The Unified Church
Notes
Transcript
Has anyone here been to the Symphony before?
Imagine a symphony orchestra preparing to perform a grand piece of music. Each musician plays a different instrument—some play the violin, others the trumpet, flute, trombone, or whatever. Each instrument on its own can sound beautiful, but it cannot capture the full range and beauty of the entire musical piece.
Now, picture what would happen if each musician decided to play their own tune, at their own pace, with no conductor to guide them. The result would be chaotic noise, not music.
However, when the orchestra is united under the leadership of the conductor, with each musician playing their specific part, the sound produced is harmonious and powerful. Together, they create a masterpiece far greater than any one instrument could achieve on its own.
In Acts chapter 4 we get a picture of a unified church coming together. At this point, the church is very new. They have only been together for a few days, maybe a few weeks. The church is already experiencing persecution. When we ended last week, Peter and John had been taken to jail for healing and preaching in Jesus name.
Look at the boldness that Peter and John had in front of the religious leaders.
5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.
7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!
9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed,
10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it.
17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!
20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
When you think of what is happening here, Peter and John are arrested for healing a man. This is crazy.
The religious leaders want to know what power they had done this.
The world doesn’t understand the authority of Christ that lives in us. And the world will do what it can to challenge that authority. They may make fun of or try to explain away what God is doing through you. There may even be some church leaders that try to do this.
Here Peter is with this boldness that he has after being filled with the Holy Spirit and he stands up to the religious leaders.
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
When you go to share your story with someone, go with boldness. The Holy Spirit has empowered you to speak the truth about Christ with boldness.
You have already been given the authority through Christ.
These religious leaders see the boldness that Peter and John have and they are taken aback by it. So, they tell them stop doing this.
There will be times that you will face opposition, but as a disciple of Jesus stand firm in your belief. Share your story with boldness.
We should be unified in this belief, confessing Jesus to the world.
Peter and John tell the religious leaders
19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges!
No matter what men will try to tell you, you can be assured that your primary allegiance is to Christ. There may be times that you receive pressure from external sources to turn away, but stay the course and keep your faith in Jesus.
Jesus is the unifying factor in the church. We cannot do what we need to do without Christ.
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “ ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
So, when Peter and John are released, what do they do?
They come back to their church, they tell everyone there what had happened, and they have a Holy Ghost prayer meeting.
They are unifying with one another in prayer. We need more prayer. Tonight we will have a prayer meeting with worship. God is going to move. People will be touched. You need to be here.
When adversity comes, that is not the time to stop praying. When adversity comes you need to make it a point to pray even more.
What do they pray for? They prayed a prayer of unity. They prayed for boldness. They prayed for healing and signs and wonders through the name of Jesus.
The visit in the jail cell didn’t stop them. It made them more bold than ever.
When adversity comes, you must seek the power of God to continue to do the work that He is calling you to do.
And as they were praying they received confirmation from the Holy Spirit.
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
When God answers your prayers He doesn’t just do it a little. God comes in like a flood and the Holy Spirit moves in your life in a mighty way.
That prayer meeting moved everyone to a new level that day. There is power in prayer.
Look at what the church did next.
32 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.
33 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
34 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
35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”),
37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Notice that verse 32 says, “they were one in heart and mind.
When we pray as a church, there is a unity that takes place. The Holy Spirit creates a spirit of unity and selflessness among God’s people.
When the church comes together in unity, there are no needs because the church responds the way God has taught us to respond.
It may be with money or it may be with abilities. It may be a talent you have. When the church is unified and everyone is doing their part, you cannot stop the church from moving forward.
God may call you to give sacrificially to the church. God may call you to do something that isn’t being done but needs to be done. God may call you to lead youth or kids or work in the nursery. Whatever God is calling you to do that is what you are to do.
Acts four gives us a beautiful picture of a unified church doing the work of the Lord.
It wasn’t just Peter and John that were doing it, it was every member of the church.
The church in Acts had a boldness come on them to witness and to do the work of the ministry. They were unified in heart and mind and they began to reach their city.
Remember what Acts 1:8 said.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
They were fulfilling the promise that Jesus had given them. They were bold in everything they did. That was the power of the Holy Spirit giving them that boldness. They were a unified church in prayer and deeds. They cried out to God to give them more.
Over the next few weeks we will see that boldness come upon the church and the message of Jesus Christ will spread through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This morning, I want each of us to pray for a Spirit of unity upon this church. Can we gather in prayer circles all around this church and pray for each other. In those circles, I want you to pray for each other. Ask each other what you can pray with them about. And then pray together for a spirit of unity in our church.
Gather in circles now.