What Now: Blood is Thicker Than Water

Intro

Good morning and welcome again everyone. Today’s sermon is the last in our 3 part series titled What Now. Over these last few weeks we’ve been looking at this question from a biblical and disciple point of view. Jesus our saviour has resurrected, what now? Today we answer that question by saying Blood is thicker than water.

I grew up with my parents reminding me of that pretty often cause I’ve always been so friend oriented in life, drawn to the people I chose to give my time to, which if you ask me it’s expected. But again I would get that reminder that when all else falls apart, your family(relatives) will be there, not your friends. For the most part that’s a pretty fair assessment. I know that early on in my life this was true.

My immediate family was super tight with the majority of my mom’s side and my dad’s side. I grew up round a lot of cousins and loved it, but with time passing and age aging we grew apart in one way or another. And this is where I think that this saying is helpful, and also is our sermon title for today: Blood is thicker than water, but what is often left out is the whole saying. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. In other words, the bond you have with people you choose for yourself is deeper than the relative bond you have with your relatives. Or I as I see it, family we choose and relatives we’re born in to.

Losing Everything

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Last week we saw that 3k believers were added to kickstart the family, talk about crowd sourcing. There’s something to consider with this conversion, what did it mean for them and their families?

One of the primary impacts would have been on the individual's relationships with family and community. Conversion to Christianity would have been seen as a rejection of Jewish tradition and identity, which would have caused tension within families and communities. Jewish people were deeply rooted in their religious practices and customs, and the idea of leaving behind those practices would have been a major departure from tradition. This could have led to social ostracism, with converts being excluded from Jewish social circles and communities.

I remember in even my own conversion to protestantism and how that caused an issue between my parents and I. Over the course of a few months I had several debates on theology and tradition all the while trying to hear them out. Then one day, one sit down with my father it made sense why they were so hurt. He said to me, it feels like the faith we gave you, the traditions you grew up with weren’t good enough for you. The hurt more centered around a feeling of betrayal and rejection, which is okay and totally understandable.

How much more to a people who’s entire identity is wrapped up in the fact that they are God’s chosen people? If you lost your family you lost everything, especially if you were a woman. And the government at the time of this happening, really the first century, was centered around the idea that Caesar was a god-man. So there were often what people today call sock checks How down are you? A roman guard would demand that you offer up worship to a statue of Caesar, to not do so would be considered an act of rebellion and was punishable by death. And since Christianity was not yet a state recognized to not do so in the name of Jesus the Nazarene meant death.

It reminds me of the bone chilling war on the faithful and clergy in Mexico during the 1920’s, The Cristero War. I believe there are a couple of movies and documentaries on it that are pretty easy to find. The area that my parents are from, the place I spent so many summers as a youth, was a hotbed of conflict during that time, so some of the things I’ve learned about this time from my grandma were super intense. Something that has always stuck with me is this walk of the martyrs and their confession before death, “Viva Cristo el Rey!”

Romans 10:9 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

To confess faith meant death. So then what empowered them to do so?

Devote Yourselves

As we saw last week all believers receive the Holy Spirit. This Holy spirit strengthens and empowers the believer to be courageous. But also, as we learned on Wednesday, the Holy Spirit is also the one who transforms us. The same power that rose Jesus from the dead is the same power that takes out our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh(Eze 36). This is the same spirit that makes us good soil, ready to receive the seed of the Gospel. He is the same spirit that gives us the new birth necessary to receive Christ. He is the one that conforms us more and more to the image of Christ.

These 3k people earlier in Acts 2 were given this same spirit and were baptized. I’m sure the question was “What now?” What did the Church look like going forward? I’m glad you asked.

Acts 2:42 NASB95

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

This is in the NASB version, which I believe adds some much needed emphasis.

A quick break down of these words will give a bit more insight. The apostle’s teaching was the life giving doctrine that we still have today. In fact, we sang it as our second song today. These core tenants are what define orthodox christianity and keep us going in the same trajectory as we have for thousands of years, towards Christ. But, also sharing the same doctrinal statement has also given us a common ground to create relationship with other believers. I also love that the apostle’s teaching comes first. It shows us that what we know about Jesus, who jesus is and how he instructed us to live, is the core reason why we can do the work of loving each other. It is so important that Jesus didn’t resurrect and head back to His throne right away, he stayed and taught his disciples!!

"The early church was devoted to the apostles' teaching, which means they were committed to understanding and applying the Scriptures. This is essential for us as well, because it is through the Word of God that we come to know and love Him." - Matt Chandler

Next we have fellowship. This means that the believers gathered together daily.

Acts 2:46 ESV

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

This gathering wasn’t once or twice a week as we are accustomed to it today. Our fellowship doesn’t revolve all of life as it did with them. They lost so much, they only had each other. I believe that if we treated eachother the way they did our lives would be different. I remember hearing or seeing something a few years ago challenging the western church to more like the first century church, but they were only talking about stripping down the worship services and meeting in homes vs adjusting the character of the church.

"The early church was not built upon a program, but upon the power of the Holy Spirit. Their devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer was not a formula, but a reflection of their love for Christ and one another." - Charles Spurgeon

Sometimes we can get so comfortable with receiving and being entertained that we can forget what it’s like to actually be the church. To reach out to each other, talk to each other, have a coffee, set up a gathering outside of church, to love on eachother more than just on sundays. I’m also not talking about just the leaders doing so. The pastors and various other leaders in our church cant be the only ones doindg that work. Most, if not all, have felt the loss of Ellen Bello, how are we doing to reach out to each other? As some may know, the Pastor’s daughter, aby has called to be with the Lord a couple of days ago, what church are we going to be when he comes back?

Our pastors and leaders need you and your guidance and prayers as much as you need theirs. that’s why the church is set up the way it is.

The church broke bread together and prayed. The quick and easy is that not only did they eat together, but they had communion and prayed together as often as they met up up to do so.

Their lives surrounded these four things, doctrine, fellowship, communion and prayer. These four things informed how they loved each other and the unbelieving world. The combination of these things led them to be such a generous and loving people that anyone that had need was taken care of. We’re not talking about socialism here people, we’re talking about meetings the needs of your family without reservation. Everyone had eachother’s backs so intently that they would sell their possessions to help eachother out. They would give of their time and talents lovingly. This is so indicting of even my life. sometimes I feel that I protect my resources and time so much that I’m no good to the church. And I’m no talking about ministry work here, I’m talking about supporting eachother outside of these four walls.

If our church fell under persecution, would we seek each other out today? They did and we have the same spirit!

These four things should shape our lives and drive us towards each other. We’re not supposed to show up on sundays and recharge. This is not a recharging station, but a reminding station. We’re supposed to be reminded of God’s love and that we are a family. And if you’re a believer than I’m sorry to say but you chose us, you chose this. We are bound by the new covenant in the blood of Christ.

"The church is not just a place we go on Sundays, but a community of believers who are united by their faith in Christ. We should seek to build meaningful relationships with other believers and to live out our faith together." -joe thorn

"The early church was not perfect, but it was committed to the right things. We should strive to be the same way, committed to the truth of God's Word, to fellowship with other believers, and to prayer."- alistair begg

Brothers and sisters, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Look around a see your brothers and sisters. People you might not have known you were choosing to share your Life with, but here we are. Unbeliever, if you have heard these things feel that God is calling your name to be a part of our family, reach out, talk to us today and do not delay.

Jesus, united by your grace, and each to each endeared, with confidence we seek your face, and know our prayer is heard.

2 Help us to see in each a friend, each other's cross to bear, let all their friendly aid extend, and feel the other's care.

3 Up into you, our living head, let us in all things grow, till you have made us free indeed and faithful here below.

4 Drawn by the lodestone of your love, let all our hearts unite; let us toward each other move, and move toward your light.

charles wesley