Things to which Christians are to hold
1. About a month ago we looked at the story of the lame man in Acts 3.
2. This man had been sick for about 40 years. He had never walked.
3. One day Peter and John were going into the temple (3:1).
4. The lame man saw them and he asked them for some money.
5.
Peter said that he didn’t have any “silver and
gold.”
He did, however, have something else.
6. He had the ability to cure this man of his problem.
7. Peter gave this man the ability to walk.
8. Verse 6 – READ.
9. This man was healed.
10. According to verse 8 he “leaped, stood, and began to walk.”
11. The text shows that this man didn’t walk for a brief period of time.
12. He continued to walk.
13. Tonight I want us to pay attention to a word we might be tempted to overlook.
14. This word is found in verse 11 – READ.
LUKE SAID THAT THIS MAN “HELD” PETER AND
JOHN.
1. This is a very interesting word.
2. Tonight I want to show some of the places where this word is found and then apply it.
3. The word translated “held” meant to “seize, grasp, hold fast, and keep.”
4. Since Luke used a present participle this man got a hold on the apostles and he didn’t let go.
5. Unless this is a figurative expression—and I find no evidence for that—this man clung to the apostles.
6. One of the places where this word is found is Mk. 3:21.
7. According to Mark there were some people who came to see Jesus.
8. Who these people were cannot be determined with any certainty.
9. Thus, some versions say “friends” and others say “family.”
10. Whoever it was, these people thought that the Lord was in need of some serious help.
11. They had concluded that Jesus was “beside Himself.”
12. This conclusion was apparently reached because Jesus was not eating too often (verse 20).
13. Here is how Mark words the thought in verse 21– 3:21 – READ.
14. The KJV and ASV say “lay hold” on Jesus.
15. What did these people intend to do to the Lord?
16. Remember, these people were either His friends or His family members
17. One source (EDNT, 2:314) describes this “laying hold” as a “forcible seizing.”
18. Some people who loved the Lord wanted to grab Jesus and take Him away.
19. The word use din Mk. 3:21 is the same word that is used in Acts 3:11.
20. This tells us that the lame man grabbed on to Peter and John.
21. Another passage that has this word is found in Mt. 18:28.
22. This passage comes alive when we know the word that Jesus used.
23. This chapter tells of a servant who owed a tremendous debt.
24. It was impossible for this man to ever repay what he owed.
25. The man who owed the money pleaded for compassion and was forgiven (verses 26-27).
26. The man who was forgiven knew that someone else owed him a little money.
27. The servant who had been forgiven went to see the man who owed him a small debt.
28. The forgiven man asked for the second fellow to repay what he owed.
29. This much of the story is probably to everyone who is here.
30. Let’s look at the story again and pay attention to one of the words.
31. Verse 28 of Mt. 18 – READ.
32. This man “laid hold” on the fellow servant.
33. The words “laid hold” are from the same word we are studying.
34. In this passage the term means “to seize.”
35. This got another servant by the neck.
36. The servant who owed some money has his throat grabbed.
37. While the servant had his fellow servant’s neck in his hand he said, “Pay what you owe.”
38. This was not a gentle or kind request.
39. This imagery is similar to a man who is drowning in a body of water.
40. Someone throws out a life preserve and the drowning man seizes the device.
41. THESE PASSAGES ARE SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE THE WORD IN ACTS 3:11 IS USED. LET’S NOW TURN OUR ATTENTION TO HOW WE CAN APPLY THIS WORD TO OUR LIVES.
42. My plan is to show application by looking at some of the other places where this term is used.
43. The word translated “hold” in Acts 3:11 provides Christians with hope when we look at Acts 2:24.
44. Peter said that death could not “hold” Jesus.
45. Death could not seize Jesus and keep the Lord’s in its grip.
46. Jesus died but the prison of death could not keep Him.
47. An interesting reference to compare with Acts 2:24 is Mt. 26:48.
48. I offer this reference because it has the same word we are looking at.
49. In Mt. 26 we find that Judas was leading people to the Lord.
50. He had agreed to betray His master for 30 pieces of silver.
51. Judas gave the men he was working with an instruction – Mt. 26:48 – READ.
52. The ASV simply has “take him.”
53. The KJV has a fabulous translation of this verse it.
54. The KJV says, “hold him fast.”
55. In other words, “you get a grip on him and you keep him.”
56. This was what Judas said to the people who wanted to take His master captive.
57. Thayer (p. 359) says that in Mt. 26:48: “to lay hands on one in order to get him into one’s power.”
58. Today there are some people who think that they can bind the Lord or bind His cause.
59. Some have insisted that we take the Ten Commandments out of the public eye.
60. Others are insisting that we remove references to God from a variety of things in society.
61. Reading the Bible has been taken out of our school.
62. A lot of things are either being suggested or done.
63. In the kind of climate and culture we are in the Bible gives us strength.
64. The New Testament uses a little word that is translated “hold.”
65. This word tells us that death tried to hold the Lord but it didn’t win.
66. A crowd was told to “hold” but it couldn’t win either.
67. Mt. 26:53 – READ.
68. Jesus, His church, and the gospel cannot be bound.
69. The things of God cannot be held back.
70. Those who are in the Sunday adult class have seen this from Philippians 1.
71. Paul was confined but this didn’t hold back the gospel.
72. Another place where the word “held” is found (and this passage is helpful) is Mk. 7:3.
73. Jesus said that people held to the “traditions” of the elders.
74. This word shows that the people didn’t want to let go of these traditions.
75. Most of us have met someone who had a religious faith that they “held” to.
76. People become members of a certain group and they cling to that group no matter what.
77. The believe may be completely false and obviously flawed but people will not let it go.
78. This should not surprise us.
79. Listen to Mk. 7:8 – READ.
80. These people clung to their beliefs even though they violated God’s will.
81. People continued with their religious beliefs even though they were condemned by God.
A. The people in Mk. 7 made a serious mistake.
B. They clung to something but it was the wrong set of beliefs.
C. We need to glue ourselves to something but it needs to be truth.
82. This word we are looking at is also found in 2 Thess. 2:15.
83. In this passage Paul also used the word “traditions.”
84. In 2 Thess. 2:15 the “traditions” are not traditions from men.
85. Here the word “traditions” describes commands from God.
86. Paul said “hold” (same word) to this information.
87. Paul told the people of God to take the truth and to cling to it for dear life.
88. Thayer (p. 359): “to hold fast, not to discard, or let go; to keep carefully and faithfully.”
89. The word “hold” tells us that we need to find the truth, know the truth, and cling to the truth.
90. We need to “carefully and faithfully” hold on to what is said in God’s word.
91. For our day and time no better advice can be given.
92. There are a lot of people who don’t care about finding and holding on to the truth.
93. God says that this is very important.
94. A similar point is made by the Hebrew writer in Heb. 4:14.
95. I cite this reference because Heb. 4:14 has the word we are looking at – READ.
96. When we become a Christian we want to be faithful to God in every way.
97. We want to cling to the Lord and to all of His ways.
98. In Heb. 6:18 this is described in more detail.
99. In Heb. 6:18 we find that the writer again used this word – READ.
100. We lay hold on “the hope set before us.”
101. We grip this so tightly that we do not let go.
102. When the people of God cling to what is right God pays attention.
103. God knows who holds fast to the faith and who doesn’t.
104. If you want to know how this can be said with confidence look at Rev. 2:13.
105. John used this same word – READ.
106. In the past some have “held fast” the way of the Lord.
107. Today this is still possible.
108. It is also possible to hold on to something else.
109. We saw this in the book of Mark.
110. This is also stated in the book of Revelation – 2:14 – READ.
111. This passage has the same word.
112. People can hold on to religious error just as tightly as they hold on to truth.
113. What we are we dedicated to gripping?
114. What are we refusing to let go of? God knows.
115. If we fail to hold on to what is right we will lose our reward. We see this in Rev. 3:11.
116. This passage is another place where the same word is found – READ 3:11.
117. For a final passage in Revelation I will read Rev. 20:2.
118. This is another place where we find the same word.
119. READ 20:2.
120. God will “lay hold” on Satan.
121. God is not going to toy or play with Satan.
122. God is going to get a grip on the devil like the servant gripped a fellow servant’s neck.
123. Satan will be destroyed.
124. This death grip will also be applied to the unsaved.
125. The people who are not in a right relationship with God will be destroyed.
126. We must get a grip on the truth and hold it no matter what the cost.
127. What are we holding? What are we gripping? Is it the truth and only the truth?