Firm Foundations: Core Truths We Believe (2)
Notes
Transcript
Church
Church
This morning we are continuing our series Firm Foundations: Core Truths We Believe
Last week we looked at Colossians 1:15-20 as we talked about Jesus and what He has done for us, and that He is the only way to salvation.
The core truth we are looking at today is the Church.
We are going to look at the early church in Acts at the end of chapter 2.
In our main text this morning we are going to see four critical experiences the Early Church reveals to us that should be critical to every church.
These four critical experiences are worship, fellowship, education, and outreach.
Listen for these four critical experiences as we look at our text.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
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.
Pray
As we look at these four critical experiences of the early church we need to understand that the early church was multi-generational, multi-cultural church that was faced with severe criticism, push-back from religious establishments and great persecution all while growing rapidly.
We may ask what allowed the church to thrive under the difficult conditions that they faced?
It was the Holy Spirit of God rallied the believers around the four critical experiences.
The first experience was Worship
Worship
Worship
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines worship as: 1. to honor or show reverence for a divine being or supernatural power; 2. to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.
The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible states: Worship is an act or practice expressing devotion, reverence, and adoration towards God. It often involves rituals, ceremonies, prayers, or other religious or spiritual practices.
Tony Evans says worship is the recognition of God for who He is, what He has done, and what we are trusting Him to do.
Many times we think of worship as the first half of the service where we sing songs, and that is a form of worship but is not the only way to worship.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
In our definitions we see that part of worship is being devoted, our text says the early believers were devoting themselves.
There are four things in that verse we are told that they were devoted to, that is, the apostles teaching - today we could say to studying the Word of God, second was fellowship, then breaking of bread and last prayer.
A church can either be structure centered, which would be focusing on those inside, or it can be mission focused which would be focusing on reaching unbelievers.
What we see of the early church was that they were not structured centered, but mission centered.
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.
If they were structured centered or inward focused they would not have been adding new believers day by day.
What was the mission then of the early church, well we see in verse 42 that it was being devoted or committed.
The early believers devoted themselves to God’s Word, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.
Now think about yourself, and our church are you devoted to those four things, is this church devoted to these four things.
Let’s look at these four areas closer, verse 42 says the early believers were devoted to the apostles teachings.
What would the apostles be teaching?
Jesus told them, the disciples in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
In verse 20 there Jesus tells them exactly what to teach, all that He (Jesus) has commanded them.
Therefore, the apostles teachings were God’s Word, the teachings and commands of Jesus.
Next we are told that they were devoted to fellowship.
We are going to dig deeper into fellowship in our next main point.
Third they were devoted to breaking of bread, this is the Lord Supper.
When we hear breaking of bread, sometimes we may think of having meals together, but that would be more on the fellowship.
Here breaking of bread is referring to observing the Lord Supper.
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Paul instructs the Corinthians believers to observe the Lord Supper in remembrance of Jesus.
Next week we are going to look closer at the Lord Supper.
The final thing we are told the Early believers were devoted to was prayer.
We see Jesus many times in His earthly ministry get away from the crowd, and even the disciples to pray.
Prayer is communicating with God.
The early believers were devoted to communicating with God.
Let me say there is no specific way to pray, talk to God like He is your best friend.
But listen to the parable Jesus tells in Luke 18:10-14
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Even though there is no specific way or words that need to be said, we need to approach God with humility.
Fellowship
Fellowship
Fellowship is coming together as a group for a common goal.
In this context fellowship also included the sharing of material goods.
44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;
45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
The early church believers were together and had all things in common.
To have true fellowship there has to be unity.
The early believers did life together, they spent time with each other regularly, and they also were united around the Lord’s Table.
We must remember that this was a very diverse congregation: even still there was incredible unity.
When we realize it is all about Jesus and sharing Jesus with others, we can be united.
The goal is not unity for the sake of unity, but the goal is unity for the cause of Christ.
People must be willing to lay aside their preferences, personal agendas, and differences, so the cause of Christ can be elevated and carried out.
We might ask how does the church remain united when there are so many different personalities and opinions in the congregation?
Unity is deprived when the main thing remains the main thing.
The main thing is Jesus.
Satan wants nothing more than division, a lack of unity in the church, as Jesus says in Mark 3:25
25 “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
When the church is divided and there is no unity, the fellowship will be divided and hindered.
When division comes into a church, the churches witness of Jesus Christ is greatly Harmed.
In our text we see that the early believers did whatever was necessary for their fellow believers.
They spent time together regularly, they would sell their belongs to help another believer with a need they had.
This time spent together was not just Sunday morning service but throughout the week.
The early believers wanted to be around each other, they realized that together they were stronger, and together they could grow spiritually.
Education
Education
I hope we all know what education is, but these early believers wanted to learn all they could about Jesus.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.
They were devoted to the apostles’ teachings because they knew that was how they would learn more about Jesus.
The apostles here were those that had spent three years following Jesus around day in and day out.
They had first hand heard the teachings and commands of Jesus.
The apostles had witnessed Jesus do all the miracles.
Now they were teaching these things to the early believers in the early church.
Today we do not have the apostles in that sense of anyone that was alive and followed Jesus as He walked the face of the earth.
But we do have the Word of God, and to learn more about God we need to study, not just read but study the Word of God.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Wisdom is the willingness and ability to apply spiritual truths to life’s realities.
If you are going to become wise, you have to get to know God through His Word and take Him seriously.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
Now listen to how the KJV says it.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
We are told there to show ourselves approved before God we must study His Word.
Outreach
Outreach
Outreach is just what it sounds like reaching out into the community, or we could say evangelism.
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.
There is no mistaking the fact that the early church was an evangelistic church!
The early church strived to share the good news of Jesus Christ to the world, we see that at the end of that verse, the Lord added to the church those who were being saved.
We must ask ourselves what was the main emphasis of the Lord’s ministry?
45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus main emphasis in His earthly ministry was people, that is to help people see the need for salvation, as He gave His life as a ransom for many.
Everything we do should be so that people who do not know Jesus can know Him.
That is the reason the church exists.
Small, large, rural, suburban, or urban it does not matter.
The church exists to get the Gospel to the world.
The church can never allow those who are on the inside to prevent us from reaching those who are outside the church.
Unfortunately, in the modern church, much of what is done is done for those who already believers.
We exchange believers from one church to another and think we are fulfilling the Great Commission.
The Great Commission is about “making disciples” not swapping disciples.
You cannot read the New Testament and not be convinced that Jesus, the New Testament writers, or the Early Church were all about making sure people heard the Gospel and had the opportunity to respond to it.
This is what we should be like today.
The church must be willing to adopt a strategy that is evangelistic.
The church cannot be content with doing business as usual.
If all we are looking for a place to go and socializes and be served, then we need to go to a social club.
God has called us to share the Gospel message with the world, we are to show love and grace to all people.
We need to build this church around these four critical things.
We cannot do the last one, outreach - evangelism - until we get the first three right.
