Back To The Basics Introduction Series

Back to the Basics - Intro

ME

I really enjoy preaching books of the Bible. I like going verse by verse through a book and bringing out of those verses what was originally written to Christians in the first century. I like bring out out what it meant to them, in their time and in their culture and also applying to our lives today.

I will get back to that type of preaching and it will probably be out of one of the prison epistles by Paul. Most likely either out of Colossians or Philippians, part of the reason is because Mr. Reese’s newest commentary is the prison epistles.

But for a little while we are going to take a break from the verse by verse for the most part and go back to the basics. It has been a while since I covered the basics of biblical doctrine and the basics of why we exist as a church.

Every once in a while we have that need. To look at ourselves, to see where we are at, what brought us here, and where we need to go in the future. On a personal level for me this is something I have had to do. Last year and finding out that I have Immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) has caused me to look at things differently and re-evaluate some things in my life.

Hence I have cut back drastically on my lawn mowing business and have tried to start a new less stressful, less demanding and more enjoyable business. Hopefully this will allow me not to have to work 7 days a week like I was doing before and allow me to spend more time with family.

The reason for doing this is because of taking a look at the basics of life and realizing what is truly important. And the most important things to me are God, serving Him daily, and my family. And with just those 3 things a person can be kept extremely busy. But those 3 things are the basics of life that I want to master the most. But believe me, I’m still a work in progress!

Now as we look at some basic things of the church there will be more than 3. It is very possible we will be looking at these things for at least a few months or longer. And I want to invite you to suggest a basic topic of biblical doctrine, or the church, or of Christian life that you would like to hear more about and I’ll do what I can to cover what you suggest. If you would like to suggest something just write it down and give it to me or drop it in the offering plate so it will get to me.

WE

As we begin, for the next few weeks we will be looking at the purpose of the church and we will be using Acts 2:42-47 in each of the messages. Specifically we will be taking a look at Worship, Fellowship, Discipling, and Prayer. Later I plan to cover more basic Bible doctrines which will include Baptism, The Lord’s Supper and more.

GOD

Acts chapter 2 tells of the be beginning of the church. At the beginning of the chapter the apostles had just chosen the replacement for Judas (the one who betrayed Jesus) and the chapter begins with them being together and the Holy Spirit descending upon them as tongues of fire.

Because of the Holy Spirit they began to speak in other tongues so that all who where there could understand them, because people were there of many different languages. This was at Pentecost, one of the Jews celebrations they came to every year and there were people there from…

Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Acts 2:9-12 (not on screen)

And just 2 verses down from this (verse 14) the recording of Peter’s first gospel begins. At the end of Peter’s message the people were pierces to the heart and asked what shall we do to be saved. Peter tells them to repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus and they would receive forgiveness of sin and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41 tells us that about 3,000 people were baptized that day so they were the first people ever to become Christians. Hence we have the beginning of the church. Now what do you do when something new comes into your life? You do everything you can to grow it and nurture it.