Sermon Title: Opportunity

In ancient Greece there was a statue called “Opportunity.”

It was meant to teach a lesson: opportunity is something you can grab while it’s coming at you, but you can’t catch hold of it after it’s passed.

vs. 12 - But when we REACH OUT in the NAME and in the POWER of JESUS, with it comes OPPORTUNITY.

Peter “addressed the crowd.” Why?

Because miracles are miraculous, however it’s the GOOD NEWS of JESUS, the WORD OF GOD that brings transformation!

Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

He pointed, not to himself, but to Jesus. - vs. 12-13a

He pointed to the power of Jesus. - vs. 13b-16

He pointed to the prophecies about Jesus. - vs. 17-18

He pointed to their need for Jesus. - vs. 19-23

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

He called them to follow Jesus. - vs. 24-26

Luke 9:23, “Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

How do we do this today?

We fill ourselves with Jesus.
Remember last week, this whole sermon started because Peter didn’t have anything to offer this lame man, EXCEPT for JESUS!

We take Jesus at His Word.
Jesus’s marching orders to his followers is not called the Great
Suggestion. It was the Great Commission.

We look for opportunities to point to Jesus.
We keep our eyes open - look for opportunities.
When someone asks you an open ended question.
When someone is in need.
When someone invites you out to eat or coffee.
When someone is breathing.

When we do, we do just that.
When the opportunity arises, take it.

“The opportunity of lifetime is only good for the lifetime of the opportunity.”

Jesus has called us to go, so we must be ready to go!