Well, folks, great to see you this morning.
It's my first time actually back in the building
since we've been allowed just a few more people.
So it is great to see more of you here.
And just for the place to feel a bit back to what it was before.
Can you remember those days when we used to all pack in here and meet?
It was great.
And we should be so thankful to God for his common grace to us as a country
that this is even possible.
So let's not lose sight of that.
And let's just grab the privilege of both horns
and let's turn to God's word this morning.
Acts chapter 3.
I want you to come there with me if you've got your Bibles.
We're just going to dive straight into this wonderful passage
as we continue on in our series in the book of Acts.
Now, you up for a few fun facts as we begin?
Yeah?
A couple of fun facts for you to do with listening.
Okay?
Apparently the average person in the UK, not calling any of you average,
but the average person in the UK has 27 conversations a day.
Thought it was quite interesting this week when I learned it.
Maybe you can think about it in your own life.
Is that true?
27 conversations.
Off the back of that, here's the one I found even more interesting.
Apparently, in each of those conversations,
within the first eight seconds,
we have decided whether we're going to listen or not.
Quite interesting, isn't it?
Glad we're not doing tea and coffee after the service today.
Could be a little awkward to check if you're listening.
But eight seconds is what we're willing to give it, apparently.
Which is shocking when you think about it.
Our attention span these days is eight seconds.
If you're in need of a humbling this morning,
know that a goldfish has one of nine.
But eight seconds, apparently, is all we're willing to give it.
Now, what do they say is always true about observational humour?
Why is it funny?
It's funny because it's true.
Yeah?
Funny because it's true.
What we need to understand is that
I think those facts make a legit point.
Whether we realise or not,
we're walking around asking ourselves subconsciously,
why should I listen to you?
Why should I listen to you?
Seems fitting this week of all weeks, doesn't it?
Election week.
Why should I listen to you?
The thing for us to see is we're not the first generation
who kind of lives our lives according to that maxim.
Okay?
I think Luke, as he pens Acts,
is well aware that Theophilus and his generation,
as they read this book,
are asking them that precise question
as they come to chapter three.
Particularly at this point in the story of Acts.
If you've got it there,
flick back to chapter two
and kind of refresh yourself
as to what we saw a few weeks ago.
Okay?
What's going on in Acts chapter two?
The gospel has publicly burst onto the scene.
Day of Pentecost.
Peter preaches.
The spirit moves.
3,000 people are converted.
Okay?
That's what the kids today would call scenes,
isn't it?
What a scene that is.
3,000 people converted.
But that was just one day,
let's be honest.
Right?
One day.
I mean, are his,
Peter and his message,
are they just another one-hit wonder?
Right?
Just one day.
Are they just another one-hit wonder?
World's full of them, isn't it?
Gina G, Sinead O'Connor,
crash test dummies,
pick your generation.
Or is it a classic example
of a kind of phase
that people react to,
one that will come and go, right?
Kind of like flares,
if some of you remember those things.
And besides, let's be honest,
anyone, if they try hard enough,
can attract a crowd.
Yeah?
If you want proof of that,
just go to the Royal Mile
festival time in August.
Anyone who stands up
and shouts with a few colors,
they can draw a crowd to come
and listen to what they've got to say.
So, why should we listen to Peter?
Particularly as he says
in verse 22 of chapter 3,
we've got it there,
quoting Moses,
listen to him as he tells us,
listen to Jesus.
Do you see it?
Listen to Jesus.
Cracking question.
Why should I listen to him?
Think in Acts chapter 3,
Luke gives us two big reasons
why we should listen.
But before we get there,
let me just say,
whoever you are here today,
our souls need this.
They need this.
If you're not a Christian here today,
right,
you're going to meet a crowd of people here
who have got Jesus wrong.
Right?
It's the kind of point of the sermon.
You have got him wrong.
And they're being called
to change their minds
as to who Jesus is.
And it's not just kind of outing them
that they've done bad stuff.
This is an invitation
to come and know
the God of the Bible.
Come and know
the blessing
of knowing
him.
And you're going to be presented today
with a God
who is way bigger
and way better
than I bet
that you think he is.
And what he's offering you
in the person of Jesus
is incredible.
Right?
Maybe you're a Christian here today.
Friends,
I want
our hearts
to be strengthened
by this.
Because I tell you
what I feel like often.
Okay?
For Chloe's birthday,
she's upstairs,
I can say this.
For her birthday,
we got her a huge,
I say we,
Alex,
we got her a huge
helium unicorn balloon.
Right?
She loved it.
Loved it.
But her birthday
was at the beginning
of March.
Right?
And one who likes
things tidy,
I kind of broached
the subject
as it sits in our house.
Is it time
that the balloon
went down?
Tell you what,
I'm never making
that mistake again.
Okay?
That didn't go down well,
which is more than
can be said of the balloon.
But what I've observed
as I've watched
this balloon
in our home
is it just
gradually,
gradually
has deflated.
Slowly,
slowly
has leaked.
Once it was
banging off the ceiling,
now it's just
hovering above the floor
because it's just
leaked,
leaked.
And how often
is that true
for us spiritually?
We leak the gospel.
Don't we?
We just leak
the promises.
I take our eyes
off of Christ.
We need a glorious
picture of Him
to be pulsing
through our veins.
The glory
of who this God is.
Friends,
that's why we need
Acts chapter 3
in our systems today.
That's why we need
to breathe it in
in asking that God
through His Spirit,
the glorious gospel
promises that we
encounter here.
He would breathe
life into our lungs
again.
So the invitation
here is to come
and drink this in,
come and breathe
this in.
This is
Jesus Christ.
So back to
our central question,
why should I listen
to Him?
Well, here's what
Luke does.
He gives us
two reasons.
Firstly,
he tells us about
the miracle
that's solid proof
of the future.
The miracle
that's solid proof
of the future.
So here are
Peter and John
verse 1,
if you come to
the text,
verse 1.
See where they're
going?
Off to the temple
to pray.
Love that they're
still being obedient
at this point
in the story.
Off to the temple
to pray.
And they encounter
a man.
Now notice the details.
None of this is wasted.
Notice the details
about this man.
His is a tragic story
really when you
think about it.
What are we told?
He's a man
lame from birth.
So he's never
walked a day
in his life.
And each day
he's taken
to the temple
precinct
by a group
of people.
I don't know,
maybe these people
are in it
for the money.
That's why they
take him there.
They get a cut
of it.
I don't know.
But they take him
every day
to the temple
precinct
so that he can
beg for money.
Okay?
Now I think
if this is
happening daily,
then I think
we can assume
that he is
what we'd call
part of the furniture.
Right?
Part of the furniture.
People see him
every day.
People know him
to say hello to.
I mean,
you know what it's like.
I remember I used
to walk from
side of town
across town
to here.
Every day
you pass the same
people on the streets.
Every day
you know where they sit.
You notice when
they're not there.
It's kind of
what's going on
with this man.
He's there every day.
Part of the furniture.
And I'm sure
the irony
wouldn't have been
lost on Theophilus
and the original readers
that the man,
do you see where he's sitting?
The man who's sitting
at the beautiful gate
has anything other
than a beautiful life.
But the other irony
which they're about to get,
we're about to get
both barrels,
is that the man
who can't walk
is about to become
the subject
of the first miracle
and acts
associated with
the gospel
that's going to
sprint throughout
the world.
Looks into irony.
Love it.
That's what the gospel
is going to do.
It's going to sprint
throughout the world.
So Peter and John
are passing this man
and presumably
for no other reason
than they have been
prompted by the Holy Spirit.
They stop to speak to him.
They've got no money
but what they do have
is the authority
of the risen Christ.
Okay?
And they say to the man
in verse 6,
stand up and walk.
And the man,
not gradually
or partially
notice the detail
in the text
immediately
does just that.
It's incredible,
isn't it?
Incredible that this
is happening.
What's even more
incredible,
I found in the story,
what does the man
do next?
I mean,
presumably if you think
about it,
he could have gone up,
he could have done
a few laps
in the temple courts,
people's jaws
would have hit the ground,
he could have posed
for a few photos,
he could have gone
back to begging
and he would have
made a fortune,
would he not?
But there's newfound
faith in this man's
heart.
He understands
what has happened,
I think.
And verse 8,
he enters the temple,
I bet he's never been
in there in his life.
Here is a worshiper,
what's he doing?
Walking and leaping
and praising God.
I mean,
somebody should really
write a kid's song
about that,
shouldn't they?
Walking and leaping
and praising God.
And here's where Luke,
I think,
brings in the eyewitness
details.
Come with me,
verse 9,
all the people saw him.
Verse 10,
they recognized him,
so they're saying
to themselves,
hey,
that's the guy,
that's the guy.
We see every day
and filled with
wondering questions,
they kind of testifying
to one another
that we've never seen
anything like this before.
So headline,
Temple Today,
News at 6,
Lame Man Walks.
Now,
lest we think
this is just a nice event,
I think there's two big things
going on in the background here.
Okay,
firstly,
this is proof
of the authority
that the risen Jesus
has given to his apostles
to authenticate them
and their message,
what they're doing
in the eyes
of the watching world.
Okay,
in other words,
this is heaven's
stamp of approval
on what they are doing
and what they are saying.
Now,
that's important.
Okay,
I'll tell you why
that's important,
because their testimony
about Jesus
is going to be
the foundation
on which the church
is built.
Okay,
if you remember last week
back to the end of chapter 2,
what were the disciples
devoting themselves to?
Right?
What were they devoting
themselves to?
The apostles'
teaching.
One of the things,
right?
The apostles' teaching.
So,
in the years to come,
if you're reading Acts,
you wonder what this
Christianity business
is all about.
You're thinking about
joining a local church.
That's a really good fact
to know.
When you can't
physically see Jesus,
right?
It's the same for us today.
You can trust
what the apostles
have said about him.
Right?
We can do that today.
We can pick up our Bibles.
We can read what they were saying.
Eyewitness details.
Bang,
we can trust it.
Okay?
And so,
this miracle,
in that sense,
is solid proof
of the future.
Right?
But in another sense,
here I think we get
a wonderful foretaste
of God's new creation.
Think back,
if you can remember it back,
to the reading that
Jenny brought us
from Isaiah chapter 35.
Right?
Isaiah's speaking
to his generation
and he's pleading with them.
Have you heard it
in the language there?
Take courage.
Take heart.
It's a terrible time
for the nation.
A visual.
Take heart.
God will visit us.
God will save us.
Keep trusting in him.
And Isaiah's describing
the new creation
that God will bring in.
What he will do
after he's visited his people
in the times to come.
He's going to bring in
this renewed creation.
And he describes
what it's going to be like
when creation is freed
from its bondage
and its doing,
its glorifying.
I was made for this
thing.
Right?
I think it was C.S. Lewis
who described
creation at the minute
like an orchestra
all there
with a sheet over the top
collecting dust
just waiting on its
conductor.
This is how it's described.
The eyes of the blind
shall be opened,
the ears of the death
unstopped.
Then the lame man
shall leap like a deer
and the tongue of the mute
sing for joy.
Does that sound familiar?
Right?
Here is God's
kingdom of light
through the person
work of Christ
smashing into the darkness
now.
Little foretaste
that one day
it's going to eradicate
darkness completely.
Isn't it amazing
in light of everything
that we've lived through
over the last season?
And so we can gaze
at this man
and
Peter's words
in verse 16
he's in perfect health.
Here is a wee taster
wee taster
of what it's going to be like
in God's new creation
for God's people of faith.
It's a wonderful picture
friends.
You know I've got a friend
who's a
who used to be a
pastor who worked
down in London.
I remember him
telling me a story
about being invited
by one of his
congregation members
to come to the
one of the very first
skyscrapers
in Canary Wharf.
Right?
It's a very different gig
down south
I'll tell you that.
Okay?
But this is what he did.
Canary Wharf
up he went
in the lift
top of the skyscraper
and he looks out
on what is just
a huge building site.
Huge building site.
And what he does
is he looks to his side
and what he notices
is a little
scale model.
Right?
I think it was quite
a big one actually.
A big scale model.
As if to say
here is what
it's going to look like.
Here's the first one.
Here's the little taster.
But here is what
it's going to look like.
And let me tell you
it's going to be glorious.
It's going to be glorious.
I think that's what's
going on here.
You know some of you
might be asking
and it's a really
good question
to ask.
Right?
If this man had faith
and was healed
does that mean
that anyone
who has faith
God will always
heal them?
Right?
Let me just say for a minute
I think we're best
to understand
instant miracles
like this
and Luke's really
goes to length
to show us that
doesn't he?
The immediacy of it.
I think they're unique
to this time
in that they
authenticate
the apostles
at this moment
in history
which is really
important.
And I think in that
sense we'd be wise
to understand
that narrative
is not always
normative.
You can't just draw
a straight line
between then
and now.
But generally speaking
can God heal today?
Of course God
can heal today.
Okay?
We pray all the time
we've been doing
over the last season
in our prayer meetings
for those who are
sick in our church
family.
Lord, by your grace
and your power
would they get better?
Would you give
the doctors
the skills that
they need to
operate,
to treat?
And never
underestimate
God's common
grace to us
through everyday
things.
Medicine, right?
I was praising
God this week
had a thumping
headache
praising him
for paracetamol.
Right?
You can work
through these things.
It says
common grace
to us.
Can he?
Yes.
Will he?
Friends,
in this life
he might
but he might not.
Okay?
But regardless
here's what I want
you to know.
Because of his
great fatherly
care and love
for us
in Christ
we've got
to see here
that one day
through faith
on this day
he absolutely
will.
he will.
To quote
Don Carson
who was speaking
about how he
deals with
his own
aches and
pains and
joys and
sorrows of
life as he
grows older
he said
I often
remind myself
that I'm
not suffering
from anything
that a good
resurrection
won't fix.
And I think
this is what
this is screaming
to us
and friends
I don't want
to say that
lightly.
I know
some of
us are
going through
today
extremely
tough
things
right?
Extremely
tough
things.
But wouldn't
we all
take courage
in Christ
that one
day he
will come
he is the
conductor
of the orchestra
who will come
and bring in
God's new
creation.
These things
will be
distant
memories.
And let me
just ask
friends to
some of
us all
of us
do we
need to
be reminded
of this.
Okay this
is our
forever home
this is our
future.
Remember it's
popular in our
generation today
when we're
talking about
houses I
think because
it's so hard
to get on
the house
market people
say now
that you've
got it is
that your
forever home?
No it's
not.
No it's
not.
Here is
our forever
home.
Friends to
some of us
need to be
reminded of
that.
Let me ask
you who can
you be
speaking to
this week
about the
truth of
that?
Okay let me
just tell you
about one of
my favourite
moments from
sport over
the last few
years.
I don't know
if you remember
this the moment
in the world
triathlon series
in Mexico.
Alistair
Brownlee
helping his
brother Johnny
who's fallen
towards the
finish line
gets under
him and
helps him
towards the
finish line
keep on
going.
It's a
great story
I loved
it.
Tell you
what so
often it
feels like
the Christian
life does
it not?
Sometimes
we're
Alistair
sometimes
we're
Johnny.
It's true
isn't it?
Friends the
question is
we need to
be a
community
who is
getting
alongside
one another
who's
sitting
with one
another
who's
listing
to one
another
who's
entering
into
other
people's
each
other's
pain
who's
praying
for one
another
and most
importantly
is reminding
ourselves
of the
future that
is ours
because of
our king
and our
God is
with us
now.
So who
can you
be playing
that role
to this
week?
Bringing
this wonderful
truth of
what God
is going
to do
in the
future in
Christ
bringing
it home
to each
other's
lives
because this
miracle
is solid
proof of
the future
and secondly
Luke presents
us with
the voice
that stands
alone in
the present.
Now back
in the text
do you see
the bewildered
crowd
wondering
what's going
on here?
Verse 11
Peter offers
them an
explanation.
He offers
them a
sermon
really
but the
sermons
are always
explanations
of what's
happened.
And the
heart of
this sermon
is that the
people and
God have
different
opinions of
Jesus.
Okay look
in the text
God verse
13 has
glorified his
servant Jesus
really important
for us to
see that.
That's what
this God
has done.
This is the
resurrection
the ascension
the glorification
is the
father's
world worldwide
declaration of
the approval
of the work
of his son
and his
affection for
his son.
Friends and of
course to be a
Christian is by
the work of the
spirit to come
and share in
the father's
love for the
son and the
son's love for
the father to
enter into
this knowing
this triune
God.
This is what
God thinks of
his son and
yet the tragedy
is that the
people have a
different view.
Verse 15
Peter says
you and the
accusations come
you killed the
author of life.
Now just get
your head around
that.
Right?
You killed the
author of life.
You rejected
the holy and
righteous one.
So he's making
it clear that
they've got
Jesus badly
wrong and the
miracle proves
it.
And yet here's
what this man's
perfect health is
proof of.
You killed him
but God
verse 18
you killed
but God
fulfilled.
See it?
Verse 18
fulfilled.
And this is
what the Bible
is friends.
It's the story
of what God
has done and
is doing in
Christ.
It's the story
of his eternal
purposes, his
international
heart, his
unrelenting
kindness and his
pursuing grace.
So the story
here, Peter's
saying Jesus
has not just
come from
left field.
It's always
been about him.
I love it we
read with our
girls, the
Sally Lloyd
Jones, the
children's
storybooks
Bible.
You know
our phrase
and I love
this, every
story whispers
his name.
Every story
whispers his
name and
Peter just
doesn't give
them the
answer.
Remember
your math
teacher at
school, show
your work
in.
Well Peter
says come
on then.
Takes them
on a wee
history lesson
to see it.
Really quickly
verse 17
he takes
them to the
prophets.
They were
talking about
the suffering
servant, the
one God
would send
to willingly
and unflinchingly
lay down his
life to win
God's people.
That was
about Jesus.
That's his
point.
That was
Jesus.
He is the
suffering servant.
Verse 22
he takes them
to Moses.
Moses speaking
to his
generation about
a greater
prophet who
God would
raise up and
when the
prophet comes
the people
are to
listen, hang
on his
every word.
That was
Jesus.
Verse 25
to Abraham
who through
one of his
offspring God
was going to
bless the
nations of
the world.
that offspring
is Jesus.
Every story
whispers his
name.
This is the
point.
Every story
whispers his
name and
far from
being simply
an impressive
equation,
here's what's
on offer.
And I want
you to get
this.
If you've
tuned out
over the
last 10
minutes,
tune in
for this
last little
section.
Here's what's
on offer.
Verse 19
Come to
God so
that your
sins may be
wiped out.
Wiped out.
our sins.
I remember
in our
school classroom
when we
went from
blackboards
to white
boards.
Right?
Teacher asking
us when we
had a
blackboard,
does anyone
want to
clean the
blackboard?
Everyone's
hands by
their side.
But we
got a
whiteboard.
Man alive
we've never
seen anything
like this.
Got to
spray it,
got to
wipe it.
Anyone
want to
help?
Everyone's
hands up.
The joy
of making
something
spotlessly
clean.
And this
is what
this is
saying.
It wiped
out our
sins.
wiped out
our sins.
It's what
Christ has
done on
the cross.
It's what
it means
to be
his.
And at
times of
refreshing,
do you
see it?
Times of
refreshing may
come from
God.
And I
think that's
Peter's
exact point
as he
lands it
in verse
26.
When God
raised up
his servant
he sent
him first
to you
to bless
you by
turning each
of you from
your wicked
ways.
It's almost
like he's
saying you
guys have
got first
dibs on
this
invitation.
And he
draws a
direct line
between
turning and
listening to
Jesus and
knowing God's
blessing.
God's blessing
is found in
responding rightly
to the risen and
glorified Christ.
And in so doing
knowing him,
knowing God is
your father.
Knowing him.
God's blessing
is found in
God's blessing
to him.
You know,
Luke's given
us two big
reasons,
right?
And I think
just as we
close the
question,
the end
becomes,
becomes a bit
more pointed,
it becomes,
are you
listening to
Jesus?
Are we
allowing his
voice?
And this is a
challenge for
all of us
here today.
Are we
allowing his
voice,
his truth,
as we encounter
him in the
pages of
scripture,
are we allowing
him to
direct and
to fill our
hearts and
our minds?
You know,
when was the
last time you
sat down and
you were just
thrilled with
the voice of
your shepherd?
When was the
last time that
he spoke deeply
into your soul?
Friends,
we need to be
listening to him.
We need him.
What a great
king.
What a wonderful
shepherd.
Listen,
our time is
gone,
but I just
want to give
you this one
story just as
we close.
It's a story
about my
friends down at
Charlotte Chapel,
Paul Rees.
He told me a
story about
six months
ago about
an older
man in his
congregation
who died,
and he did
the funeral.
The days leading
up to the
funeral,
he goes to
visit the
family,
and the
family gave
him the
old man's
Bible.
So Paul
gets home,
he's kind of
going through
it,
just interested
in what's
going on,
flicking
through it,
and all of a
sudden he
stops at a
page because
he notices a
huge circle,
huge circle
around this
page in the
guy's Bible.
I don't know
if you do
that, I do
that, just
underline it.
He's a
huge, huge
circle, and
it's a
circle around
the words
of Psalm
130.
If you,
Lord, kept
a record of
sins, Lord,
who could
stand?
But with
you there is
forgiveness,
so that we
can with
reverence
serve you.
And this
old man
never got
over the
joy of
in Christ
being right
with God,
and knowing
him as
father, and
as he
particularly
approached
the end
of his
earthly
life,
knowing in
Christ what
the future
held.
Why?
Because of
this promise
in Psalm
130.
Repent
then, and
turn to
God, so
that your
sins may be
wiped out,
that times of
refreshing may
come from the
Lord, and
that he may
send the
Messiah who
has been
appointed for
you, even
Jesus.
Heaven must
receive him,
until the
time comes
for God
to restore
everything
as he
promised long
ago through
his holy
prophets.
Friends, our
souls need
Acts 3.
Our souls need
Acts 3.
And may God
through his
spirit encourage
us this
morning.
Let's pray.
I heard the
voice of
Jesus say,
Behold, I
freely give.
The living
water, thirsty
one, stoop
down and
drink and
live.
I came to
Jesus and
I drank of
that life-giving
stream.
My thirst
was quenched,
my soul
revived, and
now I live
in him.
Father, thank
you so much
for your
love for
us.
Thank you
for giving
us your
spirit as
a guarantee
of the
future.
As a
Lord, I
pray for us
today, whoever
is watching
this, whether
we're in the
building, Father,
that you would
strengthen our
souls with
the promises
that we read
in Acts 3.
The promise,
the truth of
the glorified
Jesus.
Oh, Lord, help
us to find
our identity
in him and
everything that
he's accomplished
for us and
everything that
lies ahead of
us now and
wonderfully in
the future.
Father, thank
you that you
love us and
we pray these
things in
Jesus' name.
Amen.