I AM GLAD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Acts 2:40-47
By Cleavon Matthews
March 9, 2008
INTRODUCTION
It was the Day of Pentecost. It had been seven weeks since Passover. It marked the conclusion of barley harvest and the inception of wheat harvest. It was flawless timing. Pentecost was one of three pilgrimage festivals when the people of God came to Jerusalem in order to appear before the Lord with gifts and offerings.
On this historic day heaven erupted in great noise. It was reminiscent of a ‘rushing mighty wind.’ The Holy Spirit fell on the twelve apostles and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them utterance. The Parthians, Medes, Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretan and Arabs heard them speaking the wonderful works of God in their own languages.
This occasion marked the birthday and inception of the Church. Peter would assume his role as chief spokesman and began to preach. Luke says he preached to the men! In most of today’s churches the women greatly outnumber the men. But the church started with preaching to men! Peter preached to the men of Judea (2:14), the men of Israel (2:22), and the men and brethren (2:29).
His message was loaded with prophetic fulfillment (2:16; 2:25; 2:34). His message was centered in Jesus of Nazareth. Notice in the text Peter says, “Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know- Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it!”
The apostles were witnesses of the Resurrection (1:22; 2:32). They were eyewitnesses that God raised Him up! God loosed the pains of death! His soul was not left in Hades. The Patriarch David prophesied of His victory (Psalm 16). The Holy One did not see corruption. This is the ultimate message of hope. Man’s greatest enemy that is the fear of death has been conquered in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Psalmist said, “I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad!”
He was not shaken
His heart rejoiced
His tongue was glad
Because the Lord was His permanent comfort!
Life has a way of shaking us up.
Economic instability can frighten us.
Sickness can stun us.
Suffering can surprise us.
Trials can traumatize us.
Politics can polarize us.
Discouragement can daze us.
Blizzards can bemoan us.
Storms can slow us.
Ugliness can upset us.
But through it all we must not be shaken. In fact our hearts ought to rejoice and our tongues ought to be glad because of His permanent presence!
Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear in gone. Because He lives you don’t have to worry about the future. Because He lives you don’t have to stay up all night fretting. Because He lives you don’t have to give up and you don’t have to give in. Because He lives you can make it!
The coming of the Spirit was ushered in because of the Resurrection. The third member of the Godhead arrived on Pentecost. Jesus kept His promise. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). The Father poured out His Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. “Not by might nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of hosts…for who has despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:6,10).
I.GLADNESS IN THE WORD
Acts 2:40-41 “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, be saved from this perverse generation. Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
I am glad to be a member of the Church of Christ. This is not to be understood as a self-righteous declaration. This statement has nothing to do with those of differing religious persuasions. My Christological beliefs gave birth to my soteriological affirmations which have directed my ecclesiastical identification. I believe Jesus is Lord and Savior. As Lord and Savior He solved my sin problem and He rules my life. I owe everything to Him!
Without Him…
I am a stranger and foreigner to the covenant of promise
I am dead in trespasses and sin
I have no hope
I am without God in the world
Without Him…
I have no advocate when I stand in the court
I have no sacrifice at the altar
I have no mediator between me and God
I have no captain of salvation
I have no friend in times of trouble
I owe everything to Him! All things are put under His feet and He is head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:22). My Christology says He is Lord and Savior. Psalm 110 is one of the Royal Psalms referred to in this text.
1 The aLORD said to my Lord,“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your bfootstool.”
2 The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength cout of Zion.
dRule in the midst of Your enemies!
3 eYour people shall be volunteers
In the day of Your power;
fIn the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning,
You have the dew of Your youth.
4 The LORD has sworn
And gwill not relent,
“You are a hpriest forever
According to the order of iMelchizedek.”
5 The Lord is jat Your right hand;
He shall 1execute kings kin the day of His wrath.
6 He shall judge among the nations,
He shall fill the places with dead bodies,
lHe shall 2execute the heads of many countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook by the wayside;
mTherefore He shall lift up the head.
There was gladness in the word! Peter’s message was Christological. He testified and exhorted them to be saved from this perverse generation. The message of Jesus always leads to the theme of salvation (soteriological). I am glad to be a member of the church of Christ because I want to be saved from this perverse generation. Remember the Royal Psalm. He will execute kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations. Dead bodies will fill the places.
I am glad to be a member of the church of Christ because I want to be on the right side of His victory! He is a conquering Savior. He is an awesome Lord. But as Lord His real objective is to save as many as will gladly receive the word! He does not save because of, but rather in spite of! Before He offered salvation to anyone else; He extended salvation to those who crucified Him!
He wants to save us from the domination and the destiny of a perverse generation. He wants to save us from the destiny of the unregenerate. He wants to save us from the destiny of the unbelievers. He wants to save us from the destiny of the wicked. He wants to save us from the destiny of the depraved. He wants to save us from the domination and destiny of the evil, bad, sinful, immoral, and lost.
A great multitude heard Peter’s sermon and three thousand of them were distinguished. Three thousand of them gladly received the word. The word received is apodechomai in the original and it means to take fully, welcome, accept, approve, and receive gladly. The word did not fall on death ears. The word changed their lives forever.
On that day about three thousand of them were baptized! They were immersed in water. They were baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). They were identified as disciples of Jesus Christ. They made commitments to Jesus on that day! They saw the urgency. They understood the need. They were a glad people!
II.GATHERING IN FELLOWSHIP
Acts 2:42-45 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
Some people are glad because they are members of Who’s Who. Others are glad because they are members of the Rotary Club, Honor Society, Omega, Alpha, Kappa, and Masonic lodge. But I am glad to be a member of the church of Christ. As a member of the Church of Christ I have royal privileges. I have access to Divine blessings. I have something the world can’t take away. As I a member of the church of Christ I belong to a unique fellowship!
The church of Christ is a gathering people. We are an assembling people. The church was assembled when Jesus spoke (Acts 1:4). When they were assembled together the place was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). They assembled in Antioch for a whole year and taught much people (Acts 11:26) so much so that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. They were assembled together with one accord in order to solve spiritual problems (Acts 15:25).
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
We must continue steadfastly! We must carry on. We must go on. We must persist. We must keep on maintaining. As the Church of Christ we must be unwavering. We must be dedicated. We must be unfaltering. We must be firm, unswerving, and resolute! We must be dedicated to at least four things as a demonstration of our commitment to Jesus Christ!
We must continue steadfastly in the apostles teaching (doctrine). We must continue steadfastly in fellowship. We must continue steadfastly in the breaking of bread (Lord’s Table). We must continue steadfastly in prayers.
Our gathering is a blessing and not a burden
Our teaching is an endowment and not an intrusion
Our fellowship is a gift and not a hardship
Our breaking of bread is worship and not wearisome
Our prayers are a privilege and not a yoke
I am glad to be a member of the Church of Christ because we were teaching when all others were doing was whooping. We were practicing church autonomy when others were still practicing denominational hierarchy. We were restoring New Testament Christianity while others were still reforming Catholicism.
III.GLADNESS IN THE HEART
Acts 2:46-47 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
I am glad to be a member of the church of Christ because there was gladness when the church started. They were together. They didn’t come together weekly. They were together daily. They had one accord. They were unified. I believe they went to the temple in part to be witnesses and to worship.
They went from house to house! It was about three thousand of them. I don’t know how they went from house to house but they were a tight people. They were a together people. They obviously enjoyed being in each other’s company. Remember they had all things in common. They helped each other. They cared for one another. They ministered to one another.
They were a glad people. The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (5:41). There was great joy in Samaria when Philip preached Christ to them (8:8). The Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing when Philip baptized him (8:39). Barnabas was glad when he saw the grace of God saving Hellenists in Antioch (11:23). Rhoda was glad when she recognized Peter’s voice at the door (12:14). Gentiles were glad when they heard the word of the Lord (13:48). The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (13:52). The Lord fills the heart with gladness (14:17). The Jerusalem church was with great joy when they heard about the conversion of the Gentiles (15:3). The Philippian jailer rejoiced having believed in God with his entire household (16:34). The brethren received Paul gladly (21:17).
There was gladness in the church. They were praising God! They were celebrating the gifts and goodness of God. They were praising God. They were singing the songs of Zion. They were boasting in the Lord. They had favor with all the people. The church was growing. God was adding those who were being saved to the church daily.
CLOSING
I am glad to be a member of the Church of Christ.
It’s a matter of both the head and the heart.
It’s a matter of doctrine and devotion.
It’s a matter of truth and testimony.
It’s a matter of atonement and attachment.
It’s a matter of Lordship and love.
It’s a matter of word and worship.
It’s a matter of conversion and commitment.
I am glad to be a member of the Church of Christ because…
The saved are added to the church daily
The born again belong to the church
The believers are baptized for the remission of sin
The faithful are in the fellowship
The disciples are in the church
