Flip the Model

Good morning and welcome to Living Faith Church. I am so excited to be able to worship Jesus Christ with you on this amazing Sunday. If we have never met before, my name is Aaron. My wife Stella and I are honored to be able to serve on the Pastoral team at LFC. Today we are going to wrap up this vision series, called The Gospel In Every Home. Now, last week we talked about how living in community is vital to the health of a believer in Jesus. The writer of Acts tells us in Acts 2:40

Acts 2:40 (ESV)

40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

But two verses later he gives us the four tools that we must practice to be successful in this. Acts 2:42

Acts 2:42 (NASB95)

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

These four things became the daily practices of the early church. Paul wrote in Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25 (NASB95)

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

When he says assembling together, he is talking about the church gathered, but he is also talking about the church scattered. To the early church, there was no this without that; there was no such idea as the church in the synagogue without the church in homes. To the early church, this was a package deal. And the reason for that is what I shared last week. That for this church, the social and the spiritual had become one. This new life was not a Sunday life that benefitted the Monday through Saturday life. This was an entirely new life where the Spiritual was very social, and the Social was deeply spiritual.

This was such a revolutionary new way of living, that it began to spread like wild fire. Acts 2:47 Says:

Acts 2:47 (NASB95)

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

By Acts chapter 5 we that something extraordinary has taken place. Peter and the Apostles have been arrested for spreading the Gospel and part of their accusation is this: Acts 5:28

Acts 5:28 (NASB95)

28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

With only two years since the resurrection of Jesus behind them, these men and women have successfully filled the city of Jerusalem, a city of 600,000 people, with the Gospel. Now, this doesn’t mean that they lead 600,000 people to Jesus; obviously they are on trial, they will be persecuted, and hated by many. But they inundated the city with this message. The church had so filled the city that they could not go unnoticed.

Several years ago I found myself in one of the coolest job interviews I’ve ever had. I was moving from Coeur d’ Alene Idaho to Pasco to assume a brand new role as youth and worship pastor. But, this was not going to be a paid position, so I was on the lookout for a great new job. I needed a job that could pay the bills, and let me spend lots of time doing ministry. Previously I had worked in a textile shop as the manager of the graphics department. I had developed a pretty good portfolio for myself. So I went into this interview pretty confident. That was, until I walked into the front door. The previous graphics job I had was pretty cool and low key. Our shop was in the basement of a sports clothing store, and we were roughing it, or so it seemed according to this design studio I had just stepped foot into. I mean, my previous desk was an old door laid over a couple of pallets. I had not thought anything of it, that is until I walked into this amazing studio. We made T-Shirts for boat races, sports teams and local restaurants. These guys designed for NASCAR, fortune 500 companies, and banks like Washington Mutual. I also had not considered the culture shift. My previous boss was a preachers kid. He and I loved to talk God all day, we opened our days with Scripture and prayer, and when things didn’t work out quite rite… we prayed about it. I learned really quick that, this design studio was not waiting on God for anything. As I laid out my portfolio and walked the interview team through it, I showed them church logo’s, ministry brochures, and T-shirts. I had never really thought of it, but it was all pretty churchy. At one point, the guy leading the interview asked me a very important question. “Are you graphic designer who pastors on the side, or are you a pastor who dabbles in graphic design?”. This was a good question, one I had never thought of before- but I knew the answer as soon as he asked it. I knew in this moment that, that I was about to turn down the coolest job ever. But I knew inside, I was clearly a pastor who dabbled in graphic design.

As I think about our own church, and the call God has placed on us; my prayer is that our city would look at us and say: “You have filled our city with the Gospel”. But let’s be honest, this doesn’t come easy! You do not inundate a city with the Gospel at no expense, with no sacrifices, or on your pass-time. This early church was different from churches today. They would see themselves different, and they would see the church different. Let’s spend a few minutes together talking about these differences and how we can flip our model of the Church to align with that of the early church.

It’s Not About A Moment, It’s About A Mission

First century believers had a very different mindset about church. Church was not a Sunday moment, it was an ongoing mission. If you were to ask any first century Christian what time does church start, they would laugh at you. Church was an every moment of the day life. Regular church buildings would not exist until the time of Constantine. Until then, larger gatherings would happen in many different locations, many different times of the day. They learned this from Jesus. And the Gospel spread rapidly this way because the early Christians saw church as a mission and not a moment.

Mark 16:15 (NASB95)

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The Church in this mode was an offensive people instead of a defensive people. In other words, their mission was not to isolate themselves from a the evil of the world, but to infiltrate the world with hope. Paul taught the church of Ephesus that Gods design was that through the church, rulers and authorities would come in contact with the wisdom of God.

Ephesians 3:10 (NASB95)

10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

When Paul was teaching the young pastor Timothy, who was the lead elder in Ephesus, he reminded Timothy the the church is to remain as pillar of truth in the religion.

1 Timothy 3:15 (NASB95)

15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

People who joined themselves to this church knew that this was far more than just a prayer prayed, and an added weekly event. The church was not a part of their life, their life was joined to the church. They were a part of a mission to change the social, and spiritual climate of a region. See, the early church had a perspective that many of us do not have. These Jewish believers knew that the Messiah was coming to build a kingdom. Now, they saw this kingdom as a physical kingdom that would overthrow the rule of Rome. This view was called “Militant Messianism”. So these Jews would surrender and join themselves to this militant messianic rule and fight against the Roman empire. Now, Jesus did not come to establish a physical kingdom to overthrow Rome. But He did establish a Kingdom, a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom more real than any other kingdom. It is a kingdom that lives on even today, and will last for eternity, long after Rome, Israel, America, Russia, or anything on earth. Now, you know as well as I do, that kingdoms determine HOW you live. There are laws, languages, and liberties that define my habits and quality of life. So also Jesus said that there is a greater kingdom with laws, language and liberty that should define how you live.

Matthew 6:33 (NASB95)

33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Look with me at this other teaching of Jesus about the kingdom and the church.

Matthew 16:18–19 (NASB95)

18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

When you join yourself to The Church, Jesus says - you have full access to my Kingdom and the authority within. And, Jesus says, when you seek my Kingdom, I will add to your life. I will ensure the rest of your life will come to you. How we have flipped this around in current Christianity. We build our life the way we want them to be, and if we have everything we want, then we add church to it.

It’s Not About What We Do, It’s About Who We Are

Members of this early church took on the identity of the church. To be christian was to be The Church. Paul told the church of Ephesus:

Ephesians 5:29–30 (NASB95)

29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,

30 because we are members of His body.

Later to the church of Colossae: Colossians 1:24

Colossians 1:24 (NASB95)

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

For many today, the church is an organization that we affiliate with, but for the New Testament believers, the church was truly the body of Christ. Which meant that there was a great sense of responsibility that came with this new life.

Serve one another through love Galatians 5:13

Prefer one another in Love Romans 12:10

Build one another up 1 Thessalonians 5:1

Instruct one another Romans 15:14

Be hospitable to one another 1 Peter 4:9

Fellowship with one another 1 John 1:7

Confess your sins to one another James 5:16

What is this? It is a picture of a life lived in community. A life lived according to the Acts 2:42 model.

Acts 2:42 (NASB95)

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

And these believers practiced these disciplines diligently in community groups scattered everywhere. Some of them are even listed by name in the New Testament books.

Gaius lead a group in his home in Corinth

Priscilla and Aquila lead a group in their home in Ephesus

Philemon lead a group in his home in Colossae

Nympha lead a group in his home in Laodicea

Phoebe lead a group in her home in Cenchreae

Lydia lead a group in her home in Philippi

Aristobulus had a group in his home

Narcissus had a group in his home

If church is something we go to, it will always be inconvenient, and something will inedibly get in the way. But when the church is who we are, then in everything we do becomes an expression and extension of the local church. And this is precisely why these men and women were able to so rapidly fill Jerusalem with Gods Good News, because they were not interrupting their regular life to make room for Christian tasks. To be Christian, is to be the Church. Paul said it well in Colossians:

So, my question for you today is this; who are you? Are you a person who goes to church on Sunday? Or are you the Church who goes to work Monday through Friday.

Is church a moment of your life on Sunday, or is it the Mission of your life every day?

My challenge for you today is this. If church is your mission, then live like it. Be missional and live your life in community. Nearly everyone of these home group leaders I mentioned a moment ago had only lived their Christian life less that 3 years. You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to build a community. God is not looking for your performance, He is simply looking for your surrender.

Salvation Response

Maybe you showed up today not even knowing what to expect. My guess is, you came today hoping that somehow, something would change in your life. I’m here to tell you, something is about to change. You know and I know that none of us are perfect. We all have sinned and fallen short of Gods perfect law. You cannot do anything about that. You probably already know this. But listen to me. Jesus has made a way- He wants to change you when you can’t change yourself. He is not afraid of your sin, He is not ashamed of you, or disappointed in you.

Ephesians 2:5 (NASB95)

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

It is Gods grace that saves you, not your hard work, or your own achievements. You have probably already figured out that you are not good enough, nor strong enough, or determined enough to fix your own life. So today, I want to simply lead you to Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8 (NASB95)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

With every eye closed, all around the room, if you want to pray with me, and ask Jesus to be your God, the Lord and Savior of your life, will you raise your hand so I know who I am praying for?

“Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive me for all of my sins.  Make me brand new.  Because You died for me, I want to live for You.  Fill me with Your Spirit, so I could follow You.  Jesus, You’re now my Lord and the Savior of my life.  Take my life.  It is Yours.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.”