like John taught his disciples. Jesus never really answered the question. He just directed them to faith.

Which is, I guess, the answer. It's this relation. Faith is not just trusting God.

It's a relationship with God. Why do I trust God? Well, because he's God. No, because I know him. And if I didn't know him, I couldn't trust him.

There has to be exposure to his character. What is God like? Is he looking to clobber me over my head? Does he enjoy judging people? Has he removed himself from humanity's suffering? How could God do this? Well, if you know the character of God, you're going to give God what we would call the benefit of the doubt every time. You're going to say God is good.

And you can't take that from him. And just because things aren't working out the way they should doesn't mean you are entitled to forget that this world is cursed because of sin. Sin is such a big deal that God gave his only begotten son. That is a big deal. And to put it on a Wrestlemania t-shirt is blasphemy.

I mean, you know, remember that wrestler that was using 316? I hope he repents before he breathes his last because that was a smack in the face to the faith. The church, I know some of you Wrestlemania fans, you've got the demon of Wrestlemania and you need to be exercised. And you know it. Don't worry. Wasn't there a Super Bowl recently?

Because there's another group. Anyway, I know years ago someone asked, there's a Super Bowl Sunday. Are we canceling service? Be gone, you demon!

It's like, no! A stupid question is that to ask a pastor! God, should we close the service? Anyway, I read, had it in my notes and I figured I'd share it. The church used to be known for its good deeds and now it's known for its bad mortgages.

There are a lot of churches that they don't, they can't keep their mortgage. And it's a fear. I mean, what's that about? When Peter says, silver and gold have I none.

Such as I have, I give you. His priorities are right. I mean, you need money. It's the way the world is set up. You have to have something to exchange with. And money is the principal way. He says, what I do have, I give you. Their priorities count.

I get that from this. That this counts, this man Peter counts because he's a man of prayer, he's a man of the word. He's got faults like everybody else. He's still impetuous, but he's used by God. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. That would have been Yeshua, Yeshua Messiah of Nazareth.

He is the priority. He says, in the name of Jesus Christ. Think of all the things you cannot do in the name of Jesus Christ. You cannot hate in his name. Well, you can hate evil, of course, but watch that because the flesh will latch onto it. And the next thing you know, you're hating people who do the evil. And then you're hating people who aren't so evil.

And then you're just gonna hate whoever you don't like. Roadmates. Do we have a name for other drivers that we face? Roadmates.

What else are they? They were shipmates if we were on the same ship. Well, we're sharing the same interstate. Aren't they roadmates? Well, I mean, coworkers.

You might pronounce it co-workers, but it's really coworkers. Look at the word next time. Again, think of what you can't do for Christ. You cannot revile someone, abuse them. Meanness is creating pain for your satisfaction on another person.

Making yourself feel good. We cannot do a lot of things in Jesus' name, and yet there are many things we can do in his name. Verse 7.

He took him by the right hand, lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. This is what we can do in the name of Christ. We can touch others. We can lift them up with our right hand. That's where our strength is in the Scripture. Here we see Peter doing just that.

Sometimes, though, you can't. A pastor's rod is for protection and correction. And as Christians, you better get that in your head.

It's a good thing to have. Again, the letter to Hebrews, three times in one chapter, Paul says they rule over you. They don't take control of your life. They're the stewards. You know what a steward is? Is someone who manages someone else's property. That's what a steward is in the Scripture and in life. It's not the same as being a businessman. They share certain principles, but they're not identical.

One of the advantages a businessman has over his employees is that he pays them. The church is an army of volunteers, essentially. It's only by consent and following the leading of the Holy Spirit, ideally speaking.

But this rod that I'm talking about where you cannot always just lift someone else up because their behavior prohibits this. Paul, dealing with the church in Corinth, they were so abusing the communion table, they were getting drunk at the communion table in church. They were gorging themselves in church. They were gobbling up all the good things and rushing to the head of the line to get them so others couldn't get them in church. Paul says now in giving these instructions, I do not praise you since you come together, not for the better, but for the worse. Later on, he says, what, you don't have houses to go eat in? You got to come to the church and behave this way? What is your problem? In verse 22 of 1 Corinthians 11, he says, Or do you despise the church of God? That's a heavy hit to say to a Christian, do you despise the church and shame those who have nothing?

Because that's what they were doing. James has to deal with the same thing. You know, a rich guy comes in, you know, you fawn all over him. Let's make you a board member. You must know everything.

You're rich. Paul says, What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

He comes down. I'm sure that was his tone, too. I do not praise you. And that Corinthian letter, he's constantly saying, you know, I don't have to be there to judge this guy. I do judge him. What he is doing demands judgment. It's not like, well, don't judge him, brother.

How about this? It's not a little bit too much in the flesh. It looked like I was really off. Go back and play the later on and see how stupid I look. Anyway, I know this is ridiculous.

I never look stupid. You know, before I became a pastor, I just wanted to mind my business. Now I got to make sure just, you know, hair is in place and keep it out of my eyes. Well, anyway, my point in verse seven is Peter took him by the hand, but sometimes even beloved brothers and sisters who we don't really like too much. We have to, you know, just can't always bless. There are requirements of us. Immediately his feet and ankle bones receive strength. Now we're back to the narrative. This is the age of apostolic wonders, as Jesus promised. You will do signs and wonders, and they are doing them. Peter is giving this man greater control of his destiny now. Verse eight, so he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. First stop for this man, the house of God. That's where he goes first. It's like, you know, the ten lepers, but the one that came back and said to the Lord, thank you.

And he wasn't even a child of the covenant, and Jesus noted that. I encourage you, if God answers your prayers, remember to thank him. It's a good practice, and it's beneficial. It is beneficial. Well, now that this man can stand, there's no question where he stands.

Now that he can stand up on his own two feet, there's no question where he stands. Is that the case with us? Or do we still have coworkers, pardon me, coworkers that don't know we're believers? Because we're too timid. We don't want to let them know. You know, why?

Why is that? You know, it doesn't mean you have to walk around with a sandwich board on announcing your faith, but it does mean that when the door opens, they say, nah, I don't do that. And they say, why? Because I believe in Jesus Christ. That's why I don't do that.

And now you're going to draw fire. Another question I have this morning, in addition to why should God do anything for us, is do we lose hope in Christ because we don't see the miraculous done? Is truth not enough for us who believe? Jesus taught on this. Then Jesus said to them, John chapter four, unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe. That was not a statement. It was a rebuke.

More than a statement. This man is walking and leaping and praising. Even though his legs were certainly atrophied, the atrophy was just there. What legs did he have? They were just limbs.

40 years like this, and yet he's instantly restored. Verse nine. And all the people who saw him walking and praising God. Now, we stop there because this is an important, this is what leads to the sermon in the next paragraph, next session. That there were witnesses to this. It was not enough to see this man standing, that he had been the recipient of a miracle. There had to be some explanation to this.

And it had to be sound explanation. And Peter's going to give that. He's not going to let this slide. He's going to say, you see him healed?

Let me tell you what's taking place. He does not want anything to be vague about the work of Christ in this man's life. Verse 10. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the beautiful gate of the temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Now that's Luke explaining what was going on, but that's not Luke telling Peter what's going on. Peter knew what was happening.

He did not need to know that they were filled. He knew he had an audience and he was going, he learned his lesson the first time. He preached on Joel and they said, what do we do, Peter? Well, this time Peter is not going to wait for them to ask.

He's going to go right to it. Unless you were blind, as the world is, you'd miss this. But they were not blind and the world is blind. They're not blind to Satan.

They may not want to admit it is him for much of what they do. We understand these things. It says here they were filled with wonder and amazement, just like in Acts chapter 2.

Let's read it. Acts chapter 2 verse 43. Then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. That is the power of God in action. The wonder is the effect and the amazement, that's value there.

That gives you a chance to talk about it. Now here's a paradox. Is it still a miracle when someone believes in Jesus Christ without a miracle? Absolutely it is. Salvation is a miraculous event.

And if it were not so, who needs God? I could just write a book. I could be very clever. I can just offer up convincing arguments and they still wouldn't believe. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that brings somebody to Christ.

What happened to him? That's what was used because these were difficult times. How do you take such a religious people who are determined to adhere to at least the name of Moses with all that they have in their religion, how do you let them know there's a new covenant now? I would have rejected any new covenant were it not put into the scripture first.

That took away their excuse because the Old Testament illustrated it, announced it, demonstrated the new covenant. And the world wants to abolish the supernatural nature that belongs to faith, converting faith as well as serving faith. See, you can be converted and believe in Jesus Christ but not be discipled and not grow and develop your faith. We need faith that continues and that proves the power of Christ and faith is not blind. Unbelief is not blind. Luke chapter 6 verse 3, and he spoke a parable to them. Can the blind lead the blind?

Will they not both fall into the ditch? May we not forget that because Christ expects us to be able to see. Peter could see, John could see, and that's why they're being used. The spirit of Antichrist is quick to ridicule faith in Christ.

The spirit of Antichrist is quick to mess up our priorities, to have us centered on other things, not the essentials, to have us major in the minors. But how come the world is not quick to ridicule Satan because they're too much buddied up next to him and I'm almost done. As I mentioned, next Peter will preach and then the persecution will follow and the Christians in Jerusalem will be persecuted for telling the truth about Jesus Christ. They will also make converts and every single one of those converts will be very grateful that there were those willing to suffer to be able to preach the gospel nonetheless. Again, Stephen, if you were to get to heaven and say, Stephen, was it worth it? You seem to have been a young man, very smart and very strong, and one day you preached Christ and they killed you for it. Was it worth it? And of course, without hesitation, he would say, yes, it was worth it.

The apostle Paul, there's a fruit that, one of the fruits that came out of his death. Let's hope we remember some of this stuff as being real to us as we head out this week into a world that ridicules Christ. You don't have to put up with that.

I mean, you can't take him to court and sue him to stop him. But you can say, as for me and my house, we believe the truth and you don't. Na, na, na, na, na. You've been listening to Cross Reference Radio, the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast, today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply visit CrossReferenceRadio.com. That's CrossReferenceRadio.com. We'd also like to encourage you to subscribe to the Cross Reference Radio podcast. Subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick. You can subscribe at CrossReferenceRadio.com or simply search for Cross Reference Radio in your favorite podcast app. Tune in next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of Acts, right here on Cross Reference Radio.