Unhindered: Unhindered Generosity (Acts 3:1-10)

Series: Unhindered

Sermon: Unhindered Generosity

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Date: February 3, 2019

 

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

Last week's weekly growth suggestion: Take one of the habits we talk about today and, either start doing it, or add some meaning to how you do it.

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.  And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."  So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.  Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God.  And all the people saw him walking and praising God.  Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.  (Acts 3:1-10)

 

The point is that the first church's idea of worship and prayer was not a once-a-week event; rather, it was their lifestyle.

To the Jew, almsgiving was the most sacred of all religious duties.  How sacred it was may be seen from the fact that the Jews used the same word - tzedakah - for both righteousness and almsgiving.  To give alms and to be righteous were one and the same thing.

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.  (Acts 4:4)

All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  (Acts 2:44-45)

A stingy people will not see many people come to Jesus.  A generous people will see God's blessings much more.

Let's see three applications from Acts 3 to help us live unhindered by being generous:

1. Give to who you can
   • Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms.  And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."  (Acts 3:1-4)
   • A couple of lessons here:
     1. Give the gift of attention.
        • Are you open to God interrupting your day to be generous to someone?
     2. Do for one what you wish you could do for all.
   • 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.  "I ask that today an opportunity to give will come my way, that I will recognize it when it does, and that I will have the courage to jump in and give."
   • "Give daily, in small ways, and you will be happier.  Give and you will be healthier.  Give, and you will even live longer."  -Dr. Stephen Post
   • "Opening our eyes and ears to the people around us and asking 'How can we give?' is a profoundly life-giving and satisfying way to live."  -Brad Formsma
2. Give what you can
   • You have a lot to give.
   • And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."  So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.  Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God.  (Acts 3:4-8)
   • Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.  (2 Timothy 4:20)
   • There are several things in this story they gave worth noting:
     1. attention
     2. healing
     3. praise
        • So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them - walking, leaping, and praising God.  (Acts 3:8)
     4. gospel
        • 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?"  (Acts 3:12)
   • "You make a living by what you earn and a life by what you give."  -Winston Churchill
   • Joy doesn't come from filling your life with stuff.  Joy comes from giving your life away.
3. Give for God's glory
   • Let's be generous so people will see how wonderful Jesus is.