***NOTE*** I have to confess that at a late hour the night before preaching this sermon the ’goat’ ate my sermon and 11 months of sermons in a folder on my computer. I had to re-write it late that night. I was desperate so I used more of John Stott’s words than was in my original script. I am indebted to Stott’s thoughtful treatment of the material. I wish to indulge his forgiveness and thank God for his work.
Andy
Intro:
GLS
Problem: Growing healthy churches
As WCBC gets bigger
Space
Intimacy
Challenge in moving larger group of people
John Stott: The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor
Says – “... the Church lies at the very centre of the eternal purpose of God.” – It is a part of God’s plan to bring good news to all people
A church must seek change in order that it continue to be relevant
John Stott promotes this while holding on the 4 essential marks
AN alive church must seek to be these –
1. A Learning Church
2. A Caring Church
3. A Worshipping Church
4. An Evangelizing Church
READ: Acts 2:42-47
PRAY
1. A Learning Church
(v. 42) “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching ...”
Truth matters
How do we discern truth? – Everyone promotes what they believe to be true
The early church adopted the notion of Apostolic Succession
Links to those who witnessed Jesus in action
Upheld Church Doctrines – Teaching concerning Jesus
In particular: The Gospel
i.e. centred around – Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus
Signs and wonders – (v. 43), “Everyone was in awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles
READ: Acts 2:22-24
In a learning church ...
I. The people submit to the teaching authority of the apostles
II. The pastors expound (explain/expand on) Scripture from the pulpit
III. The parents teach their children out the scriptures at home
IV. Its members read and reflect on the Scriptures everyday
V. The Spirit of God leads the people of God to honour the word of God
2. A Caring Church
(v. 42) “They devoted themselves to ... fellowship ...”
Word fellowship from GK koinōnía
I. Sharing in together
II. Sharing out together
Jesus called some of his disciples to total voluntary poverty
i.e. Rich young ruler (Mark 10) sell everything – give to poor
This is not for all – (v. 46)
“ ... They broke bread in their homes ...”
Some still had homes, which they met in
Still – it is apparent they cared for their poor brothers and sisters in the church
A living church is a caring church. Generosity has always been a characteristic of the people of God. Our God is a generous God; His church must be generous too.
Home Groups – Greater intimacy as church gets bigger
3. A Worshipping Church
(v. 42) “They devoted themselves to ... the breaking of bread and to prayer ... (v. 46) “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”
I. They continued to meet daily in the temple for prayer services
When new Christian movements come along, it is easy to get caught up in the newness of whatever is going on.
The early church did not immediately dismiss more formal forms of worship
They would have been keen to reform worship in accordance to the gospel
They understood that the sacrifices of the temple had been fulfilled in the sacrifice of Jesus
They supplemented their formal meetings at the temple with informal meetings in their home – home groups/cell groups – they added their own distinctively Christian worship – The Lord’s Supper/Communion
Young people are often impatient with the inherited structures of the church
They see formal worship as
Conservative, too resistant to change, and stifling
While older generations may prefer, dignified more formal services at church – they might see newer forms of worship, flip and irreverent
Yet younger people see this as spontaneous and liberating
The early church embraced both formal and informal styles of worship
We must progress together – so not to tear the church apart of style
However we must also face the future and our future is with our young people – now – not tomorrow
II. The early church’s worship was both joyful and reverent
Luke described their worship as an “exuberant expression of joy.”
God had sent his son into the world, and now he has sent his Spirit into their hearts. How could they not be joyful?
When we worship we should worship with joyful, expectant hearts
Some services I have been to it is like being at a funeral
Christianity is a joyful religion – every service should be a celebration of what God has done, is doing and will continue to do.
We should not however be flippant with our worship – should be reverent
Luke writes (v. 43), “...Everyone was filled with awe ...”
God was in their midst, and they bowed down before him in the that mixture of wonder and humility which we call worship
4. An Evangelizing Church
First three characteristics of the early church focus on the interior life of the church – all about the members – does not say anything about their mission beyond the church walls
This is the great imbalance we find in too many churches – why they struggle and eventually die – when focused on themselves
we then come to (v. 47) – “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”
This suggests that they were engaged in mission
Three truths that we can learn from in regards to evangelism in early church
I. The Lord himself (Jesus) did it
Through preaching of apostles
Everyday witness of church members
Their common love of others
Jesus did it!
He delegates responsibility to us – his church – but was and remains to this day HIS ministry – he is responsible for admitting people into the church
Only the Lord Jesus through the witness of his Holy Spirit can open people’s eyes to give life to dead souls, and so to add people to his church. We need to humbly acknowledge this.
II. The lord did two things together
a. Add to their number
b. Saved them
Goes hand in hand
Didn’t add them to church without saving them – didn’t save them without adding them to the church
Salvation and church membership went together – Still do!
III. The Lord did both of these things DAILY
Early Christians did not regard evangelism ‘faith sharing’ as an occasional activity – if they were so inclined
Their witness was as continuous as their worship
The Lord honoured this – by adding converts daily
Balance between NURTURE and EVANGELISM
