More Than You're Asking For

TOO MANY OF US HAVE BECOME JADED.
Have you given up hope? Have you stopped longing for the impossible? Have you lost that youthful part of you that was willing to dream? Have you lost the excitement you had for life? All human beings are made with a deep and real longing for something more–a more this world can’t offer–all of us start out with this longing as kids. But then life beats it out of us. 

Christmas as a kid - As a kid you’re having a had time falling asleep. As an adult you’re gearing up for being up at midnight to organize all the presents

The magic of Disney - as a kid, everything is magical, you scream at the sight of huge pieces of chocolate “daddy buy me one!”. Next thing you know you turn 30, you’re juggling kids and breaking up fights, and calculating the expenses and suddenly saying “no” to chocolate. As a kid your ducking on the Indiana Jones ride. As an adult you’re like “It’s just air pressure…” kids are scared of the bugs… as an adult we’re asking “why do they gotta use projectors these days?! When I was a kid they never had any projectors!”

This is even why we have the effect of feeling life was better as a kid.

It all fades as an adult

Today I want you to recapture your longing for a more that you were made for.

YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE.
[1] Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

This was just normal prayer with new power. God works through us as we participate in the everyday ordinary commitment to walking with Him.

[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.

THE WORLD LEAVES US LONGING.

Becoming lame is one thing, being lame from birth is another thing. 

He was known for his need. We don’t get a name, but we know his need.

Every single day people would bring him. He can’t even bring himself.

I grew up in a town with a small little artsy downtown center. There were people like this. 

He’s brought to a gate at the temple with high foot traffic and particularly with those on their way to meet with God. Smart if you ask me.

Have you noticed that people in need strategically target God’s people? Homeless people begging will hold signs that say “God bless”. There's an inherent knowledge that God’s people know they should meet needs. This is deeper: there is an innate knowledge in even non-christians–who are made in God’s image that our needs will be met by Him. Our God, the God of the Bible is the only One who can truly meet your needs.

When have you felt this world left you empty handed?
- Your job
- Your family
- Your finances
- Your marriage
- Your friend group (or lack thereof)
- Your church (church hurt)
- The world around us
- Your expectations

Do you know your need? We value being “self-made” and wear “don’t tread on me” swag. But can I level with you: all of us are desperate deep down.

For the non-Christian THIS WORLD is the best it gets. For the Christian, THIS WORLD is the worst it gets.

The fact that the world is not enough should drive us to ASK MORE!

Martin Luther’s final words: “We are all beggars”.

Luther is famous in church history for re-capturing the Gospel in a generation of the church that was teaching works-based religion (that is, you earn your way to heaven).

Watch what happens when this man ASKS:

4-6 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!”

Day after day, this man did the same thing, but he was asking for a lesser thing from the wrong people. Today, he’s going to ask the right people, and they are going to give him a much better thing.

The lame man simply wanted to be supported in the condition that he was in.


What if God has something MORE for you today? This month? This year? What I love about Sundays is God is offering you something better than you’re asking for! He’s offering you a whole new heart, a whole new life, a whole new way to lead your family, a whole new way to see your marriage, a whole new hope, a whole new trajectory for eternity.

GOD OFFERS MORE THAN YOU’RE ASKING FOR.

This man gets more than he bargained for! He’s asking for help, but he gets a healing. And more importantly, he gets an encounter with the Healer.

You and I often want created things, meanwhile we’re missing out on the Creator God. Maybe you came to church because your life is falling apart. But God doesn’t just want to put your life back together, He’s offering you HIMSELF and when He is at the center He will put the puzzle pieces of your life back together.

Colossians 1:15–20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

I love that Peter and John know they don’t have what he’s looking for:

v.5 “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!”

Don’t mistake the messengers for the message. Don’t elevate the preachers, elevate the Savior.

Acts 6 talks about the rapid growth of the church and it says:  “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly…” notice its the word of God and disciples that increased not specific names of leaders—That’s our goal! 

Sharing the Gospel is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.

He eats the bread

[7] And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. [8] And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 

There’s hardly anything more heartbreaking than watching a youthful puppy grow into an old and tired dog. Dogs are faithful and loyal friends. It’s tough to watch. But you love them. Sometimes as they age, you’ll get a glimpse of their youthfulness. Have you seen this? There’s these rare occasions that you see their puppy come back! And it excites you!

That must have been what it was like to see this man leaping! He’s like a young man. But in this case, he’s not just returned to strength. He experiences power and capability he’s never had before! This is a picture of otherworldly power.

He gets what HE DIDNT HAVE

When you receive the Holy Spirit you don’t just get your life back–you get power you’ve NEVER had before to live a new kind of life you’ve never lived! Here’s some things you’ve never had that you get when you follow Jesus:

- New forgiveness and freedom
- New intimacy with God
- New desires like bible, prayer, and church
- New power to conquer sin and temptation
- New desire to advance God’s Kingdom

- New gifts to ambush the enemy with

- New humility to lead your life from

MID LIFE CRISIS

Sometimes people blow up their lives chasing feeling “young again”. 

Affairs, addiction, stupidity. 

Even not technically sinful things like cars or workaholism.

What you’re chasing are things that don’t satisfy. You WERE made for that longing, but you're chasing these lesser things because your neglecting the more precious thing that can actually satisfy: Jesus.

WE ALREADY HAVE WHAT THE WORLD HAS YET TO SEE.
[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.

This man created a holy scene. Can you imagine the crowds in the temple? Hundreds of people are shuffling about when suddenly one man is jumping like a maniac. They see him, and somehow recognize him. But he’s different now? Isn’t that the lame guy we see begging every week? It can’t be… But suddenly it dawns on them. IT IS him!! How has this happened?

Notice this line: And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

When we, like this lame man, taste the healing of Jesus in our lives–we too should have lives that leap! And what it does is create a holy scene: an otherworldly ruckus. A holy confusion errupts. Why? Because it’s a micro-expression of the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God.

01. DOES YOUR LIFE REFLECT THE HEALING OF JESUS THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED?

02. ARE YOU LEAPING WITH WORSHIP? OR ARE YOU ASHAMED TO EXPRESS LOVE FOR CHRIST?

03. ARE PEOPLE CONFUSED BY YOUR LIFE? IS ANYTHING ABOUT YOU OTHERWORLDLY?



04. WHAT “LESSER” THING HAVE SETTLED FOR? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO SEEK THE ULTIMATE THING?

Before Jesus I was embarrassed of my reputation in my hometown. I had tried drugs, partied, sinned, got in fights, had a foul mouth. Even as a matured beyond that at like 16, I still wouldn’t have represented myself well. I was selfish. Driven. Boastful. Even as new Christian I back-slid. Almost deconstructed. When I came to my senses and became a mature Christian, the once place I knew we wouldn’t serve Jesus is the town I grew up in. I moved everywhere but there. Southeast Portland. Oregon City. Sacramento. Milwaukie. Like Jonah ran from God’s call to Ninevah– the children’s bible puts it well “One ticket to not Ninevah please!” I asked “one ticket to not Gresham please!” And later God opened a door for me to help a church plant get off the ground in Gresham. It was wild. I saw so many kids I knew from high school get radically saved and baptized. 

There is power in a changed life

The question I continually asked was: “Wait Nolan?” Here came the embarrassment. But instead of re-hashing my shameful days the phrase I’d get is: “You’re not like I remember you… I can’t believe you’re walking with Jesus now–and a pastor now?!” God used that.

What if God could show others the change in your life? He’s in the business of doing new things through changed people!