Anatomy of a Growing Church
Acts 2:41-47
Intro: After Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit and had preached the sermon we read in Acts 2, 3000 people responded and became followers of Jesus. We see in the passage we just read that their lives took on a particular pattern. They began to spend a lot of time together, eating meals together, praying together, worshipping together, and encouraging one another. They were all growing in their newfound faith, and as a result, the entire church continued to grow also. Their lifestyle was the result of the work of God in their hearts. They only did what they believed the Lord had told them to do. Having just been filled with the Holy Spirit, they were led by the Spirit to engage in the right activities that helped them grow. And this is our main thought today:
Prop: We can learn from the early church how to grow both individually and together.
Interrogative: What are the elements needed for growth? What does a growing church look like?
TS: Well, I think you already know that it is not about a building. It is about people getting and staying connected to Christ and one another. Let’s look some of the essential ingredients for spiritual growth.
I. Essentials of a Growing Christian Body
A. Teaching/Learning - 42”They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching….” What do you suppose the apostles taught the people of the early church? Well, if they obeyed what Jesus told them to do, we know that they passed on what they had learned from Jesus. In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus told His disciples 19”Therefore go and make disciples [learners] of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
-So, the apostles were teaching all that they had heard Jesus teach. They also taught from the OT, because it spoke of Jesus as well. In Luke 24:27 when Jesus appeared to two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He taught from the OT: 27”And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Jesus used the OT a lot, because it was God’s revelation of Himself and of His Son Jesus. The apostles also used the OT, because Jesus did, and also because it gave the background and setting for all that Jesus did on the cross for us.
-We are blessed with great teachers here at CLC. From the youngest SS class to the oldest, we have several qualified teachers who share truth and love with us. Teachers, thank you for sharing truth with the people who come to this church! Thank you for treating God’s word with respect and integrity. Teaching is such an important part of a growing church!
-One important thing that made the teaching of the apostles effective is the way it was received. V.42 says they devoted themselves to it. Why? Because it was truth; and Jesus said in John 8:32, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” If we will devote ourselves to obeying God’s word, whether we learn it in a SS class, a sermon, in our own Bible reading time, or some other way, we will learn to live in the freedom God has for us. Let’s devote ourselves to learning and teaching God’s word! Another essential is…
B. Fellowship (Love, care, encouragement)
1. The Social Dynamic of Fellowship - Positive interaction with other believers can help us emotionally, mentally, physically, and in other ways. We were created as social beings who need to know someone cares about us. If this need is not being met in the church, people will look for it somewhere else. Just being together is every bit as important as whatever ministry we might do in the church.
2. The Spiritual Dynamic of Fellowship - Interaction with other believers helps us keep our eyes on Jesus. It is your job as a believer to help other believers keep their focus on the Lord, not on their problems or on other people. God has designed church life is such a way that we need one another in order to grow spiritually and become all we can be. Christian growth does not happen in a vacuum. It requires the variables of two or more believers helping each other grow. How well we build relationships with one another will have both a direct and indirect bearing on the growth of our church! Not only is this true in the church as a whole, but in our own lives
-Did you know that one of the main purposes of communion has to do with our relationships with one another? If you study out 1 Cor. 11, you can see that the togetherness of the body of Christ is extremely important. Yes, communion reminds us that Christ went to the cross for us, but it also shows us that we all share in the blessings of the death and resurrection of Jesus.
-Here in Acts 2:42, it says they devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to the Lord’s Supper, not just having a meal together. One reason for that is the definite article “the” in front of “breaking of bread.” If people broke bread together in those days, it could simply refer to having a Jewish meal together. However, when Christians came together for THE breaking of bread, it was most likely for the Lord’s Supper. Coming together in various homes for this purpose gave their fellowship an upward focus. So, not only did they hang out together and build good friendships with one another, but they gathered to remember the Lord’s death, and what it had done for all of them together. It was both social and spiritual.
-So, if fellowship is that important, how are we doing with it? If you are not growing spiritually, just maybe you need more Christian fellowship. Have other believers over for dinner; or, if that is too big of a challenge, have them over for coffee or hot chocolate or popcorn. Get out the board games and just be together. Yes, I know – the early church probably did not play board games – but they did get together on a daily basis. Let’s ask God to help us do better than we have been doing in this area.
C. Prayer & Worship (Spiritual Connectivity) We also read that the growing church of the first century spent daily time in prayer and worship. Again, v.42 says they devoted themselves to prayer (or to the prayers). V.46 says they met together daily in the temple courts. From looking at ch.3, we can see that Peter and John were on their way to afternoon prayer at the temple when they encountered the crippled man.
-We do not have a temple where morning and afternoon prayers are offered. However, we are temples of the HS, and we can see that when God’s temple becomes the house of prayer it was created to be, good things will happen.
-Acts 1:14 says, 14“They all joined together constantly in prayer.” Prayer was not something that was new to them. Jesus had modeled it for them during His time with them. They got the message Jesus intended: Prayer is important! Sometimes I think we forget that message. If Jesus Himself pulled Himself away from the crowds of people and spent time in prayer, don’t we need to do the same? Let me put it this way: Don’t spend time in prayer, unless you want to keep growing spiritually and being effective for the kingdom of God. Now, as important as personal prayer times are, Acts 1:14 says they all joined together constantly in prayer. This means they came together and prayed together for God’s will to be done in their lives. Prayer is essential!
D. A Sense of Awe (Miracles, healing, honor to God) 43”Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” Friends, we must never lose our awe of God and who He is. We must never forget that we worship a holy God who requires holiness from us. He has provided for us to be holy in our standing with Him; but He also wants that to be played out in our actions, living a holy life. Never lose your sense of awe! It will increase your faith and the expectancy you have that God is going to show up and do something wonderful among us!
-Many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. As you read further in Acts you find more references to healings and other miracles in the early church. They lived with an expectancy that something great was going to happen because they were coming together in Christ’s name. Now, even though it says that many miracles were performed by the apostles, that doesn’t mean that only the apostles were used in this capacity. We can read about Stephen and other believers who were used by God in the miraculous. Maybe God wants to use you to let His authority and power to heal flow through you.
-A question I have often struggled with is this: Do miracles produce a sense of awe, or does a sense of awe result in miracles? The best answer I can come up with is “Yes!” When we stand in awe of who God is and what He has done in the past, we can expect Him to continue to work this way in our own lives. The more we read about all the miracles Jesus did and that His followers did, the more we should expect the same things to happen today. Have you lost the awe of God’s awesome power? Unbelief seems to go along with losing our sense of awe. If we really believe that our God is alive and well and wants to let His power flow through His church, then I believe we will begin to see the miraculous in our lives. And as a result, more people will gain a sense of awe, as they see how powerful and effective the gospel is in our lives.
-This past week I watched part of an interview with a medical expert about this bird flu that is spreading around our world. The govt. has already suggested that people should stock a couple of month’s supply of such things as canned tuna and powdered milk. This is not to throw anybody into a panic, but to show people how serious this might be. When asked about numbers, the expert said that it is very possible that up to 90 million people in the U.S. alone may get sick as a result of the bird flu. Possibly half of that number will require hospitalization, and perhaps 2 million will die from it. Now, nobody really knows what will happen, but I got to thinking about it and wondered, “How might the church prepare to respond to this crisis?” What if the only real answer to this sickness was available through prayer, and the power of God? How would we fare? Do we have enough of a sense of awe for God’s awesome power to heal, that we would let Him use us to bring healing to hundreds or possibly thousands of sick people in our community? But let’s move away from such a dramatic situation to the here and now. Do you have enough of a sense of awe for God’s healing power that you have confidence that He wants to heal those who are sick among us today? Jesus healed all the sick who came to Him for healing. He told His disciples that they would do even greater works than He had done. Our God is an awesome God, and nothing is too difficult for Him! Let’s believe God and let Him use us to minister healing to those in need.
E. Sharing (Sufficient resources for all) Generosity and hospitality were common denominators among the early Christians. There is no evidence that people sold everything they had, but those who had plenty were willing to part with some of it in order to help those who were in need. It appears that they overcame poverty through their generosity. We don’t have to read very far throughout the rest of the Bible to see that each person was still expected to be a good steward of the resources God was blessing them with. For example, if one person was wasting the blessings of God through unwise spending, and then coming to the apostles asking for financial assistance, they were most likely refused. The language of our text shows how closely these early believers lived out their faith. 44”All the believers were together and had everything in common.” They were in each other’s homes daily and ate meals together, and celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. They knew what was going on in each other’s lives. The apostle Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonica, “You should work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may live properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (1 Thess. 4:11-12). So we see that each person likely pulled his or her own weight, but when there was a genuine need, the body made sure that it was met.
-Again, their hospitality was evident in that they invited one another into their homes to eat meals together, possibly on a daily basis. They were so excited about what God was doing in their lives that they wanted to be around other believers who would rejoice together with them. They did not have the isolationism that we face today. They didn’t lock themselves up inside their houses and watch TV all evening, as some of us often do. No, they shared their lives, their time, and their resources with one another.
-Now, lest we get the idea that these actions in and of themselves are all we need, please remember this: These early believers were only doing what Spirit-filled, Spirit-led people do. They were learning more about their Savior, Jesus, by listening to Biblical teaching and studying God’s word. They were having fellowship with other believers, because Jesus had commanded them to love one another – and that is hard to do when you never see one another. They were praying and worshipping on a daily basis, because that is what Jesus taught them to do. They lived with a sense of awe, expecting God to do miracles among them, knowing that God wanted them to live in the miraculous. Finally, they shared their resources, because Jesus had taught them how to be generous, saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
-So, as we apply these things to our lives and to our church, we need to realize that they are not a magic formula for getting people to come to our church. No, they are simply the outward actions of Christians who love the Lord and want to please Him with their lives.
-TS: Well, let’s talk for just a few minutes about what happens when believers love the Lord, are filled with the HS, and are practicing these essentials of personal and church growth.
II. Effects of a Growing Christian Body
A. Favor- people were drawn to these believers, because of what Christ was doing in and through them. They were also being relevant to the people of their culture. If they had been out of touch with daily life in Jerusalem, they would not have found favor with the people. The work God does in us is a genuine work of grace. Let’s keep it real for the benefit of the people in our community, and so that our relationship with Christ will be authentic. Let’s not turn Christianity into something Christ never intended it to be. He was a friend of sinners and was loved by the common people and the down & outers. Favor comes about by being a blessing to those around you. Favor comes by being a good neighbor. Favor comes by being part of the solution, rather than the problem in your community. If we would have favor in our community, we will need to earn it in practical ways. What positive effect are we making? Are we affecting the spiritual climate around us? Are we hindering the works of darkness? Are we making our community a better place to live? That is the effect that Christianity should have.
-Now I am not suggesting that we will never face opposition if we do the will of God. God allows various seasons in our lives and in His church for a reason. Guess what happened later in the book of Acts? Ch.8 tells us that a severe persecution broke out, and many of the believers had to leave the area. They were scattered all around the area. That sounds pretty tragic, doesn’t it? However, the Lord had a hand in this. As they were forced out of their comfortable lives, they took Jesus with them wherever they went. The gospel was spread all throughout the region as a result of this persecution.
-So favor is what we hope to see, but we must also be ready for anything, as we trust the Lord with our lives and our future.
-TS: Another result these growing Christians saw was growth in their numbers.
B. Divine Increase – The Lord added daily those who were being saved. Don’t you like how Luke worded that? He didn’t say, “The apostles grew the church to 5000 people.” Why not? Because it wasn’t the apostles; it was the Lord! The Lord added daily those who were being saved. People were turning away from their sins and being baptized every day, because the good news was being told. One plants, another waters, but God gives the increase.
-Let me encourage you to keep on being faithful in obeying what God asks you to do. Don’t give up sharing your faith. Keep planting seeds; keep watering the soil. God will give the increase if we do not give up. Jesus told His disciples, “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Lord, come do it here. We want to cooperate with you and follow Your plan for Your Church. We want to learn more about you, and fellowship together. We want to spend time each day in prayer and worship. We want to keep a sense of awe for your mighty power, believing that Your power will heal people and transform their lives. We want to share our lives and resources with one another, realizing that everything we have belongs to you. Jesus, help us be the church you have called us to be!
Conclusion: We’ve talked about the dynamics that were at work in the early church, as the Lord daily increased their number by those who were being saved. Let me ask you now: How are you doing in these areas? Are you learning, teaching, fellowshipping, praising, worshipping, expecting miracles, and sharing your resources? If the Lord is speaking to you today about one or more of these areas, would you just listen to Him, and ask Him what He wants you to do? God does speak to us today, and I believe He will put some action on your heart to do as a step in the right direction. Take a few moments this morning and just talk things over with the Lord. Tell Him you want to grow and you want His church to grow here in Elgin as well.
-Maybe today you heard the message, but you know you need to take care of some things in your heart and life before you can become part of the Lord’s church. When Peter stood up and preached his sermon, one thing he said is that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. When the people later asked him what they should do, he told them to repent and be baptized, and God would forgive their sins. 3000 people repented and asked God to forgive them that day, and they all became part of the first Christian church ever. Today, the message hasn’t changed. If you know you need to get right with God, you need to call on Him, and ask Him to forgive you. Confess your sins to Him and turn away from what is wrong. As a result, you will become a member of God’s family, the Church. If you need to get right with God today, would you be willing to slip up your hand so I can see who you are and pray for you?
