Money or Miracles

Acts 3:6  Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, walk."

I believe Peter’s response to this man sets a very important principle for the church of Jesus Christ.  

This man had set himself at the door of the temple in order to beg.  He knew that religious people are
kind to beggars, and that the Jews had an obligation to give to the poor.  So he set himself where the
greatest number of religious people would see him.  Not much has changed over time.

But Peter challenged the man with a contest of values.  “Silver and gold I do not have…”.  All that this
man expected was a little money.  Peter said, “I don’t have money to give.”  I am sure the man was
probably a little disappointed.  

But Peter had something much more valuable than money.  He had the power of God working in his life.  
“I don’t have any money, but I will give you what I do have to give.  In the name of Jesus, be healed –
rise up and walk.”

For too long the church has offered money instead of miracles.  We have become a humanitarian
agency instead of a world changing agency.  

If you give the street beggars money, then tomorrow they will be back on the street asking for more
money.  If you give them a skill and a job, maybe they can work instead.  But I fear that many would
rather have the money than the miracle.  

“If you heal me then I will have to work.  Just give me some money and I can remain as I am.”

I ask you today, where are your values?  Jesus said:
John 6:26  Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous
signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
John 6:27  Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of
Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

These people didn’t want their lives improved or changed.  All they wanted was to eat one more meal.  
(Notice how many children start coming to the church around Christmas.  Now, it’s good to bless people
like that, but you can’t build the Kingdom of God on that.)

In the Old Testament we read about Jacob and Esau.  Esau came in one day from the fields hungry and
smelled a pot of beans that Jacob had cooked.  He told Jacob that he would give up his birthright – his
inheritance – for a pot of beans.

I fear that today, the church has given up its inheritance – its power – for worldly values in the same way.

A visitor to the Vatican was shown the treasury where the great riches of the Catholic church are
stored.  The guide said, “See all of these valuable things?  No longer does the church have to say,’silver
and gold I do not have’.”  The visitor said, “But neither can the church say, ‘in the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth rise up and walk.’”

We have become the church that the apostle warned about.
“ People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers
of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form
of godliness but denying its power…” (2 Timothy 3:2-5 niv)

Why have we traded the treasures of the world for the power of God?

Every society in history that has greatly prospered has fallen at the height of its prosperity.  Why?  
Because we make silver and gold our god!

Israel strayed from God every time they prospered.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12  When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses
filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive
groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the
LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

When the crowds saw what had happened with this man and they knew him to be the cripple they had
observed for so long, they were amazed.  Peter said:
Acts 3:12   When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do
you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?  

Acts 3:16  By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’
name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all
see.

When will we start offering people what is really important again?  Why not right now?

Sometimes I feel so helpless, because I see so much need around me and I don’t have the money,
intelligence or talent and ability to meet those needs.  All I have to offer is Jesus!
I cannot answer prayer, but I can pray.
I can’t make people follow God’s Word, but I can tell you what it says.

Every day in the church in the first century miracles were taking place.  Peter said, “Why does this
surprise you?”  

The gospel comes with power:
1 Corinthians 4:20  For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

1 Corinthians 2:4  And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but
in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

1 Thessalonians 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

If Jesus is the same today as he was then, then we should expect miracles – we should expect the power
of God.