Let your Deeds pave the way for your Words

Currently, our pastor is leading us through a study of Acts. This past Sunday, we focused on Acts 3:1 - 4:4. Several points he made struck me as to why we want to serve the Hispanics and especially how. Pastor El talked about the beautiful providence of God. Peter was going to the temple daily. This was part of his routine. A lame man was also carried there daily to beg for money. God allowed these 2 daily routines to collide this day and a beautiful thing happened as the gospel was shared and people were saved. By Peter doing the ordinary, God did the extraordinary and saved over 5,000 people. After Peter healed the lame man and entered the temple, he preached the gospel and 5000 came to a saving knowledge of Christ. Often people think we must extraordinary things to be a missionary. But we know that God meets us where we are and those He desires to save. If we are just faithful in the everyday, then God will provide opportunities for us to share the gospel. That is our desire with 3h ministry. We want to seek those opportunities God has provided us to share the good news of Christ.

This passage is also a beautiful picture of who God wants to save. It was the lame man, who was not considered suitable to enter the temple. God sought him out when the Jews kept him at bay. While Peter physically healed the lame man (and spiritually), there were 5000 more that were spiritually healed that day. God is building a multi-everything church. He is all inclusive. Pastor El pointed out that Peter’s deeds that day paved the way for his words to be heard. That statement really resonated with me. That is what we desire to do with 3h. We want our deeds to pave the way for our words to be heard. Our desire is to start working with hispanics in many different ways — ESL classes, legal help, allowing our everyday lives to cross. Through all of this we want to build relationships so we can proclaim the good news of Christ! Redeemer has a free garden for the community. They encourage the community around the church to come and pick what they need. This is just one small way to reach God’s people.

Our prayer is that the Lord would guide our steps to providentially encounter those He wants to hear the gospel. Our desire is that our deeds, that are worthy and needed, may be a road for people to hear the good news. God is allowing us to be a small part of His grand plan to redeem His people. Would you pray with us that our deeds would pave the way for our words to be heard?

My summary is Pastor El’s sermon is woefully inadequate, but I wanted to share how it encouraged me. I highly recommend you listen to the entire sermon here.