Sermon Central
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Its Time To Get Our "acts" Together-Part 1 Series
Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jun 19, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: With the Pentecost Sunday around the corner, to focus on the factors which contributed to the resounding "success" of the Early Church with the primary focus on the responsibilities of the Church Leadership
The word Sprite, also the brand name of a popular Indian soft drink brings to our mind the catchy slogan (its manufacturer’s use) that has caught the fancy of many a trendy youngster “ Seedhi baat, no bakwas” (meaning plain speaking, with no beating about the bush business).
The Early Church leadership concentrated as much on the doctrine of Glorification (Church rapture – I Cor 15:51-52/I Thess 4:15-18) as they did on the other 2 doctrines of Justification and Sanctification, so much so that the Early Christians greeted one another with the words “MARANATHA” (I Cor 16:22) meaning “Come soon, Lord Jesus”! For all practical purposes, the “sprightly” Early Church was heralding… “Seedhi baat, no bakwas….JESUS IS COMING BACK” Time, the salutation “MARANATHA” returned to the Church fold?
Coming back to Early Church leadership, oh what a challenge it presents to the contemporary leadership. It has been said jocularly that Christian leaders of the modern era spend ALL the time in Church functions involving hatching (birthdays), matching (marriage) and dispatching (funeral) activities important as they are, at a time they should be canalizing all their resources in more important Capture, Nurture, Suture and (teaching) Rapture business.
What about us the leaders of the present generation? Honest introspection on this matter would do no harm to the cause of Christ.
MARANATHA!
Suresh Manoharan
www.jandsmministries.com
