Care Without Caring (Part A)

Such a miracle demand an explanation. You just feel somebody's been lame from birth, always at the church door and and not say what's going on here we have the manifold glory of God.

Several things are happening while God is using his apostles. That's one thing he's healed this lame beggar. That's two things in the third thing is, God has drawn the people, not by gimmicks but by his work this Solomon's porch with AR. As I commented before, I don't know I need to tell you that this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of acts. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick and acts chapter 3 as he begins a brand-new study called care without caring will be looking at the Bible to learn how to be better Christians to better serve the Lord Jesus Christ. The world is going to do it is going to do wistful to wistful. What were supposed to do is know the word know how to lead people to Christ and know how to strengthen each other as believers and I just don't think everyone current event merits a prophetic comment anyway, I like prophecy. Don't get me wrong, I believe in it, but I think that sometimes a congregation can hide behind prophecy and miss the rebukes that we need and the encouragements that we need from verse by verse exploration of what God has told us. Acts chapter 3 verses 11 through 26. It'll be about three minutes. It probably takes you longer to pump gas and so will be fine. Acts chapter 3, beginning at verse 11.

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people.

Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. You denied the holy one and the just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses in his name, through faith in his name is made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of his prophets that the Christ would suffer. He has thus refilled repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus Christ was preached to you before whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Moses truly said to the father is Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren him you show here in all things whatever he says to you, and it shall be that every soul will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people yes and all the prophets from Samuel and those who follow as many as have spoken have also foretold these days you are sons of the prophets in the covenant which God made with our father saying to Abraham and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed to you first God, having raised up his servant Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. Some seem to suppose that if you're not coddling them you don't care, and that is a high maintenance road that leads to useless places. The title of this message is care without caring and I want to repeat that some people suppose it seems that if you are not coddling them that you do not care. Peter cared for lost souls. He cared for the lost souls of his brethren. These preaching to that we just considered a moment ago he cared for lost souls, but he did so without caring if they turn on him for telling them the truth about their guilt given the opportunity was going to tell the truth about their sin, and he did just that. We understand this is what we understand that a doctor cares what he doesn't is care without caring when he's inflicting pain on us to try to make us better Peter and all of the preachers of the gospel in the New Testament, especially were never careless about preaching to sinners. Peter let him have the truth about themselves that they would not have looked at without such a man is he filled with the Holy Spirit. But he also offered the antidote to the poison the poison of sin and that of course is Christ knowing God's love is neither natural nor is it always easy to enter into, nor is it always easy to retain, to continue to love knowing these things, we find ourselves dependent on God and that's where he wants us. Would you rather be dependent upon yourself would you rather be dependent on someone else. Would you rather be dependent on God.

All of them are difficult because the world is cursed, except that we also accept a mission in the cursed world. Paul writing to the Ephesians says to know the love of Christ with passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God, the love of Christ passes knowledge is something that is beyond us, but he has not abandoned us. He helps us through his Spirit. Well, now we going to look at the verses that I think what stands out again as the title says that Peter did care what he did not care that they would be offended at the things that were inexcusable and they needed to be held accountable for is going to have a great victory. Doing it this way because there are those that think appeasing people into the kingdom is the way to go. And that is I think false. Verse 11. Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to meet them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. Well, just a little background.

Of course Peter and John entering the temple of the time of prayer and there's a beggar he's lame from all of his life is in his 40s. He's asking for alms. And Peter says I don't have money but I have Jesus Christ in an Peter raised the man up healed him right there on the spot and this of course drew the crowds because they were all familiar with this man. He was constantly well that's where he was his habit of posting himself at the entrance to the temple and so here the man that is healed is hanging onto believers is a Lotta thought into that he's glad to be rid of his lame past and doesn't mind letting people know this, unlike lots wife.

He not looking back at the lame life. Everything is forward for this man is very excited about what is happened to him. Some may say see how caring and gentle. The apostles were and they were but they were other things to we get to chapter 5 and find out the leaders of the church. It is this good. If they don't abuse it. If they keep the congregation a little off balance. How else do you bear the rod of correction, LSU effectively minister the word we all being sinners and we're going to see that in latter chapters. They are loving but they are also not to be trifled with. Within the church there very defensive of the church as they should be because if they are not defensive.

There is no defense in this, the devil just walks right in and takes over and the next thing you know they call themselves the church, but they're not preaching the things of the church and that whole denominations have been sucked into that. He says here in verse 11, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed that Luke is writing this is wrong. Many years after these events have taken place. But Luke was meticulous in his research interviewing and getting to the facts, omitting what he could not establish an putting it in clear Greek language hi Greek language I should add findings that he was able to validate such a miracle demanded an explanation.

You just heal somebody who's been lame from birth, always at the church door and and not say was going on here we have the manifold glory of God. Several things are happening while God is using his apostles. That's one thing he's healed this lame beggar. That's two things in the third thing is, God has drawn the people, not by gimmicks but by his work this Solomon's porch with AR.

As I commented before, I don't know I need to tell you that will maybe case you think I'm just being redundant about it is that I think it is very human that these men Going to the place where Jesus taught from in John's Gospel chapter 10 Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. What here. They are there again and in chapter 5 we read it again and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. This was sort of a safe place for them to preach Christ now.

The Jews did not really understand yet that this was separate from Julia's for a long time even even wrong thought that Christianity was a sect of Judaism. Once Jerome found out it was an old man they turned up the persecution at that may use it to their advantage as best they could. Many Christians I think are very unclear about their identity where we are not Old Testament Hebrews, and that's not an insult to anyone Jewish. It is a fact that we are New Testament Christians with your Jewish or Gentile makes no difference. It's a level playing field. But God's people still chosen to be his emblem of what what he has in store for humanity still is the chosen people. The Jewish people and it is really even though it's been used as an insult. In all, the Jew isn't honorable name it become Judah, God's tribe that God chose to produce the first God chosen King David was God's choice and he was. Judah was the tribe and it is very much connected to the prophecies and the will of God on even into the millennial kingdom. It is still a factor because again there will be people born in the millennial agent have no knowledge of these things are going to be born in of a blank canvas and the only way the governor learn about Jesus Christ as if there taught about Jesus Christ and the Jews as a people and the believers, the righteous will be a part of that education well coming back to this verse 12. So when Peter saw.

He responded to the people.

Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk how this is appreciable moment that God created for Peter and he sees I'm free to go to just burst it out with the sermon anytime he wanted to.

That would've been foolish.

He's prompted by the spirit of God and the circumstances around him is what we don't just walk around Walmart is shouting out the gospel, we want the Lord to say go stop. That's what means what one of the things it means that he is Lord takes so much guilt away here when I first became a Christian. It was just I didn't. I was so relieved I didn't have to celebrate holidays if I wanted didn't want to. I could if I wanted to. I really don't want to. But most people bully me and to want trying to get me to want to, but that's okay. I just don't love you as much as the guns that leave me alone and you should know that. Anyway, just the freedom that comes with Christ in reading the New Testament the jam the gospel down anybody's throat is sneaking out to them. I just need to wait be ready and wait for the Lord to say get them and and that his of that to me that's what I find going on here in the New Testament. What a relief. Have a coworker working with the say hey did you know I was a Christian and you're not. I don't have to do anything like that. I just have to be me. God will bring it up one way or another. He'll give me the shot if he's working on that person's heart. Anyway, the beggar he left the preaching to Peter. He was not asked to give his testimony Peter was the one the man of the word that was going to take complete control over this moment. It wasn't you know you must be an expert on everything now because God you experience something so therefore you're an expert. That's up. I think it's a terrible way to think if you've experienced a surgery I don't think you're an expert on on surgeries. I don't think it will let you operate on me but we do this, some of us we do this with Christianity. Somebody is experienced something so now they become the great Wizard, the one that has all the wisdom to give us a dangerous place to be Christians. If you think that you have some advice for somebody you better be very careful. The saying is summed up in this fool's goal where angels fear to tread.

This is serious business, a spiritual war and just dole out the wisdom like you're some sort of Sage's citizen is dangerous.

I would rather be led by the spirit and have God's sake, go ahead and tell them that or just button… There in the will have a good day together so that learning to be led Christian should embrace this. This is a wonderful thing to wonder what makes us different from the world while one of them is we are led by the spirit as Paul writes to the Romans as many that are led by the spirit of God, these are the children of God. I want to be led by the spirit of God I am a child of God. Here Peter and the man healed and John are all in accord with flowing. At this point today. Some Christian publishers would have recognized the bestseller in this event, and over the years I've seen so many come and go live had their experience. They published a book. It's all received for wall than in a few years, you need to know that the book even exist. I don't know if that's just always the right thing the right way to go.

And part of the role of the pastor and the pulpit is to tell you things to spark in your thinking something that needs to be addressed that otherwise would not have been addressed, you might say, you know, that's a good point. Of course, if you hips morning.

You're going to say that throughout the service. But if you are in another church. For example, listening to somebody else, why, but that is as if you were and if you're visiting I'm kidding about the you being in another church seriously will be serious. I want to have fun right now. Seriously, if you are looking when you listen to a sermon God is putting things out there for you to consider as you know, if it hurts, it does hurt sometimes you think. When the pastor is preparing his message is not getting hit you think is above every body that would mean you're missing a lot of important features about how ministry works well. Anyway coming back to this.

Jesus warned about spotlight Christianity.

He warned about celebrity Christians in Matthew 23. The when you go to the marketplace will be looking for is recognize you all the areas I've been deciding you know this is not this is not good for us all get to a toaster quote about that and I just warning you because toes are of course just had a way of being very concise and dealing with our flesh in a way that we otherwise might not have allowed it. Men of Israel, he said, still a pronounced Jewish emphasis at this stage in Christianity look. We owe the Jews so much as Gentiles go the structure of the church is set up by the synagogues, with the data that's our pattern. Not entirely, but much of it appalled did that and it's a good thing. Well, in verse 12. Here, the Jewish men are addressed in verse 13, the Jewish fathers are referred to. Then in verses 21 through 25.

Peter will bring up Moses and Samuel and the prophets, and that the last of it. Verse 25 he will call them children of the prophets, and the covenant, and this is so this is exciting. These endorsements of the Old Testament Scripture appropriately. The message goes first to the Jew than from the Jew. And here Peter is up becoming all things to all men taking advantage not an exploitive way, not exploiting them but taking advantage of his knowledge of the Jewish culture being that you and then using that to preach Christ. Paul will come along and do it with the Gentiles.

He learns the Gentile life he lived amongst the Gentiles to Saul of Tarsus, and he used that he even boasted I become all things to all men, that doesn't mean he became a center for sinners. It means that he identified with them in their culture and their lives as he ministered the truth and did not live above them or apart from them as far as preaching about life in the fallen world.

Here in verse 12.

Still, why do you marvel, Peter asked them because to Peter. What's the big deal about God doing a miracle you say. Well Peter you know are you are you true that I think is very true.

I think Peter said Lord of the Jew you beckoned me to come out walk on the water. I think he was say I have no problem with Jesus doing a miracle we got on the water is another story, but I could to see Peter making excuses what I had let my pocket what what anyway continuing in verse 12, or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we made this man walk best were tools of the Lord, you know if if you were drowning someone through your life preserver you be very grateful for the life preserver but you wouldn't walk up to and thank it after it would be the one who tossed to you and Peter is simply saying God is the one that deserves the praise. The easy thing to understand. At least it seems to me very easy to understand those days of trusting individuals to work miracles they ended in the days of the apostles, not the miracles miracle still take place from time to time, but trusting an individual when you know Naaman was had the leprosy. It was a little Jewish girl that said if he only knew my master Elisha he could go and be healed or cleansed of his of his leprosy. Paul the apostle. Of course you know he and Peter were doing extraordinary miracles in the fledgling days of the church, but became a timer. Paul wrote refinements. I have left in Miletus sick.

That's a pretty big statement and that so this is of course the days of faith and trusting in the Lord, but to think that there is somebody that is the spiritually better than the rest of us that has this you know connection to God. That is a mistake that is not biblical. And Peter is saying I'm just the vessel I'm just the instrument don't pick up the tool and thank it is the one who uses the tool so he turns attention away from the lame man and himself, and he exalts the Lord is with toes are said about the flesh. Nothing that comes from God will minister to my pride or self-congratulation.

See, these are the things we say and write for others to think about and and work through and I think that's where the growth and edification largely takes place. Verse 13 the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go Christ had to die for us, but you cannot read the gospel story. I don't think as a believer and have this wish that he would escape the cross. Thank God he didn't escape the cross. But you know we want you know he was the closest cutter would Peter saying and you messed it up. But really, of course, he died for our sins had Peter only said the God of Abraham, the Ishmaelites would've had a claim without the law of Moses had. He said the God of Abraham and Isaac. The Edomites would've had a claim without the law of Moses.

This is very important that there's a unbroken witness connection here to Abraham and the law of Moses and the prophets, and the fulfilling of prophecy in Christ. This is critical information. Peter narrows it down to the chosen people in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the fathers, those of the Scripture those of the covenant within that covenant is the promise of a new covenant, or to say it another way is the promise of a new testament. That's why we call it the New Testament comes right out of Jeremiah so many children of godly parents not trade truth for sensation or the gods of Satan. Satan won't tell you, as a rule, that he is killing your soul and you know to be younger so many things going on with your life.

You know you you don't yet know really what you are not yet been tested by so many things that's understandable. What is not understand is to be born in a godly home and dismissed that move. You've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply visit cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick, you can subscribe cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of acts right here on cross reference radio