Unhindered: Don't Get Stuck Here (Acts 3:11-12)

Series: Unhindered

Sermon: Don't Get Stuck Here

Scripture: Acts 3:11-22

Date: February 10, 2019

He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ - with all boldness and without hindrance! (Acts 28:31, series verse)

Last week's weekly growth suggestion: Ask God regularly for divine appointments where you can share His love and/or message with someone.  Give something away this week.

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.  But 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.  And His 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.  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 all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.  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, who 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.  For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren.  Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.'"  (Acts 3:11-11)

 

The closer they are to what Jesus is doing in the life of His friends the more likely they are to get unhindered.

We don't want to be stuck:
   ...lost and not knowing Jesus.
   ...living in fear.
   ...living for other people's approval.
   ...living in apathy.
   ...living in procrastination.
   ...living in pride.
   ...living as a slave to busyness.

The Bible's key to not being stuck is to repent.

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.  (Acts 3:19)

I want us to see three things to help us repent, keep getting unhindered, and not to get stuck:

1. Stop setting Jesus as a threat
   • Even after Jesus was raised from the dead, they held on to their old ways of doing things rather than give their life to Him.
   • 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.  But 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.  (Acts 3:13-15)
   • Is Jesus a threat to you today?  Is He a threat to your lifestyle?
   • Jesus is a threat to your:
     • procrastination
     • desire to not speak up for Him
     • sexual immorality
     • complacency
     • tradition
     • language
   • The sins are the big threat!
   • The procrastination is really not helping you.
   • You really would like to say to your marriage partner that they are the only one.
   • The fear really is no fun.
   • The pride really does get in the way of good relationships.
   • The complacency really is not getting you where you want to go.
   • Hanging on to traditions can really get in the way of worshipping Jesus.
2. Start seeing Jesus as someone to trust
   • And His 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.  (Acts 3:16)
   • When you and I repent, turn to Jesus, and allow Him to make some changes where we are stuck, we will be eternally glad we did.
   • That backpack may have:
     • fear of what others think
     • need of other people's approval too much
     • fear of letting go
     • holding on to traditions or old ways of doing things
     • closed into yourself
   • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV)
3. Simply share what Jesus has done as a testimony
   • And His 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.  (Acts 3:16)
   • 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, who 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.  (Acts 3:19-21)
   • Let's not miss what Jesus offers us today.