Miracle
Notes
Transcript
Expectations
Expectations
What is an expectation? It is something we believe will happen based on our desire, knowledge, or experience.
What does it do for us?
When it is not met.
When it is met.
When it is exceeded.
What are your expectations today?
PRAY
READ
1 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.
What do we know about Peter?
· Galilean fisherman (Mark 1:16-21)
· Disciples of Jesus (Mark 3:16)
· Sent out with the 12 to heal disease and sickness and cast out demons. (Matthew 10)
· Walked on water (Matthew 14:28-31)
· Identified Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 16:16-19)
· Denied Jesus (John 18)
· Restored by Jesus (John 21:15-19)
· Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)
· Preaches to crowds and sees 3,000 saved (Acts 2)
· Still goes to pray regularly (Acts 3)
· Heals a man crippled from birth (Acts 3)
How does Peter know that he can heal this man?
He is filled with the Holy Spirit and being led by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV)
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
How can we know when the Holy Spirit is moving or guiding us?
Philippians 2:1–2 (ESV)
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
We have fellowship with Him and He unites us.
John 14:26 (ESV)
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 16:13 (ESV)
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
He is our Helper and our Guide.
Isaiah 63:10 (ESV)
10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.
1 Thessalonians 5:19–22 (ESV)
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Acts 7:51–53 (ESV)
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Ephesians 4:25–32 (ESV)
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
We must be careful to not get in the way of the Holy Spirit.
How does the Holy Spirit communicate with us?
Inner Promptings:
Romans 8:16 (ESV)
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Bring Scripture to remembrance.
John 14:26 (ESV)
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
He leads us.
Romans 8:14 (ESV)
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
Matthew 4:1 (ESV)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
He protects us
Acts 16:6–7 (ESV)
6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
Visions and Dreams
Joel 2:28–29 (ESV)
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Prophecies
Acts 11:28 (ESV)
28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).
Acts 13:1–3 (ESV)
1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
When the Holy Spirit as at work in us we will know. We must be careful however to always test all claims that a person is being led by the Holy Spirit . . . even our own claims. This is done through wise council, prayer, fasting, and above all . . . holding it up against the Word of God.
Why did God heal the lame beggar?
Who was the lame beggar?
· A man who has been lame from birth
· He is 40+ years old (Acts 4:22)
· He is a beggar that depends on the generosity of others
· He is healed instantly
· He praises God.
What did he expect?
To be ignored
To receive Money
What did he get?
God healed this man in order to proclaim the greatness of the name of Jesus and to display the power of the Holy Spirit for all to see so that God would be glorified.
Every miracle is designed to draw the wondering hearts of mankind back into a place of worship. They are out of the ordinary . . . They are shocking . . . They are miraculous.
Three Questions to ponder:
What are your expectations?
1. Of God?
2. Of yourself?
What part of your thinking might need to change?
If you were to do a spiritual checkup to see if you are walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, how healthy would you be?