Acts Pt. 6 | Sermon Notes
Acts Pt. 6
Pastor Chris Pletcher
October 27, 2024
Acts 3:1-16 //
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Faith in His Name
What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1-6 //
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
FAITH IS CONVICTION AND ASSURANCE. It “understands” 2 things…
The CREATIVE POWER of God’s voice
The INVISIBLE REALITY behind “what is seen”
This is the key to a life of miracles. You must “understand” and “be convinced” that what you cannot see is actually more real than what you can see.
Matthew 17:14-20 //
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, 15 said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. 16 And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Mustard Seed // All you need is a “mustard seed” of conviction in the RIGHT THING. In other words, it’s the OBJECT of your faith that matters… not the SIZE of your faith.
Confession // Faith in myself vs. Faith in HIM!
What is the significance of “His Name”?
“In Jewish thought, a name is not merely an arbitrary designation, a random combination of sounds. The name conveys the nature and essence of the thing named. It represents the history and reputation of the being named.” (www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org)
Nature & Essence
History & Reputation
5 Key Names of our God //
YHWH - “I am who I am” - “To the King eternal, immortal, invisible” (1 Tim. 1:17)
El Shaddai - Powerful, strong, almighty, omnipotent
Lord of Hosts - Master of angel armies, Mighty in battle. The Lord is a warrior!
Yeshua - YHWH Delivers! The one who saves, heals and rescues from darkness.
Abba - Daddy. Papa. Heavenly Father. (Matthew 7:7-11)
Is our FAITH in HIS NAME?
Is our conviction and assurance tied to HIS NATURE & ESSENCE?
When we pray, are we remembering HIS HISTORY & REPUTATION?
All you need is a “mustard seed” of conviction in the RIGHT THING. In other words, it’s the OBJECT of your faith that matters… not the SIZE of your faith.
Faith & Miracles // What’s the connection? A survey of the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 2:5 // And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Mark 5:27-34 // She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 10:47-52 // And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Romans 10:18 // “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
On one hand, we see Jesus applaud and celebrate people’s FAITH.
On the other hand, what is the one thing we see Him rebuking most often? UNBELIEF.
(Remember Nazareth??? Questions → Offense → Unbelief → No mighty works)
Mark 4:39-41 // And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Mark 9:18-20 // And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.
Mark 16:14 // Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Rebuke my unbelief!
Are we convinced???
Are you convinced that God has the power to miraculously heal people?
Are you convinced that all of these stories are true?
Are you convinced that God still heals people today?
Are you convinced that God wants to have mercy on you and heal you?
Matthew 7:7-11 //
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Response //
If you aren’t convinced, we need to get you there.
Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Where am I not convinced of your nature?
Faith comes from hearing… testimonies are a game-changer for your faith
If you are convinced, we need to get you speaking.
Proverbs 18:20 // “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Matthew 17:20 // For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”