Sermon 04 - Acts 2,37-47 - A Model Church
INTRODUCTION:
1. ((illus)) When the Crystal Palace Exhibition opened in 1851, people clocked to London’s Hyde Park to behold one of the great marvels of that time – STEAM.
a. Steam plows were displayed
b. Steam locomotives.
c. Steam looms.
d. Steam organs.
e. Even a steam cannon.
Of all the great exhibits that year, the first-prize winner was a steam invention with 7,000 parts. When it was turned on, its pulleys, whistles, bells, and gears make a lot of noise. Ironically, the contraption didn’t do a thing.
- 7,000 moving parts make a lot of commotion…but having no practical use.
2. With the high-tech era we live in, it’s easy to confuse activity with accomplishment.
a. It’s easy to be fooled into thinking that the sound of gears and pulleys is the sound of something important being done.
b. Wouldn’t you agree?
c. I have found that often, all of that sound, in reality, is the sound of people imploding in on themselves.
3. Now, let me ask you a dangerous question or two.
a. Is this true of your life? (Activity but no accomplishment?)
b. Hundreds of parts spinning and turning and making a lot of noise, but accomplishing very little?
c. Is this true of Grace Community Church or of the church in America?
i) If so, just remember that even though your life, church, contraption may win a prize in some contest or at a church convention, God is the final judge.
ii) It might be that what we think of as substance may dissipate before His searching eyes like steam.
4. We are near the beginning of a “fly over” of the book of Acts in the New Testament.
a. We have come to chapter 2 where the church is born.
i) This is God’s instrument through which He has chosen o work today.
ii) There is no plan B.
iii) “The church has many critics, but no rivals.”
b. It is also the beginning of a new ministry of the Holy Spirit, now working in and through the life of every believer.
5. In this chapter God gives to us A Model Church, as a gold standard, so that we can always go back and compare ourselves to it.
a. It was the first church to exist.
b. It is a church that delighted God.
c. It is the church we go back to for core values.
6. And it was a church without:
a. A building(s)
b. A pastor – although they did have leadership.
c. No sense of direction.
d. No knowledge of the Christian life.
e. No church constitution.
f. No set of creeds.
g. No understanding of the Spirit’s presence or power.
h. And an incomplete Bible.
i. They had nothing.
7. But from this original body of 3,120 the flame spread around the world to us today.
8. So what does this passage tell us about this first church – THE MODEL CHURCH?
a. :14-36 - Luke gives a little background as he records Peter’s sermon in which 3,000 people trusted Christ and were added to the original core of 120.
b. ((illus)) Peter followed the 4 CARDINAL RULES OF MINISTRY – I learned these in seminary:
i) Show up – this is 90% of ministry (Swindol) – dependability
ii) Stand up - :14 – taking his stand
iii) Speak up - :14 – raised his voice and declared (preaching)
iv) Shut up - :37 they were given a chance to respond – ask a question.
c. He explains that what people were God’s Holy Spirit in a new way just like what Joel prophesied would happen through God’s Holy Spirit in the “last days.”
d. Then he preached about the risen Christ, quoting extensively from the OT.
9. :23, 36 - His conclusion is that they had crucified their own Messiah!
10. We pick up their response and the rest of the story in :37:
Acts 2:37-47 (NLT) (page )
37 Peter’s words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
39 This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!”
41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all.
42 They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
44 And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had.
45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need.
46 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—
47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
11. :37 – what must we do?
a. :38 - “Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, (repent – same today)
b. Some have struggled with the later part of :38 - be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins
i) “for” – eis (with accusative) = with reference to or because of
ii) He is not stating that salvation is dependent on baptism since this would contradict other Scripture – John 3:16
iii) But for a Jew to be baptized would be radical and show the genuineness of their faith.
12. :41 – now we have the first church - Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all.
13. What follows is a church that functions with UNITY and EFFECTIVENESS
a. It was a church which delighted the heart of God.
i) It brought glory to God.
ii) 1 Cor. 10:31 - Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
b. Isn’t this what we want?
c. How did this church so simply bring glory to God?
d. Look at their core values – what they gave themselves to.
e. As the Spirit of God coursed through their veins, they gave themselves to these objectives.
i) God’s Spirit must be in His church of this will not work.
ii) Nothing more pathetic than seeing a dead corpse try to get up and walk.
iii) Some are concerned about fanaticism.
iv) “I’d rather tone down a fanatic than try to heat up a corpse.”
f. Acronym - WIFE
THE MODEL CHURCH
Acts 2:42-47
1. W – WORSHIP
a. :42 - They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to… sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer.
i) :43 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper,
ii) :47 - all the while praising God
b. :42 – “devoted” = steadfast, single-minded fidelity.
i) Passionate
ii) Nothing rote here – spontaneous joy and unrestrained responses of praise.
iii) People gave their best energies to this.
iv) It was both informal and formal
¨ Informal - homes.
¨ Formal – 46 – at the temple each day
(a) Probably in the court of the Gentiles
(b) Could hold up to 200,000
c. We must make sure that within any ministry there is that sense of awe and wonder to God.
i) A breath-taking awareness of God’s holy presence.
ii) ((illus)) Rick Warren was right when he started his book on the Purpose Driven Life by saying that it was all about God.
d. ((illus)) During the tenure of the great orator Henry Ward Beecher, a visiting minister (Beecher's brother) once substituted for the popular pastor. A large audience had already assembled to hear Beecher, and when the substitute pastor stepped into the pulpit, several disappointed listeners began to move toward the exits.
That's when the minister stood and said loudly, "All who have come here today to worship Henry Ward Beecher may now withdraw from the church. All who have come to worship God keep your seats!"
i) ((illus)) Abundant Life Recovery – starts with active worship.\
W – WORSHIP
2. I – INSTRUCTION
a. :42 - 42 They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
i) This is the very first item mentioned in the objectives they gave themselves to.
ii) In modern times, often the church has relegated “preaching or teaching” of the Word of God to a place of secondary importance.
b. It is true,
i) ((illus)) Some pastors preach "longhorn sermons," a point here, a point there, and a lot of bull in between.
ii) ((illus)) It was King James I who became annoyed with the irrelevant ramblings of his court preacher and shouted up to the pulpit: "Either make sense or come down out of that pulpit!" The preacher replied, "I will do neither."
iii) ((illus)) John Wesley used to ask his young men whom he had sent out to preach on probation two questions: "Has any one been converted?" and "Did any one get mad?" If the answer was "No," he told them he did not think the Lord had called them to preach the Gospel, and sent them about their business. When the Holy Ghost convicts of sin, people are either converted or they don't like it, and get mad.
c. Paul admonished younger Timothy,
i) 2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT) - Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
ii) Benefits:
¨ Gives substance to faith
¨ Stabilizes in times of testing
¨ Enables correct handling of the Word
¨ Equips us to detect and confront error
¨ Makes us more confident in our Christian walk
¨ Calms our fears and cancels our superstitions.
d. It’s true, knowledge alone can Puff up and create a smug academic atmosphere but it balance, it builds up and brings glory to God.
W – WORSHIP
I – INSTRUCTION
3. F – FELLOWSHIP
a. “Fellowship” – a having in common.
i) :42 – sharing
ii) :44,45And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need.
iii) :46 - met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—
b. ((illus)) Ann Ortland
c. Shared in two ways:
i) Personally – emotionally, rejoicing, weeping
ii) :45 – met physical/material needs
iii) ((illus)) Letter from California Church
W – WORSHIP
I – INSTRUCTION
F – FELLOWSHIP
4. E – EVANGELISM
a. :47 - And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.
b. Read the rest of Acts and you will find that:
i) E. was never limited to a church gathering
ii) E. was never coercive or manipulative.
iii) E was often connected with another unrelated even or experience
¨ Opposition, conversation, catastrophe
c. We tend to make it so complicated
i) ((illus)) Someone has described evangelism as one beggar telling another beggar were to find bread.
d. ((illus)) One Sunday evening, William Booth was walking in London with his son, Bramwell, who was then 12 or 13 years old. The father surprised the son by taking him into a saloon! The place was crowded with men and women, many of them bearing on their faces the marks of vice and crime; some were drunk. The fumes of alcohol and tobacco were poisonous. "Willie," Booth said to his son, "These are our people; these are the people I want you to live for and bring to Christ." Years later, Bramwell Booth wrote, "The impression never left me."
e. ((illus)) For God so loved the world, not just a few,
The wise and great, the noble and the true,
Or those of favored class or rank or hue.
God loved the world. Do you?
CONCLUSION:
1. As GCC continues, keep W-I-F-E in mind and we will maintain some balance.
2. Think of this church in two dimensions – depth and breadth
a. It’s depth (vertical) is determined by the quality of its worship and instruction
b. Its breadth (horizontal) will be determined by its commitment to fellowship and evangelism
3. And with these in place, God will be glorified.