Why Should We Listen?

Well, folks, great to see you this morning.

It's my first time actually back in the building

since we've been allowed just a few more people.

So it is great to see more of you here.

And just for the place to feel a bit back to what it was before.

Can you remember those days when we used to all pack in here and meet?

It was great.

And we should be so thankful to God for his common grace to us as a country

that this is even possible.

So let's not lose sight of that.

And let's just grab the privilege of both horns

and let's turn to God's word this morning.

Acts chapter 3.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

I want you to come there with me if you've got your Bibles.

We're just going to dive straight into this wonderful passage

as we continue on in our series in the book of Acts.

Now, you up for a few fun facts as we begin?

Yeah?

A couple of fun facts for you to do with listening.

Okay?

Apparently the average person in the UK, not calling any of you average,

but the average person in the UK has 27 conversations a day.

Thought it was quite interesting this week when I learned it.

Maybe you can think about it in your own life.

Is that true?

27 conversations.

Off the back of that, here's the one I found even more interesting.

Apparently, in each of those conversations,

within the first eight seconds,

we have decided whether we're going to listen or not.

Quite interesting, isn't it?

Glad we're not doing tea and coffee after the service today.

Could be a little awkward to check if you're listening.

But eight seconds is what we're willing to give it, apparently.

Which is shocking when you think about it.

Our attention span these days is eight seconds.

If you're in need of a humbling this morning,

know that a goldfish has one of nine.

But eight seconds, apparently, is all we're willing to give it.

Now, what do they say is always true about observational humour?

Why is it funny?

It's funny because it's true.

Yeah?

Funny because it's true.

What we need to understand is that

I think those facts make a legit point.

Whether we realise or not,

we're walking around asking ourselves subconsciously,

why should I listen to you?

Why should I listen to you?

Seems fitting this week of all weeks, doesn't it?

Election week.

Why should I listen to you?

The thing for us to see is we're not the first generation

who kind of lives our lives according to that maxim.

Okay?

I think Luke, as he pens Acts,

is well aware that Theophilus and his generation,

as they read this book,

are asking them that precise question

as they come to chapter three.

Particularly at this point in the story of Acts.

If you've got it there,

flick back to chapter two

and kind of refresh yourself

as to what we saw a few weeks ago.

Okay?

What's going on in Acts chapter two?

The gospel has publicly burst onto the scene.

Day of Pentecost.

Peter preaches.

The spirit moves.

3,000 people are converted.

Okay?

That's what the kids today would call scenes,

isn't it?

What a scene that is.

3,000 people converted.

But that was just one day,

let's be honest.

Right?

One day.

I mean, are his,

Peter and his message,

are they just another one-hit wonder?

Right?

Just one day.

Are they just another one-hit wonder?

World's full of them, isn't it?

Gina G, Sinead O'Connor,

crash test dummies,

pick your generation.

Or is it a classic example

of a kind of phase

that people react to,

one that will come and go, right?

Kind of like flares,

if some of you remember those things.

And besides, let's be honest,

anyone, if they try hard enough,

can attract a crowd.

Yeah?

If you want proof of that,

just go to the Royal Mile

festival time in August.

Anyone who stands up

and shouts with a few colors,

they can draw a crowd to come

and listen to what they've got to say.

So, why should we listen to Peter?

Particularly as he says

in verse 22 of chapter 3,

we've got it there,

quoting Moses,

listen to him as he tells us,

listen to Jesus.

Do you see it?

Listen to Jesus.

Cracking question.

Why should I listen to him?

Think in Acts chapter 3,

Acts 3 · chapter mention

Luke gives us two big reasons

why we should listen.

But before we get there,

let me just say,

whoever you are here today,

our souls need this.

They need this.

If you're not a Christian here today,

right,

you're going to meet a crowd of people here

who have got Jesus wrong.

Right?

It's the kind of point of the sermon.

You have got him wrong.

And they're being called

to change their minds

as to who Jesus is.

And it's not just kind of outing them

that they've done bad stuff.

This is an invitation

to come and know

the God of the Bible.

Come and know

the blessing

of knowing

him.

And you're going to be presented today

with a God

who is way bigger

and way better

than I bet

that you think he is.

And what he's offering you

in the person of Jesus

is incredible.

Right?

Maybe you're a Christian here today.

Friends,

I want

our hearts

to be strengthened

by this.

Because I tell you

what I feel like often.

Okay?

For Chloe's birthday,

she's upstairs,

I can say this.

For her birthday,

we got her a huge,

I say we,

Alex,

we got her a huge

helium unicorn balloon.

Right?

She loved it.

Loved it.

But her birthday

was at the beginning

of March.

Right?

And one who likes

things tidy,

I kind of broached

the subject

as it sits in our house.

Is it time

that the balloon

went down?

Tell you what,

I'm never making

that mistake again.

Okay?

That didn't go down well,

which is more than

can be said of the balloon.

But what I've observed

as I've watched

this balloon

in our home

is it just

gradually,

gradually

has deflated.

Slowly,

slowly

has leaked.

Once it was

banging off the ceiling,

now it's just

hovering above the floor

because it's just

leaked,

leaked.

And how often

is that true

for us spiritually?

We leak the gospel.

Don't we?

We just leak

the promises.

I take our eyes

off of Christ.

We need a glorious

picture of Him

to be pulsing

through our veins.

The glory

of who this God is.

Friends,

that's why we need

Acts chapter 3

Acts 3 · chapter mention

in our systems today.

That's why we need

to breathe it in

in asking that God

through His Spirit,

the glorious gospel

promises that we

encounter here.

He would breathe

life into our lungs

again.

So the invitation

here is to come

and drink this in,

come and breathe

this in.

This is

Jesus Christ.

So back to

our central question,

why should I listen

to Him?

Well, here's what

Luke does.

He gives us

two reasons.

Firstly,

he tells us about

the miracle

that's solid proof

of the future.

The miracle

that's solid proof

of the future.

So here are

Peter and John

verse 1,

if you come to

the text,

verse 1.

See where they're

going?

Off to the temple

to pray.

Love that they're

still being obedient

at this point

in the story.

Off to the temple

to pray.

And they encounter

a man.

Now notice the details.

None of this is wasted.

Notice the details

about this man.

His is a tragic story

really when you

think about it.

What are we told?

He's a man

lame from birth.

So he's never

walked a day

in his life.

And each day

he's taken

to the temple

precinct

by a group

of people.

I don't know,

maybe these people

are in it

for the money.

That's why they

take him there.

They get a cut

of it.

I don't know.

But they take him

every day

to the temple

precinct

so that he can

beg for money.

Okay?

Now I think

if this is

happening daily,

then I think

we can assume

that he is

what we'd call

part of the furniture.

Right?

Part of the furniture.

People see him

every day.

People know him

to say hello to.

I mean,

you know what it's like.

I remember I used

to walk from

side of town

across town

to here.

Every day

you pass the same

people on the streets.

Every day

you know where they sit.

You notice when

they're not there.

It's kind of

what's going on

with this man.

He's there every day.

Part of the furniture.

And I'm sure

the irony

wouldn't have been

lost on Theophilus

and the original readers

that the man,

do you see where he's sitting?

The man who's sitting

at the beautiful gate

has anything other

than a beautiful life.

But the other irony

which they're about to get,

we're about to get

both barrels,

is that the man

who can't walk

is about to become

the subject

of the first miracle

and acts

associated with

the gospel

that's going to

sprint throughout

the world.

Looks into irony.

Love it.

That's what the gospel

is going to do.

It's going to sprint

throughout the world.

So Peter and John

are passing this man

and presumably

for no other reason

than they have been

prompted by the Holy Spirit.

They stop to speak to him.

They've got no money

but what they do have

is the authority

of the risen Christ.

Okay?

And they say to the man

in verse 6,

stand up and walk.

And the man,

not gradually

or partially

notice the detail

in the text

immediately

does just that.

It's incredible,

isn't it?

Incredible that this

is happening.

What's even more

incredible,

I found in the story,

what does the man

do next?

I mean,

presumably if you think

about it,

he could have gone up,

he could have done

a few laps

in the temple courts,

people's jaws

would have hit the ground,

he could have posed

for a few photos,

he could have gone

back to begging

and he would have

made a fortune,

would he not?

But there's newfound

faith in this man's

heart.

He understands

what has happened,

I think.

And verse 8,

he enters the temple,

I bet he's never been

in there in his life.

Here is a worshiper,

what's he doing?

Walking and leaping

and praising God.

I mean,

somebody should really

write a kid's song

about that,

shouldn't they?

Walking and leaping

and praising God.

And here's where Luke,

I think,

brings in the eyewitness

details.

Come with me,

verse 9,

all the people saw him.

Verse 10,

they recognized him,

so they're saying

to themselves,

hey,

that's the guy,

that's the guy.

We see every day

and filled with

wondering questions,

they kind of testifying

to one another

that we've never seen

anything like this before.

So headline,

Temple Today,

News at 6,

Lame Man Walks.

Lame Man Walks.

Now,

lest we think

this is just a nice event,

I think there's two big things

going on in the background here.

Okay,

firstly,

this is proof

of the authority

that the risen Jesus

has given to his apostles

to authenticate them

and their message,

what they're doing

in the eyes

of the watching world.

Okay,

in other words,

this is heaven's

stamp of approval

on what they are doing

and what they are saying.

Now,

that's important.

Okay,

I'll tell you why

that's important,

because their testimony

about Jesus

is going to be

the foundation

on which the church

is built.

Okay,

if you remember last week

back to the end of chapter 2,

what were the disciples

devoting themselves to?

Right?

What were they devoting

themselves to?

The apostles'

teaching.

One of the things,

right?

The apostles' teaching.

So,

in the years to come,

if you're reading Acts,

you wonder what this

Christianity business

is all about.

You're thinking about

joining a local church.

That's a really good fact

to know.

When you can't

physically see Jesus,

right?

It's the same for us today.

You can trust

what the apostles

have said about him.

Right?

We can do that today.

We can pick up our Bibles.

We can read what they were saying.

Eyewitness details.

Bang,

we can trust it.

Okay?

And so,

this miracle,

in that sense,

is solid proof

of the future.

Right?

But in another sense,

here I think we get

a wonderful foretaste

of God's new creation.

Think back,

if you can remember it back,

to the reading that

Jenny brought us

from Isaiah chapter 35.

Isaiah 35 · chapter mention

Right?

Isaiah's speaking

to his generation

and he's pleading with them.

Have you heard it

in the language there?

Take courage.

Take heart.

It's a terrible time

for the nation.

A visual.

Take heart.

God will visit us.

God will save us.

Keep trusting in him.

And Isaiah's describing

the new creation

that God will bring in.

What he will do

after he's visited his people

in the times to come.

He's going to bring in

this renewed creation.

And he describes

what it's going to be like

when creation is freed

from its bondage

and its doing,

its glorifying.

I was made for this

thing.

Right?

I think it was C.S. Lewis

who described

creation at the minute

like an orchestra

all there

with a sheet over the top

collecting dust

just waiting on its

conductor.

This is how it's described.

The eyes of the blind

shall be opened,

the ears of the death

unstopped.

Then the lame man

shall leap like a deer

and the tongue of the mute

sing for joy.

Does that sound familiar?

Right?

Here is God's

kingdom of light

through the person

work of Christ

smashing into the darkness

now.

Little foretaste

that one day

it's going to eradicate

darkness completely.

Isn't it amazing

in light of everything

that we've lived through

over the last season?

And so we can gaze

at this man

and

Peter's words

in verse 16

he's in perfect health.

Here is a wee taster

wee taster

of what it's going to be like

in God's new creation

for God's people of faith.

It's a wonderful picture

friends.

You know I've got a friend

who's a

who used to be a

pastor who worked

down in London.

I remember him

telling me a story

about being invited

by one of his

congregation members

to come to the

one of the very first

skyscrapers

in Canary Wharf.

Right?

It's a very different gig

down south

I'll tell you that.

Okay?

But this is what he did.

Canary Wharf

up he went

in the lift

top of the skyscraper

and he looks out

on what is just

a huge building site.

Huge building site.

And what he does

is he looks to his side

and what he notices

is a little

scale model.

Right?

I think it was quite

a big one actually.

A big scale model.

As if to say

here is what

it's going to look like.

Here's the first one.

Here's the little taster.

But here is what

it's going to look like.

And let me tell you

it's going to be glorious.

It's going to be glorious.

I think that's what's

going on here.

You know some of you

might be asking

and it's a really

good question

to ask.

Right?

If this man had faith

and was healed

does that mean

that anyone

who has faith

God will always

heal them?

Right?

Let me just say for a minute

I think we're best

to understand

instant miracles

like this

and Luke's really

goes to length

to show us that

doesn't he?

The immediacy of it.

I think they're unique

to this time

in that they

authenticate

the apostles

at this moment

in history

which is really

important.

And I think in that

sense we'd be wise

to understand

that narrative

is not always

normative.

You can't just draw

a straight line

between then

and now.

But generally speaking

can God heal today?

Of course God

can heal today.

Okay?

We pray all the time

we've been doing

over the last season

in our prayer meetings

for those who are

sick in our church

family.

Lord, by your grace

and your power

would they get better?

Would you give

the doctors

the skills that

they need to

operate,

to treat?

And never

underestimate

God's common

grace to us

through everyday

things.

Medicine, right?

I was praising

God this week

had a thumping

headache

praising him

for paracetamol.

Right?

You can work

through these things.

It says

common grace

to us.

Can he?

Yes.

Will he?

Friends,

in this life

he might

but he might not.

Okay?

But regardless

here's what I want

you to know.

Because of his

great fatherly

care and love

for us

in Christ

we've got

to see here

that one day

through faith

on this day

he absolutely

will.

he will.

To quote

Don Carson

who was speaking

about how he

deals with

his own

aches and

pains and

joys and

sorrows of

life as he

grows older

he said

I often

remind myself

that I'm

not suffering

from anything

that a good

resurrection

won't fix.

And I think

this is what

this is screaming

to us

and friends

I don't want

to say that

lightly.

I know

some of

us are

going through

today

extremely

tough

things

right?

Extremely

tough

things.

But wouldn't

we all

take courage

in Christ

that one

day he

will come

he is the

conductor

of the orchestra

who will come

and bring in

God's new

creation.

These things

will be

distant

memories.

And let me

just ask

friends to

some of

us all

of us

do we

need to

be reminded

of this.

Okay this

is our

forever home

this is our

future.

Remember it's

popular in our

generation today

when we're

talking about

houses I

think because

it's so hard

to get on

the house

market people

say now

that you've

got it is

that your

forever home?

No it's

not.

No it's

not.

Here is

our forever

home.

Friends to

some of us

need to be

reminded of

that.

Let me ask

you who can

you be

speaking to

this week

about the

truth of

that?

Okay let me

just tell you

about one of

my favourite

moments from

sport over

the last few

years.

I don't know

if you remember

this the moment

in the world

triathlon series

in Mexico.

Alistair

Brownlee

helping his

brother Johnny

who's fallen

towards the

finish line

gets under

him and

helps him

towards the

finish line

keep on

going.

It's a

great story

I loved

it.

Tell you

what so

often it

feels like

the Christian

life does

it not?

Sometimes

we're

Alistair

sometimes

we're

Johnny.

It's true

isn't it?

Friends the

question is

we need to

be a

community

who is

getting

alongside

one another

who's

sitting

with one

another

who's

listing

to one

another

who's

entering

into

other

people's

each

other's

pain

who's

praying

for one

another

and most

importantly

is reminding

ourselves

of the

future that

is ours

because of

our king

and our

God is

with us

now.

So who

can you

be playing

that role

to this

week?

Bringing

this wonderful

truth of

what God

is going

to do

in the

future in

Christ

bringing

it home

to each

other's

lives

because this

miracle

is solid

proof of

the future

and secondly

Luke presents

us with

the voice

that stands

alone in

the present.

Now back

in the text

do you see

the bewildered

crowd

wondering

what's going

on here?

Verse 11

Peter offers

them an

explanation.

He offers

them a

sermon

really

but the

sermons

are always

explanations

of what's

happened.

And the

heart of

this sermon

is that the

people and

God have

different

opinions of

Jesus.

Okay look

in the text

God verse

13 has

glorified his

servant Jesus

really important

for us to

see that.

That's what

this God

has done.

This is the

resurrection

the ascension

the glorification

is the

father's

world worldwide

declaration of

the approval

of the work

of his son

and his

affection for

his son.

Friends and of

course to be a

Christian is by

the work of the

spirit to come

and share in

the father's

love for the

son and the

son's love for

the father to

enter into

this knowing

this triune

God.

This is what

God thinks of

his son and

yet the tragedy

is that the

people have a

different view.

Verse 15

Peter says

you and the

accusations come

you killed the

author of life.

Now just get

your head around

that.

Right?

You killed the

author of life.

You rejected

the holy and

righteous one.

So he's making

it clear that

they've got

Jesus badly

wrong and the

miracle proves

it.

And yet here's

what this man's

perfect health is

proof of.

You killed him

but God

verse 18

you killed

but God

fulfilled.

See it?

Verse 18

fulfilled.

And this is

what the Bible

is friends.

It's the story

of what God

has done and

is doing in

Christ.

It's the story

of his eternal

purposes, his

international

heart, his

unrelenting

kindness and his

pursuing grace.

So the story

here, Peter's

saying Jesus

has not just

come from

left field.

It's always

been about him.

I love it we

read with our

girls, the

Sally Lloyd

Jones, the

children's

storybooks

Bible.

You know

our phrase

and I love

this, every

story whispers

his name.

Every story

whispers his

name and

Peter just

doesn't give

them the

answer.

Remember

your math

teacher at

school, show

your work

in.

Well Peter

says come

on then.

Takes them

on a wee

history lesson

to see it.

Really quickly

verse 17

he takes

them to the

prophets.

They were

talking about

the suffering

servant, the

one God

would send

to willingly

and unflinchingly

lay down his

life to win

God's people.

That was

about Jesus.

That's his

point.

That was

Jesus.

He is the

suffering servant.

Verse 22

he takes them

to Moses.

Moses speaking

to his

generation about

a greater

prophet who

God would

raise up and

when the

prophet comes

the people

are to

listen, hang

on his

every word.

That was

Jesus.

Verse 25

to Abraham

who through

one of his

offspring God

was going to

bless the

nations of

the world.

that offspring

is Jesus.

Every story

whispers his

name.

This is the

point.

Every story

whispers his

name and

far from

being simply

an impressive

equation,

here's what's

on offer.

And I want

you to get

this.

If you've

tuned out

over the

last 10

minutes,

tune in

for this

last little

section.

Here's what's

on offer.

Verse 19

Come to

God so

that your

sins may be

wiped out.

Wiped out.

our sins.

I remember

in our

school classroom

when we

went from

blackboards

to white

boards.

Right?

Teacher asking

us when we

had a

blackboard,

does anyone

want to

clean the

blackboard?

Everyone's

hands by

their side.

But we

got a

whiteboard.

Man alive

we've never

seen anything

like this.

Got to

spray it,

got to

wipe it.

Anyone

want to

help?

Everyone's

hands up.

The joy

of making

something

spotlessly

clean.

And this

is what

this is

saying.

It wiped

out our

sins.

wiped out

our sins.

It's what

Christ has

done on

the cross.

It's what

it means

to be

his.

And at

times of

refreshing,

do you

see it?

Times of

refreshing may

come from

God.

And I

think that's

Peter's

exact point

as he

lands it

in verse

26.

When God

raised up

his servant

he sent

him first

to you

to bless

you by

turning each

of you from

your wicked

ways.

It's almost

like he's

saying you

guys have

got first

dibs on

this

invitation.

And he

draws a

direct line

between

turning and

listening to

Jesus and

knowing God's

blessing.

God's blessing

is found in

responding rightly

to the risen and

glorified Christ.

And in so doing

knowing him,

knowing God is

your father.

Knowing him.

God's blessing

is found in

God's blessing

to him.

You know,

Luke's given

us two big

reasons,

right?

And I think

just as we

close the

question,

the end

becomes,

becomes a bit

more pointed,

it becomes,

are you

listening to

Jesus?

Are we

allowing his

voice?

And this is a

challenge for

all of us

here today.

Are we

allowing his

voice,

his truth,

as we encounter

him in the

pages of

scripture,

are we allowing

him to

direct and

to fill our

hearts and

our minds?

You know,

when was the

last time you

sat down and

you were just

thrilled with

the voice of

your shepherd?

When was the

last time that

he spoke deeply

into your soul?

Friends,

we need to be

listening to him.

We need him.

What a great

king.

What a wonderful

shepherd.

Listen,

our time is

gone,

but I just

want to give

you this one

story just as

we close.

It's a story

about my

friends down at

Charlotte Chapel,

Paul Rees.

He told me a

story about

six months

ago about

an older

man in his

congregation

who died,

and he did

the funeral.

The days leading

up to the

funeral,

he goes to

visit the

family,

and the

family gave

him the

old man's

Bible.

So Paul

gets home,

he's kind of

going through

it,

just interested

in what's

going on,

flicking

through it,

and all of a

sudden he

stops at a

page because

he notices a

huge circle,

huge circle

around this

page in the

guy's Bible.

I don't know

if you do

that, I do

that, just

underline it.

He's a

huge, huge

circle, and

it's a

circle around

the words

of Psalm

130.

If you,

Lord, kept

a record of

sins, Lord,

who could

stand?

But with

you there is

forgiveness,

so that we

can with

reverence

serve you.

And this

old man

never got

over the

joy of

in Christ

being right

with God,

and knowing

him as

father, and

as he

particularly

approached

the end

of his

earthly

life,

knowing in

Christ what

the future

held.

Why?

Because of

this promise

in Psalm

130.

Repent

then, and

turn to

God, so

that your

sins may be

wiped out,

that times of

refreshing may

come from the

Lord, and

that he may

send the

Messiah who

has been

appointed for

you, even

Jesus.

Heaven must

receive him,

until the

time comes

for God

to restore

everything

as he

promised long

ago through

his holy

prophets.

Friends, our

souls need

Acts 3.

Our souls need

Acts 3.

And may God

through his

spirit encourage

us this

morning.

Let's pray.

I heard the

voice of

Jesus say,

Behold, I

freely give.

The living

water, thirsty

one, stoop

down and

drink and

live.

I came to

Jesus and

I drank of

that life-giving

stream.

My thirst

was quenched,

my soul

revived, and

now I live

in him.

Father, thank

you so much

for your

love for

us.

Thank you

for giving

us your

spirit as

a guarantee

of the

future.

As a

Lord, I

pray for us

today, whoever

is watching

this, whether

we're in the

building, Father,

that you would

strengthen our

souls with

the promises

that we read

in Acts 3.

The promise,

the truth of

the glorified

Jesus.

Oh, Lord, help

us to find

our identity

in him and

everything that

he's accomplished

for us and

everything that

lies ahead of

us now and

wonderfully in

the future.

Father, thank

you that you

love us and

we pray these

things in

Jesus' name.

Amen.