We Depend On Each Other Series

I have researched Sermon Central as well as many other sources in preparing this sermon.

BEING THE CHURCH GOD WANTS US TO BE:

WE DEPEND ON EACH OTHER

August 29, 2004 Jay Robison Acts 2:42-47

Sunday began sermon series leading to TBC B-day Sept 19

Looking at 1st few chapters of Acts finding out about church

“Being the Church God wants us to Be”

Last week We’re out to change the world 2nd trait in

being the church God wants, we depend on each other

Huge Ca. redwood trees amazing largest living things on earth

tallest trees in world. Some are 300 ft high & 2,500 years old. would think trees that large have a tremendous root system, reaching down 100s of feet into earth, but not the case

Redwoods have very shallow root system, but roots are

Tied in w\each other; when storms come & winds blow redwoods stand W\interlocking root system support\sustain They need one another to survive. So do we!

Church like Redwood roots we bound together in community

Belonging to Christ we belong to each other.

This is our God-given support system.

Wasn’t easy to follow Christ in 1st century.

Times tough & persecution rampant.

Early believers bound together as fellowship, a community. Today isn’t easy for us to follow Christ & truly live for Him. Discouragement Temptation Sin Apathy Failure Materialism. Unbelieving family\friends Doubts Rejection big questions. We face so many obstacles in our desire to live for the Lord. however God not left us on our own to run race\fight battle. God has given us each other

This week from Acts 2:42-47 We depend on each other

Turn to neighbor and say I am depending on you

Youth one side shout to adults we’re depending on you

Sr Adults back to youth

We’re depending on you for what? HELP

H OLINESS

1st thing that stands out about church was holy people

They recognized they were set apart by God live for God

Vs 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching

idea is habitually hearing & putting into practice teaching

As a church we have some bedrock beliefs

About who God is and what we must do

We are organized around those, we study those, shape lives

These are important because

We can leave holy lives, look at Gal 1:6-7 NRSV

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you & want to pervert the gospel of Christ

Holiness includes a commitment to Godly teaching

Means we are under submission to God

Because of their holiness, vs 43 says Miracles were being done

Because the people were committed to God’s holiness

The same can happen here, love for people to say

how’d they do that? About us, we didn’t God did

When John Wesley was asked secret of ministry “I ask God to set me on fire and let people watch me burn.”

Trouble is today we don’t have many examples

Cynical society says everybody has an angle

Everybody is a fake

TBC we depend on each other for holiness

We all need our spirits rallied

As we point to someone and say

They are living the life, I can too

Are you someone’s example?

Can someone look at you and see holiness

Did not say perfection, but life committed to God

We depend on each other for that example

E NTHUSIASM

Vs 42 end people committed to fellowship, liked being together

f-ship more than meeting & eating involved sharing closeness

common bond togetherness belonging to each other & God It’s "fellowship," caring about 1 another, that causes you to roll out of bed Sunday a.m. instead of rolling over to sleep

Vs 46 NCV tells us more The believers met together in the Temple every day. They ate together in their homes,

happy to share their food with joyful hearts.

Underline where it say happy & joyful

In Uganda word like to N. T. fellowship Harambe (ha/ram/ba) Ugandans use it when 2 men moving or carrying heavy burden, like we use words heave ho. To pull together

Fellowship occurs in church when I put my shoulder

beside yours underneath burdens

We depend on each other to do it enthusiastically

They were together w\joy and happiness

Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Romans 12:11 NLT

group of people coming together exciting\exhilarating to be a part of. When I hear them described in this way, I want to be a part of that group have experienced that here. Working enthusiastically draws others into work with you

Bob Russell in book When God Builds a Church, "The church exploded in growth because the people loved being together. When you get a group of people together who genuinely believe something & who really enjoy each other, it’s such