WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:03.839 Thank you for tuning in to Newsong Church's Sermon Podcast. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:12.240 Newsong is a gospel-centered community-serving Anglican church in Port Perry, Ontario, and the parish of the Anglican Network in Canada. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:13.759 We'd love to connect with you. 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:19.760 If you'd like to reach out to us, you can find our contact information at Newsongport Perry.ca. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:22.719 God bless you through the ministry of the Word. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:30.079 Our second reading this morning is found in Acts chapter 3, beginning at the first verse. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:36.880 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:47.679 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the beautiful gate, to ask alms of those entering the temple. 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.520 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:01:00.000 And Peter directed his gaze at him as did John and said, Look at us. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:04.959 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:12.319 But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:18.000 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:25.760 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:33.040 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:41.280 And all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple, asking for alms. 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:46.480 And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 00:01:47.280 --> 00:01:55.359 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the porticle called Solomon's. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:58.640 And when Peter saw it, he addressed the people. 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:23.680 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:31.199 But you denied the holy and righteous one, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:37.360 And you killed the author of life, whom God raised from the dead. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:40.639 To this we are witnesses. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:47.360 And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:54.240 And the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:56.639 This is the word of the Lord. 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:08.080 Heavenly Father, we now we just come before you to hear you speak to our hearts, Lord, and our mind. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:22.639 Father, I pray for those here in person and for those watching online, Lord, and for myself, that you would just deeply grip us with your gospel, Lord, as we look at the text of the healing of the lame beggar. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:30.879 Father, please take away any distractions from this week, whether good or bad, and just draw us into yourself, Lord. 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:32.560 Praise us in Jesus' name. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:33.360 Amen. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:35.039 Please be seated. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:04:02.319 Now when I came to um, when the Lord called me to himself and I came to faith and I had that conversion moment, um, I was involved in a denomination that was very focused on the supernatural, on miracles, on the big spectacles that could happen, on healings and speaking in tongues and all the stuff that's involved in the charismatic movement. 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:06.560 And a lot of the things that the charismatic movement does is really good. 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:19.120 They're very focused on outreach, they're very focused on ministering to the poor, they're very focused on um being very present in worship, worshiping God with all their might and power. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:30.720 Um one thing that I'd always hear that really um left me a lot of pain after I left the charismatic movement was that if something didn't happen, you didn't have enough faith. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:34.240 It wasn't um it was something that you did wrong. 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.639 It was a you didn't have enough faith. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:40.959 And when it comes to a text like this, sometimes I feel a hardening in my heart. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:55.279 I feel like a pain in my chest from the memories I have of that, of thinking like I wasn't good enough, I wasn't measuring up enough, that if it was my fault that God um if I didn't have enough faith, God wouldn't bless this moment, wouldn't heal this person. 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:57.279 And that really toyed with me. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:58.639 It was something that really toyed with me. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.680 And this text is is a miracle text. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:04.160 And it's a text that talks about faith. 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:07.040 And um so we're gonna look at it. 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:12.639 And uh, we're a church that believes in a Bible, that hold that this is God's word written. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:16.879 So we're not gonna skip around the miracle, we're gonna go right towards it. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:18.639 We're gonna move towards the text. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:23.519 So if you haven't yet, please turn to Acts chapter 3, verses 1 to 16. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:27.519 Uh, it's in the bulletin if you don't have a Bible with you, but it's always helpful to have a Bible. 00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:34.319 So you can look what happened before this, and then you can also look what happens after this, because it's all linked together. 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:38.879 These aren't just little blips, it's at all length that tell a greater story. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.839 So let's look, verses one to three. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:06:00.639 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the n at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, and a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, what is c what is that is called the beautiful gate, to ask alms of those entering the temple. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:05.279 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:17.120 Now, the in the context of this, they're still in Jerusalem, they're still trying to figure out, they've got the Pentecost just happened, so they're still coming to grips with what's going on in their lives. 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:19.040 And they go to the synagogue. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:24.399 And when it says that they're coming up to the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, that's just 3 p.m. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.920 It's evening prayer. 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:27.279 That's what's happening here. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:34.079 And just a quick side note um you hear a lot that, oh, the church just needs to go back to how its roots. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:36.800 It's the New Testament church, that's what we need to go back to. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.319 We don't need all this other stuff. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:43.279 Well, more the most important thing that we can model here is that they went to church. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.040 They went to the synagogue. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:46.399 They kept going to church. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:49.360 They didn't just meet in houses, they went to church. 00:06:49.519 --> 00:06:51.600 And that's very important for us to reflect on. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:52.720 We need the church. 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:57.680 The church is such an important role in the Christian formation in the Christian life. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.560 And without the church, it's lost. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.040 Like you can't be an individual Christian. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.399 You need a body of Christians with you together to move forward. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:09.519 There's no individualisticness in Christianity. 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:10.720 We're a family. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:12.879 That's a very beautiful thing. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:14.240 Now they're coming up. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:18.879 Peter and John are coming up into the temple, and they're right at the outside gates of it right now. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:21.279 And it's very similar, and then there's the lame beggar. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:28.560 It's similar to the church I was at before, me and Amy were at before, was very in the heart of downtown. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.399 It was on Rideau Street in King Edward, and the mission was right there. 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:37.439 So there'd be times that you'd be going into the church and people would be begging, asking for alms. 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:38.959 And that's what's going on here. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:52.000 This man has been crippled from birth, and he has to be carried to this gate in order to get money or things, food, things to help him survive, to help him keep going. 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.519 He couldn't do anything on his own. 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:54.800 He's completely lame. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:58.879 As we'll see that the miracle heals his ankles and his feet. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:01.920 And he's laid at this gate the beautiful gate. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:09.680 Now, the thing that's so profound about this gate, um, a Jewish historist historian, uh Joseph Josephes, Josephus? 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:11.759 I'm getting his name wrong. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:13.360 Um, talks about this gate. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.800 That this gate was the most beautiful gate in the temple. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:20.720 It was massive, a massive gate. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.519 And it was overlaid with bronze, that it like just created this sense of awe. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:28.240 And that's why it's called the beautiful gate. 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:34.879 The the Greek word is slipping my mind right now, but it's just it would have been spectacular. 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:36.399 This awestruck. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:43.679 Like when you go to England and you see those old churches, the big um like York Minster, like this massive thing. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:46.960 It would have just struck you with awe, seeing this gate. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:54.879 And here is this lame beggar at the bottom of it, asking for bread, basically, asking for money so he can live. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:56.399 And that's what's going on here. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:57.679 So the scene is set. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:01.360 So now we'll continue looking at verses four and seven. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:11.120 And Peter, looking at the lame man, directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, Look at us. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:15.840 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:23.440 But Peter said, This is a beautiful line, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:27.440 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:34.480 And he took him by the right hand and raised them up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:43.840 Now many Christians find miracles to be an embarrassment or something they want to talk down a bit. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:50.080 So, like when new people come, that they don't get all um, they don't shy away. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:59.360 Um but it's really interesting that people try to skip over the miracles and or they try to spiritualize them, say that they're good teachings. 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:04.399 They just, they didn't really happen, they're just good moral teachings to show us of a greater thing. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.320 But you can't do that. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.360 It's either if they happened or they didn't happen. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:16.320 And if they did, it gives Jesus accreditation of being who he says he is, being the Son of God. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:22.399 And it also empowers the Christian, empowers us, those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:28.159 If you've truly done that, there's great power in knowing that these miracles were true. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:32.240 And interestingly, you might be thinking, well, really, do you believe in miracles? 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:36.080 You believe that that's actually happened? 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:44.159 That this person was lame from birth, and then he rises up and walks because he just says, in Jesus' name. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:45.360 I do believe that. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:47.360 I do believe that actually happened. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:53.600 And interestingly, miracles are widely becoming more accepted in the Western world. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:58.000 Twenty years ago, they they would have just been brushed off by the secular mind. 00:10:58.159 --> 00:10:59.919 But now they're actually being accepted. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:05.120 The numbers of those who deny the possibility of miracles is dramatically decreasing. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:09.919 And that's because there's the rise of spirituality in our culture now. 00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:12.720 Everything has become myth. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:22.960 Um, there's the rise of the yoga culture, there's the rise of the crystals culture, there's the rise of the territory culture, there's Wicca, it is very prevalent. 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:30.080 Even if you drive down old Simcoe Road, the local Legion is having a psychic fair next weekend. 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:35.759 If you go to Indigo and you look in the spirituality and new age section, it is massive. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:42.559 So miracles are acceptance of miracles is not this faux pas thing anymore. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:47.440 It's becoming very accepted in our culture, but it's becoming accepted for the wrong reasons. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:56.960 And if you call yourself spiritual, you may not call yourself Christian, but if you call yourself spiritual, you cannot deny a miracle. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:57.759 You can't. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:11:59.120 It just doesn't make sense. 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:01.120 That just contrasts everything. 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:04.080 It's either you accept them or you don't accept them. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:09.200 Now you might be thinking, you might be watching online and thinking, I can never believe in miracles. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:10.960 How can you trust this? 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.080 How can you trust that this actually happened? 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:24.320 Well, they to have a little geek out moment, to go a little bit more in depth in this, because I think it's very important for us to think about and try to formulate words on how to talk about this. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:32.720 The person who would say they're not spiritual, the naturalist mindset, they they would say that the world is made up of atoms. 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:38.879 They just swirl around, and we have atoms in our brain that swirl around that give us thoughts. 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:41.200 That's a very low description. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:43.759 They give a more scientific description of it. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.840 But that's basically what they're saying. 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:54.240 And but you might, if you think about it, if we have these atoms in our mind that are just giving us these thoughts, how can you trust them? 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.840 Where's the grid for trusting these things that give us these thoughts? 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:00.320 How do you know they're telling you the truth? 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:04.080 You have to put your faith in it that it's telling you the truth. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:13.519 Now, those who would believe in spirituality or believe in a Christian God, they believe that we are created from a creator. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:24.799 And through that, through this creator, the creator has given us rational thought to continue and make decisions, to make rational decisions of what good what is good and bad. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:28.159 We've been given a framework, a grid for reasoning. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:38.960 If you really think about it, if you pull back, just being able to reason, to think about things and decide what is good and what is bad is a miracle in itself. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:45.279 That we can actually formulate thoughts to make decisions. 00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:49.279 And no other animal can truly do this to the depth that we can do this. 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:52.159 Reasoning is a true gift. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.200 It's not something that's that has just happened. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:57.039 It is a true gift. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:08.799 The naturalists would deny any form of spirituality because they have a grid of everything is in constant movement, constant motion, and nothing can interrupt this natural state. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:16.000 But the supernaturalist, the Christian or the spiritualist, believes that this could, that something, the creator can come in. 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:27.440 That we believe the naturalist has we believe in what the naturalist believes, that there's a state of constant motion, but we believe that this is created by a creator and that he can come in at any moment. 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:35.840 So what me what a miracle is, is the is God coming into the moment and doing a thing in his own power. 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:41.440 It's not a it's not something that is this big interruption, it's God just coming into his creation. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:56.720 And if you're here or online watching and you get you find just believing in miracles extremely hard to believe in, I would just say that don't get hung up on them. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:01.519 Because they are secondary, they're philosophical arguments. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:04.000 Look to Jesus. 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:16.000 Look to his life, his death, his resurrection, the f of his return, and the influence on history of that moment of when he rose from the dead. 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:21.120 That his history changed in that moment when he walked out of that tomb. 00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.120 Everything changed after that. 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:25.679 It's like a defining moment in history. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:32.399 That Jesus rose from the dead, and there is great evidence in that he truly rose. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:36.960 And if he rose from the dead, that changes everything. 00:15:37.919 --> 00:15:41.440 It's either he didn't have that didn't happen or it happened. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:47.360 And if it happened, there is eternal weight in what happened with that. 00:15:47.600 --> 00:15:48.879 Now, a miracle. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:54.480 A miracle is something that points to a greater need, and it points to a future hope. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:56.480 That's what these miracles are. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:16:01.759 They're pointing to a greater need within ourselves, and they're pointing to a greater hope. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:03.360 Now, what is the greater need? 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:05.600 Look again at verse 6. 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:12.159 But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. 00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:16.879 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:28.960 See, what the lame beggar in his mind wants, he wants food and he wants money to be able to live, which is a good thing in itself. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:31.759 But this is all that the world can offer. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:34.879 It's all that man can offer to people. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:52.399 See, something I always found interesting being downtown always with the church I was a part of downtown, was that you get asked for something by a homeless man, but you'd offer something sometimes if you offer something else, they'd almost get mad at you for offering it. 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:58.559 Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't help them or we shouldn't offer that, give them the things that they asked for for food and that. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.159 That is a great thing to do. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:02.320 We are called to do that. 00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:05.839 But what I'm trying to get at here is are we all like that? 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:12.160 Don't we all want these things and if they aren't given to us, we get upset about them? 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:15.519 If we're truly honest with ourselves. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.799 See, we try to get the silver and gold to make us happy. 00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:24.480 We try to get more and more things to to um to elevate ourselves. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:27.839 We try to, we say to ourselves, I don't need God. 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:36.079 I just need to obtain this, I need to get to that point in my life, I need to hit that goal, and then I'll be happy. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:38.240 Then I'll then I could have time for God. 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.440 But it never happens. 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:42.000 We just keep wanting more and more and more. 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:44.640 We're all lame beggars. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:46.319 We all just want things. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.119 We all just want the silver and the gold. 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:52.720 So back to the story, back to the text. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:58.319 Peter sees this man and offers him something far greater, and that is Jesus. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:05.680 That is a great thing that we, if you've put your faith and trust in Jesus, you can give people Jesus. 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.599 You can tell them about Jesus. 00:18:07.839 --> 00:18:13.279 It's weird, we've been given this great gift, the gospel, to share with people. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:16.880 Now you might be thinking, well, Matt, you said, what's the future hope? 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:17.680 Well, let's see. 00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.559 Let's take a look. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:21.119 Verses six to eight, or six to ten. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:28.160 But Peter said, I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:31.759 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:38.480 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:46.160 And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:55.440 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple and asking for alms. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:19:01.119 And they were they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:06.880 See, everyone in this moment knew who he was. 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:13.359 They all know him from birth, that he is the one who would sit at the gate week in and week out begging. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:21.599 And in their minds, because they were so versed in the scripture that instantly they would have thought of Isaiah. 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:24.160 A very important text, Isaiah 35. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:26.880 They would have thought of this text immediately. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:29.680 There's like no doubt about it that they would have thought of this. 00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:41.920 And this text, it says, in Isaiah 35, They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God, strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:46.160 Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:53.359 Behold, your God will come with vengeance and with the recomm recompense of God, and he will come and save you. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:58.720 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:05.440 Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.519 They would have thought of this. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:13.119 This prophecy would have been playing out right before them, and this is what they would have been thinking. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:17.359 And this is such a beautiful picture, if you really picture it. 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:26.160 As we just talked about that at the gate, that this beautiful gate, this massive gate, there would have just been this small man just begging. 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:30.240 It would have been just an everyday event that this man is just begging. 00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:32.960 And then all of a sudden he leaps up. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:34.319 He leaps up. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:43.680 It is such a beautiful picture, if you really think about it, that this man who would have had so much suffering in his life was given the ability to walk. 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:45.119 It is so beautiful. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.960 It is such it is a very beautiful thing. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:58.319 And this hope, this hope that I'm talking about is the gospel hope. 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:07.759 It is the hope that when sin entered the world, that when man chose to turn their backs on God and try to be their own gods. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:13.440 This is when sin entered the world and man became crippled and separated themselves from God. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:22.240 But God, in his loving mercy, in his loving kindness, sent his only son, Jesus, into the world to be ransomed for our sin. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:26.559 He took on the death we deserved, and he rose from the dead. 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:31.119 And all those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus will experience everlasting life. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:37.519 True, true life, the true human life is when you put your faith and trust in Jesus. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:39.680 And the lame will leap. 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:45.680 And the blind will see, and the mute will speak, all tears will be wiped away. 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:58.000 Now, when it says that in Revelations, that all tears will be wiped away, I think it's just the tears of suffering, the tears of sadness will be wiped away, but the tears of joy will not be wiped away. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759 Because there will be immense joy. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.240 When Jesus returns. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:18.319 Now, in the next part of this text that I'm about to read, in the next verses, verses 11 to 15, this text, this part of the text actually has been used by Christians to persecute Jewish people. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:21.119 I'm not going to go into a big historical thing on this. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.960 I'm just going to say that it's wrong. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:24.720 It's very wrong. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:30.319 Anyone who murders people in the name of God is a liar, and they're completely wrong. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:41.519 But what's happening here is when Peter says what I'm about to read, he's just talking about that literally it hasn't been long after Jesus was murdered on the cross and rose from the dead. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:48.240 So these are the actual people that are in Jerusalem that would have been the people who helped that event happen. 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.400 And that is why he says what he's about to say. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:51.119 So let's look at it. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.039 Verses 11 to 15. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:23:02.880 And while he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the porticle called Solomon's. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:08.960 And when Peter saw it, he addressed the people, Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this? 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:15.200 And why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:28.480 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release him. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:41.680 But you denied the holy and righteous one, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the author of life, whom raised who God raised from the dead, to this we are witnesses. 00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:49.359 See what Peter does here is so countercultural what he does. 00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:56.880 In our culture, if something like this was performed by someone, if this happened by someone, it would have been posted everywhere. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:00.799 All over Instagram, all over TikTok, in the news, on YouTube. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:04.079 The person would have been glorified for this moment. 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:07.279 Politicians do this too. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:08.400 We all do it. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:16.559 As a photographer, I would um I did a lot of um federal politics because I lived in Ottawa, and that's like the main thing in Ottawa. 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:26.960 And I would always come to these photo ops, no one would be around, no politician would be around, and then they would just pop in for the photo op, pretend that they're doing something, and then they pop out. 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:28.960 It's a very human thing. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:34.000 They just want this want the picture, want people to see that they're doing this great thing. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:48.559 But the thing with Christianity, which is so humbling, it is a religion that teaches it has nothing to do with you, that it's already finished, that it was finished on the cross, that Jesus has done it all, he's paved away. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:52.799 So what's pe what Peter is doing here is something that we all need to do. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:56.559 We must decrease, and Jesus must increase. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:25:02.640 See, Peter turns their eyes away from himself, away from the miracle, and points them to Jesus. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.240 Because that is what miracles are. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:12.400 They point to Jesus, they point to God, to the loving God, the only hope for a broken soul. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:23.440 The late Timothy Keller, great theologian, great preacher, great pastor, many great books are written by him, has this famous quote. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:26.880 Everyone quotes it, and I'm gonna quote it, because it is so good. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:38.400 The quote is this I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe, while at the same time more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:40.400 That is the gospel message. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:45.359 That is the future hope, that is the promise, that is what miracles point to. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.240 They point to that moment of when Jesus will return. 00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:55.039 They point to that we are so loved, we are so accepted by God because of Jesus and his work on the cross. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:56.960 It is nothing that we do. 00:25:57.200 --> 00:25:59.039 That is what this text is pointing to. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.920 That is what Peter talks about in the text. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:07.920 And in verse 16, he says this thing, which will go back to the illustration I used at the beginning. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:09.519 We'll talk very briefly on it. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:17.359 In verse 16, he says, And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:23.039 And the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.200 Now I said I struggle with the charismatic movement because of this. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.920 They always say you need faith, you need more faith. 00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:33.039 But the thing with faith is that it is given. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:35.359 It is freely given, it's not earned. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:37.519 We can't muster up more faith. 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:44.319 It's a gift, it's given, it's a one-time gift, and we have it if you trust in Jesus Christ. 00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:51.359 And if we continue in this text, you'll see in verse 18 that the men are offered forgiveness. 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:58.480 The very people who killed the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross are offered forgiveness. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.640 See, no one is too far gone. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:05.519 There's nothing in this world that you can do that you cannot be saved. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:07.839 That is a great, great hope. 00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:09.839 No one is too far gone. 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.240 Everything is freely given. 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:15.839 See, we've all built for ourselves self-made kingdoms. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:20.720 We've all built up these walls and things that we try to accomplish, we try to obtain. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:29.920 It could be in fitness, it could be in work, it could be in trying to gain celebrityhood, it could be in all these things that we hold on to, that we try to build up. 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:36.720 But the things with these, with these things, they eventually push us out of our own kingdoms that we've made. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:41.440 And we end up sitting at the gate outside of the kingdoms, begging for alms. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:49.440 But just as we read Peter reaching down to the lame man, Jesus does that to us constantly. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:56.799 You may be here living the best life, or you're watching online, you're tuning in, and you're living the best life you've ever lived. 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:04.400 You have you're successful, you're healthy, you have a great big family, everything is going well for you. 00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.440 Well, guess what? 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:08.160 Jesus is reaching down to you. 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:11.359 He's reaching down to you, saying, Look at me. 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:15.359 You may be gone to church for many years and you think you're the best Christian. 00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:18.160 Well, Jesus is reaching down to you. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:23.839 You may be lying in a hospital bed, not knowing the days, how many days you have left. 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:26.000 Well, Jesus is reaching down to you. 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:32.240 You may be here and not put your trust in Jesus and you can't handle Christianity. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:35.119 But Jesus is reaching down to you. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:40.240 Jesus reaches down to you and offers himself freely to you. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:45.839 Even when you slap his hand away, he comes and still reaches down to you. 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:51.359 Even every time you deny him, he says, Look at me, grab my hand. 00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:56.079 And even if you just grab the tip of his hand, he will hold you fast. 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:58.640 That's none but Jesus. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:03.759 And when you grab his hand, he protects you like a parent would protect a child. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:16.400 That he would hold you in his arms and he would say, Look at me, look to me, don't look at this world, don't look at the suffering, don't look at the pain, look to me, look to the future hope. 00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:19.519 That is the gospel message that it's Christ. 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:24.400 It's Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and he will hold us fast. 00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:26.319 Let's pray. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:37.119 Father, thank you that Jesus has paid it all. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:42.640 Thank you, Lord, that that miracles point to you. 00:29:43.759 --> 00:30:03.839 They point to your son Jesus Christ, they point to the future hope, when all things will be made new, when the lame will leap for joy, when the blind will see, when the mute will speak, when those who suffer immense pain, um, immense tragedy will be made new, Lord. 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:15.519 Father, I just pray right now that this text would come deeply into our hearts, Lord, that we would know that Jesus paid it all, that he is constantly reaching down to us. 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:20.319 Every time we slap his hand away, he keeps reaching down to us and says, Look at me. 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:23.039 Father, help us to look to Jesus. 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:25.200 I praise in Jesus' name. 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.079 Amen. 00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:30.160 Thank you for listening today. 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:35.920 We follow a generous God who calls us to give willfully, cheerfully, and sacrificially towards gospel ministry. 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:42.319 Newsong is 100% funded by the generous giving of those who worship and journey with us. 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:50.000 If you'd like to learn more about how to give towards Newsong's ministry, you can do just that at newsongportperry.ca giving. 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:52.559 God bless you and keep you today and every day.