Discipleship and Trust

As we pray together, Father God, may your word this morning encourage us and empower us afresh.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Why does this surprise you?

I love that line in this scripture.

Why does this surprise you?

We are called to witness and trust.

And maybe you can recall, like I can, moments in your life where not only your life was changed, but in your life someone else's life was changed too because you witnessed.

Because you took that time to stand alongside someone and sense that encouragement that the Lord gave you for that moment in time.

Because we took a step of faith.

And here in this morning's reading is one of those most beautiful, amazing, powerful, emotional encounters in scripture that we read that really, really encourages me.

And I hope it encourages you too.

And yet for some, the miraculous nature of this encounter that we've heard about this morning between Peter and John and this man who had his life changed,

dramatically and beautifully transformed and changed, dramatically and beautifully transformed and changed in an instant, maybe for some beyond our understanding.

A leap or a step of faith too far maybe.

Whether it's healing, whether it's healing, whether it's healing, emotional, physical, whether it's a reawakening in somebody's life of their faith, a new beginning, healing from the past, looking with fresh hope towards something in the future.

We witness, we witness, we witness, we witness, we witness, we witness, we witness, we are called to witness the realisation that Jesus is with us.

And is with us, not just with us as a presence, but with us in power.

We are called to these encounters, each and every one of us.

It's not just for a few who may think that they are super spiritual or whatever.

We are each and every one of us called as disciples and followers of Christ.

We are all called to witness to our faith.

Our Christianity, our faith, our following of Jesus, I can assure you is not a spectator sport.

Please hear that this morning.

We are not here to just watch on in awe and wonder.

We are called to be participants in what God is doing.

This is alive, it's engaging, and it's real.

And it has been so down the ages and will be today as well.

I've been rereading, it's a little book, and if you know that I am a visual learner,

you'll know that I always look for a little book to read.

It's my thing.

But one of the little books, but with a big message that I've been reading,

is Practicing the Presence of God.

And it's an amazing book, and I would encourage you to reread it,

because it was teachings collected about a man called Brother Lawrence,

who lived in the 17th century as a Carmelite monk.

Now, the compilation of letters that people brought together,

as well as records of his conversation,

of those who saw and witnessed Brother Lawrence's ministry.

Was he a big stage speaker?

No, he wasn't.

Was he, did he write theological books?

No, he didn't.

He washed dishes.

That was his job.

In the monastery, he washed dishes.

And people came from far and wide to stand beside him,

and I hope they helped with the drying up.

But they came to stand alongside him,

to hear his wisdom of all that God was saying in him and through him.

And lives were changed and transformed,

so much so that people wrote about it.

The presence of God that was on him and in him and in his everyday workplace.

And again, that is where God is at work with us.

And every day, in our workplace, wherever we are,

those who just came to be with him.

And we are each called to be witnesses.

In each and every place that we're going to be this week,

let's seek and ask more and more of the presence of God in our lives.

And trust in him in the everyday.

Be encouraged.

Trust in God.

He is with us 24-7.

So let's come back to our scripture.

Peter and John remember just a short while before

that they were hidden away in an upper room.

They were afraid.

They were frightened men.

They wouldn't go out and witness as they are doing in our scripture today.

But something happened.

And they were transformed and changed

because of the risen Jesus.

Their faith had been probably at rock bottom.

Then they transformed, empowered, encouraged, enthused

through the risen Jesus

and the power of the Holy Spirit

working in them and through him.

As have we, I hope.

Because we have that opportunity.

We have seen.

We heard.

We know that Jesus is risen

and we can go out empowered afresh

in the Holy Spirit today

to do what they've been doing.

Now, I don't know what you're like at gifts.

I don't know what you're like at gifts.

I'm probably, I'm not being,

yeah, I'm not just speaking to the guys here,

but it's good to listen, guys.

It's good to listen.

I have learned over 41 years of marriage

that it's good to listen.

And I listen during the year.

And often Mandy will come

and she will just drop a subtle hint

and say, oh, that's really nice.

I like that.

And so I squirrel back into the shop,

whatever time,

and you get this gift in.

And then when it comes to an anniversary

or Christmas sort of thing,

oh, wow, that's great.

And the gift isn't so much in the giving,

but I love watching the gift being received.

Surely that's God for us.

Surely that's God for us.

He must enjoy us using and seeing the gifts

that he so freely gives to each and every one of us.

And in our story,

here are two men who know the blessing

and the transformational change

that they have experienced.

And they want to share this gift with other people.

They trust and they know.

This gift to them through Jesus,

his ministry and power,

isn't a gift to keep to themselves.

This is a gift to share.

Look again at the text.

They are on their way to pray.

One day, Peter and John were going to the temple

at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon.

Really important line in the scripture.

They haven't jettisoned what they're doing

in the everyday.

They go back.

They've gone back to what they are doing

because of the past.

They are going about their everyday business.

That's the place in which they ministered.

And they are open in every moment

to the power of God and the opportunities.

If anything, it is increased in them.

Increased in them as it will do in us.

A deep, deep desire to serve and praise God

because of what they've experienced.

And there they are faced with what?

Day after day, he has sat there.

Challenge or opportunity?

And that's the thing that faces all of us.

Is this a challenge or an opportunity?

So often we see issues that we would rather pass by.

Let's be honest.

Are we being honest this morning?

A few people are nodding.

Often we see things that we would rather pass by,

wouldn't we?

This guy has been taking up his place here for years

in his life, begging.

So what did he do?

He asked for money.

And isn't that just an easy fix?

So often that's just an easy fix for us.

Honestly, it is.

You see in this reasoning,

as it's fresh for us today

in our discipleship and apprenticeship

as it was then.

Let's throw a bit of money at it

and move on.

And so often,

you know, let's pay someone else

to do the ministry.

You know, I've seen that in churches for years.

Let's pay somebody else to do the ministry

and therefore it lets us off the hook.

Let's throw money at it

and we can walk away

with a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling

because we've done something.

This man asked for money,

but in their heart,

that they know that they have far more to offer him.

They've got far more than the money.

In fact, they didn't have any money in their pocket.

You see, my frustration as a Christian

and in some areas of church,

life is that we seek survival

rather than the freedom that Jesus brings.

Let's not just carry on with the ordinary,

passing it by,

but let's engage with it

in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And that's true to our Christian witness.

This scripture screams at me,

we have a gift to share,

share it.

Share it with people.

Trust more in the presence

and power of the Holy Spirit.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and don't lean on your own understanding.

If there's a verse,

the fridge magnet business

would go out of business without that verse.

I've seen it on so many different fridges.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding.

If we need to hold on to that,

I don't know what's going to happen, Lord,

but I know with you things can.

We have a gift of offering Jesus to people

new life and new freedom.

Freedom from guilt,

freedom from...

If that's an ice cream van,

mine is a Mivy.

Is that right?

I'll just share with you a minute.

I'm glad we've got recordings here

that we put in

because I said to Mandy,

on that great day

when the Lord calls me home,

I want...

I want...

Instead of going out to Bell's,

I'd like an ice cream van played

because that was my joy as a child.

You know, so please remember that,

will you, if my children don't.

Freedom...

Jumps on a horse riding by.

Coming back.

Freedom from guilt.

Jesus brings freedom from guilt,

freedom from issues of the past,

freedom from a lack of self-worth,

freedom from lies

that have been spoken over us in our life.

We offer people hope and a new dignity.

That's what was happening that day.

Just don't give me money.

Give me something else.

And they had it in their pocket

and they gave it to him in full,

what Jesus had to offer.

We offer people hope and life everlasting.

That's what the cross is about.

We are in that Easter season.

We are an Easter people.

Peter and John, if they had money,

they may have been tempted,

as you and I have done,

and just give and move on.

Again, let's examine our hearts.

I just sense sometimes

we are given options and challenges

and opportunities.

And for them, that day, these two men,

there was an option,

an opportunity, and a challenge.

But they knew the power

that they were walking and living in.

They weren't given the option

because they had no money.

Isn't that interesting?

No money in their pocket.

So they fell back and relied on God.

Isn't that important?

I may have cash.

I may have a...

Lord, I just want to come back to you

because you are the beginning

and you are the first

and you are my all in all.

But they know a deep sense of compassion

that the Holy Spirit gives them

and they can do more for this man.

The gospel according to Clive Jennings.

I'm really sorry, pal.

I haven't been to the cash point.

I haven't been to the cash point.

But what I can do is,

would you like me to pray with you?

Big step for many of us.

But stepping out in faith is so important.

Now this is where it gets exciting

and faith-filled for us

as witnesses and disciples

because we know what we have to share

and you will know the scenarios

in your own life

of how this works.

You know the person at the bus stop

in the morning

who on that wet morning

with which we have had many

is looking for lawn on a Monday morning,

stood at the bus stop

and you smile and you say,

morning, how are you doing?

Not so good.

Do you mind if I sit with you on the bus?

And you talk.

And as you talk,

you're praying

and there may be an opportunity

that the Lord gives you

to pray for them.

It's about a step out in faith.

You will know the scenarios

in your workplace,

the places to which you go,

the places that we're going to be

tomorrow morning.

Lord, show me the opportunities.

Silver and gold have I none.

But what I have,

I can give you.

And it's far more than that.

I've got a story of a friend

and I'm so glad Mandy's here

because Mandy is my pearl of wisdom

at times like this.

Because we were,

a friend of mine had had

a horrific incident,

had witnessed a horrific incident

in his job.

Ian was his name.

And he had witnessed this

and because of the effect

it had on him,

he had been told

that he wouldn't work again.

He was waking up at night

screaming with night terrors

because he had seen his friend

killed in front of him,

his colleague.

We happened to meet with them

just by chance on a holiday

on a campsite down in Devon.

And our children ran back

and said,

oh, you know,

they're there.

So we went down,

they said,

do you want to stay for barbecue?

We stayed for barbecue

in the evening.

Mandy shared with his wife,

she said,

Ian's not going to work again.

And it's just horrendous.

And as Mandy got up

to take our children

back to bed

at the campsite,

Mandy whispered to me

and said,

I really sense you need

to pray with Ian.

I knew Ian for years.

I wasn't a minister

at that point.

But I'd known Ian for years

and I thought,

oh Lord,

is he just going to tell me

where to go?

This bloke is in a vulnerable position.

He is desperate,

but I don't know.

Anyway,

here you are.

Talk about faith

and we're talking about

stepping into faith.

I got up to leave.

Confession time, people.

I got up to leave,

said Ian,

I'll see you.

When I felt a physical hand

in my chest,

a physical hand in my chest,

I turned to Ian and I said,

Ian,

do you mind if I pray with you?

And he said,

I've been sat here all evening

hoping that you would.

It wasn't a great prayer.

It was Holy Spirit,

would you come

and would you heal Ian?

Would you heal him, Lord?

Amen.

That was it.

No great flowery language.

No waving of hands.

Just a simple prayer.

We arrived back.

It was the days,

you can tell how long ago,

it was before mobile phones

or nearer banks.

We got back to a message

on our answer machine at home

with his wife,

literally screaming down the phone,

saying,

phone me,

phone me,

we're at home.

Now initially,

I thought,

there you are, Mandy.

We got it wrong.

I should never have done that.

Look at that.

That's really tipped him

over the edge,

hasn't it?

What have we done?

What the Lord did

was healed him that night.

She said,

he slept through the night,

no night terrors,

and woke up

totally renewed

and revived.

He was back at work

three weeks later.

Opportunity or challenge.

This is where the gospel

comes real for us today.

You see,

I think we are in a place

of open expectation,

of faithful discipleship,

of being ready

for the opportunities

to witness

when things happen.

I was on my way

to the temple when.

I was on my way

to the church when.

I was on my way

to breakfast when.

I was on my way

to work when.

I was on my way

on holiday when.

I was at work when.

I was welcoming

at church when.

Opportunities.

The Lord doesn't limit

our opportunities

at all

in the presence of God.

Peter and John

enter the temple

with the man

who has just

discovered

this new freedom.

And they don't have

to shout

and say anything

themselves about it

because the man

does it for them.

Look at what

God has done.

We don't have to shout.

We don't have to have

our pictures in front

of the paper

handing over certificates.

God does it

through the people

that we have changed.

Maybe you yourself

are one of those people

who are here today

as I am

because somebody

took boldness

and courageous

to speak truth

into my life

and bring me

to a point

where I've moved

into a living

relationship

with Jesus.

Jesus.

When all the people

saw him walking

and praising God

they recognised him

as the same man

who used to sit

begging in the temple

called the beautiful

the gate called beautiful

and they were filled

with wonder and amazement

at what had happened

to him.

They were hungry

to know.

If we do

the business people

other people

get hungry

to know

what this is about.

How did that happen?

My friend Ian

went on

left the job

that he was doing

in the police force

and went on

to share his testimony

with lots of young people

as a youth worker

and I'm sure

he's transformed

lots and lots of lives

through his story

and his testimony.

Opportunity.

And Peter and John

tell them

and they make

even more hungry

for knowledge.

I sense people

we're in a period

of opportunity.

I really want you

to be encouraged

this morning

that we are

in a time

of opportunity

to share our faith.

People are open.

Believe you me

people are really

open and searching

and they want to know

but will we give them

what they want?

Will we give them

what they're searching for?

And do we know

the gifts

that we've been given?

Opportunities.

I sense we need

to increase

that trust.

and maybe this morning

I sensed

while I was writing

this and walking

up the hill

for maybe

some

who said

yeah I know

all these gifts

but I just need

to step in.

I just need

to make that jump.

Lord give me

a bit more boldness

and courageousness

to step in

and do the things

and use the gifts.

Ask

for the gifts

gifts

because they're

freely given

for you to use

this week

and in the week

to come.

Maybe we all

need to trust

and jump

into the Father's

arms more and more.

Shall we pray?

Lord just thank you

for your message

and scripture

this morning

and I pray Lord

in the situations

and the opportunities

that we meet

that we would jump

and trust

and be with you

in whatever

our new adventure is

in Jesus name.

Amen.