A Great Church

A Great Church

Story:

There was a college professor who challenged his class with this question.

"Did God make everything there is?"

One student bravely answered, "Yes!"

"Everything, young man?"

"Yes, he did, sir," the young man replied.

The professor responded, "If God made everything, then God made evil, and if we can only create from within ourselves, then God is evil."

The student didn’t have a response, and the professor was happy to have once again proved the Christian faith to be a myth.

Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something, sir?"

"Yes, you may," responded the professor. The young man stood up and said "Sir, is there such thing as cold?"

"Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven’t you ever been cold?"

The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold does not exist. What we consider to be cold, is really only the absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist.

We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."

The young man continued, "Sir, is there such thing as dark?"

Once again, the professor responded "Of course there is."

And once again, the student replied. "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist.

Darkness is really only the absence of light.

Darkness is only a term man developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."

Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such thing as evil?"

The professor responded, "Of course. We have rapes, and murders and violence everywhere in the world, those things are evil."

The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist.

Evil is simply the absence of God.

Evil is a term man developed to describe the absence of God.

God did not create evil.

It isn’t like truth, or love, which exist as virtues like heat and light.

Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat or darkness without light."

How many of you believe that this young man was correct?

How many of you believe that the Word of God is true?

How many of you believe that the doctrines and principles taught in the Bible, by the apostles, should be our guide both in the Church and in our everyday lives?

Then listen very carefully and pay close attention today as I attempt to expound on some very important passages of God’s Word and show you how we should apply them to ourselves and our Church…

Acts 2:42-46 v (KJV)

And they continued steadfastly (Dedicated themselves) NIV in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. (44) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

We need to have a great church.

I don’t want an average church, I want a great church and it should be all of our desire to have a great church.

A great Church doesn’t mean a Big church it means a group of people dedicated to God and one another united in truth and purpose.

A great church just does not happen but a great church is made.

Let us look at the first church in Jerusalem to see what made a great church.

1. They continued in the doctrine.

They stayed in the word and did not deviate from the word.

We don’t need to tire of the doctrine (instruction of the word). The doctrine refreshes

Deuteronomy 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

The doctrine sets free.

Romans 6:17-18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

We are saved by doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

The doctrine gives us relationship.

2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

2. The ministry continues to teach.