Acts 4:13--The secret was that they spent time with Jesus.
The 12 apostles reached the entire known world with the gospel.
These were not extraordinary men.
Matt. 10:1-4.
Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Philip were fishermen.
Matthew was a tax collector.
Simon was in a group called the Zealots.
The others were just ordinary men.
There are roughly 83,000 churches in the United States.
The world’s population is approximately 7 billion people. Some say that we could never evangelize the whole world. But would Jesus tell us to do something that is impossible?
While I’m not a mathematician, listen to this equation:
If you were the only Christian on earth and you won just one person to Christ in one year, there would be two Christians. The next year you and your friend win one person each to Christ; now there are four Christians. The next year each Christian wins one person to Christ; now there are eight Christians in the world. If this process continues, each person winning someone to Christ each year, then in approximately 32 years the entire world would be reached with the gospel.
The Three Keys to the Success of the Apostles and the Early Church:
1. Faith--they were connected to Jesus Christ
Acts 4:13—they had been with Jesus
Acts 7:55—Jesus stood up for Stephen
Acts 15:26—they put their lives on the line for Christ
The Apostles were connected to the source (they were saved), but they were also turned on. They were on fire for Christ. It would be meaningless if you plugged in your vacuum cleaner but did not turn it on. Many Christians are just like that; they are plugged in to Christ, but they are doing nothing for Christ (they are not turned on).
Are you on fire for Christ or is your flame just there? It’s like a fire place that is burning bright; is your fire so low that it can hardly be seen? You need to rekindle your flame tonight. If your relationship with Christ is not what it should be, your fellowship with other Christians will not be right, and your witness will be hard to see. Your relationship with Christ is the foundation. Have you spent some time with Him lately?
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)
Demas lost the key of faith. Paul said, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.” He turned his back on Paul, on ministry, and on God. Backslidden Christians have lost the key of faith. They may be connected to God through salvation, but they have no power.
2. Fellowship--they connected with one another
Acts 2:46
Acts 4:31-33
Christian fellowship is absolutely essential. Let’s say the pastor said, “Church, we are not going to meet here anymore. Instead I’ll be on TV every Sunday morning on this channel, and you can all watch it from your living room. You can pray right there in your home. We don’t need to meet here.” That would be devastating to your Christian life!
You should grow tired of being in the world for 6 days. You need to come into the house of God and have fellowship with other believers who love God and believe the same things you believe. The Early Church had fellowship every day (Acts 2:42).
The world will hit you with godlessness, hopelessness, and human philosophy. Don’t ever get comfortable with those things. You need to come into church and wash yourself of all that filth. Christian fellowship is one of the functions of the local church. You come in and connect with other Christians; and if you don’t connect with other Christians, your fuse will burn out.
Peter lost the key of fellowship when he stopped eating with the Gentiles because he feared the Jews. Galatians 2:11-14. Paul rebuked Peter because he cut off his connection with the Gentile believers. Your race does not matter; your status does not matter; we are all Christians, and we need to have fellowship with one another.
Heb. 10:25. “exhorting one another”
3. Fervency--they connected with the lost
Acts 5:42—they openly proclaimed the gospel
Acts 8:12, 35—Philip preaches to those in Samaria and to the Ethiopian eunuch
Acts 9:29—Saul preaches shortly after his conversion
Acts 11:20—Christians preach to Grecians at Antioch
Acts 17:18—Paul preaches to the philosophers of Mars Hill
Acts 18:5—Paul preaches to the Jews at Corinth
Illustration: There are two candles; one is lit, the other is not. In order for the unlit candle to get on fire, the lit candle will have to lean in and share its flame. Christian, you have the light. You are around lost people all the time; will you lean in and share the light with them?
John 8:12--Jesus said “I am the light of the world”
Matt. 5:14--Jesus said “Ye are the light of the world”
How does that work? Well, if you are saved, Jesus is shining through you. He is the light, you are the bulb. How is your light shining? “Let your light so shine before men.”
Christians should be like night lights; they should shine in the darkest corners. Christians should be like lamps; they should shine in ordinary places. Christians should be like flash lights; they should shine wherever God takes them. Christians should be like lanterns; they should shine a path of light straight towards God. Christians should be like chandeliers; they should shine when they are placed in high positions. Christians should be like back-up lights; they should shine when everyone else has gone out.
Are you preaching Christ? Are you sharing the gospel with those around you?
Peter lost the key of fervency when he denied Christ three times. He did so out of fear. That is the one reason Christians don’t witness: fear. Later, he said “I go a fishing,” meaning that he was going back to the occupation for the rest of his life. But Jesus gave him another chance, and he got his fervency back. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter stood up, filled with the Spirit, and preached with fervency, and 3,000 people were saved.
CONCLUSION
Acts 28:30-31.
The Apostle Paul, the greatest Christian who’s every lived, had these three keys in his life. You can find them in these verses.
Fellowship: “and received all that came in unto him”
Fervency: “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ”
Faith: “with all confidence”
Christian, which key have you lost?
Have you lost the key of faith?
Have you lost the key of fellowship?
Have you lost the key of fervency?
I challenge you to hold onto these keys so we can turn our community and our world upside down for Jesus Christ.
