Bill Acton :: Acts 3 - The Witness on Solomon's Porch (Part 1)

Sermon Outline for Acts 3

The Witness on Solomon’s Porch (Part 1)

1. The Occasion – Act 3:1-10
   1. The circumstances
      1. Peter and John are going together to the Temple to pray
      2. At the Temple gate there is a lame beggar
      3. Peter and John were used by the Lord to give this man a miraculous healing
      4. The result
         1. The man was healed
         2. The people were amazed
   2. The spiritual principles taught by this miracle
      1. A picture of the Church
         1. Peter and John are together
         2. They are going to pray
         3. They stopped to help
         4. They trusted the Lord
      2. A picture of the world
         1. The lame man reveals the helplessness of every man out of Christ
            1. The lost condition of society
            2. The total depravity of man
            3. Lost in sin
         2. The lame man reveals the Church’s opportunity
      3. The Church’s gift
         1. What Peter and John did not do
            1. They did not give “silver and gold”
            2. They did not give a scientific philosophy of feet and ankles
            3. Did not build a school to teach why the man is lame
         2. The transforming power of the Lord Jesus Christ
      4. The healing transaction
         1. The direct eye contact
         2. The Church must make personal, immediate, direct contact with lame humanity
         3. The Church must go to the man outside the gate - and take him by the hand
         4. The Lord Jesus Christ through His Church was making contact with a human need
         5. The miraculous power
            1. “In the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk”
            2. He took Him by the hand, He lifted Him up and immediately the man received strength
         6. The completeness of conversion
            1. Christ takes a man who is lame and puts him on his feet
            2. The man: arose, stood, walked, leaped and praised God
            3. Christ cancels disability and communicates ability
            4. Christ makes the person useful
            5. Christ makes the man whole and complete – Col 2:9
   3. The purpose of the miracle
      1. To help the man directly
      2. To open up a witness to the people – Act 3:12-4:4
2. The Application
   1. We are the Church
   2. We have the name of Jesus Christ
   3. We are to exercise faith in His name
   4. His name is working today