Let's Be the Church God wants

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Introduction

Lately speaking about being a biblical Church | Next Week Vision Sunday | We are a Truth Driven Church and Christ-Like Characters in Training | Today, Scripture provide Blue Print on the Community we want to build, the culture we are aiming for as a Body | What can we learn from Early Christiains

Our Standard on how we operate comes straight from word | Sometimes we can lower the standard to make it cushier | We want to build poeple to the standard to fulfill purpose he has for us | Growing and Equipping ppl to live UP TO | Let’s dive in deeper to what it looks like

Context

It’s Sad when speaking to people about their vision of Church (Ran by fear, ran by the rightous) | First Saved = Felt Guilty | Read Mark , then gospels, what did I learn = Jesus came for the SINNERS, Broken | he Took Matthew, Peter - He didn’t come for the rightous | God so loved, didn’t shout from heaven but came | Jesus was crucified, rose again then told the disciples to wait in jeresulum for the gift that was promisted

Our Key Scripture takes place after gift | afte peter gave sermon | 3,000 repented | Massive commitment to gospel under persectution.

We are in acts some call it…| We gonna read how Luke Describes the early church | not building, people, we are church | Will you indulge me in some bible study? | We might dive into some other scripture for deeper explanation but is that ok?

Key Scripture

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and 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 hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Let’s break down the scripture

Outline first, then deeper, then the Fruit that comes from it.

4 big themes here

Teaching | Fellowship | Breaking of Bread | Prayer

Then preceeding is like an expansion of these.

The “Devloted” |

Greek Word:

Proskartereo is a compound verb consisting of pros meaning “toward” and kartereo meaning “to be strong.”

it means “Attending, Remaining by his Side, not leaving or forsaking” - It means actually giving your entire life to these things | Consistent

Luke says be devoted to teaching | Some Translations “doctorine” - It means they devoted to learning Jesus…| Not a book just to pick up but centered life around it | not “What can JC do for me” but “Who is JC and what can I do” | Not just listened, absorbed, reflected and acted.

2nd Function: Fellowship

Greek word:

koinonia

The Word means an “Intimate sharing of ones self of another “ - No direct english word but let’s see where else it pops up in Scripture

Romans 15:26 ESV

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.

Contribution = Koinonia

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Fellowship = Koinonia

Philippians 1:5 ESV

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Partnership = Koinonia

1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

participation = Koinonia

Illustration = Link in a chain

Fellowship is not tea and coffee at the back = intimate life together

Church is relational - Not just sundays feel good then go back to struggletown | if you are struggling with sin or hardship a brohter can come…| Responsible for each other, practically | Love each other more than ourselves

Ok so that’s fellowship.

Breaking of Bread

is this communion, is this having meals together? | I think Both | Corinthians shows us they had Lords supper before meals | We see they went from home to home, clear instruction here on relationship | Meal in connect groups | Something about sharing a meal, or blessing with a meal.

Prayer

Fourth in list not priority | Word says pray without ceasing | Nothing is more important than communication with father | You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can’t do more than pray before you have prayed | Spiritual Battle, our weapons are not of this world, but pulled down by our God | Prayer = direct communication | to LISTEN to GOD | Get in tune with his purpose

Ephesians 6:18 ESV

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

If these are the functions, what are the fruit?

The Fruit

Direct relationship to being devoted in verse 43;

Acts 2:43 ESV

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

Awe = same greek word as Fear | They learnt and KNEW who God was, how holy | Developed healthy fear | Fear of Lord is begining of knowldge - prov |

Created space and right environment for the Spirit to work | Hearts right with creator | Knew their place under authority | They Had: Healthy Fear, Hatred for Evil, Loving and sharing among each other and what formed? A Christian communtiy |

We see fruits of that community;

Acts 2:44–45 ESV

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.

Church can you imagine? | rely on each other, too much, we give, not enough? we get, we fill and we give | That’s the “Model” straight from the word, in discipleship, growth, need, everything - we fill, we pour, we fill, we pour |

Next fruit

Acts 2:46 ESV

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

Generous Hearts - There is something about GIVING.

Last Consequence;

Acts 2:47 ESV

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

God did this, not them. They worried about getting hearts and functions right.

Conclusion

God has put this scripture on my heart | He has told me and repeated it on my heart that this is instruction on how a Church should operate, (People not building). Sermon Thursday, Bin Friday |

As a Church we will look to be intentional about building community through relationship.

We will look to follow Jesus Christ as our Authority, we will rightfully put God on the Throne and live as Bible Centred believers.

We will look to be Spiritual Contributers not Spiritual Consumers.

We will look to seek Truth - God’s truth in everything that we do and we will be lead by the Word of God - We will centre our life around it. We will build a community of believers that truly deeply love eachother, not just on the outside but on a heart level, on a spirit level - Where one of us is struggling you’re going to have a brother or a sister say “Hey, I’ve got you”. We will look to be a community of believers that will build each other up in Love and encourage the gifts that are in this Church.

We will be Faith-Filled, Spirit Lead, Truth Seeking warriors of God.

We will not lower the Standards of God to suit people, but we will lift our people to the standard of God so that we, as a body of Believers can become more Christ-like. There are connect groups starting up, get connected, start growing, start building relationship and let’s glorify God together.

Finish in Prayer

Communion

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