Church-Week 5

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 4:32–35 NIV

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

“Glad and Sincere Hearts”

1 John 4:7 (NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

Unfortunately - christians don’t always have a great track record of either of these qualities.

The early church genuinely enjoyed each other’s company.

First off - This was supernaturally empowered

The simple truth is. It needs to be. Because people can be JUST THE WORST

Story - helping my kids play well together

It was also sincere. It wasn’t faked, or manufactured.

They weren’t committed just to looking the part or acting the part. It wasn’t enough to simply not publicly fued - they needed to actually, honest to goodness, see each other and be with each other.

There’s a difference between these two approaches. One is - we just don’t want to fight. The other is - we need each other.

The difference is - the attitude they held towards each other. The expectations they placed on each other. The reasons for getting together. They chose all the perspectives that resulted in thankfulness and gladness for having every single person around them that they did.

In this description of the church - there’s no pretense or performance. No one was trying to impress anyone, or grasp at social structure. They simply enjoyed each other’s presence.

Luke never writes that the church grew primarily because of the preaching of the apostles.

They enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong. But Paul points to one big factor - how close they were as a community.

The true fellowship that they demonstrated resulted in having the ‘favour of all the people’. This favour resulted in people being able to personally witness.

We all just play a part. God is the one who causes growth

1 Corinthians 3:6–7 NIV

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

“No Needy Persons Among Them”

The early church fellowship was very comprehensive and connected

It didn’t extend to just once a week, or waving at each other as they walked by in the grocery store

This kind of real relationship requires two things:

Compassion

James 2:15–16 NIV

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

In order for our faith to be alive - we NEED to take care of each other.

Transparency

This community isn’t the place for a fake face.

Whatever reasons you may have to put up walls, the simple fact is this - in order for the body to be healthy, it needs to be connected together.

By refusing to let other people in - not only are you preventing other people from doing the stuff that God wants THEM to do, but, you may actually be cutting yourself off from the answer that God HIMSELF is trying to send.

All these different qualities we have discussed over the last two weeks:

Devoted to teaching and fellowship

One heart and one mind

Glad and sincere hearts

No needy people among us.

What would it look like if we played this out?

“The Lord Added To Their Number Daily”

There’s lots of books written on church growth. Lots of strategies, techniques, advice, methods, whatever.

But a simple, honest truth is this - Healthy things grow.

SIDEBAR Growing isn’t the same as ‘not shrinking’ or ‘not changing’.

We think we’ve done a good enough job if things don’t change, or if we don’t close.

But that’s not the heart of God.

Luke 15:7 NIV

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

- It’s this simple truth. The early church had a healthy community - and they grew. We can change every single thing in the building. Or we can stay absolutely the same.

But in either scenario - if we aren’t ourselves healthy. If we aren’t modelling health in our community and to our surrounding community- We’re just spinning our wheels. If we aren’t a church, by the biblical definition - then whatever we do isn’t called growing the church.

But God’s priorities are clear - if we ARE His church, then he’ll add to His church.

ANd not only is this expected of each one of us - it’s something we actually can do!

So as we finish off this series on what the church actually is, I’ll leave us with a simple challenge:

Let’s be the church

Let’s be this kind of church. Let’s show marathon, and the world, the transformative power of the gospel.

And if we do - not only will God build THISchurch (people who are trustworthy with a little will be given more!), he’ll build his kingdom. And we’ll get to see all the things that go along with that.