People Who Move in the Holy Spirit

Sermon from CCM:Gorton
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LISTEN

This sermon was preached by Andy Armstrong at the CCM:Gorton site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 29th April 2018.

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SERIES

This message was part of the ‘For Such a Time as This’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Gorton in late 2017. The full series included the following sermons:

BIBLE VERSES

This sermon was based on Acts 3:1-26

The Lame Beggar Healed

1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2And 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. 3Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6But 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!” 7And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10and 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.

Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico

11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12And 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? 13The 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. 14But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16And 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. 17“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

KEY POINTS

The disciples had their confidence in Jesus

  • Confidence is the feeling or belief that you can have faith in or rely on someone or something.
  • Now their Lord and friend had left, but before He left He told the disciples that they should wait for the Promise in Jerusalem, the One who the Father will send.
  • Suddenly it was no longer Jesus with them but rather Jesus in them.
  • God’s purpose had always been unity with His people.

Peter and John’s significant move in the Spirit’s power

  • Peter and John both had been in fear and weakness before the Lord ascended.
  • Now that the Spirit had come Jesus was not healing separately from them but actually through them.
  • Jesus was doing His same works that He did before but now working through them by His Holy Spirit.
  • The disciple’s confidence had changed and they now realized Jesus was in them, so the limits were endless.
  • If we belong to Him, Jesus dwells in us also. So what will God want to do through you?
  • Jesus does not need our power or education but rather our availability and faith in Him.

MORE SERMONS

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