Sermon Central
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Better Than Silver, Finer Than Gold!
Contributed by Larry Grant on May 1, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: The disciples had no money to give. Had they had it, they would have gladly given it. But what they had was of more value than alms. And, best of all, they were willing to share what they had.
Better Than Silver, Finer Than Gold
May 1, 2022
Peter and John had hardly begun their ministry when they encountered a man who had been lame all his life. Having no means of support, the cripple lay daily at the beautiful gate of the temple to beg alms of those who came to worship. The disciples had no money to give. Had they had it, they would have gladly given it. But what they had was of more value than alms. And, best of all, they were willing to share what they had. The poor man asked for something good—gold. The disciples gave him something better—God.
Looking on Us
Seeing Peter and John were about to go into the temple he asked for alms. He saw them but he was not paying attention to what they were doing. So the disciples draw his attention away from what he was doing to what was actually going on. He was over 40 years old according to 4:22 and had been cripple from his mother’s womb. Jesus had showed them why a man had been blind from his mother’s womb before in John 9:2, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
We must not be afraid to live a life worthy of our calling! Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Paul taught us not to just hear what he preaches but do what he does. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 it says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” James said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
Lifting him Up
• They brought him to be laid at the temple to beg, but he need to be lifted.
• They brought him for a handout and what he needed was a hand.
Silver and Gold have I none:
I Timothy 6:18 says, “Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
You can’t give what you don’t have, but what you have, given unconditionally, is somehow always enough.
“Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.” Proverbs 19:17
Thank God, we are not asked to give something we do not have. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Peter said, In the name of Jesus Christ, Rise up and walk - he spoke truth into this man’s life and a miracle occurred. We saw some of this yesterday when it started to rain terribly hard out of nowhere and Brother SOL started telling his workers to speak to the cloud and the rain stopped until the festival was ending. I did not know what to think, but what I can say is this, “I have been here over a decade, and I have not seen faith like that in Briarchase in many years!” All of the workers looked up to the dark cloud and said not right now. Some were skeptical, some were believing but when the rain stopped, and when the cloud stayed, somebody said, “Look at God!”
Leaping for Joy
When the man’s feet and ankle bones received strength, he leaped up and walked into the temple for the very first time in his life! He had never walked before and the first place he tried out his “leaping legs” was in the House of Prayer!
“Only God can turn mess into a message, a test into a testimony, a trial into a triumph, a victim into a victory.”
Your story is the key that can unlock someone else’s prison!
The Bible says that when they saw him leaping and praising they were filled with wonder and amazement!
“The unbelieving world should see our testimony lived out daily because it just may point them to the Savior.”
“If you give it to God, He transforms your test into a testimony, your mess into a message, and your misery into a ministry.”
We all know who took misery and through His testimony of love He changed it into the Message of Salvation! I’m Talking about Jesus! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.