Reaching The Culture And The Nations For The Glory Of Christ -- By: David Platt

Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 06:2 (Fall 2009)
Article: Reaching The Culture And The Nations For The Glory Of Christ
Author: David Platt

JBTM 6:2 (Fall 2009) p. 133

Reaching The Culture And The Nations For The Glory Of Christ

David Platt

David Platt is Senior Pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL. He formerly served as Dean of the Chapel at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

This sermon was delivered at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, KY in June, 2009.

If you have a Bible, and I hope you do, I invite you to open with me to Acts 3.

I want to encourage us this morning with a picture of the people of God in the New Testament that I pray will be a reality among the people of God today. Specifically, I want to encourage us with three prayers that we might pray together based on Acts 3:1-10.

One day, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer, at 3:00 in the afternoon. Now, a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. And when he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us.” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them, and 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.” And taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement and what had happened to him.

First, I want to encourage us to pray that God would give us a radical concern for the needs of the world around us. I love the contrast between the end of Acts 2 and the beginning of Acts 3. At the end of Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost, over 3,000 people were saved. Talk about a good day for church growth! But what I find most interesting is that the next scene Luke chooses to give us in Acts is not a scene involving the masses. Instead, it’s a scene involving one man that the masses were ignoring. There is a reality that is being illustrated here, brothers and sisters. Those who are most effective in reaching the many are those who are most passionate about reaching the one.

The disciples had learned this from Jesus. Peter and John had seen Jesus with the crowds gathering around Him. Li...