Something From Nothing - Part 2

Within minutes of meeting Peter and John the ex-beggar is now a walking, leaping, worship leader, and any chance of keeping this story under the radar of the God police was gone. The story of his healing had broken and Peter and John were going to have to explain themselves to the crowd and the religious leaders. The listeners must have been confused as they heard Peter and John deny all responsibility for the miracle, but for you and me that’s exactly what we need to hear. I’m glad the breakout of Gods power is not about superhero personalities but ordinary people with a trust in Jesus.

So in this worldly season of financial gloom what can we learn from Peter and John

Recession, lack, debt, impossibility, call it what you want, it will never stop the church because our source is something more powerful and more available than silver and gold. Banks can run out of money, companies can run out of customers, governments can run out of popularity but one sure thing is that the Church will never run out of God. The power of the church is not in popularity or its bank balance, but in an all powerful, all loving, ever present, unchanging God.

At times like this we have to remember that God does not need us to have our own resources in order to meet people’s needs through us. Just as he did with Peter and John God can take our nothing and do something incredible with it if we are prepared to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us.

The best thing that ever happened to this beggar was the day when 2 people full of the Holy Spirit had no money to give him, and instead of just helping him survive the day they helped him get his life back. There is no doubt that the best way to meet a need is to be full of the Spirit. After all He is the ultimate gift giver.

We must decide how we will respond when faced with needs beyond our own resources. Will our response be "Sorry we can't help you now, things are a bit tight" or will we continue to expect the Holy Spirit to be at work among us meeting needs by pouring out his own gifts to people through us.

The language we use will always give our expectation away. Negative people are viewed as negative people because of what they say not what they feel. It’s no surprise that the first thing the Holy Spirit did at Pentecost was get hold of the disciples mouths and fill them with his own language. What we say matters because it reflects what is in our heart. So when you face your own crippling situations watch your language.

Fortunately for the cripple in Acts 3, Peter’s attitude was shaped by the language of faith. We should be no different. At a time when lots of people want to talk about how difficult things are, I think it is important for us to speak with an expectation that God is ready to meet our needs regardless of finances and that we, as the people of God, are still able to be the light of the world even in its dark times.

Peter and John did not limit Gods ability by their own natural resources. Their attitude was that when they had nothing they still had someone, and that someone could do anything. An important lesson for us all in this season.

Something From Nothing - Part 1

Any change for a cup of tea guv?  That’s pretty much the question Peter and John find themselves being asked as they are marching to church.  What a relief they didn’t treat this beggar as a mere interruption - they would have missed an encounter with God that would be talked about for 1000’s of years. 

The healing of the cripple in Acts 3:1-10 comes very shortly after the disciples had been filled with the Holy Spirit for the very first time.  They were at the beginning of discovering the difference this personal power from on high was making to their lives.  They had already seen the Spirit grow their movement by 3000 people in a single day. They had watched in amazement as that same Spirit transformed those 3000 in to a loving sharing community in the middle of a divided and sectarian city.  And now the disciples discover another side to the Holy Spirits personality – miraculous power.

In a moment that must have kept Peter and John awake at the end of the day this career beggar is about to find himself out of a job, and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him.  Peter impulsively yanks him up as the words leave his lips, “in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” – and from there the fairy tale begins.

I have been thinking about this story for the last week or so and it’s absolutely rich with things to teach us about the power of God, the need to be ready for divine encounters, and the confidence that comes with the authentic gift of faith.  But I think that in a season where the world is so caught up with the story of recession, debt and financial lack, this story has something very simple to teach us about how sometimes a lack of finance is actually the door to the power of God.  Maybe if Peter and John had had a couple of spare shekels in their pocket they would have dropped them in the bucket and walked past this cripple like they had a hundred times before.  It was the lack of Silver and Gold that made them turn to an alternative supply line – the miraculous power of God.    

So what can we learn from Peter and John that will help us meet impossible needs even when we feel like we have empty pockets.

Watch this space for part 2