Christianity 101

Intro

Have you guys gotten something out of today?

I’m going to be brief — but this is important.

Christianity 101: what does it mean to be a Christian?

Let me give you the answer and then we’ll work backwards:

To be a Christian is to live fully devoted to Christ and His teachings.

That means that your way, your will, just took a backseat. You are no longer in the driver’s seat.

Christianity is, always, very counter-cultural. More-so then we even realize, honestly.

How do you define what is true? How do you know what is true and what isn’t?

Culture today would place everything on experience.

Your experience is limited

We must bind ourselves to a Truth that is above our truth.

The Bible is Our Boundary

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

The beauty of Christianity is its boundaries.

The world today wants to try and tell you to be “free”

The paradox of freedom

Freedom in Christ is living bound to the Word of God. It is a paradox.

wanna be free? be a slave to Christ

God is raising up a church that is Spirit and Truth. Both/And.

all truth lives in tension

The beauty is in the boundaries.

COME TO BATTLE FOR THE BIBLE!

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Church is Our Home

Acts 2:42–43 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

Who’s teaching? The Apostles! A persons. Signs and wonders were done through who? Hello??

Let me help you out — Jesus doesn’t disciple people any more. He’s in Heaven. He gave gifts to HIS CHURCH to disciple people.

MUST BE plugged into LOCAL CHURCH

To be a Christian, you must be submitted to a Pastor.

“well, I don’t have to go to church to be a christian.” Sure! And I don’t have to go home to be married to Paula, but if I stop going home I can guarantee you that it will destroy my marriage.

well what about the thief one the cross? That tempers doctrine - we don’t build doctrine from it

the thief shows the mercy of God - it isn’t prescribing a model to follow

Online church is kinda like the hospital. You don’t want to live there.

FIND YOUR FIT!

There are no lone rangers in the Kingdom.

Everyone needs a Dad.

What does it mean to be a Christian? You have spiritual covering. You have a Spiritual Dad. Headship.

Acts 2:44–45 ESV

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

NOT EVERYTHING IN THE BIBLE IS PRESCRIPTIVE. Just because it’s descriptive doesn't mean it prescriptive.

Just because it contains it doesn’t mean it commands it.

This is not a case for socialism LOL

Let me help you with the context …

The church was HEAVILY persecuted. They weren’t allowed to buy or sell. They had nothing.

Yet, God was moving so powerfully that they literally gave up everything they had.

Acts 2:46–47 ESV

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 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 me tell you the purpose of the church:

Glorify Jesus

Equip the Saints

Reach the World

MUST BE DONE IN THAT ORDER

What happens when it gets out of order … Equip = puffed up/fundamentalist -- reach = watered-down/woke (THIS IS THE ONE MOST PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH)

You can’t make decisions based on the lowest denominator in the room.

That’s like having the 2 year old pick what’s for dinner. It’s going to be paw patrol fruit snacks and ice cream.

No, we’re going to teach with a level of maturity and RAISE the common denominator. Bring discipleship. And it might offend some people.

Truth sounds like hate when you hate the truth.

And do you notice the language, “day by day.” They would spend every day together. Eating together. Praying together.

Being a Christian should change your community. It will probably change your circle of friends.

band

Playing Fortnite — There’s a strategy to it! There’s a right way to do it.

There is a right way to do Church. It’s God’s way! Not your way! God has a strategy for His Church and we gotta get on board!

You don’t go to church for you.

You go to bring your offering to God.

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

or “reasonable worship.”

OUR REASONABLE ACT OF WORSHIP IN RESPONSE TO THE REVELATION OF GOD’S WILL FOR

REDEMPTION, IS TO BE AN ACTIVE PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

Story of the lady waiting to bring her tithe.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

You let the Bible be your Boundary. It defines what is True.

You make the Church Your Home — Friend let me tell you, you belong here! You have a place here! I believe that God has called you here with purpose, on purpose!

So, I’m going to challenge you… I will not shy away from the truth…

I believe God is asking some of you to take the next step and commit to making FountainGate home. You might have been coming to his church for years - but you have yet to make it home.

Maybe that means tithing for the first time or maybe serving — MAYBE BOTH!

But I want to give you that opportunity

— Pass the buckets

Battle for the Bible!

QR code in seat back pockets

ENCOUNTER TIME

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