The Favor of The Church

Acts 2:42–47 “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”

Introduction:

We talked last week about the fact that the church has recieved a lot of criticism over the years. I have done some of it myself and the church has done its fair share of earning that criticism. However many misunderstand the church and slander it without cause. They don’t understand that the church is something that Jesus created and Jesus maintains. It is His idea and He loves it. While their maybe somethings wrong with the church there are certainly some things right with the church.

One of those things is the FAVOR of the church. Each week God pours His blessing out on us when we pray the priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26.

It is evident to me that God wants us blessed, blessed for a purpose. What is it that we do with God’s favor after we leave here?

Jesus has given the great commission to the church in Matthew 28:19–20 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

In order for the church to carry out its mission, it must have God’s favor.

The early church had God’s favor and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people (Acts 2:42).

Let’s dive into this subject favor of the church

Getting the Favor

Noah

Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found favor with the Lord.”

The heading in my Bible for chapter six is “A World Gone Wrong”

Man if that isn’t an accurate description. It really is something that makes you stop in your tracks.

The world was a full of wickedness

The sons of God (Nephilim) married human women.

God was mad and said he will not put up with humans for such a long time

He shortened their life span to 120 years

The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness

He was even sorry that He made man

It was unlikely that anyone could look good in God’s sight, but…

verse 8 says that Noah found favor with the LORD

He was surrounded by corruption, but he found favor (with God)

I just wander how many would say “I cannot live for God in this corrupt place.” Have you seen my surroundings?

I wander how many have gone with the crowd instead of lived for God.

Noah found favor with God, he took God seriously!

Joseph

Genesis 39:21 “But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.”

Sold into slavery by his brothers after they really wanted to kill him

chased after by an adulteress woman and falsely accused

imprisoned and forgotten

But he had favor with God, he trusted God no matter what it looked like and God even gave him favor with other people

Samuel

1 Samuel 2:26 “Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.”

He was dropped off at the Tabernacle to be trained by the priest

He was an offering for the Lord’s use

He gained favor with God and then with the people

That is the only way that can work - God first, then others - this is not a work for you to accomplish - it has been accomplished for you

Jesus

Luke 2:52 “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.”

Jesus gained favor with God and then the people

But people are fickle, God is not

Its more important to have God’s favor than that of man

Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

The early church praised God because they had been given so much favor (underserved merit) from God and the passage says they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people.

God’s favor will cause others to bless you!

Keeping the Favor

It has been said that there is a price to be paid for the Favor of God

Of course I don’t mean that you can pay God for it but there are things that you have to lose

Psalm 24:3–5 “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.”

In order to keep the favor of God you have to maintain a pure heart and clean hands

Its hard to see your own impurity sometimes

Isaiah prophesied and warned Judah in Isaiah chapter 5.

There were 5 times that he said, “What sorrow awaits you” or “Woe unto you”

Isaiah 5:8 “What sorrow for you who buy up house after house and field after field, until everyone is evicted and you live alone in the land.”

Isaiah 5:11 “What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.”

Isaiah 5:18 “What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart!”

Isaiah 5:20 “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.”

Isaiah 5:22 “What sorrow for those who are heroes at drinking wine and boast about all the alcohol they can hold.”

But when Isaiah saw the Lord as described in chapter 6 he proclaimed “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” (KJV) or “Its all over, I am doomed, for I am a sinful man.” (NLT)

Isaiah recognized his own impurity when facing God

None of us can face God and compare - we are all filthy in comparison

But Isaiah confessed — and God cleansed him

It is the same with us when we confess that we are impure

Isaiah saw the Lord when Uzziah died

Uzziah was only 16 when he became king and he had God’s favor. His story gives us some insight in keeping God’s favor

He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight (Verse 4)

If you want to keep the favor of God, do what is pleasing to Him

Don’t read your Bible to see what you can get away with

Take His instructions seriously and live to please Him

He sought God (Verse 5)

God’s favor is kept by seeking God in every decision you make and every aspect of your life

He went forth (Verse 6 KJV)

Most people don’t move anywhere. They just stay where they are.

Dr. Tim Hill told the story and its too good not to tell:

There was an elderly couple who approached a merry-go-round at a fair. The old man wanted to ride but he was not able to convince his wife to get on so he went by himself. When he got off, his wife said, “See there, you got off right where you got on. You haven’t been anywhere yet.”

This is a sad accusation to the church when the community it is supposed to be serving says “all you do is go around in circles, day after day and year after year!”

Let us not go in circles, may we do what is pleasing to God, seek Him, and move forward in His power!

Regaining the Favor

Having money is fine but you can lose it all

Having an education is good but you can still fail

Having talent is nice, but even with abilities, you can fail

But if you have God’s favor, you can’t fail

Many have failed by seeking man’s favor instead of God’s favor (either knowingly or unknowingly)

If you have lost His favor, do what you must to get it back, seek Him, He is faithful

Altar

Call to salvation

Call to repentance

Call to experience more of God