Acts Chapter 3:11-17

Hello Peter, goes into personal accountability is as you guys are in part responsible for the death of Jesus. This is another important part in talking to people about their faith, and saying hey you know you are personally accountable to God. And of course many of you have experience where you start talking about your faith to somebody and they want to talk about everything they want to talk about the boat they want to talk about prophecy they want to talk about politics they want to talk about the pygmies in Africa knew when Isaac was actually never an is not what somebody else who hasn't heard is going to do.

The question is what are you going to do with what you're hearing now welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today we have on the program with this DA Brown one of David McGee's associate pastors. The bridge welcome brother can give us a little insight today. How can Bob is a follower of Jesus.

Today Pasadena explains how we can begin sharing our faith by finding common ground as he continues in the book of acts chapter 3.

This is a great time to ask yourself, are we showing others see grace, so let's listen as David McGee teaches sharing your faith will pick it up in verse 11 says 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. 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 again.

Painting the picture. What happened man outside the temple, Peter and John going to play God use them to heal this lame man now noticed immediately what happened. The people around Peter tried to give Peter kind of the credit watching us closely what Peter does. Peter immediately starts Simon Peter healing ministries International Inc. starts toward nationality. This is when me. It's not me it's got it's so important when God uses us and God desires to use everyone is so important. When God uses us that we give God the glory give the glory to God. Praise the Lord so you'll hear a lot of people around here when you say hey appreciate you doing matter. Glad you did that, or that was helpful or good job whether they will praise the Lord. That doesn't mean that you're in sin if you say you're welcome. I need to clarify because Gabby was it. Thanks and I said oh you're welcome. I'm so sorry it's okay to say you're welcome, but as a point of saying you know what give glory to God because as we do that the door opens more for God to use us in verse 13, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let them get what you know is first thing that Peter does here is he times in Judaism or the Jewish faith with the belief in Jesus as the Messiah. We need to understand at this point there are no Gentiles in the church. The church is just Jewish people believing in Jesus the first missionaries were Jewish people. Jesus was a Jewish man born into a Jewish family. He was the Jewish Messiah. We need to understand what Peter doesn't Peter find the common ground and he talks about the God of Abraham, Isaac, so important when you're trying to share with somebody when you're trying to build a bridge with Samantha first. Life lesson. Find the common ground when sharing your faith, find the common ground when sharing your faith anything that we usually do the opposite. We usually try to figure out what we argue about. Perhaps you talking to somebody that it has been really disillusioned with the church and they say how you know I just I don't want to go church is just you know bunch of hypocrites filled their layer in times of said well there's always room for one more.

That's not always so say you know I've had some really bad spirits with Christians to and it just goes to show you that we all need a Savior. People in church people out of church instead of defending a snoozing thing with church history and people start on my church history not start trying to defend this are defined not for the more upsetting the more I dug the more I understand there is no defense for some of what the church is the dog really good and it's amazing.

As terrible as probably looks like a bunch of people that need somebody to lead them out of a sense that you build that bridge and I so important when you're talking to somebody to do that. And Peter does that so beautifully in this teaching but then look where he goes verse 14 that you did not have the holy one and the just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to the you may remember they asked for Barabbas to be released in cried out for Jesus to be crucified. Verse 15 says, and killed the Prince of life from God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. God's get ready use Peter in an amazing way he just use Peter to heal this lame man and now he's going to use him to proclaim the gospel. What are the things that we see about Peter that make him usable.

If you will look to think about them on right off number one person willing to give God the glory person willing to give God the glory is so important that when God uses you. You give God the glory and you don't take a bow for yourself so. Second thing is a person who knows the word of God person who knows the word of God to know this book get to know this, but Peter goes into personal accountability and says you guys are in part responsible for the death of Jesus. This is another important part in talking to people about their faith and say in a you know you are personally accountable to God. And of course many of you have experience where you start talking about your faith to somebody and they want to talk about everything else they want to talk about the boat they want to talk about prophecy they want to talk about politics they want to talk about the pygmies in Africa knew what pygmies after they never an is not what somebody else who hasn't heard is going to do. The question is what are you going to do with what you're here now and you bring in this personal accountability and you build this bridge and then you start talking about Jesus. I still love doing street ministry with them. N. Elm St. counterparty Central in Greensboro Friday night walking up and down the street just talking to people and and so would Bob is out and no one cannot enthrone Bob as I was just talking to Pete I was just talking to people in the few years back I went to High Point Rd. in Greensboro, no party stripping just going talk to the people we went to one group and these guys were in this parking lot.

You know they had all these muscle cars and stuff and so start talking about muscle cars and engines and near all the stuff and then after talking for a bit. Start talked about is in the door was open so they admitted they said you know what I think everyone of us knows Jesus as our Savior's not living right subdued understand that the Lord misses you as you are out of fellowship.

Someone teared up at the lesson, he cannot play with you guys and so we prayed and I encourage them in their faith as we walk off held up a different track unit would like flames on the front of it negotiate you with these guys swing guys because with these guys combined, through these out of the car.

Edison and took off without any as an owner not really with them build the bridge talk to people bring in this personal accountability now Peter says, whom God has raised from the dead. This is interesting because this is like 53, 54, maybe even 60 days after the crucifixion of Jesus within a couple of months. He was talking to people that were there was an important fact that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead is not a fable or fairytale or folklore's an historic event as a matter fact, Roman and Jewish historians record that Jesus was resurrected that Josephus, me and one reality and had it not been around some people around here goal limit no way we thought was great wisdom of the body that does not happen as it think too often we shy away from resurrection. Can you imagine what's going through their heart, their head as they realize the crucified their Messiah. Sadly enough, it's going to be the same thing that goes through hearts and heads of people who've rejected Jesus made funny Jesus when they stand in front of Jesus because here's the thing everyone of us in this room. Everybody's going to meet Jesus every five is going to meet Jesus question is when will they meet. We meet him here in this life on this planet. May I suggest that you do that because it you meet him for the first time after you pass away at the rapture of the church to be a pleasant meeting review meeting here and then you see him then be great rejoicing. So you either rejoice with him now and turn to him now.

Are there will be a day when you stand before lost stumbling with your words you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved. You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior. You need people to pray for them.

You need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's virtual here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well. Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior. Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones. What an awesome way to bring love once to Jesus, here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a couple minutes to pray for some cities in our listening audience specifically to caccia Durrant Edmon Oklahoma City with stirred in Woodward Oklahoma, Lord, thank you for the people in these cities.

Thank you that we get the broadcast in these areas. God, I pray that you would plug people in Bible believing churches or to pray. People haven't put their trust in you yet that today would be the day we pray for the city leaders. The mayor, the police chief fire marshal father all those in government, low acid you give them wisdom and discernment and they would look to your word for advice on how to lead and how to serve the people and their communities in God. We pray that your Holy Spirit will be poured out on the cities and that many people would be changed forever. In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse. Verse 16 is name, through faith in his name, has 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 start with the man. It was being healed and he points to God said this man is strong because Jesus mentions his name must be clear about something because there's some confusion in the church.

The about the name Jesus name above all names.

No question we need to understand that Greek word for name is Mark that the Hebrew word there is sham. It is the word for name. It doesn't just mean the letters of the name of somebody see in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament in the Jewishness of things you were named in when will your character will your personality.

That's why sometimes people have their names changed.

That's why sometimes I wouldn't even name a child until later only got to know him and see what hamburger was like and then they give them the name. Why is that important because we have kinda separated something in her mind between the nature of Jesus in the name of Jesus people pray where prayer sometimes you know Lord, I want you to give me that man's house. Give me a man's car and given that man bank account did give me that man's family. The name of Jesus. Amen.

Good prayer, but see if you think you can just say anything and then pack it with the name of Jesus and think it's going to happen your mistake, your mistake. Now let's change that were named the nature and see how it goes where. Give me that man's house in his bank account in his family. Give me his car in the nature of Jesus separate falls apart. That's what we need to ask as we pray this prayer according to the nature of Jesus God mercy for him mercy for me.

God judgment for him the name of Jesus. Well prayer fell apart. If you say in the nature of Jesus. So that's what we have to do in figuring out the nature of Jesus and then following Jesus.

According to his nature. That's what we should all be doing. May we all begin the following Jesus and not just use his name and fling it around like something almost like some incantation but be following the one we say is our Lord and King as we do we take on his nature, and guess what your prayers will train your prayers were change and again you know Peter's given the Lord the glory for what goes on here in it's interesting because here's this disciple and he's you know from the northern part of Israel from Galilee, and right now he's ministering if you will, to the deep theologians of Jerusalem. These guys have been schooled in the Koran. All these things and schooled in the sea Verizon so but there's something wrong in this academic knowledge of God.

They don't know we've almost gotten to the point today where we think will there's an academic theological knowledge of God and then there's the normal people say there's only one café is the everyday living faith now. We should begin to understand the word of God we should begin to read the word you had to say.

Well, there's this academic thing and then there's daily let you know what I'm sorry I I'm questioning after knowledge and study all the time and that dig in the word and I love it, but an academic knowledge of God never got a bite mayor factors. A lot of people away from reliving vibrant faith and in the more you know about Jesus and the more you know about God as you live out your vibrant faith.

You see that this not this and this is one thing, over 17 Peter so kind to these guys… Yet now brother and I know that you did it in ignorance is that also your rulers very merciful number when he calls her brothers again. What will stop and ask yourself the questions that we should as we look for the work who's he talking to when is he talking to.

Where is he talking. He's talking to him in Jerusalem shortly after the crucifixion of Jesus is talking to the people that played a part in the murder and execution of his spiritual teacher of his rebel not is Rabbi. They killed.

They killed his friend and read verse 17 again. Yet now know that you did it in ignorance is still so your rulers the mercy and the grace of God is just pouring out of Peter right man pour out of us. Peter had an awesome model and doing this as you remember, you probably heard the words of Jesus from across 23 and Jesus said, father forgive them for they do not know what they do now. We look at that verse and we thought about verse and some people think, well, that's because Jesus knew that these people were going to repent. Maybe there was a tear falling from.

There are he just knew that there was a spark of innate human goodness and right.

None of that. But let me remind you of how the verse ends because we often quote part of this verse 2330 for the rest of it. Then Jesus and father forgive them for they do not know what they do and they divided his garments and cast lots is what they were doing at the foot of the cross. While Jesus was not in Jesus looked at him and said father forgive them so awesome people are messed in their living lives that you can deliver closely their leaven on because they don't have a knowledge of God. They don't know who he is. They don't know his love and his grace and his mercy, and if they did they listen live like but how often we put on our religious condescending glasses and down her nose at when just probably a short time ago for a lot of us. We were living just like there may we be able to look at people and safe father forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Don't know what they're doing. Granted, some people live in out kindhearted, hardhearted to God and calloused. You know so many more people that don't know that. Haven't really heard the good news. Jesus is important when you mentioned personal accountability. When you bring in personal account really understand you need need to talk about sin, you do need to talk about sin discovered in talking to people.

I've never been talking to someone about Jesus.

You know like in a bar outside bar on the street when they been partying or anything like that and then go will not Center all have a problem never had one person in those situations and try to tell me they were in the center. You know where I have had people tell me that good churchgoing folk from any known problems on diverse when you're to brother Richard will fire every Easter and Christmas on the church see you you you don't struggle with no sure you do for start going to church is flat and then having the walk-throughs and say well you know really if you're saying you don't have a problem with sin and that you aren't struggling and you know still sent you're saying the Bible is not true what you mean about not your senses. There's no one right just not one all of falling short of the glory of God says. It says a hard time trying to witness the church people may sound weird to some of is not weird people in churches all across triad this morning, Jesus. Sad thing is there and I don't hear about them this morning. I think the five while well because they're doing the best I can hope in the good outweighs the bad.

I would not want to be explained and that when the Jesus at the end of my life so as we share this now and I've been tempted at times to be in people and long face religious people that Jesus seem to have a problem with as well. I get stirred up sometimes bills and I want to get her but is that what I should do now. I need to be motivated by love. Love them. I came across a verse in my personal reading. They just jump out at me and I just read it several times. First Corinthians 1614 let all that you do be done with love.

Let all that you do be done with love for challenging let all that you do.

Now the thing is now some of you can read. I got some possible well yeah but God always tell us do impossible things. He's always telling other people do impossible things, he told a blind man a C total lame and the walking, that's not enough. He told a dead man to come out of his grave and he tells us to love one another. Do all things. Life lesson here be motivated by love be motivated by love. See when you go to share with someone and you can often, since the motivational sunlight sometimes of seeing people share and it's almost like they they run up and share the gospel so they can get can get like a another spiritual notch on their belt people sense that they says well you just tell me is because your buddy are trying to pressure buddy list with you and is as you say your piece really never think about making be motivated by love for that person. Well pastor, you don't understand what all is going on in my life I've been hurt been wounded. I have a hard time loving people. The meeting be motivated by love of God to share with other people to pray off God's only with more love for you. That's a good prayer to pray God fill me with more love for you and here's what happened.

As God fills me with more love for him will overflow and will overflow over to other people and show forth the love that he's given me to them.

Remember that and being motivated by love your sharing because the reality is you reject you reject reject him and you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. So congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.

But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you'd like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge.

Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading plan and the thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart.

The David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the book of acts