POVERTY OR POWER


A. "SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT SUCH AS I HAVE GIVE I THEE" Acts 3:6
  1. The scene in our text:
    1. Peter and John meet a lame man at one of the temple gates.
    2. This man asked alms of them.
    3. Peter informed him that they had neither gold or silver to give.
    4. But they were not helpless, they still had something to give to him, which they did.
  2. This incident, if we may call it so, is full of divine signification of which we hope to learn as we develop our subject title:
B. THE MEASURE OF TRUE WEALTH
  1. A common misconception:
    1. That wealth must be measured by the gold standard.
    2. That this precious metal is the supreme object in life to bring happiness and contentment to the soul.
  2. Silver and gold, like other precious metals, have their place in life, even in the work of the church:
    1. They are a medium of exchange without which it would be difficult to do business.
    2. But they are not man's greatest and most valued possession - Luke 12:16-20
  3. The experience of Peter and John, as revealed in our opening text, prove that there are other values far more enduring than silver and gold:
    1. The wealth of a rich and God endowed character, as that of Joseph - Gen. 39:9; of Daniel - Dan. 1:8; 6:10; of Ruth - Ruth 1:16
    2. The fullness of the Spirit of God, which blesses us with the fruit of the Spirit; as the life of Stephen - Acts 6:8, 15
  4. The wealth of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is infinitely more to be desired than any amount of silver and gold which cannot give life to them that may possess them:
    1. That is what Jesus taught - Luke 12:15
    2. That has been demonstrated in the lives of persons who did not even know how rich they were, who died in misery.
C. "SUCH AS I HAVE GIVE I THEE" - POVERTY OR POWER
  1. "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." - Prov. 11:24
    1. All means entrusted unto us are for a purpose, and when used wisely they will not diminish but increase.
    2. When they are withheld they will tend to poverty.
  2. Here are but a few ingredients of true and lasting wealth not measured by the gold standard:
    1. Love - Rom. 13;8
    2. Peace - Rom. 5:1-3
    3. Joy - Acts 8:39
    4. Gentleness - 2 Sam. 22:36
    5. Goodness - Acts 9:36
    6. Heaven born kindness - Eph. 4:32
    7. A Bible based faith that centers in Christ - Jas. 2:1-7
    8. To be rich in God means that we are blessed with the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit - Luke 12:21; 2 Pet. 1:2-9
  3. Poverty or power:
    1. Are we full of power because the Holy Spirit lives in us? EXAMPLES -
      1. Our Lord - Luke 4:14
      2. Paul - 1 Thess. 1:5
      3. David - 1 Sam. 17:34-51
      4. Samson for a time - Judg. 15
    2. Or are we poverty stricken? EXAMPLES -
      1. Some of the disciples - Matt. 17:14-20
      2. Eli the priest of the Lord - 1 Sam. 3
      3. The Jews who attempted to cast out devils in the name of Christ - Acts 19:13-16
      4. The Laodiceans - Rev. 3:14-17
  4. "Such as I have give I thee" - Peter gave that man five blessings:
    1. He connected him with the Lord Jesus.
    2. He helped him on his feet.
    3. He gave him a new start in life.
    4. He put praise upon his lips.
    5. He made a faithful disciple out of him.


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