Acts 6:7
THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM
7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
The verse we have just read is an excellent description of the church in Jerusalem. That church was the hottest church in the New Testament...or since. They were the poorest church (Paul took offerings from other churches to support them) and yet they won more souls and offered the greatest threat to Satan. They suffered more and yet had the greatest fellowship. They were the oldest of the Lord’s churches and they were looked upon by other churches as the most doctrinally sound. So much so that when the other churches were in doubt they would ask Jerusalem. What made the church in Jerusalem so mighty in the Lord’s work? Because the Apostles were there? A good reason but not the main one. Today let’s look closely at the church in Jerusalem, compare it to our own church and see what they had that we do not have; see what they practiced that we do not; see where they were strong and where we are weak.
I. THEY WERE A WAITING CHURCH.
Acts 1:4-5. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with£ water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
A. From Passover to the Ascension is 40 days and from Passover to Pentecost is 50 days. So the disciples had to wait 10 days for the expected power to come on them.
B. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is wait until the Lord is ready. But even in waiting we can find time to honor God and glorify Him. They spent the entire 10 days in prayer meeting.
Acts 1:1414They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
C. But waiting on God is good sound advice. God is never too early or too late. And the blessings of waiting for Him to move are immeasurable. (Isa. 40:31) -- "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
II. THEY WERE A PRAYING CHURCH.
A. Can you imagine a 10 day prayer meeting? Rather can you imagine the result of a 10 day prayer meeting?
1. Acts 2:1-4, 41
2. I have often wondered what God could do if He had just one man on earth that really prayed. But look at just one day with a church that really prayed.
a. they were all with one accord
b. there came a sound from heaven
c. filled all the house
d. they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
e. there were added about 3,000 souls.
3. The examples of God answering prayer is just too numerous for us to overlook.
a. Hannah -- I Sam. 1 & 2
b. Zacharias -- Luke 1:13
c. Elijah -- James 5:15-18
B. But look what God can do when a whole church prays!
1. In their first preaching service they had 3,000 souls saved. The second time they had preaching 5,000 were saved (Acts 4:4).
2. They prayed all the time.
a. Whenever they met together they prayed
(Acts 4:31) 31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
, and great things happened.
b. When the preacher was arrested and put in jail they did not march or demonstrate or burn but they knew they could get help from above. (Acts 12:1-5)
III. THEY WERE A WITNESSING CHURCH.
A. These people had something God had promised to Adam, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham. All the promises of a Savior had been fulfilled and they never passed up a chance to tell someone about the power of God to save through Jesus.
1. On Pentecost when they were accused of being drunk, they used the occasion not to argue religion but to witness.
2. Peter and John before the Sanhedrin Council did not cower in fear of what men could do but preached Jesus (Acts 4:10-13).
3. After being beaten and hauled before the council a second time and ordered not to preach they replied, "We ought to obey God rather than you."
4. They witnessed at the Temple, in the streets, on the corners and on their jobs. Everywhere they went they told others of what Jesus could do. "And DAILY in the temple, and in EVERY HOUSE, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42)
B. How many people complain that they do not know enough about the Bible to talk to someone about their soul.
1. A deacon said he went to tell his friend about the Lord. The friend said he did not want to talk about the Bible. The deacon said he put his Bible away and told his friend about how he had been saved and asked the friend to try it. The friend did.
2. You can tell about how YOU were saved to someone. Someone is waiting to hear it.
IV. THEY WERE A GIVING CHURCH.
A. These people had gone far beyond tithing.
Acts 4:32-35. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
1. I do not intend to linger here long except to say this: If a church won’t give it won’t receive.
2. These were poor people but they gave, not just a tithe or even a little over a tithe, they did not give until it hurt either. They gave until they could really enjoy giving...They gave all they had.
3. One man said, "I believe in tithing." The preacher asked, "Do you practice tithing?" The man replied, "When I can." If you only tithe when you can afford to then you don’t believe it and if ten percent is all you give then you are not a freewill giver, you are only a tither and not a very good one at that.
V. THEY WERE A MISSIONARY CHURCH.
A. Jesus told them they were to be mission minded at all times.
Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
1. Every church ought to stop and consider its mission policy every once in a while and ask itself, "Is my church a real missionary church?"
2. Jesus laid down the rule they were to follow in mission work. 1) Jerusalem-your own home town, 2) Judea - within your own country, 3) Samaria - The country next door, 4) the uttermost parts of the world.
B. Too many church members say, "Well, I can’t be a missionary. I’m a housewife, a merchant, or a farmer."
1. But you can be a missionary in your own home. Your mission field is where you are.
2. There are people all around you dying and going to hell. They can be your mission field.
C. It is true that we can’t all go to the uttermost parts of the world. Or can we? (See Acts 8:1,4) And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
1. But even if we don’t go we can at least see to it that those who do go have all they need in the way of physical things so that they can concentrate all their energy on the Lord’s work.
2. We can choose a missionary of our own and support him faithfully. We can give to support foreign and local missionaries.
3. Someone will say, "We can’t afford to give to missions" That is FOOLISHNESS. We can’t afford not to.
V. FINALLY, THEY WERE A SPIRITUAL CHURCH.
A. But what could you expect of such a church? They prayed all the time...good and bad; they witnessed of Christ everywhere they went, they gave freely to support the Lord’s work, they fellowshipped together, they supported missions.
B. A church like this could not help but be a spiritual church and spirit filled.
C. Ours can be the same way if we follow the same pattern. All we need to do is to be---
1. A WAITING CHURCH.
2. A PRAYING CHURCH.
3. A WITNESSING CHURCH.
4. A GIVING CHURCH.
5. A MISSIONARY CHURCH.
6. A SPIRITUAL CHURCH.
If we do our part God will do His.
