You Don't Look Like Your Picture

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Life among the Believers

43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceedsj to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at homek and ate their food with glad and generousl hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Dr. E. K. Bailey tells the story of the young man who was supposed to meet him at the airport. You don’t look like your picture.

What does it mean for the church to look like its picture. Acts 2:42-47

Basically there were four elements: worship, Fellowship, Euchris and prayers

When Jesus’ followers behave like this, they sometimes find, to their surprise, that they have a new spring in their step. There is an attractiveness, an energy about a life in which we stop clinging on to everything we can get and start sharing it, giving it away, celebrating God’s generosity by being generous ourselves. And that attractiveness is one of the things that draws other people in. They were praising God, says Luke (verse 47), and stood in favour with the people; and day by day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being rescued. Of course they were, and of course he did. That’s how it works. Where the church today finds itself stagnant, unattractive, humdrum and shrinking—and, sadly, there are many churches, in the Western world at least, of which that has to be admitted—it’s time to read Acts 2:42–47 again, get down on our knees, and ask what isn’t happening that should be happening. The gospel hasn’t changed. God’s power hasn’t diminished. People still need rescuing. What are we doing about it?

Introduction:

Several years ago, at Campbell University Pastor’s School, one of the guess preachers was a man by the name of Dr. E. K. Bailey. Dr. Bailey has long sense gone on to be with the Lord. In those days however, Dr. Bailey was the founding pastor of Concord Missionary Baptist Church in Texas. Among other strong attributes in church leadership, he was known far and wide for his preaching skills and his thought provoking sermons. On one occassion, as he was delivering a sermon to those in attendance at Campbell, he told the story of a personal experience which he had in preparation for a week long revival that he was to preach in a distant city. The only way he could make it work in his schedule was to fly in on the morning of the evening in which he was to start.

The flight had been rather uneventful and the landing was smoothe. When time came for him to disembark, he did so with little difficulty. As he reclaimed his luggage he was relieved to find that nothing had gotten lost in the process of his arrival. Then he began looking for someone who was supposed to meet him and take him to his hotel. One by one he saw his fellow travelers depart in either cab or personal transport but no one seemed to be there for him. Dr. Bailey began to give serious thought to what his next step needed to be. In an age before cell phones and no information about which hotel at which he was to stay, he was in a bit of a quandry. It was about that time that he saw a young man coming down the concourse with a bit of an anxious countenence. As he walked up to Dr. Bailey, he paused, looked at what appeared to be a paper in his hand. He then looked back at Dr. Bailey, shook his head and walked away.

Dr. Bailey thought that was an interesting experience but he couldn’t allow himself to become distracted by such matters as he really needed to resolve his current dilemma. In just a few minutes, he notice the same young man, approaching from the opposite direction. Again he paused as he approached the Dr. He looked at his palm and then at Dr. Bailey. He shook his head and walked away.

By this time, Dr. Bailey was the only one remaining in the terminal from his recently disembarked aircraft. In deep thought he once again saw the young man approach. As he began to repeat the previous ritual, Dr. Bailey decided to interrupt him. He said, “Son, may I help you?”

“I don’t know,” the young fellow said.

“Well, let’s just give it a try,” Dr. Bailey said with a smile.

The young man said, “Well, I’m supposed to meet someone but I can’t seem to find him.”

“What is the person’s name you are seeking?” Dr. Bailey responded.

Frustrated the young man replied, “His name is Dr. E. K. Bailey but I can’t find him.”

Dr. Bailey said, “Well son, this is your lucky day. Dr. E. K. Bailey is my name and it would stand to reason that I am the man you seek.”

Astonished the young man looked at Dr. Bailey and then at his hand. As he looked long and hard into Dr. Bailey’s face he finally said, “Well, Dr. Bailey, you don’t look like your picture.”

The evangelist said, “Yes, I realize that. I was much older when that picture was taken.”

They both had a good laugh. Dr, Bailey made it to the hotel and they had a wonderful week of services.

As he told the story, Dr. Bailey said, “I went on back to my church and continued with the work that was before me but that phrase keep floating through my mind. It was as if God had prepared within it a message for me and I could not turn it loose. ‘You don’t look like your picture.’ It’s true. Who among us have not found ourselves looking at a family photo album and discovering photos of ourselves or others that do not look like we do today. As I turned this over in my mind and let the Spirit cure it and ferment it into the sweet wine of truth, it occurred to me, ‘how does this apply to the church?’”

Dr. Bailey went on. He said, “the only thing I knew to do was go to God’s photo album while asking this same question of the church. We call it the Bible. Does the church look like its picture? Well, the Bible gives us a very clear picture of what the church is suppose to look like. We find it in our text for today.”

Psalm 37:4 NRSV

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 42:1–3 NRSV

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”

Illustration: Bill Ball and his inability to know when he was thirsty.

Illustration: The Arabian Stallions

Blessed is he who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. It reminds us how much we long for God.

When we are worshiping, fellowshiping, sharing in the common mean and praying together, many were added dailey to their number.

Maybe the best indicator we have of how much we look like our picture is how many are being added to our number dailey.

Close with the parable of the ship wreck sea coast. Ships still wreck along that coastline but few people are saved. Today there seems to be many who are in water over their heads and they are flounder, about to go down for the third time. Perhaps we need to take a look at some old photos and remember what we look like.