ARE YOU A “LITTLE DRUMMER BOY”?
ACTS 3:1-10 ONE DAY PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING UP TO THE TEMPLE AT THE TIME OF PRAYER--AT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON. 2 NOW A MAN CRIPPLED FROM BIRTH WAS BEING CARRIED TO THE TEMPLE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL, WHERE HE WAS PUT EVERY DAY TO BEG FROM THOSE GOING INTO THE TEMPLE COURTS. 3 WHEN HE SAW PETER AND JOHN ABOUT TO ENTER, HE ASKED THEM FOR MONEY. 4 PETER LOOKED STRAIGHT AT HIM, AS DID JOHN. THEN PETER SAID, "LOOK AT US!" 5 SO THE MAN GAVE THEM HIS ATTENTION, EXPECTING TO GET SOMETHING FROM THEM. 6 THEN PETER SAID, "SILVER OR GOLD I DO NOT HAVE, BUT WHAT I HAVE I GIVE YOU. IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, WALK." 7 TAKING HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND, HE HELPED HIM UP, AND INSTANTLY THE MAN’S FEET AND ANKLES BECAME STRONG. 8 HE JUMPED TO HIS FEET AND BEGAN TO WALK. THEN HE WENT WITH THEM INTO THE TEMPLE COURTS, WALKING AND JUMPING, AND PRAISING GOD.
9 WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE SAW HIM WALKING AND PRAISING GOD, 10 THEY RECOGNIZED HIM AS THE SAME MAN WHO USED TO SIT BEGGING AT THE TEMPLE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL, AND THEY WERE FILLED WITH WONDER AND AMAZEMENT AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM.
INTRODUCTION: THE FIRST TWO VERSES OF “THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY” GO LIKE THIS:
COME THEY TOLD ME, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
A NEW BORN KING TO SEE, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
OUR FINEST GIFTS WE BRING, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
TO LAY BEFORE THE KING, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM,
RUM PUM PUM PUM, RUM PUM PUM PUM,
SO TO HONOR HIM, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM,
WHEN WE COME.
LITTLE BABY, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
I AM A POOR BOY TOO, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
I HAVE NO GIFT TO BRING, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
THAT’S FIT TO GIVE THE KING, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM,
RUM PUM PUM PUM, RUM PUM PUM PUM,
SHALL I PLAY FOR YOU, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM,
ON MY DRUM?
WHAT WE FIND HERE IN THESE VERSES IS THAT THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY DID NOT HAVE A PRECIOUS AND EXPENSIVE GIFT TO BRING THE BABY JESUS. ALL HE COULD DO IS PLAY HIS DRUM. SOMETHING “INSIGNIFICANT” IN HIS MIND, YET, …
MARY NODDED, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
THE OX AND LAMB KEPT TIME, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
I PLAYED MY DRUM FOR HIM, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
I PLAYED MY BEST FOR HIM, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM,
RUM PUM PUM PUM, RUM PUM PUM PUM,
THEN HE SMILED AT ME, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM
ME AND MY DRUM.
THE “INSIGNIFICANT” GIFT WAS PRIZED BY THOSE WHO RECEIVED IT FAR MORE THAN THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY WHO GAVE IT.
THIS PASSAGE BEFORE US TODAY LOOKS AT THE RESULT OF AN UNEXPECTED GIFT GIVEN TO SOMEONE WHO WAS, QUITE FRANKLY, LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE!
THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SEE:
I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MEETING
A. PETER AND JOHN WERE GOING TO PRAY.
B. DURING THIS TIME, FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST HAD NOT YET SEPARATED FROM JUDAISM, AND AS WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT, THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO PRAYER.
C. PETER AND JOHN WERE OBSERVING ONE OF SEVERAL TIMES OF PRAYER.
D. WHAT THEY DID NOT KNOW YET WAS THAT THIS WOULD BE A DIVINE APPOINTMENT
1. THEY WERE BUSY DOING THE WORK OF GOD
2. PRAYER WAS A REQUIRED ACTIVITY FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DO NOT BECOME TOO OCCUPIED IN DONG THE WORK OF GOD THAT WE MISS DOING THE WILL OF GOD
E. HOW OFTEN DO WE GET OURSELVES CAUGHT UP IN THE LOGISTICS OF OUR WALK WITH CHRIST, AND MISS THE OPPORTUNITIES GOD PUTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
F. DAVID PLATT WRITES IN HIS BOOK, RADICAL, YOU AND I CAN CHOOSE TO CONTINUE WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND IN THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE, ENJOYING SUCCESS BASED ON THE STANDARDS DEFINED BY THE CULTURE AROUND US. OR WE CAN TAKE AN HONEST LOOK AT THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE AND DARE TO ASK WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE IF WE REALLY BELIEVED HIM AND REALLY OBEYED HIM.”
G. THIS WAS A SITUATION THAT WOULD PIT THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST WITH THE TENSION OF DOING THE WORK OF GOD WITH DOING THE WILL OF GOD.
WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES IF WE WOULD DO THE SAME, WERE WE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION!
II. THE CONDITION OF THE NEED
A. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A CLASSIC SITUATION.
B. THERE IS A BEGGAR
1. HE HAS FRIENDS WHO BRING HIM TO THE TEMPLE DURING THE TIMES OF PRAYER
2. HE IS PLACED IN A PRIME LOCATION – IT IS DIFFICULT TO COME TO PRAYER, GIVING DEVOTION TO GOD, AND PASS BY A PERSON IN SUCH NEED.
3. YET, THIS WAS THE CASE – FOR THE MOST PART, THE AVERAGE JEW DISREGARDED HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEEDY.
Leviticus 25:35-37 "’If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you. 36 Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you. 37 You must not lend him money at interest or sell him food at a profit.
LEST WE THINK WE ARE ANY BETTER, WE WILL OFTEN AVOID EYE CONTACT WITH SOME SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO ENGAGE OURSELVES IN THEIR PROBLEMS
C. THIS MAN’S NEED IS GREAT. ACTS 4:22 TELLS US THAT HE WAS MORE THAN 40 YEARS OLD
D. NOTICE THE REACTION OF PETER
1. HE LOOKS RIGHT AT THE MAN – THERE IS AN INTENSITY IN HIS GAZE
2. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT, WITH REGARD TO SPIRITUAL THINGS, WE SHOULD BE INTENSE!
E. LOOK AT THE RESPONSE OF THE MAN
1. HE LOOKS BACK – ALBEIT FOR WHAT HE HOPES TO RECEIVE
2. HE IS QUICKLY DISAPPOINTED – PETER HAS NO SILVER OR GOLD
3. YOU CAN ALMOST FEEL THE WIND GO OUT OF HIS SAILS
4. WHAT HE DID NOT KNOW IS THAT WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO RECEIVE WAS FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN THE SILVER AND GOLD HE WAS BEGGING FOR
5. IF HE HAD KNOW WHO HE WAS BEGGING FROM, HE WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR FAR MORE
WE KNOW HE RESOURCES OF GOD, AND YET WE ASK FOR SMALL THINGS. WE BELIEVE WE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE. AND YET THE GOD OF ALL HAS REVELED TO US THE NATURE, POWER, AND EXTENT OF HIS RESOURCES.
WE ARE NOT BEGGARS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS!
HOW MUCH IS LEFT UNDONE BY OUR IGNORANCE OF OUR POSITION IN CHRIST!
III. THE CURE IN THE GIFT
A. ALL THAT WAS DONE WOULD BE DONE IN HE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST – “NAME OF”
B. WHAT GOD DID IN THE LIFE OF THIS BEGGAR WOULD BE COMPLETE
1. NOTICE – HIS HEALING WAS FULL – HE COULD STAND WALK AND JUMP
2. THE WORD STRONG IS A MEDICAL TERM AND MEANS – “SOCKETS BEING RESET”
C. SOME INTERESTING THOUGHTS ABOUT JESUS AND HEALING
1. JESUS MADE SICK PEOPLE WELL BEFORE HE MADE THEM GOOD – HE DID NOT NEGLECT THE PHYSICAL NEED, EVEN WHILE LOOKING TO DEAL WITH THE PHYSICAL NEED
2. MADE REFERENCE TO HEALING WHEN ASKED BY THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN AS TO WHETHER HE WAS THE MESSIAH. – MINISTRY TO NON-SPIRITUAL NEEDS WAS A MARK OF GOD’S INTERVENTION IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN.
3. WHEN JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES OUT INTO THE WORLD HE DID SO WITH THE COMMAND TO PREACH AND HEAL
4. JESUS NEVER NEGLECTED THE VISIBLE NEED FOR THE SPIRITUAL. JESUS MET ALL OF THE NEEDS
D. GOD DOES NOT JUST CHANGE US PHYSICALLY; HE ALSO HEALS US EMOTIONALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. THESE “HEALINGS” ARE JUST AS MIRACULOUS.
E. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF OUR ABILITY AND THE SOURCE OF OUR BLESSING. THEY ARE ONE IN THE SAME – JESUS!
NOTICE THE RESULT (WE WILL LOOK FURTHER AT THIS NEXT WEEK).
PEOPLE WERE FILLED WITH WONDER AND AMAZEMENT
PETER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PREACH A SECOND TIME AND SHARE THE GOSPEL
BELIEVERS WOULD FACE THEIR FIRST PERSECUTION
AND WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS THROUGH THIS PERSECUTION
SO, AT THE END OF ALL THIS, WHAT IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH WE CAN TAKE FROM THIS PASSAGE?
GOD EXPECTS US TO USE WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE MORE TO USE THAN WE REALIZE. WE NEED TO DISCOVER WHAT OUR RESOURCES ARE IN JESUS!
