True Christian Fellowship: Part 1

Acts chapter 2. I had it as one message, but as I began to prepare I realized, I needed to break it into two. So the first part of it'll be this week. Next part of it'll be next week because I realized, as I prepared, I got through One verse. And I was already at the length of my typical message so I thought they probably don't want me doing all those versus together. So, working on that and I wanted to be able to really break this verse down and Acts 2:42 and that's what we're going to do. But as we take this kind of brief snapshot that we've been given of the early church, you know, will see that there are some distinguishing elements that come out, you know, we've talked about like some things like spiritual duties, and spiritual attitudes and the results that that had with the spiritual impact. But today, we're going to focus a lot on those kind of the spiritual Duty side of things.

Because, you know, the early church was just simply a solid Church, nothing more. Nothing less. It was its life, was completely defined by its Devotion to those spiritual duties. Which, as we talk about these things, you'll see that they are something that are very unique to the life of a church, but they're also very important. To the life and health of a church. And something we continually see with the early churches that nothing outside of the Holy Trinity to find a life for the church. You know the church didn't rely on worldly strategies or marketing strategies or allow its beliefs to be defined by the culture around it. They just relied on God's word on the way that the Holy Spirit moved them.

and yet they sell results that No church yet has match that mean, I don't know if there's too many churches, they can claim, you know, 3,000 people coming to Faith their first day.

And I think that any church that sticks to some of these key elements that were talking about of spiritual Duty that were modeled by this early church, we can see similar results in our day and age still. So what are some of those key elements? The first one is that it was a saved Church. the way we're going to work through 242 is Acts 2:42, they devoted themselves.

That's the very first part of that, but what did that mean? You know, those three thousand who confess their faith in Christ for the ones who were baptized, excuse me, as we saw last week in verse 41. There also, the day who showed the genuineness of their faith by continuing to remain faithful. Despite the hate the ridicule, the persecution that they suffered for doing that.

and that is the mark of genuine salvation, that no matter what came their way, they didn't falter or waver John 8:31 says to the Jews who had believed him. Jesus said, if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

You know, by saying that this is a saved search? I don't mean that those who were non Christians were not welcome. What it simply means is that the majority of the people who made up the church were believers.

You know sadly many churches today are made up of largely unsaved, individuals, non-believers and amazingly. There are even some church movements that focus on trying to design a church. That is more comfortable for non-christians.

You know, which I can understand that and some aspects of why you want them to feel welcome, you want them to feel comfortable, but you have to be very careful about the way that you do that. And that is often where we stumble.

Because if you make them feel comfortable by lowering the bar, for what it takes to get into heaven or by watering down the gospel.

That's not really helping anybody, that's not true teaching them. True Christianity and often what happens then is later down the road. When you try to, then up the bar to where it's supposed to be, where it should have been to start with those people can begin to feel like they kind of just had the bait-and-switch happen on him, you know, where you told him, one thing to get him in the door. And then, once you got them in the door, you tell them something else. And we don't want them to feel that way, you know, we don't want them to be deceived. We want them to know from the beginning. What? God standards are.

Because the church that is seeking Christ and his righteousness can't really be focused on making people comfortable as their main thing.

You know, it's not to say that I'm Believers are not, welcome, you know, and that you don't want them there and that you want them to feel uncomfortable all the time. That's not the case. You know, they're welcome to be a part of our services and we want them to be there to hear the word of God proclaimed and explained that's part of the purpose of the church. You know, we want them, they're hearing the prayers for each other, the prayers of confession, the prayers of repentance, we want them to hear our worship, in our praise and our calls in our services to be more. Holy

you know, we want them to Feel welcome. So they can witness the love of a church body that they have for each other.

But the truth is if they're really experiencing that as an unbeliever, it's going to be something, they're not used to and all those things that makes the church, the church. Will make them feel uncomfortable. But that's okay. We want that, we want them to feel their need for a savior.

but the problem is we've taken the opposite approach and we think well we'll just water everything down until they feel comfortable and then let him come in but that's not the approach that we saw the early church take, A second element was that they were a scriptural Church. Acts 2:42 continuing on. It says they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching,

You know the content that's supposed to be taught in the church is the revealed truth of God found in his holy word.

it always amazes me when people will come to church set in the church service and Then say, wow. That's the first time I've heard A sermon from the word of God in a while. It amazes me because I don't know what else people would be preaching. To me that defeats the whole purpose, but unfortunately it is all too common anymore. like I said, the church is to be a place where God's word is proclaimed and explained to people And, you know, Paul mandates that is a priority in his Epistles and he talks about a lot and he talks about it to Timothy and 2nd Timothy 2:2. He says, and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to Reliable, people who will also be qualified to teach others. You know Paul is giving him a pretty simple growth strategy there. You know he's saying you go and teach others what I have taught you. So that they can go and teach others who can go and teach others and so on and so on. It's that idea of making disciples of it replicating.

And that has to be a part of every Church. A commitment to teaching, the word of God is foundational to the growth and spiritual health of every church. And it was vital to the early church. In 1st Peter 2:2, it says like newborn babies. You should long for the pure milk of God's word, it will help you grow up as believers.

In scripture is food for the Believers growth growth and power and there is no substitute. We can try to substitute other things but it won't work.

And I'm sad to say that I think far too many churches in our day ignore the explanation and application of scripture in their worship at their own expense. They don't realize how negatively it impacts the spiritual health of their congregation when they don't hear the word of God, proclaimed and explained.

Cuz we don't hear it. We can never get to what's described here in Romans 12:2 where it says, don't live the way that this world lives. That your way of thinking be completely changed, then you will be able to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is, right? His plan is good and pleasing and perfect. How do you know that if you haven't heard the word of God? It only stands to reason that got a church cannot operate on truth. If it's never heard that truth, if it's never been taught, what the truth is, he know, Believers can't function on principles. They haven't learned If we don't know it, we can't do it. So we have to maintain our commitment to search the scriptures but not just on Sunday mornings. It has to be a personal commitment to search the Scriptures Daily for God's wisdom and guidance. And we have to be teaching the Next Generation to do the same thing. And as Paul challenge their, you know you go and teach them what I have taught you and teach others who can teach others. That's what we have to be doing. The third element, we see in the early church is that it was a fellowshipping church. I don't even know if fellowshipping is a word but it was a fellowshipping Church. expanding that Acts, 2:42, verse says, they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to Fellowship You know, Fellowship is one of the primary ways for believers to encourage each other.

We can't encourage each other if we don't gather together and hear what's going on in each other's lives. If we don't have those conversations that happened right before the service or right after the service or in the parking lot, after all those things, if those aren't happening. We can't encourage each other to keep striving towards that christ-like life. We have to spend time together.

You know, for a Christian to say that they don't need a church to be able to be a part of, they don't have to have that in their life, you know. That's really just a way that they are deceiving themselves. Cuz I think for a Christian to fail to participate in the life of their local church is just one of those things that has to be a part of every Christian Life. In fact, I think those who choose to isolate themselves are being disobedient to what we're being told in Scripture. Hebrews chapter 10, verses 24 and 25 says, let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. And let us not give up meeting together. some are in the habit of doing this instead, let us encourage one, another with words of Hope, let us do this even more as you see, Christ's return approaching

You know, I don't see anywhere in Scripture that the Bible and Visions a Christian Living out their Christian walk. All by themselves.

You know, it's not to be lived apart from other believers. We're to be the body of Christ living and working together. All the members of The Big C, Universal Church, Are the body of Christ and we're all to be actively and intimately involved in our local churches.

Sad thing is in our society. Now I think what we experienced with covid convinced far too many Christians that they are just fine, being a Christian all by themselves. at home separated from everyone else then,

That simply isn't the case. And I think that's why it's seems like it's taking the American church so long to come out of the Slumber of covid is because our technology has allowed us to stay separated. But it's time for us. To begin to reach out to those who we know are a part of our church body who we know we don't see on a very regular basis and encourage them. come and fellowship with us, let them know that we miss them, let them know that the body of Christ, misses them, And you know next week when we do Church in the park is a perfect opportunity for that, it's a perfect thing to invite them to come, do and enjoy the time of Fellowship in the park together. And I encourage all of you to invite people to come and visit with us there.

Another very important element of the early churches that it was a Christ centered Church.

Acts 2:42 continuing on. It says they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship and to the breaking of bread.

You know, their fellowshipped was also symbolized by their obedience to the spiritual duty of breaking bread together. Which does anyone know what breaking bread? Together symbolizes? Von Maur if I know you got on the tip of your tongue.

It's the last supper or communion they were committed to that as one of the spiritual duties that they felt that they had as the body of Christ. You know, when it's one of those things that you know isn't really optional for the church although I think many people see it that way you know communion is one of the ordinances commanded by Christ of every believer.

And you know when we take communion we always want everyone to get all the elements, then go back to your seats. And then we all take it together to symbolize. That whole thing that you all believers meet on the common ground at the foot of the cross. since everyone of us is a sinner saved by grace, we all come to the foot of the cross the same and that's why we'd like to take communion at the same time as a church family as a church body to gather Because community acknowledges that wonders worked of what Jesus did on the cross.

Communion further exemplifies that Unity of believers. because as we are all per taking communion, we're all taking of the same lord of the same body of the same flesh and that's A big part of that Unity of the church, family. In 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verses 16 and 17. It's a we give thanks for the cup at the Lord's Supper. When we do, aren't we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread, aren't we sharing in the body of Christ? Just as there is one loaf. So we who are many are one body. We all share the one loaf,

you know, another thing about the early church and its commitment to practicing communion Is he knows when we have communion, we always call for that time of self-examination. That time of reflecting. On your walk with Christ.

And when you do that, you know that idea behind it is as you reflect on your walk with Christ. Do you think of well Maybe I stumbled here, maybe I stumbled there and you can lay those things at the foot of the cross.

And that's one of those ways that, you know, practicing communion on a regular basis can help us to keep coming to the foot of the cross. To keep asking God to cleanse us and washes clean with the blood of Christ knowing that we all stumble and fail in different ways. And it's continually asking for that in a way to purify ourselves. And therefore Christ Church. And when we fall out of the habit of doing those things, it's easy for other things to creep into our lives. And then the life of the church.

So, all this shows is how vital to the church. You know, that commitment to some of these spiritual duties can be that we have to be continually seeking more of Christ, continually seeking to rid ourselves of our sinful ways. But knowing that it's not something we can do on our own. It's only by what Christ accomplished on the cross and it's only with the hope and the love and the encouragement that we can get from our church body, that will be able to do that.

The last element is that it was a Praying Church. All of Acts. 2:42 now, it says they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to Fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

You know, that was one of the things that really Define this first Fellowship, you know, they were always eagerly and persistently engaged and what they saw as a crucial duty to pray for each other, to be praying for the church. To be praying for more people to come to Faith in Jesus.

They knew that prayer was their connection to the Risen Lord.

That's why Jesus in John 14, 13 and 14 says, and I will do anything. You ask in my name. Then the father will receive Glory from the Sun. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it. Yo, Jesus knew that they were struggling with this idea of knowing that he was going to be away from them. So he's insuring them. That prayer. Still gives them a connection to him prayer. Still gives them a connection to the heavenly father in the early church took that promise As a source of God's provision for all their needs. The first step in anything was prayer, and they relentlessly pursued that. Anytime they needed anything. Their first place to turn was to God for his Divine help.

You know, it's not just for individuals to be praying but praying as a church together towards accomplishing what God wanted them to do. They were very devoted to that. You know, sadly prayer is something that I think is probably all too. Neglected in most churches today.

You know, you can have programs concerts entertainment conferences, whatever, testimonies of people, things like that, get a great response at churches. But have a prayer meeting and you won't see that many people show up. It's just the way things go. It's something that when we have them at seems to only attract the faithful few. And why is that?

I wish I knew the answer to that because It would solve a lot of problems for all the church if I did. But I think it's undoubtedly. The reason for a lot of the weakness that we see in the modern-day Church overall is because Before. We result to prayer, we try all these other things.

You know, for the early church first, the first response was prayer. For the church. Now, it seems that prayer is what you do and nothing else has worked. Then we'll pray. We've got that backwards and we need to flip those priorities and learned that we don't try to do anything without having first prayed about it. That's where we need to be Focus. That's how we get back on track with things is realizing that that's one of the crucial things I think. That sets apart the early church from where the church is now.

The fact that they knew what their spiritual duties were and they kept prayer as their first priority.

You know, they understood that these things that we've talked about, you know, this idea of your the church being comprised of mainly saved the people. You know, that's not a negative thing. If you think of it, you know, we should help the majority of our church has saved people because hopefully, as we're saved, we're going out grabbing people who are unsaved bringing them, but they're also getting saved. I think it would be a problem if your church continues to grow. But now the unsaved people outnumber the saved something obviously isn't happening correctly there But the early church understood that, but they also understood that none of these other things that they talked about. You know, they could be studying God's word, they could be fellowshipping, they could be doing all these things that none of those things meant anything. If they weren't continually seeking God in prayer, and they knew that and that was important. That's my challenge to us. That we need to be lifting up. All these new things that are starting in prayer. Anything we approach has a church. We first need to bathe it in prayer. I think, you know, these elements that we've talked about, you know, there's a way that God plans for his church to be built that he showed it can work.

Yeah, that's one thing that the LifeWise program says over and over again to people. They're like. They have steps for everything that you're going to do in a process for everything and there like we know sometimes you look at it and you'll think Will I Know a better way to do that. And they're often, like maybe, but trust us. We've started hundreds of programs this way. Trust the process.

You know, I think it's the same for the church. We've tried to come up with all these different strategies and theories and things of how church should be done, how it needs to be done.

When scripture is always told us what the key elements need to be. And we just need to trust the process. And that starts with prayer. Please pray with me.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings that you give us. Lord, we thank you for how you guide us. Each and every day.

And Lord, as we go throughout our daily lives. I just pray that you would challenge us Lord. To approach you in prayer first. Or not as the last result Resort. But Lord, as our first place to turn,

Lord help us to lift up our needs and prayer and to trust you for the provision of those needs. And pray. That's all in your most. Holy name. Amen.