First Act: 4:23-36 -

3:33 - Welcome back into the Room - Who is glad to be here in the room today??? Quick shout out to our online fam!

So many exciting things happening around Summit these days - Stick around after service - buy a burger or a hotdog, support kids going to camp - Sending something like 60 kids to camp (over 40 to Youth - Youth inviting friends - very cool to see)

I know they say a picture is worth a 1000 words. And I suppose there is some truth to it. But there are times when a phot captures so much more than words, it captures a generation.

Some photos are so iconic, so easily recognizable you instantly know it.

One of the most iconic the most recognizable photos was taken on Mount Surabachi on February 23, 1945. Five Marines and 1 Navy Corpsman stood atop that hill with an improvised flag pole and raise the flag.

(Iwo Jima Flag raising photo)

You know the photo - Men frozen in time in a photo that nearly captures…not the moment…but the movement of a generation.

The mountain had to be taken, and it cost the lives of thousands to do it. Whats more, this iconic photo didn’t mean the fighting was over, ot didn’t mean the battle was won.

In fact, 3 of the men in the photo would never make it home. Weeks after the flag was raised the battle continued.

But there is a reason the photo became a monument…This photo captured hope, it signified to a waiting American population the possibility of victory.

This picture pointed to tremendous Courage…to the sacrifice…to the unity…This photo that became a symbol of a generation…it pointed to a mission worthy of sacrifice…Freedom.

You know what’s ironic - A photo - photos like this one might be worth more than 1000 words, but the meaning is lost without the context.

A photograph can inspire us…but without the story behind it, we can completely miss the meaning.

Thank God he didn’t leave us with a scrapbook, He gave us HIS WORD.

When I read the book of Acts - Luke’s second book - I feel like he is trying to help us “SEE” who the people were and what the church looked like in the beginning.

Luke doesn’t try and tell us everything that happened, instead he selected certain moments, to highlight - almost like capturing a picture, a word picture.

The goal, under the wisdom and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, seems to be to give us a few snapshots of a generation. Snapshots that will inspire, encourage, and give us hope…hope to know the church of today.

Not to be romanticized, or idolized….but maybe to help us realize life in Christ, unified life in Christ is possible. Then and now.

A couple weeks ago the first snap shot came into focus. That infamous picture of the early church…

Actually the address of the passage is even etched into keystones of churches all across America - it was over the main doors in one of the churches I served a few years back.

But Luke takes a great snapshot of the church in Acts 2…

Acts 2:42–47 CSB

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

The Snap Shot : The Believers - Brand new once they heard the message of Jesus - The Believers, together, looking out for one another, eating with one another, learning with one another, praying with one another

The Snap shot is not “What the church was” It is “Who the church is!”

Who is the church - Believers who learn with one another, do life with one another, share meals with one another, are generous with one another, pray with one another, and make a difference with one another.

It is a great image - BUT Don’t miss this.

Luke isn’t trying to stir up some nostalgic yearning for years gone by. He is not trying to have his future readers long to go back to these days.

Let’s be honest. To only see this image - this singular snapshot - well it would look like the flag raising on Iwo Jima. It would look like the battle is won and now there is nothing left to do but get on with life and enjoy the victory.

Which would leave many of us - here at Summit wondering where things got off track, or believing that perfect harmony and peace is how church is supposed to feel…and then discouraged when that image doesn’t feel like real life.

That is why Acts 4 is so encouraging - it helps give us a wider angle, to see more of the image Luke is revealing to the readers.

So grab your personal flat screen, your physical Bible and jump in with me to Acts 4:23. It will be on the screen as well -

Acts 4:23 (CSB) After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

Real quick - Peter and John walking up to the temple one afternoon, pause and heal a 40 year old man - who has been begging for years in the same place.

Dude gets healed, Peter follows the prompting of the Holy Spirit and teaches the people how it all happened.

Big take away - There is power in the name of Jesus and Jesus’ name is never neutral. It will provoke a response. Some run, hear and believe - others run attack and disagree.

Peter and John fall into the hands of the latter - got arrested - stood trial - and were released.

So here is where LUKE provides the picture of the church in action - the motion picture I guess...

Acts 4:24–31 CSB

When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them. You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant: Why do the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot futile things? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers assemble together against the Lord and against his Messiah. “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.

What is the first thing we discover - the church is gathered together….and they start praying with one another!

What a great example of the People of God praying - not just reciting the Lord’s Prayer, praying before the meal, or saying…he guys will you bow your heads so we can pray.

NO! They prayed earnestly…ah…what do I mean by earnestly...seriously, intentionally, fervently...ah they really meant it...from the heart…haha

Action Shot: PRAYER

Prayer wasn’t the Last Resort - Prayer is the First Response

They didn’t make a formal complaint, leave a bad review, they didn’t take to social media with a well crafted passive aggressive comment - or a keyboard warrior rant.

They didn’t even form a committee, or a strategy planning session…

They held a prayer meeting….they Ran to the Lord in dependance.

I love this…when I was praying through this message God showed me the hints of the Lord’s Model for prayer imbedded in the heartfelt cry of the people.

Acts 4:24 (CSB) … “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them.

Our Father in Heaven…They started with honor to the God of all creation acknowledging his ownership and power over all things!

Acts 4:28 (CSB) to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place.

On Earth as it is in Heaven…

I love this portion of the prayer. Its like all of a sudden the OT prophetic message rings loud in their minds and they immediately see the connection to the here and now.

It happened here in our City Lord! We get it - we see it - this is the way it is going to be and you told us it would be this way!

Acts 4:29–30 (CSB) And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Deliver us from Evil…Not protect us from evil - They are not begging God for protection - NO!

They are asking God for the Power for PROCLAMATION!

They never ask God to remove the mission - They ask for the courage to carry it out.

They are asking God to do the Miracle Work - AND AND AND They are saying Lord you do the heavy lifting while through your POWER, through your HOLY SPIRIT - Give me a voice to proclaim JESUS!

NOPE - give US the power to speak Jesus.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE OF THE CHURCH

The people of the church covering one another in prayer. Peter and John went to the church and the church prayed in unity.

Prayer is Action

I want that for us, I want that for me, I want that for you. I want Summit to be a place where you can feel comfortable bringing your life into the church.

Sharing what it is happening in your world with your people. Not a Gossip circle, not a place of judgement or condemnation, a place of prayer.

That my friends is a sacred space. That is the picture of the church to grab onto.

So how do we get there?

The way to get to the place where you and I can trust one another enough to share our lives to that level —- comes through Proximity and Persistence and Practice

Proximity and Persistence and Practice

The regular practice of prayer is WHO the church CHURCH is THEN AND NOW!!

In order to get to a place of trust - it starts with Proximity and Persistence and Practice. There really isn’t a shortcut.

Let’s just be real, you are not going to trust me because you came to Summit one Sunday. We don’t automatically trust someone because they sat by us, or we sat by them.

We don’t work like that do we. trust grows through time, connections, through persistence.

Be Present - Stay Persistent - and allow yourself to be vulnerable - Practice prayer with others.

I am convinced when we commit to praying with each other it builds unity - harmony.

Actually, that is exactly what we see happen here!

Acts 4:31 (CSB) When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.

This is one of my Favorite verses in scripture…The Holy Spirit brings unity.

The Holy Spirit is the great unifier among believers.

Proximity, Persistence and Practice of Prayer with the Presence of the Holy Spirit

Action Shot: POWER

Formula for UNITY - they had to be.

Part of the mission today is to discover if the snapshot in action works.

This is the Acts 2 Snapshot in Action:

That acts two image included Praying, Learning, Sharing, Making a Difference.

Its not just idealistic - it is realistic.

Over the next couple of verses we will see how the image of Acts 2:42 comes to life in rapid succession. I think we can all agree that the whole notion of sharing everything with everyone is a difficult ideal to even wrap our head around.

Why? Time and time again we have had the experience of being taken advantage of. I used to say it all the time, don’t allow my kindness to be understood as weakness.

The church was not weak then and we are not weak today…kindness is not weakness. for the early church Kindness was unity in action.

Acts 4:32 (CSB) Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

Acts 4:33 (CSB) With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.

Acts 4:34–35 (CSB) For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.

I get it, there feels like a lot of weight and idealism in these verses. Fair, we are so used to the individual pursuit of health, wealth, and happiness this snapshot seems a little out of focus.

Sure, we get the Acts 4:33 “With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.”

That makes sense. The church was learning together, learning how to be bold in telling others how their lives changed because of Jesus.

But the communal living part…sheesh.

We have all seen the stories, read the headlines, the cult followings of the 90’s and the compound living situation didn’t work out so great. HA!

Thats not the image in Luke’s scrapbook.

Proximity, Persistence, Practice, Prayer, and the Power of the Holy Spirit ≠ Poverty

Luke is not saying that the people of the church must sell it all.

Luke isn’t saying to be a real church everyone must be poor.

No the brilliance of Lukes Camera angle is to show the great PROVISION within the shared responsibility of the church.

Action Shot: PROVISION

The action shot of the church is the people of the church ensuring the needs of the people are met, when they have the means to fill the gap.

Luke is expressing the freedom the people of God experience. Freedom from the possession of possessions.

When the things we own actually own us.

I will never forget this playing out in real time. I recently bought a vehicle - nicest vehicle I had owned and within a week the hood was covered in scratches from a curious child and some unnaturally rocky mud apparently.

I saw it happen, and I remember that feeling. Yes I intervend, and by some miracle I was calm through the whole thing. Then I realized. I didn’t own the vehicle. Sure it was under my name, I paid for it, but its not really mine. Its not really that important. Its God’s

Not long after a family came up to me who had a son who was about to take the driver’s exam. Great kid, but the vehicle he had to take the test was a rather large lifted 4-wheel drive truck.

Not the best to take a test in, to parallel park in. My little car…perfect. So when they asked if they could use it for the test, I had no problem saying yes.

Blessed to be a blessing.

Thats the snap shot Luke is giving to the church. When needs arise, when opportunities to be a provision - be blessed to be a blessing.

So why does all of this matter to us today.

Church we don’t have to look back at some old torn and tattered photograph and think longingly of years gone by. We don’t have to romanticize the past and hope to get back there.

Every time we gather to study Gods Word together, in this room, in a small group, or in our homes - You are a picture of the Acts church

Every time you join others in Prayer - you are a picture of God’s Church

Every time we join in celebrating baptisms - we are a picture of God’s Church

Every time we share a meal together - large and small gathering - we are a picture of God’s Church

EVEN TODAY ON THE LAWN OUT FRONT

Every time we provide from what God blesses us with - We are a picture of God’s Church.

If you are new to Summit Church - we have a place for you - you will find your place. Do me a favor fill out a connect card after service if you haven’t yet, better yet, there will be a big sign in the lobby that says Starting Point.

right after service meet at the sign, join me for a few minutes to share more about who we are and what God is up to around here. You might discover that while Summit might not be perfect we might be perfect for you.

You know…Luke never intended the snapshots to become museum pieces.

I think its more about helping us create our image in their likeness. well really not their likeness but HIS.

The question isn’t will people see a church…

The question is, when people look at us, will they recognize Jesus?

Let’s Pray….