Ordinary Days Can Turn into Extraordinary Opportunities

I want to thank thank you for being here this morning. I have thoroughly enjoyed our time of the book of Acts together. And I've just felt led to continue that throughout the Christmas season and trying to tie what we're learning from the book of Acts to the birth of Christ it in some ways, but I just felt let it continue on this journey for the book of action looking forward to continuing that but this this morning's message. I've entitled an extraordinary gift on an ordinary day and I don't know if you've ever had just an ordinary day turn into something that became extraordinary if you think long and hard enough you probably will think of times in your life when that is happening. I thought about Mary It's just she's probably just a teenage girl living out an ordinary day. She's been engaged to Joseph. They're planning to get married and her day was probably as ordinary as any other day. She never live. She may have been doing some household chores. She may have been thinking about her wedding. She may have been thinking about all the excitement of things to come and I she is confronted by the Angel and the angel let her know that she is going to be expecting and she is going to be the mother of the Messiah and I that was an ordinary day that turned into anything but ordinary became an extraordinary day and it was a day and the days after that those nine months leading up to the birth of the Christ child and the birth of the Lord that would certainly change history leaving changed our calendar the year of Our Lord 2018. Jesus Christ life of Jesus Christ the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has forever changed history and it all started with just an ordinary day with an ordinary girl in the ordinary City who gave birth to an extraordinary a king of the king of kings and Lord of lords the Messiah and Acts chapter 3 opens up with what seems to be an ordinary day another extraordinary things that happened in the first two chapters of this book, as you know about now, Jesus had given some instructions are to his followers. He had ascended into heaven the Holy Spirit comes baptizes the believer spills then enables them to declare the wonderful works of God in a multitude of languages as a result leader is given a platform to be able to proclaim the gospel and 3,000 people become followers of Jesus Christ on that day. We find these Believers get baptized and they begin to congregate and then begin to fellowship and it begin to learn the Apostle's Apostles Doctrine together and they form what we now know or refer to as the early church and in the passage before us we're reminded that Peter and John are taking a trip to the temple to pray as they had done probably dozens. If not hundreds of times before notice with me Acts chapter 3 verses 1 through 11. Peter and John we're going up to the temple at The Hour of Prayer the ninth hour 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. Sheathing Peter and John about to go into the temple. He asked to receive on and Peter directed his gaze as did John and said look it up and he fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something from them. 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 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk. And entered the temple with them walking and leaping and praising God and all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for all. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what happened to him notice verse 11 while he close to Peter and John all the people on early astounded ran together to them in the Portico called Solomon. Would you join me again in prayer father we come to you? This Sunday. Lord for many of us. It's just an ordinary day. It's just an ordinary Sunday. Some of us have come to this place not expecting anything out of the ordinary to happen. But I pray that you would surprise us all. I pray that you would do something extra-ordinary in arm itch today something that we cannot explain because of anything that we have done or anything that we could say or anything that we could be a part of but Lord may all the glory and the praise and the honor and the credit go to you because of what you choose to do on this day Lord. I pray that you would You would help us to be forever changed by the power of the Gospel that you would help us Lord. Jesus to recognize and realize that you want to do something extraordinary for us and in us and through us and I pray that you help us to be available. I pray Lord Jesus that you would help us to.

To be able to focus on you today be able to I worship you today in spirit and in truth and I or Jesus I just ask that you would help us to not be distracted help us not to be deterred or detoured from what it is that you want to say to us and speak to us about and help us Lord. Jesus to respond to the truth and the power of the word of God in faith and be not just hearers of the word but help us to also be doers of the word. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen In this passage of scripture. There's several things that I want us to notice this morning. And the first thing that I noticed as I was reading this and studying as fast as a scripture is a fact that ordinary days can turn into extraordinary opportunities ordinary days can turn Into extraordinary opportunity the Bible tells us it was about the ninth hour and the way the Jews I kept time. There were they would begin at 6 in the morning. So this is about 3 o clock in the afternoon. It was about the ninth hour and this was the time of the afternoon sacrifice and at that time there would be people that would be coming to the temple and then after the afternoon sacrifice that would be entering into the temple and there that would gather to worship and to pray and they're really doesn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary happening at this picture in John or walking toward the temple. As I said, they have done many times before the other people that are approaching the temple and eye for them to become an ordinary tasks. You should a 40 year old man around 40 years old. The Bible tells us was born Lane. He had some issues with his extremities and he had not been able to walk isn't Fire-lite it's so what they would do day after day after day after ordinary day is it that would bring this man to the temple they would lay him somewhere around the temple as people would pass by him and he would ask for alms he would ask for help he would beg for money for help so he could get through another day. He can get through and survived another day in the Bible says that he was a lame man. He was unable to walk and obviously unable to work and he did not receive any type of government funding or any type of disability help from the the government and so he literally depended upon the generosity of the people that would walk past him on their way to the temple. Now, this was not anything out of the ordinary. This is very ordinary people who had these type of problems and needed help with often find themselves at places where people in large crowds with gather and I one of the things that that I found in my research, Is that a lot of people have the mentality that if they showed generosity and they showed Mercy to people that that that would somehow make them favor with God and so is that it was kind of this perfect storm where you had a person who had a need you had people that were going to a temple to pray and worship and they taught me in if I help this guy maybe God will hear my prayers today. Maybe maybe God will show favor on me today. And so that was just perfect storm of this of this man being able to receive the generosity from people who may or may not had ulterior motives. And so he's asking for alms he's asking for help and there's this intersection that takes place in reverse number three as he sees Peter and John about to go into the Temple and so we ask something from them. I from them and this is something that I'm sure he had done, you know from many years of his life and he's now 40 years old. This is an ordinary practice for him. This is an ordinary request for him. I'm sure that people that pass by him heard him asking for help day after ordinary day and so here he is asking this ordinary couple of guys walking by him and asking for alms, but everything was about to change because God listen God is the master of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary I think about the fact that God took no ordinary Shepherd boy and made him into an extraordinary King. Took an ordinary rock and a slingshot and used it to defeat an extraordinary Warrior a giant of a man named Goliath Don chicken ordinary lunch from a little boy that consisted of five pieces of bread and two small fish and used it to feed 5,000 men plus women and children God took an ordinary virgin Jewish girl and gave her an extraordinary task to become the mother of the Messiah God use an ordinary stable and used it to become the birthing rooms of the king of kings and Lord of lords and God took twelve ordinary men and use them to change the history of the world God likes and specializes in using the ordinary God use a simple things ordinary things simple days that are surrendered to him and placed in his hand to do extraordinary things and you this morning may feel as if you're just an ordinary person with ordinary talents and ordinary treasures and you live out your life with ordinary. But give those ordinary things to the extraordinary God and watch him do with that in a moment more than you could ever do in a thousand lifetimes ordinary request can also turn into extraordinary answers. So we see that in verses 3 through 8 as she's asking help from Peter and John a verse for the Bible says that Peter directed his gaze at him as did John and said look at us. Any fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something from them? He's expecting that they're going to give him some money. Just like all the other people are giving him money to help him get through another day. And we find out from this passage that Peter says I don't have any silver or gold but what I do, I have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Here's his ordinary man sitting in this ordinary Place asking Ordinary People for help. Just so he could survive another day and I'm sure in his mind. He thought you know, this is just going to be another ordinary day. I'm going to ask people for help. Some people are going to help me. I'm going to be able to survive another day. This day would be different this day would change his life. This day would be a day that would end up changing the life of thousands of people this ordinary request would have an extraordinary answer tied to it. When he saw Peter and John going into the temple, he asked for alms and Peter and John instructed him to look at them. I'm sure the man as I said was expecting Peter and John to give him what hundreds of others are giving him through the years the Peter quickly lets him know he doesn't have silver or gold. I don't have any money to give you before this. Man's hope to be - Peter continues a conversation to let the man know I have something much much better to give you than silver or gold. Peter was not just going to give the man something that addressed his physical need. His material need rather, but he was going to give the man something that address the root of the problem. Peter was going to address the fact that the man was lame. Peter had the ability as an apostle to bring healing to the man until he was going to heal him not just so he could eat for another day, which of the man could never I would never have to beg again you go to work you can make a living for himself. He can help others who have been placed in the position that he had been in and Peter does so the Bible says in verse 6 in the name of Jesus. And you know so many people did they have this mentality. I think that saying things are doing things in the name of Jesus is some kind of magical incantation, you know, some kind of magical spell or some kind of magical thing that people say I'm doing this in the name of Jesus. I pray this in the name of Jesus or I say this in the name of Jesus, but what year was saying is I'm doing this in the authority of the name of Jesus. I'm doing this by not by my power not by my authority, but I'm doing this by the power and the authority of Jesus Christ. Peter expresses his faith that the man was healed by the power and authority of Jesus by reaching out his hand. And lifting the man up. I keep in mind this man had never walked one step in his 40 years of life. What happens to muscles? That are used. 40 years you never used his legs to walk for 40 years. immediately God instantaneously healed him He is able to stand and not only stand the Bible tells us he starts running around jumping and praising God so Not only was there a miracle in the healing but there was a miracle in the man being able to walk immediately you watch a baby. He has to wait months and months and months and months before he is able to have enough strength and knowledge to be able to walk and this man instantaneously stood up and began to walk. One commentator said this about the miraculous healing. He said his emaciated leg muscles deformed feet that dangled at the end of brittle ankles suddenly sprang to life. He feels in his body what he has never felt before no wonder he needs a little assistance to stay and he has never stood on his own his entire life, but it didn't take him long to learn. Elite shop in stands and that is a miracle in and of itself in the first thing that he does. What is the first thing that he does look at it and verse number 8 and leaping up he stood and began to walk and enter the temple with him walking and leaping and praising God. The first thing he does is going to the temple to pray as the source of his healing. Beard knowledge is the power of God. He acknowledges the source of his healing. This man had an ordinary request for money. Something that would not change him. Something that would just maybe give him another meal. He got so much more than he asked for. He got more than he bargained for. He receive healing he received something that money could never buy him. He receives something that doctors could never give him. He was touched by the power of God and was healed and noticed one more. Who was he praising? The Bible does not say he was walking and leaping and praising Peter. How many Peter was the instrument they got used to heal him but he was not praising Peter. He was not praising John it was with Peter. He was not praising The Men Who had placed him in a position to meet Peter and John he was praising the source of his healing. He was praising God himself.

So many wonderful truths this passes teaches us. Maybe you've been asking and asking and asking for God to do something and for others to do something and it's almost become a habitual. It doesn't mean a whole lot to you anymore. Just becoming monotonous request. You're really not expecting God to intervene just like this man. I'm sure was not expecting God to intervene this way, but God gave him more than he asked for. Maybe you've been asking for silver and gold and maybe you know that God needs something greater than what you've been asking for. I love what Matthew 7 verses 9 through 11 says these are the words of Jesus. He says which one of you with his son asked him for a for bread will give him a stone or if he ask for a fish will give him a serpent. If you then who are evil having a shin nature. 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. My problem is I left and don't know what the haps for sometimes. I think I'm asking for a fish when God knows I'm asking for Serpent and he says I've got something better for you. Sometimes I think I'm asking for bread what I'm really asking for stone. And God says I want to give you bread. So that's why the Bible says that the holy spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. We don't know how to pray for as we ought to pray. The Holy Spirit is interceding for us. So we just keep asking and we keep shaking and we keep knocking. Heaven's Door cause we have a God that we can trust. We can trust his plan and we can trust his heart even when we don't understand. I see in verses 9 through 11 that extraordinary answers and turn into an even greater opportunity. Again verses 9 through 11 and all the people saw him walking and praising God you think about this these people been coming to the temple most of them for all their lives and for many of the older people they had seen this man. They are for 4:25 thirty years. However long he had been there we know he's 40 years old and we don't know when I want age. She was when he started begging and asking for help, but we have to assume it's been years and years and years and all of a sudden this man who may have seen laying there with these emaciated legs is now running around praising God and they're like, wait a minute. What is going on here? What is happening? The Bible says they recognized him. Is the Watershed at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms and they were filled with wonder and amazement? And what happened to him? And you don't want that that gave Peter a platform from which to preach and we find out in the first part of chapter 4 that 5000 people responded to that message. What started off as just an ordinary day that came with the ordinary request that was answered with an extraordinary answer gives an opportunity a platform for the glory of God to be on display. There's a significant crowd at the temple is a said during this time of day the time of the afternoon sacrifice and all these people are watching this man standing and leaping and praising and I understand who it is, but they don't understand what's happening there filled with wonder and amazement and this gives Peter this great opportunity to share the gospel with the crowd that stood in all what is happen. Reminds me of what happened on the day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit gave the Believers the supernatural ability to speak the wonderful works of God in the variety of languages which then gave Peter a platform to share the gospel 3000 Souls were saved on that occasion. Now once again god intervenes with his miraculous power heals a lame man astounds the crowd and once again provides a platform for Peter to share the gospel. Something even greater what happened this day? It was great that a lame man was healed of a physical malady. But that pales in comparison to the spiritual healing that would take place after Peters message. What's your man is great. This guy I've been laying for 40 years. You've been begging for all these years. He's scratching scratching a you know, trying to get just enough to survive another day. And how is she older man? It's a wonderful thing. He's he's up. He's running around. He's praising God. I tell you greater than that is a spiritual healing that takes place in a person's life when they come to know Christ as their savior. What a tragedy it would be for a person to be physically healed and spiritually lost. That's a tragedy.

And I think we live in a day. When people have this mentality that you know, God is is their servant. He's that kind of like they're little Genie in a Bottle who supposed to do everything. He wants they want him to do if they live a certain way or they say a magical phrase. We remember God does what he does for his glory. The Reach people with the Gospel of Jesus God is not a magician that does things for our entertainment. Things you confront people with the truth about their Shannon the truth about the gosh. How do we apply all the star lies? I mean, we're not Apostles. We don't have Apostolic gifts. Does that mean that God cannot use us as a vessel to do extraordinary things? No, I think he can use us what does choose us to do extraordinary things? I think we need the number one look for opportunities to represent Jesus in ordinary.

how do I talk to somebody not long ago and Shut up. I want to do something great for God. Are there something great for God, but he hasn't asked me. Manchuria start the greatest thing you do you said is love the Lord your God with all your heart all your soul out your mind and all your strength. That's a greatest thing. You can do second greatest thing you can do is love your neighbor as yourself to something great for God. I'm like, okay. What are you doing? Now? What are you doing with what you have right now forget the for the glory of God. Which I want to do all this extraordinary things for God not listen big door swing on small hinges do what you do in the ordinary the simple everyday things of life for God right now where you're at look for opportunities to represent Jesus in the ordinary. You never know when God's going to turn an ordinary day in your life into an extraordinary opportunity for you to represent him to a watching World Peter and John, just shrug. This opportunity off. They could have tried to find a few coins to give the guy move on they could have ignored him. It could have said were too busy. We got more important things to do. They saw situation in which they can help. They just shouldn't throw money at the guy. I did more than that. I think sometimes we had this mentality by just throw money at the problem and then that'll solve it or sometimes money can be a blessing, but I want to tell you sometimes we need to go deeper than that.

They did something about the need not just the need for him to eat another meal. Not just the need for him to survive another day. Below the surface. There might be people that God is placing in your life. An ordinary days in ordinary situations because he wants to use you to introduce them to Jesus. He wants to use you to give them hope he wants to use you to remind them that they are loved and that they were imported to him. He wants to use you to inspire them by sharing your story of God's mercy and Grace in your life when he save your soul. Choke look for opportunities in the ordinary the mundane the day-to-day things of life to represent Jesus. I love what John Philip said about this exchange between the bagger and Peter and John when they said look at me, they told him to look at me. So I John Phillips says, what would he see? two poor men Galilean fisherman, but two men in touch with Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit. They wanted him to see Jesus, but he was not ready for that yet. He must first see Jesus in them.

My children and your children and your co-workers and your neighbors, they need to see Jesus in us and you know, when they'll see Jesus in us, he will be during the ordinary days of life.

People look at you and examine your life. Do they see someone who is in touch with Jesus and filled with the holy spirit with someone who is still with gossiper bitterness or complaining or self-righteous? What do you want to or not as a Christian you are a representative of Jesus and we need to represent him accurately. We need to represent him well.

Secondly, we need to learn to see people Through The Eyes of Jesus.

Learn to see people Through The Eyes of Jesus.

Cheating Beggars at the temple was nothing unusual. As I said, this is where they were. This is where the people were in so they wanted to interact with as many people as possible because of more people they met the more money they would get

We see people with various needs all around us. Easy to tune them out. It's easy to look the other way. It's easy to look at them as just a nuisance or problem. It's easy to be like the priest and the levite and passed by on the other side. Laughing Jesus just called us to be more like the Good Samaritan and ask ourselves. What can I do to help?

I could have done that. Silver and Gold Have we none but how can we help? Oh we have the ability to help you. Solve a bigger problem and just how you going to eat your next meal. Sometimes it does mean giving money. Sometimes it means addressing the root of the problem. This man wanted money. What he really needed was healing. The apostles had the means and the opportunity to give him something better than he was asking for. Is there something better we can do, you know, you know why I think sometimes were content just to throw money at problems because we know that if we invest other things than money it takes time and it takes effort and it takes us getting our hands dirty and it takes us out of our comfort zone. So it's just easier to throw money at it and let somebody else deal with it that may be what God wants you to do but it made me that God wants you to get off your donkey go to where the man's hat Vine up his wounds pouring online take him to an inn on your donkey on your time. And invest in people's lives the point to Jesus.

He's got to learn to see people Through The Eyes Of Jesus. They're not just a beggar. They're not just an addict. They're not just a prostitute. They're not just a person with mental problems. They are someone created by God and loved by God someone who Jesus was born for and live for and died for that was resurrected for and we have the opportunity and responsibility to represent Jesus well and ask ourselves. How can I help this person? If they don't know God to reconcile them to God because the Bible says we are ministers of reconciliation.

Saw something while back on Facebook says there's no one that you will ever meet him. God does not love. Everybody give me to someone got love someone Jesus died for someone that we should love and care about. number three be faithful to use what you have. Where You Are and trust God with the results. John didn't walk away because they didn't have silver go. They said okay. This is what we do have we're going to use what we do have to help him. You know God uses what you have. Are you just what you have? You may be Five Loaves and two fish like the little boys lunch. God used it and maybe a ride as was in Moses's hand. God used it and maybe five smooth stones in a slingshot as wasn't David Chan God you should it make me a stuttering mouth as Moses had but God used him. It might even be a thorn in your flesh like Paul head. The god used it. You know what? We like, you know what I like to do. I can't speak for anybody else. I like to focus on all the things that I don't have. God I don't have this ability. I don't have this talent. I don't have this much money. I don't have this. I don't have that. We don't have this. We don't have that and we and we just get discouraged and frustrated because of all the things that we don't have When God says I'm just interested in you giving me what you do have. Let me take care of using what you have for my glory.

Stop focusing on all the things that God hasn't given us and start offering and surrendering to God what you do have you will find a guy can do more with what you do have and what you could ever do with what you don't have.

frightful the use of surrender to God what you do have where you are and trust God with the right. People say Pastor if I ever win the lottery, I'm going to give some money so you guys can get that new building.

I saw a funny thing on Facebook the other day and said for Christmas I decided to give you $25 worth of lottery tickets. About $25 worth of lottery tickets. I scratch them all off. Here's the $2 that I won Merry Christmas.

What is all the Christians who are planning to win it big would just take what they do have and use it for the glory of God instead of focusing on all the things that they don't have.

Which she got the great things? I'm sure. number for remember Great Harvest come as a result of faithfully planting small seeds. Remember Great Harvest come as a result of faithfully planting small seeds. You'll find out later as we continue to explore Acts chapter 3 and go into Acts chapter 4 that an even greater Miracle happen as result of this one miracle that 5,000 people receive spiritual healing the cause of this one man's physical heal.

one seed produced a huge Harvest the said earlier big doors often turn on small hinges

shower years ago

probably within a year or two of our church beginning. We had a mission team that came up one summer. Spend a week with us. Be honest, I don't even remember all the things that they did but one of the things that they did is they and went over to these neighborhoods of from here over toward the East and passed out hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of Flyers. inviting people to church Just a few blocks away from this building a lady and her friend when they got home noticed a flyer on their door.

Was ironic that they have been talking about coming to church and we're impressed that a church in their Community cared enough about them to leave an invitation. So they decided to come. The attendants Faithfully for a while. even came back for Bible studies on Sunday nights But often you could smell the alcohol in their breath and you could see the scars and wrinkles that rough living had brought to their lives. He wore his. rebel flag topless women in marijuana tattoos proudly

But I really didn't care. Is your people that God loved? Is your people that just happen to get an ordinary flyer on their door?

Just happened to come to church on ordinary day.

And I just happen to learn love our ordinary Church. We had conversations with them and tried to help them through some rough spots and they eventually went their separate ways. He develops a major physical issues which prohibit him from coming to church as often as he used to an earlier this year. I had them on my heart and mind and stop by his house to see him.

He had an ordinary conversation in. Was it long that I received a phone call from someone in his family informing me that he was in the hospital and was in serious shape.

I went to go see him several times and others did as well and he finally became alert and we had some conversations and some serious conversation. For the first time he finally realized and admitted that he wasn't ready to meet the Lord. We talked about it many times and he had convinced himself that he was okay with God, but that day in the hospital. He realize you wasn't.

I had the wonderful privilege to show him from scripture how he could call on the name of the Lord and be rescued from the penalty and power of his sin. How he can be redeemed how he could be forgiven how he could be set free how he can have the assurance that he would one day Wake Up In the Arms of Jesus and I'll never forget with Street of tears streaming down his scarred face. She cried out that day in the hospital room. Oh God.

And he proceeded to pray for God's forgiveness and mercy and Grace. That ICU room became a birthing room. Bill was born into the family of God.

He received the news that he's only been given a few months to live and after a few days he went home and that very night he passed away.

I believe he woke up in the arms of Jesus.

That's not where it start. It started with an ordinary mission team. Walking up to an ordinary door. leaving an ordinary invitation which brought an ordinary couple to an ordinary Church? You heard an extraordinary message about an extraordinary savior who love them and gave his life for them so they could be redeemed and set free from the penalty and power their scent.

Guess who I talked to on the phone yet?

one of his daughters And is that your wifey? Continue to thank me and the church for all we've done for Bill. His wife called me back last night. And ask her 45-minute conversation. Over the phone she prayed to receive Jesus as her savior.

It all started. one ordinary invitation on an ordinary day

appoint is this God can take your ordinary that is surrender to his extraordinary hands. And do more with it for him and his glory than you could ever imagine.