Beggars At The Gate Of The Temple
Preacher: Ogochukwu Odum
Text: Act 3: 1-8
Now
Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth
hour (3:00 p.m.), 2 and
a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they
used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called [a]Beautiful,
so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple. 3 So
when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking
[them] for coins. 4 But
Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, “Look at us!” 5 And
the man began to
pay attention to them, eagerly expecting to receive something from them.
How
to identify beggars at the gate of the church
1. Those that have not entered into the
fullness of salvation. They do not understand the authority they have as
believers and children of God and as joint heirs with Christ. (the beggar was
at the gate and did not believe that he could go into the church to receive his
miracle)
2. They always ask for the wrong things
James 4:3. They ask amiss therefore they do not receive. (The beggar asked for
alms instead of asking for healing from Apostles who has healed many)
3. They do not care about the act of
praying and bible study. (peter and John where going into the temple to pray
and the beggar remained outside begging for alms).
4.
They are comfortable with their
positions/problem as far as they do not pay the sacrifice of praying.
5. They always need people to assist
them, they allow people take the place of God (the beggar was carried by people
and begged alms from people-NO place for God)
6. They may seem focused from their actions
and activities but their heart/expectations is far from God (They beggar gave
his attention to Peter and John expecting to get alms from them instead of his
healing-Act3:4-5)
7. They attend church services but do not
reap the full benefits of the cross because their hearts do not believe.
8. They doubt even when the word their
life needs has been sent forth. (In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk, yet he
did not grab/accept the word or act in faith). They need encouragement to walk
into their testimonies after the word has been sent forth. (After the Apostles
decreed that he should rise up and walk, they had to pull him by the hand for him to rise up)
9. They need a miracle before they
can praise God, when things are rough they out on sackcloth. (…And with a leap he stood
up and began to walk; and he went into
the temple with them, walking and
leaping and praising God). He had been at the gate of the temple and never went
into the temple to praise God until the day of his healing.
10. They wait until they are old or almost inactive
to be of use to God before they walk into the will of God or answer God’s call.
(Acts 4- The beggar was well over 40 years when he received his healing)
What
to do
1.
Genuine Repentance
2.
Receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost
3.
Devout yourself to prayer and bible
study
4.
Understand and believe in the promises
of God contained in his word
5.
Be an instrument and a vessel for God
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