SERIES:
BEING A GREAT PERSON FOR A GREAT GOD
Acts 3:1-16; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D. Min.
October 9, 2022
Responsive Reading – James 2:14-26 (ESV)
Leader: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have
works? Can that faith save him?
Congregation: If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Leader: and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without
giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Congregation: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Leader: But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith
apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Congregation: You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—
and shudder!
Leader: Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is
useless?
Congregation: Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his
son Isaac on the altar?
Leader: You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by
his works;
Congregation: and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it
was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Leader: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Congregation: And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by
works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Together: For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is
dead.
How To MINISTER To Make A DIFFERENCE, Pt. 1
1. You need to realize to be used by The LORD you must make PRAYER your
PRIORITY.
2. You need to realize The LORD wants to WORK through YOU to CHANGE lives.
How To MINISTER To Make A DIFFERENCE, Pt. 2
1. You must believe a person’s LIFE will be better with JESUS than without JESUS.
2. You must make a COMMITMENT to let people WALK with YOU after you help
them walk with Jesus.
How To MINISTER To Make A DIFFERENCE, Pt. 3
1. You must give BENEVOLENCE to OTHERS.
Acts 3:1-6 (ESV) – Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of
prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid
daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those
entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to
receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”
5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But
Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”
Acts 20:35 (ESV) – In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we
must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It
is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Romans 15:1-2 (ESV) – We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings
of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his
good, to build him up.
2. You must give EMPOWERMENT to OTHERS.
Acts 3:6-7 (ESV) – But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give
to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by
the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made
strong.
James 2:14-18 (ESV) – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but
does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed
and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and
filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have
faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you
my faith by my works.
3. You must be committed to EQUIPPING OTHERS.
Acts 3:8-10 (ESV) – And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the
temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him
walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful
Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at
what had happened to him.
Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV) – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists,
the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building
up the body of Christ,
4. You must practice ADVOCACY for OTHERS.
Acts 3:11-16 (ESV) – While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly
astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter
saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do
you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers,
glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of
Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous
One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life,
whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in
his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is
through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Galatians 6:1-2 (ESV) – Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who
are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest
you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (ESV) – And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,
encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
James 5:19-20 (ESV) – My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and
someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his
wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Study Questions
1. What part of life do people need help in the most?
2. What keeps people from asking for help? Explain
3. When was the first time you remember getting help from someone you really
needed who wasn’t your parents or guardians?
4. What did they do and how did you feel after they helped you?
5. What does the word benevolence mean to you?
6. What does it mean to you when you think about God expecting you to help
others?
7. Who empowered you to do better in your life and how did they do that?
8. How can you empower someone and help them get on their feet as Peter helped
the lame man?
9. How have you been equipped by others to live your best life?
10. What can you do to equip others to live their best life for God?
11. When has someone advocated for you and what did they do?
12. In what area do you believe God has uniquely gifted and prepared you to be an
advocate for someone else?