Sunday Morning Series - Victory for Doubters - What God Allows

Text: Luke 5:17-26, Acts 3, Mark 6:1-7

In Luke 5:17-26, we're told the power of God was present to heal THEM (emphasis mine). Wouldn't that also mean it was God's will to heal them?

Yet, only the man let down through the ceiling on a pallet was healed. If it was the will of God to heal those present, what stopped it?

Scripture records they were offended, and offense causes unbelief or rejection of the truth.

In Mark 6:1-7, we're told Jesus could do no mighty works because of their unbelief.

In Acts 3, Peter and John go into the temple. They're stopped by a crippled man begging for alms. He was in this condition many years. He sat in this same spot. Yet, he never encountered Jesus. Peter and John get his attention. They tell him they don't have any silver or gold, but they would give him what they had. You can only give others what you have and what you know you have. He commands the man to rise up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

The two disciples make it clear this was done by the power of Jesus and not themselves. What were the three steps they took?

1) They created expectation in the man.

2) They told him they had something to give him.

3) They freely gave what they had by the power of Jesus.

Some Lessons Learned:

1) There's often a discrepancy between the will of God and what actually happens. We must remember there's the will of God and the execution of His will.

2) Just because a situation is long-term doesn't mean it's God's will. Our commission in this world is to change what is against God's will through His power. We don't learn God's will by observing an existing circumstance. We learn God's will through His Word.

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If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Worship Service at 10:00 A.M. We're located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Rte. 611), Warrington, PA. The church phone number is (215) 343-7686. We'd love to meet you!