A Healthy Church
Notes
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Introduction
Introduction
Have you ever seen a picture or landscape, maybe a piece of land and just been struck by the beauty of it?
I am sure that you have.
There are times for me when it appears that so much in our culture is defiled, so much that has gone wrong and yet there are moments when you see something, some event, some selfless action of an individual, and maybe you think; that is how things should be
I couldn’t help as I was reading the passage before us this past week but think, man this is what the church should look like, this is how things should be
Now we aren’t given a lot of details but we are given some big picture ideas, we are given those things that the church gave themselves over to.
I think about our own day and as churches we can give ourselves over to so many things, we can emphasize and spend energy doing so many things that really are not what the church is called to be about,
We can waste energy doing things that just are not central to who we are and what we should be about.
So what I think would be helpful for us is to look and to see in this snapshot of the church right after Pentecost and see what are the things that they were giving themselves to?
If you notice v.42 the text says, and they devoted themselves
Again we have seen this word before, this is the same word used in 1:14 when we are told that those who gathered waiting for the coming of the Spirit had devoted themselves to prayer
Remember I said that maybe a good translation of that word used would be perseveringly devoted.
They were giving themselves over to these things, so what are these things that we see in v.42-47?
Perseveringly Devoted to the Word
Perseveringly Devoted to the Word
At the top of the list is the church’s devotion to the Apostle’s teaching.
I don’t think that it is an accident that this tops the list, it is central and it informs everything else.
We look at the Apostle’s teaching all through the book of Acts and we see that the Apostles were using the OT Scriptures to teach about Christ.
So they used the OT scriptures but the Apostles were also used to give us the NT scriptures.
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
Jesus
The church was not being lead by their emotions, not by their feelings, not by traditions, not by the latest trends in the culture
Instead they were being lead by the Word of God, they were giving themselves to the teaching of the Word.
As we read the New Testament, my goodness as we read all of the Bible we see God’s people are a people that are devoted to the Word of God
What does Paul say to Timothy as he writes him, there are 100 different things he could have pressed upon Timothy, that he could have said to Timothy and yet what does he say?
Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
It is the Word of God used by the Spirit of God to create the people of God, to grow, mature, develop, strengthen, encourage the people of God.
And not only Timothy but Titus
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
We looked this past Wednesday night at and we saw Peter’s exhortation to the elders of the church to shepherd the flock of God
We talked about a major part of that shepherding is feeding the people of God with the Word of God.
One of the most if not the most important aspect of a church is not flashy, it is not going to draw big crowds but it is the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word of God
We see that is what God uses to grow His church
Good reminder for us as preachers and teachers that we are not to give our opinions, we are not to entertain; instead we are to faithfully give the Word of God.
We also see as we consider this passage, that any Spirit filled church or Spirit filled Christian will not want entertainment, they will not settle for opinions, but instead they will long to be fed by the Word of God, they will not settle for less than the faithful preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
V.43 mentions wonders and signs done through the apostles.
The Lord at any time can do signs and wonders but as we look through redemptive history we see that the Lord mostly gives signs and wonders around the time He is giving new revelation.
These signs and wonders validate the teaching of God’s messengers, the signs and wonders validated the teaching of the Apostles
Perseveringly Devoted to One Another
Perseveringly Devoted to One Another
We see the spiritual union of believers in the NT.
The passage we read earlier in 1 John reminds us that through Jesus we have fellowship with God and because we have fellowship with God we have fellowship with one another.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John is clear, if we have fellowship with Jesus then we will want to fellowship with His church, if we do not care to fellowship with the church then that is a sign that one does not have fellowship with Jesus.
As we read in the NT this fellowship with the church, this union with the church is to practically work itself out in our lives.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John
Brothers and sisters we are to cultivate Christian fellowship, the early church spent time together.
We take for granted the blessings of a community of believers
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brothers and sisters.
Someone might look at v.44 and 45 and try to claim that the Bible teaches socialism, but the Bible does not abandon the idea of owning private property.
Stealing is a sin demonstrates that individuals own things.
Jesus nor His apostles ever forbade Christians having private property.
But what we do see in these passages is that there was radical generosity amongst believers in the NT, Christians even sacrificed for the good of one another.
There was a love for one another and a willingness to share possessions to serve one another.
This wasn’t forced by the church, it wasn’t forced by the leaders of the church, instead this sacrificially generosity was evidence Spirit filled believers who wanted to give for the good of others.
The most generous and sacrificially giving people are those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and who know the generosity of God toward them in Christ.
Again I will just point out that these believers spent time with one another
Gathering in large groups and small groups (v.46)
Half of the job of being a faithful Christian who wants to care for others is simply spending time with brothers and sisters in Christ.
Do you come to church services? Church events? Do you invite others over to your house?
Perseveringly Devoted to Worship
Perseveringly Devoted to Worship
The breaking of bread and the prayers seems to be a reference to the Lord’s Supper and prayer services.
Gathering on the Lord’s Day and being reminded of the Good News.
Seeing the gospel as they proclaim their faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross for them, His body was broken as He became sin for us, and His blood was poured out as the blood of the New Covenant, guaranteeing the new birth, justification, sanctification, and glorification for all who come to Him
Again we see the commitment of the church to prayer, we saw that in chapter one and as I mentioned there we see the churches commitment to prayer all through this book.
A healthy church is a Christ centered church, a gospel centered church
The preaching of the Word and the seeing of the Word in the Lord’s Supper kept this church centered on Christ
A healthy church is a praying church, commited to the prayers, to corporate praying.
Unhealthy churches are more commited to entertainment and to the latest fade in the culture.
We see in v.46 that they were gathering to praise God.
They were praising God for who He is and all that He has done for us in Christ.
Listen to Tony Merida
“The early church’s gatherings contained a wonderful spirit of praise that was both joyful and reverent. Luke mentions awe in v.43 and joyful hearts in v.46. Both are linked to vibrant praise. There are times to rejoice with gladness, perhaps with lots of instrumentation and celebratory worship; there are also times to be still before the Lord in meditation, silence, and contemplation.”
Perseveringly Devoted to Evangelism
Perseveringly Devoted to Evangelism
v.47
The church is living as salt and light where the Lord has planted them, they are being the church and the Lord is using them to reach the community around them.
This church did not have a lot of worldly resources, they didn’t have family centers and gyms and the latest coffee shop to attract everyone instead they centered themselves on the gospel, they prayed, they loved one another and the light of the gospel shown through them
There are documents from the first century that speak of the powerful influence of the Christian community.
The influence came from the way they loved and cared for one another.
Notice what the text says, The Lord added to their number day by day.
One, the Lord id the One who adds to the church. The Lord uses means but it is the Lord who adds to the church. Brothers and sisters we look to Him, we cry out to Him to move and to act and to add to the church.
Two, added to their number those who were being saved.
Who was added to the church?
Those who were being saved.
Church membership is for those who have been saved.
We invite unbeliever and welcome them to come and worship with us but membership is only for those who have been saved.
Also flip that coin over and we see that those who were saved were added to the church, the NT knows nothing of one who is saved and is not added to the church, the NT knows nothing of lone ranger Christianity.
Application
Application
Application
Are we a healthy church? Are we healthy Christians?
Notice in these four things that we have looked at they deal with our relationship to God and our relationship to others.
Our relationship to God is seen in a commitment to His Word and to Worship
Our relationship to others is seen in our commitment to one another and our commitment to the community around us.
We see the churches love for God and love for others.
What about us? What about you?
Commitment to the Word?
private life?
church gatherings?
small groups?
Spirit filled churches and Christians are committed to the Word
Commitment to one another?
are you committed to caring for your brothers and sisters in Christ?
are you committed to their good?
committed to being here? Do you plan trips or outings with no thought for missing church? Is missing church no big deal to you?
Are you committed to getting to know others?
committed to forgiving others?
committed to reconciliation?
committed to serving one another?
Spirit filled Christians are committed to the good of their brothers and sisters in Christ
Committed to worship?
Do you look forward to worshiping God with His people?
Do you look forward to praying with God’s people? To celebrating the Lord’s Supper with God’s people?
Do you look forward to singing the gospel to one another?
Are you committed to worship because God is worthy or only when it is the worship style you like?
Spirit filled churches and Christians are committed to worship.
Committed to Evangelism
Are you committed to sharing the gospel with friends and neighbors?
Do you pray for God to give opportunities to share with others?
Do you pray that we will be an attractive community of faith?
That people will know that we belong to the Lord because of the way we care for one another?
Oh brothers and sisters may we be a Spirit filled community, a healthy Church, that is committed to God’s Word, to One another, to Worship, and to outreach
May we be committed to these things for each others good and for the glory of our God.