Empowered To Impact
by Pastor Donny Granberry
Text: Acts 3:1-10 (read later)
Introduction
"One day a large male lion decided to make sure that all the other animals knew he was the master of the jungle so he went to the gazelle and roared, ’Who is the king of the jungle?’ Trembling, the gazelle answered, ’Why, you are, mighty lion.’
He went next to the zebra and roared, ’Who is the king of the jungle?’ Fearful, the zebra answered, ’Why, you are, mighty lion.’
Then he went to the monkey and roared, ’Who is the king of the jungle?’ Startled, the monkey answered, ’Why, you are oh mighty king!’
Finally, full of himself, he went to the elephant and roared, ’Who is the king of the jungle?’ The elephant reached out and grabbed the lion with his trunk, whirled him around in the air like a top, body slammed him to the ground several times, then he flattened him against large boulder.
The beaten, bruised, and battered lion struggled to his feet … he looked up at the elephant said — ’Look … just because you don’t know the answer doesn’t mean to have to take it so personally!’"
To the lion … the purpose of his power was to make sure everyone else knew he was king!
In the animal and human kingdom — power is often a tool of intimidation and subjugation … and for many that’s what the perks of power are all about — dominating, dictating and even destroying!
Listen Carefully —
Power in the kingdom of God has an entirely different purpose … the power Jesus promised and provided through the person of the Holy Spirit isn’t power to intimidate or impress … it’s power to impact!
Commentator Lloyd Olgivie puts it like this —
"The power of Pentecost is for people. What happened at Pentecost is for the paralysis of the world. The Holy Spirit, Christ in the present tense, is for the healing of people in the present age. The excitement and enthusiasm of the infilling of the Spirit was to create a people through whom the Lord could continue his ministry of restoration and healing. A new age was born, Christ was alive in his people, and they were now equipped to do what he had done and the greater things he promised — communicating his love and bringing people to him."
Don’t miss it; "The power of Pentecost is for people … it’s God’s answer for the paralysis of the world!"
[Here are the questions we need to ask ourselves]:
• Have I been filled with the person and power of the Holy Spirit?
• Has the filling with the nature and abilities of the Holy Spirit equipped me for ministering to people in need?
• Are the giftings of the Holy Spirit being used in my life to intimidate, impress or to impact?
In Acts 3 … we see the purpose of Pentecost lived out in the lives of the disciples … and by studying the ways the Holy Spirit worked in and through them — we discover the ways the Holy Spirit wants to work in and through us!
There are 3 questions we need to ask if we’re going to really understand and properly use the power Jesus promises his followers —
1. What Happened?
Let’s read it together — 3:1-10
[Luke, who was a doctor, offers a very detailed and descriptive analysis of this day in the life of the disciples … let’s walk back through his chart of events]:
Peter and John are on their way to the temple for afternoon prayers...
Their attention is riveted upon an incapacitated beggar that they had undoubtedly passed many times before ... but this day they can’t dismiss his calls or his need ... something, literally someone, directs them to stop and become agents of the miraculous in this man’s life!
Luke uses medical terminology to describe a man who was cripple from birth —
• The word translated ’feet’ is used only by Luke (Physician), and it’s found nowhere else in all of scripture but here!
• It’s a technical term? A medical term that refers to the ’base’ or ’heel’ of the foot?
• The term ’ankle’ or ’ankle-bones’ is again a medical term found only here in all of scripture ...
• Leaping up — is an ancient medical phrase which describes the suddenness of a socket coming into place ... the instantaneous healing of a joint!
Peter and John speak ’healing’ to the man, they reach for him ... he reaches for them ... and is instantaneously healed ... a man who has never walked in his life begins to leap and dance and praise God!
Crowds gathered in amazement as the crippled man they’d known for years was now miraculously healed!
A second question we need to ask is —
2. Why did it happen?
[There are at least 3 reasons why this miracle happened]:
A. The first reason is — faithfulness!
Note carefully; Peter and John were on their way to a time of prayer and praise!
It was while they were being faithful to what they knew to do that God worked miraculously through them!
"When we do what we know we’ll know what to do!"
Key; It was the God-connectedness of the disciples that enabled them to be the right men in the right place for the right purpose!
B. A second reason for the miracle is focus!
Verse 4 — "Peter looked straight at him, as did John."
Peter and John had undoubtedly passed this man before … but they’d always looked past him … as did so many others!
[Let me ask you a question] —
• Why do you think they focused on him this time?
• Why was it that they couldn’t ignore the beggar’s calls or crippledness?
Answer:
The Christ who heard what others didn’t hear and saw what others didn’t see, the Jesus who was so incredibly interruptible was now in them!
Christ’s focus became their focus and they couldn’t take their eyes off an incapacitated man who had God’s focused attention!
God had always heard and always seen the hurt and heartache of the beggar … He just needed to find some faithful followers who would convey the message that — God knows your name and your needs … and He has the power to make you complete!
Don’t miss it: Our Spirit-focused attention on an overlooked life is more life-changing that we can imagine!
C. There’s a third key reason for the miracle is fullness!
Verse 6 , "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
The Key phrase is; "But what I have…"
This phrase can also be translated "But what I’ve been given, what I have been filled with, I give to you!"
Key question; What had Peter and John been given?
Answer; The abilities (gifts) of the Holy Spirit to meet the needs of the man! (Several "gifts" in operation … discernment; faith; healing, miracles)
The Holy Spirit filled Peter and John with the necessary tools to touch and transform the crippled beggar!
That’s what the gifts of the Spirit are, they are ministry tools for changing lives!
The gifts of the Spirit are not — trophies ... toys ... talents ... or traits — they are tools ... Tools for touching and transforming people by the power of Jesus Christ!
Tools for everyday and everywhere ... essential tools for life-changing ministry!
That’s why we’re to earnestly desire spiritual gifts because without them we’re on our own and we don’t have what it takes to change a life!
We’ve considered, “What Happened?” and “Why It Happened?” now, let’s consider…
3. Can it Happen Today?
"Jesus healed in many ways, and all of them were miraculous. We must never lose sight of this fact.
• On 21 occasions, he healed through his spoken word.
• 13 times, he healed by touching someone.
• 9 times, people were healed in the course of his preaching and teaching.
• 8 times, he healed by driving out demons.
• Another 8 times, he healed because someone other than the sick person demonstrated faith in him.
• On 7 occasions, he healed because the sick person had faith.
• 4 times, Jesus healed because he was moved with compassion.
• At least one time, he healed when someone touched him.
Listen carefully — We need the miraculous in the church today. Postmodern people are too broken to be fixed through simple human caregiving; they need to be pieced back together through the supernatural healing of Jesus through his body, the church."
Can what happened in Acts 3 happen today?
It has to … for two vital reasons:
1. Only God’s power can put broken people back together again!
2. The demonstration of God’s power readied people for the declaration of God’s word!
Crowds gathered to HEAR the MESSAGE because they couldn’t miss the miracle!
Acts 8:6 —
"… when the crowds saw the miraculous signs he (Philip) did, they all paid close attention to what he said."
The power of Pentecost is for people … it’s God’s answer for the paralysis of the world … that’s what Acts 3 is all about!
1. What Happened?
A man crippled and limited from birth is given liberty and life!
2. Why did it Happen?
It happened because of two men who were — faithful; focused; and full of the Holy Spirit’s enabling abilities!
3. Can it Happen Today?
It has to because —
• Only God’s power can put broken people back together again!
• The demonstration of God’s power readied people for the declaration of God’s Word!
