Life Together
Acts • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsBig Idea: The Holy Spirit enables us to be unified, to be giving, and to be evangelizing.
Notes
Transcript
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Random Question: What’s one thing you absolutely can’t live without?
(Read Through passage)
Vs. 42
Vs. 42
Q: A couple weeks ago we talked about somebody’s sermon in Acts 2, who was preaching? (Peter)
Q: What were the results of his sermon (Acts 2:41)? (About 3000 souls saved)
Summary recap (brief)
Summary recap (brief)
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Q: What does it mean to continue steadfastly?
To persevere, sometimes obstinately
Illustration: Some of you know exactly what this is. Most days you’re continuing steadfastly on Mario Kart or NHL 25. It’s a spending countless hours of undivided attention to something.
Q: These believers were persevering in 4 different things in vs. 42, what are they?
Apostle’s doctrine
fellowship
breaking of bread
prayers
(NEXT SLIDE)
Apostle’s Doctrine
Apostle’s Doctrine
Q: I need your help on the specifics of the Apostle’s doctrine. We know of course it’s God’s Word. What specifically is the Apostle’s Doctrine?
Old testament
The teachings of Jesus passed on to others
The resurrection
Maybe even Apostles memories of Jesus’ life itself
Q: What miracle from Pentecost have we been talking about a lot?
Tongues
Q: Did God reveal Himself (Character & work) through tongues? (yes)
Q: Then why bring in the Apostle’s Doctrine? (God’s Word is important!!)
Anytime there’s revival and the Spirit is working, He will always drive us to the Word of God, not away from it. God’s Word needs to be at the core of our lives and the church because it teaches, guides, convicts, and corrects us.
(NEXT SLIDE)
Fellowship
Fellowship
Q: Even if I have the best of intentions (Sing, prayer, preach to myself, read Scripture), can I do church alone? (No! It’s fellowship, meant to be done together)
Fellowship = Participation, sharing in common.
Illustration: Potluck is fellowship. Everyone contributes their part in the meal.
Christian fellowship = sharing our lives together
Illustration: Freddy man; Online church and Communion at home...
(NEXT SLIDE)
Q: What’s the next thing in the verse? (breaking of bread)
Breaking of bread
Breaking of bread
Q: What’s that like? Stomp on baguettes? (Lord’s Supper/fellowship meal)
(NEXT SLIDE)
Prayer
Prayer
Q: Can the church be healthy if they aren’t praying? (No)
Q: Can we be healthy Christians if we aren’t praying? (No!)
Illustration: Calling dad when you need him.
- Spent all my money on the new iPhone 17, can you give me money for groceries?
- Just got a flat tire, come pick me up?
- I need you to buy me another bat, I broke mine at practice
That’s not much of a relationship, isn’t it?
Praying together in church: “Dear God, thank you for this day. Fix martha’s car, help Jefferson in school, heal sister Bertha, give my parents lots of money so they can afford to buy me Tim’s, and let the Jays win this year. Amen.” We’re not going to be healthy if we don’t pray, and if we don’t pray passionately.
Compare with actual prayer
These 4 things are the core of what make church, church.
(NEXT SLIDE)
Vs. 43
Vs. 43
(Have someone read vs. 43)
43 And fear [AAHHHH!] came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Q: Miracles were happening, were they terrified? Or were they in awe? (In awe)
Illustration: You wanna get my attention, go to St. Joes and find a guy paralyzed from head to toe and heal him with one touch. “Only God can do something like that! God must be with you!”
Q: Can we do the same thing the apostles did back in those days? (No, we can’t do miracles)
Q: How come were they able to do miracles but not us? (God used miracles as a sign that things were changing)
(NEXT SLIDE)
Miracles through Moses...
Vs. 44-45
Vs. 44-45
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
(NEXT SLIDE)
Q: Is this some sort of Christian communism?
Q: We’re not in history class so I don’t want to take long on this, but can someone tell me what is communism?
Definition: A system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed.” “A theory advocation elimination of private property.”
Q: Is this what we see in vs. 44-45? (No)
Illustration: Grab someone’s Bible & admire it. “Looks like quite the Bible! The church has claimed it, thank you for contributing to our church. Someone who needs it more than you will enjoy it well.”
Q: What’s the difference between Acts 2:44-45 and communism? (Voluntary giving, motivated by love)
(NEXT SLIDE)
This is the ideal model, totally unselfish giving of our stuff to those who are in need.
Q: This is awesome on paper, but is it easy to do in real life? (Absolutely not)
Q: What would you say if I asked to borrow your phone for a day? (No way Jose!)
Q: Do I have much hope of being a generous person on my own? (No)
Difficult to part with the things we love. But the more we are filled with the Spirit, the more willing we are to share the things God has given us.
Prescribed vs. Described
Prescribed vs. Described
(NEXT SLIDE)
Prescribed: A rule for us to follow today.
Described: Just telling it as it was, don’t need to follow.
Apostle’s Doctrine (Prescribed)
Miracles (Described)
Sell everything (Described)
Fellowship (Prescribed)
Baptism (Prescribed)
Tongues (Described)
Communion (Prescribed)
Adding 3000 souls to the church (Described)
Evangelism (Prescribed)
Vs. 46
Vs. 46
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
“continued” same word as vs. 42
Q: How often did they get together? (Daily)
The more you get to know someone, the more bad stuff you discover...
Illustration: Finding each other’s buttons and pushing them...
- bro & sis
- stinky
- slob
- asking to do smt after you already started
Q: Over time meeting daily in the temple and in houses, do they get grumpy at each other? What are they like? (Gladness and singleness of heart)
Gladness = great feeling of joy, extreme gladness.
Q: What is singleness of heart? Sadness for still being single? (Humble/simple joy resulting from unity with Christians)
Vs. 47
Vs. 47
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Q: Start of verse 47, what’s the outcome of their glad fellowship? (Praise to God, favour with the people)
These people had a testimony! (Speak on Christian behavior that stands out)
Q: Is Christian fellowship natural to us? (No, quite the opposite)
Q: What is our natural tendency? (fight)
Q: Who do we need help from to avoid conflict? (The Holy Spirit)
It’s natural for us sinful people to turn to conflict. But when we put our little quarrels aside and do life together unified, God’s going to do some incredible things. Magnetic affect.
(NEXT SLIDE)
So What?
So What?
Get along!
The Holy Spirit can help you
Your witness to the lost depends on it
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