2019-11-17-LIVE OAKS - Gather, to scatter
free we've been just using the first few chapters of acts as kind of an outline for understanding what it means to be the church understanding what God has called us to as the church. But what does it mean to be a covenant member of a church? What does it mean to I mean, this is just mean that our names on a list somewhere and some registry. Like what does it really mean to be the church and be a part of the church so not teaching, you know, exhaustively expository through the book of Acts, but just using it as a as a as a framework for our discussion. This morning. I need to begin by it by reading quite a few verses in Acts chapter 3 starting and verse 1 we're going to read all of chapter 3 and then 4 versus into chapter 4. I am beginning of a campaign even in my own heart and mind against the chapter numbers and verse numbers because they're rather arbitrary. So let's just well time is going to be the whole chapter.
I'm going to read a part of the Bible next week. We're going to be back in the Bible. Okay?
So let's listen, let's hear. Acts chapter 3 starting verse 1 Peter and John were going up to the temple at The Hour of Prayer the ninth hour about 3 p.m. A man lame from birth was being carried whom they laid at the Gate of the temple that is called the beautiful gate to ask alms of those entering the temple sing Peter and John about to go into the temple. He asked to receive alms money coin and Peter directed his gaze of him as did John and said look at us they fixed his attention on them expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, I have no silver and gold but what I do, have I give to you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk And he took him by the right hand and raised him up and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk and entered the temple with them walking and leaping and praising God is the song in your head or did I am I the only one that learned that song Silver and Gold Have I None had I just I have to be honest and transparent. I am not putting on a front for you guys just saw my head and you don't know the song I weirded you out and I apologize. Okay. And all the people saw him walking and praising God and recognized him as the one who sat at the beautiful gate of the temple asking for alms and they were filled with wonder and amazement. I would have happened to him. Well, he clung to Peter and John all the people out early astounded ran together to them in the Portico called Solomon's and when Peter saw it, he addressed to people men of Israel. Why do you wonder at this? Why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety? We have made him walk the god of Abraham the god of Isaac the god of Jacob the god of our fathers glorified his servant wait for it Jesus. Whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of pilot when he had decided to release him. But you denied the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and you killed the author of life from God raised from the dead. To this we Are Witnesses and His Name by faith in his name. Has made this man strong whom you see and know in the face that is through. Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all or y'all and now Brothers I know that you acted in ignorance as did also your rulers but what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets that has Christ would suffer. He does fulfilled repair therefore and turn again that your sins may be blotted out that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Christ appointed for you Jesus from Heaven Must receive until the time for restoring all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brother's you shall listen to him and whatever he tells you and it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed from the people and all the prophets who has spoken from Samuel and those who came after him also proclaimed these days you were the sons of the prophets and of the Covenant that God made with your father's saying to Abraham and in your Offspring shell all the families of the earth be blessed. God having raised up his servant sent him to you first to bless you by turning everyone of you from your wickedness. And as they were speaking to the people the priest in the captain of the temple in the Sadducees Came Upon them greatly annoyed.
Because they were teaching the people in proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day or it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed and the number of the men came to about 5,000 which could be as much as 11,000 because they just counted them in now.
Notice how the the confirm the conversions there the new life there was after the prophets were arrested and thrown in prison. That didn't seem to deter the call of the Holy Spirit
There it is. There it is. There there is just a day in the life of this brand new Church of Jesus Christ with Peter and John together going out. Going out to in the in the beginning when we were looking and they're all gathered, you know in the upper room in the Holy Spirit moved in them moved them. It's moved them out. Right? It's it's it's scattered the return out there now going out and they're proclaiming they're doing it that they're working together to build that Great Commission with power with healing with boldness without fear bringing joy in prison. How many were added that day? At least 5,000 maybe maybe maybe I'll birds of 11,000 people in that day. How is that possible Jesus right? Yes, the peace and power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Yes, The Sovereign will of a loving God. Yeah. Okay, all that truth. Yeah, but how Right. I mean we know that God is the one you don't moving silently. but like but how I mean is it like a is it like a matter of like desire or do we not want our doorstep, you know be busting with people so we don't want that. We don't want to see thousands of people in a day. Come to know Christ will I do? If you don't like please come see me.
how to get to the Donkey
It stands right here.
It's not it's not desire.
What are we?
I know I'm staying here.
I can hope you're sitting there to like it was the disconnect. What's the difference? Why why why are we not experiencing that same thing it why are we not experiencing new birth New Life New Joy Resurrection in the countless multitude. Why are we seeing that we respond in it in a few ways. We we respond in a few different ways. This is what the church does cuz of the church has had this passage for a couple thousand years. So in every age and every culture and every congregation, we read the read this passage in and we wrestle with the same question how how this happen, right? So we are always one way, especially in our culture and our day we respond with strategy. Okay, that's where we go. We go to strategy Mega. Okay, they were experiencing conversions by the Thousand. We want experience conversions by the Thousand. So so what are we doing wrong? And what should we do? That is right. They just kind of tell us Davis. Let's find out so we'll dissect the scriptures and we'll break it out into into little pieces. Okay, and usually how that flushes out is K. Will you be the better better strategy their practices more staff or marketing more money spent right bigger sanctuaries more impressive Productions.
Right now I'm in okay. So that's like the that's like the 8th. I've list making strategic planning kind of genre of a folk or leadership. Then there's also like like the spiritual shocking all approach K you glom onto like the signs and wonders will of course, there's 5,000 conversions. We need a signs and wonders that's what's going to wow people. That's what's going to bring them in. So we need that. You know, anybody know any faith healers, maybe could bring them on staff or we have it. I got it like a like a like. Maybe we could make me like
I got like a Healing Ministry. That's all we need. We need like a we need a Healing Ministry what will call at the you know that they're all in Wonder Ministry. Does anybody know anybody?
you turn to ask 8 Acts chapter 8 starting in verse 18 It's a very sobering passage. What should be for us. Activate starting in verse 18. We read this now when Simon and this is not Simon Peter two different sinus rather common name when Jim when Dave saw that the spirit was given. Through the laying on of the Apostles hands. He offered them money saying give me this power also so that anyone on whom I Lay My Hands may receive the Holy Spirit, but Peter said to him may your silver perish with you because you thought you could have changed the gift of God with money. You have neither part nor lot in this matter for your heart is not right before God repent therefore of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that if possible the intent of your heart may be forgiven you for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. Dude, just wanted to like he'll some folks right Peter why so harsh? Little heart was in the right place know it wasn't that's what Peter saying your heart's not in the right place. Ensign verse 21 Sundancer pray for me to the Lord that nothing of what you have said may come upon me so much of the mega-church movement is just simony. It's how much does it cost to see that happen?
What what program do I need to start? What would Ministry do I have to start? What would what would membership can I what what training what conference is what books do I need to buy but what good practices do we need to?
We need to repent is what we need to do. Repent of ourselves of our Glory of our desires of our plans of our strategies. We need to repent. We also to maybe try to find the right answer to the question. How is that possible just flipped backwards a little bit. Just turned back a little bit to ask to. Verse 42 and it's it's a passage of red frequently lately.
Decided with my Bible students on on Friday by Middle School Bible students it at North Bay Christian Academy. We've been talking a lot about text and context the importance of context. We we are we are really good at finding a verse that really sings. We really love that verse will memorize that verse and and most of the time beautiful. Yes memorize it put it on that coffee mug need to be reminded.
But that's text sometimes it take it out of context. We miss it completely peso week before last I could not find my Bible anywhere couldn't find it. I mean it was nowhere was in my bag was in my desk wasn't on the Shelf wasn't it lost and found wasn't in here. I can hear like every 12 x. Okay. It's not in here that you don't have to come back again. It's not in here and I left came back again. My tongue it's not in you stop coming in here. It's not in here. Would you like to know where I found my Bible? I found my Bible.
Laying on top of this Bible. White nose an illustrated page. That's a badass. There we go.
Not cool. I feel like I get a garden teacher watch this and that you know.
all right, so The Bible was hidden. in the Bible
staring right at it couldn't see it missed it.
context
Acts 2:42 through 47
and they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship to the breaking of bread and prayers and came upon every soul. How many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles and all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need and day-by-day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes. They received their food with glad and Generous Heart praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who are being saved and out of that. John and Peter go
from that context they go. Brooke from that from that place in that position they've been scatter and they scatter gather. You can hear that a few times this morning date the date they scatter two together. And what does this tell us? What it what is Acts 2 4247 tell us a outline a strategy cuz we could certainly we could certainly play it that way right to really cool. You can write a book about it right football themed right at 2:40 to 2:42, right? And in this a brilliant strategy, okay, here it is Teaching Ministry Fellowship opportunities food Miracles benevolence Home Group worship Outreach boom. And that's the play we could do it that way. It's as easy as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 So there's the plan was just work the plan. No. You said you do have to forgive my snarkiness in my sarcasm from time to time or all the time. I don't think that snarkiness is a spiritual gift, but I'm lobbying to have it be made one.
Is this a church to be strategic is a church to do things on purpose is the church to pursue best practices is a church to to do things that we found to be wise and not do the things that are full of absolutely by all means. But building an effective or successful Church. It is not a not a widget that can be reverse-engineered. And then remanufactured relabeled. Right beating in my nose. I have it in air quotes being an effective and successful church because again most of the time we're putting the parameters on what that means, you know, effective and successful. I eat you can't just you know just deconstructed and go it has all these parts cool. I get to continue my record my van right when I get to Giant picnic table for the parts. I have all the parts. Is that make an effective and No matter how hard I try to shove them back in there and wrap it up and duct tape and WD-40. It still didn't work. hey just because we have these pieces in place doesn't mean that we are going to when can you do that with a family? We need to reasonably pretty reasonably talented people right WETA. You know how modest home and I'm too reliable Vehicles. Maybe some maybe some smart cute kid dog, Maybe. Boom perfect, beautiful successful family. You can't do it with a family. You can't do it with the church Acts 2 4247 is not a list of strategic items. Kate Acts 2:42. It is not a list of the things that they did. It's a portrait of who they were.
When you look at a painting. You don't go. Okay. So it's this color and this color and this color this color and that color dye canvas in a frame. Now I have to. You look at it and you go that's why I'm in awe of of my daughters and in the end and in their unreal ability just a just a pain to draw. Ryan and I are as much as I want to go. I know I'm what was the first step? You take some notes cuz I want to do that same thing.
Acts 2 4247 was just it's an expression. But the church was what it was and that's how it expressed itself herself.
Just a reflection just an outpouring. You can't deal with a person right at Church's is just a collection of people. I would like we're at church, but we're just individually. people looking Galatians 5 I almost started an inverse 22 cuz that's the good stuff. But we're going to start in 19 because it's the girly stuff and I want to do both lists. If you're hearing a bell here fruits of the spirit that might jog your memory Galatians 5 verse 19.
Now the works of the flesh are evident sexual immorality impurity sensuality idolatry sorcery immunity Strife jealousy fits of anger rivalries dissensions divisions Envy drunkenness orgies and things like these I warn you as I want you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God, but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace, patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires I so, there we go. All right, so there's are two less. Okay. We got two less things. We don't things we do. So if we avoid all the donuts and collect all the dues Now that sounds like we're collecting money. I almost said two things that you know, the things that we don't do anything that we do do but then I said doo doo and I didn't want to say doo doo in a sermon. So now I'm collecting dues.
DIY apostrophe s so we got to avoid the don'ts we got to collect all the dudes. We got it. We got to do all the all the deuce. Then we'll have the spirit of God. Because it says so right here strategically Galatians. Don't do these things. Don't be a moral. Don't be in pure don't don't don't don't be all sensual in the like don't don't don't practice sorcery and. And while you're at it be nice. have joy love would help.
These are called the fruits of the spirit. Not the spirit of the fruit. Follow me.
Fruits of the spirit meaning when the spirit is present. It can't help but bear the fruit.
You're not Gathering the fruit and then when you get it all collected you earn the spirit.
It doesn't work that way.
If you have been born again. If the holy spirit is present in you, it can't help but come out of you. Like like my grandmother's obsession with garlic that my grandmother had to put a stop to buy sang. If you want to sleep in your wife's bed. You will stop eating plain garlic off the rope in the kitchen. What was in him was coming out of him? That's the way it is with the Holy Spirit.
And we just would like to do right would like to do it like to have goals would like to have lesueur at I've heard a rumor that that you like to have lists and like a cross things off the list you like to have a plan you like to work the plan. Take me to Exit the fruits of the spirit. Pokemon. You can't catch em all at that was for that youngsters. I got you good. I was good, right good. All right.
These are not like little merit badges to collect. K U Can't strategically and doggedly pursue these two to collect them all to have them all you eat, you don't you don't like, you know, you don't pursue. Righteousness to gain the spirit you live in righteousness because you have the spirit.
And you have the spear because you've been given the spirit you didn't catch it. You didn't work the plan to earn it was given to you.
to live that way
Pause not saying it. If you if you make your your fruit rotten with with all the bad stuff, then you'll lose it.
You just said you have it. You're not going to pursue wickedness. You'll pursue righteousness.
So it is if that's the way it works for person in the mess with it works at a church because the church is just a collection of people. We are not to pray. God bless our Teaching Ministry bless our fellowship opportunities bless our food bless our Miracles bless our benevolence Ministry bless our home group bless our worship team bless our solid Outreach efforts. Show that live oaks Bible Church will be known as a church in Twilight.
We pray God make us the Bride of your son.
God make us a faithful Church of your son. God make the gospel be made known through the Church of your son. God make the name of Jesus known through his church.
And as we Faithfully Express that you Shane you a new life that he has birthing us. We won't be able to contain the teaching the preaching the fellowship the food the Miracles the benevolence.
The worship the Outreach. It'll just be Who We Are. Not a strategy we employ. Set a check list of features to make sure right instead of book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective churches.
I was in a meeting and forgive me. I love the bride of Christ in and I don't even with my my big Jason and in my hard Lessons Learned in other churches that I've served forgive me, but I was in a meeting and I and I open the scriptures and it said men what about this? And he looked at me and he said tell me you're back in the Bible. Where were you were using this book? It was called building Community. He said we're working this book.
Even the strategy comes from this book. I don't want to work a strategy. I will hell of a savior.
Just be who is called you to be.
here's how pernicious
The Flash can be and I'm just being transparent right? Can I do that cannot be really honest. There's a part of My Flesh that goes Tommy now that is a brilliant strategy to grow the church. Just keep claiming that you don't care just keep claiming that we're just going to be and we're not going to do and then they'll be there be genius every perfect at work that too honest. I could then write my book and I wrote this down cuz it was too good not to get perfect here. Okay, here's the book that I could write the strategy of being how we stopped trying and just started Living how to win and make a name for yourself by trying not to try. Happy big bucks with a lot of words.
Here's what I want. My Battle Cry to be it's by a dude named count Nicholas Von Zinzendorf. And he said preach the gospel die be forgotten.
This might be oddly specific, but would you all mind if I had that tattooed on my forearm? I am absolutely serious. I preach with my arms and I want to always be reminded that I
And not the name to be remembered. Thinking of Christ is eternal. Jesus is eternal.
And I don't want to brilliantly leave this church to great. I don't. I really could run over.
I just want us to be who God has called us to be and what the name of Live Oaks Bible Church to be forgotten because it's so overshadowed by the name of Jesus. You can't see the sign.
His name not mine his name not ours We Gather to celebrate the name and then we scatter to make the name known. Gathered to scatter in his name for his name to make his name great.
Genesis 11 1 through 9. Maybe never forget the lessons here. Genesis 11 1 through 9. Now the whole earth had one language and the same words and as people migrated from the East they found a plane in the land of shinar and settled there and they said to one another come let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly and they had brick for stone in Benham inform order. Then they said come let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens and let us make a name for ourselves lest. We be dispersed over the face of the whole Earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of man had built and the Lord said behold. They are one people. They have one language. And this is only the beginning of what they will do and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them, Let us go down and and and and their confuse their language to they may not understand one another speech. So the Lord disperse them from their over the face of all the Earth and they let off building the city. Therefore its name was called battle. Later to be known as Babylon. Because they're the Lord confuse the language of all the Earth and from there the Lord disperse them over the face of all the Earth. Mankind gathered to build so that the world would Marvel and that vert name would be made great.
S'got scattered the people of creation. So that they wouldn't gather around the glory of men.
Can you turn on Matthew 28 18 through 20 and we here at this very familiar Great Commission in Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am With You Always to the end of the age. So here we see God scattering disciples to gather the born-again people of the coming new creation. All the people that got scattered from the Tower of Babel go to those scattered people and then gather them. I'm stuttering you to gather them together. Will they were they were already together? What white they were already together. What's the weather going to scatter them just to send us out to gather them? He's scared of them cuz they were gathered for their own name. They will be gathered for his name.
Tower of Babel was a tower of human Ingenuity human Brilliance human ability to reach the heavens.
Cross of Christ is when God reached us. And we gather around that cross to Proclaim his name. Not ours. To Marvel at him not us.
when we do that
when we do that That's when we see them altitudes.
Not coming to live oaks Bible Church, but coming to Jesus.
spray
send us. Got cinda's skouteris.
to the Four Winds
So we can go and we can preach and we could die and be forgotten.
For Your Glory for your Fame
took 2 here. We are in this spot at this time in this building. This is where you places. This is where you put a you ordained that this would be the upper room of our congregation. And that we would seek you that we would pray for your name to be made known.
I do praise the ground shake I do pray that the Holy Spirit would come pouring through these windows Like A Mighty Wind and rest on all of us I do.
Do ordain us? Equipa stick to go.
Preach the gospel to. a crippled man on a street corner preach the gospel to people who are hostile towards you. And get sent to prison and then preach the gospel there.
You you're the strategy you your glory. Do it you do it. Through us. Thank you. Jesus Through us. We don't deserve it through us. How is that possible through us? That's the miracle. Through us that's your grace.
the bakura fight Thank you. Jesus are one name. Under Heaven by which we are saved.
So let's scatter. If you don't scatter too far before we get that lie to tivity moved. We will emcee the able-bodied men or women out there in a few moments.