Created for Community
Acts 2 and Ephesians 1
October 27, 2013
One of the most famous studies ever conducted on relationships was called the “Alameda County Study.” It was headed by a Harvard Social Scientist and it took place over a 9 year period. They tracked the lives of 7,000 Alameda County residents during this period. They found that the most isolated people were 3 times more likely to die than the most relationally connected people.
They discovered that people who had bad health habits, smoking, poor eating, obesity, alcohol use, and so on, BUT had strong relational connections lived significantly longer than people who had great health habits, BUT were isolated. In other words, they found it’s better to eat Twinkies with good friends, than to eat broccoli alone.
Another study in the Journal of the American Medical Association took 276 volunteers and infected them with the virus that produces the common cold. In this study, they found that people who had deeper emotional connections, deeper relationships did 4 times better fighting off the illness, than those who are more isolated. Those who had deeper relationships were better able to fight off the colds and produced significant less virus than relationally unconnected subjects. It is literally true, unfriendly people are snottier than friendly people.
Now, I believe that studies like this simply confirm at a biological level what scripture told us a long time ago - - - “you were created for community.”
You were made for relational connectedness. You were designed by God to love and be loved — to know and be known — to serve and be served — to celebrate and be celebrated . . . and to miss out on this is to miss out one of the major reasons you were created. Whatever else you achieve and accomplish, however many toys you accumulate, you miss this and you miss out on one of the major reasons for living!
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I believe the church is the only hope for the world. Now, everything starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ. We must have that, but moving along with faith in Jesus, comes a need to be part of a community of believers in Jesus Christ. Our faith, and even our searching is what brings us together. If it weren’t for Jesus, we would not be here this morning and many of us would not have the friendships and relationships we have with one another.
I would like to read one of the great scriptures which shows community at its best. It comes in the form of the early church and is found in Acts 2. Listen to what Luke wrote about how the church was functioning ~
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. — Acts 2:42
Do you get a sense of how the early church was functioning? Now, I know our world is different than theirs, but we can learn from the way they did church. I don’t get a sense that there were worship wars. Nobody was complaining about what songs were being sung, were they too loud, contemporary, traditional or what? I don’t think they were overly concerned about what anyone wore to worship, or to someone else’s home? They were thrilled you were a believer and on their side, that you were a brother or sister in Christ.
They were awe struck at the miracles which were being performed. They were together, not just in worship, but in their beliefs and possessions. They were sharing their possessions, they weren’t concerned about who had what, they were more concerned at what they could give, not keep. They were filled with joy and gladness, there was not a shortage of supplies for anyone. And they worshiped and praised and served God, so much that others began to believe in Jesus through their love and grace and they were well received by the people around them.
Doesn’t that sound like a place you’d like to belong to. You can tell they definitely cared about one another, prayed for one another, read the Scriptures together! Sounds like a great place to be. And I believe the modern churches, like ours are supposed to move in a direction which seeks to emulate the attitude of the early church.
The Bible's teaching about the church isn't easy to grasp. The church is a mystery, and it’s only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we can really begin to understand it at. But God wants us to know and understand and believe in what the church is called to be.
But too often we have false pictures of the church. Pastor Tom Nelson identified four distorted images we have of the church.
First, there’s the church as a gas station view. For some people, the church is a place where you fill up your spiritual gas tank when you're running low. Get a good sermon, and it will keep you going for the week. Don’t over tax your engine, because there’s no time for a midweek trip to the gas station.
Second, the church as a movie theater. For many people, the church is a place that offers entertainment. Go for an hour of escape, hopefully in comfortable seats where you can drink coffee, have a lattee, and have a snack. Leave your problems at the door and come out smiling and feeling better than when you went in.
Third, the church is compared to a drug store. Some people have the outlook that the church is a place where you can fill the prescription that will deal with your pain. For many the church is therapeutic. The church speaks to your emotional pain and brings healing.
Fourth, the church as a big box retailer. This is where people see the church as the place that offers the best products in a clean and safe environment for you and your family. The church offers great service at a low price – and you get to determine the price — and it’s all in one stop. The church is to produce programs for children and teens and take the parent’s responsibility to teach their children how to be believers in Christ.
You won't find any of these pictures of the church in the Bible. All of them are distortions, and they all have one thing in common—they're all about me. Fill me up! Entertain me! Take away my pain! Give me family programs! In the end it’s consumerism. This isn't surprising. Since this is the pervasive mindset of our society.
I want to help us move away from these self-centered ways of thinking about church and look at the pictures God gives to help us understand what it means to be the church.
You see, we need to understand that Christ is the head of the church — and we are the body of the church. Paul tells us that in Ephesians 1. He wrote ~
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people,
19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.
I’ve got to tell you and you may not believe it, but when I read that passage I got goose bumps. This is so great. This is worth another month of sermons, but I want to break it apart in about 2 minutes for today.
You see, Paul wants us to understand what the church is, so He wants us to open our hearts to the reality of the benefits of the church. It’s not just eating twinkies with our friends.
Paul wants the hope of Jesus Christ to burn brightly and be illuminated in our heart and soul. He wants us to grasp the glorious inheritance He has given us. You may not have an earthly inheritance from some long lost aunt, but God’s will certainly beat anything you could have received here.
And God will give us His power which nobody can compare anything to. You can’t compare earthly power to God’s power. You can get all the muscle you can, but God’s power will leave you shaking your head at how little you really have.
Now, you’ve got to understand what I’m about to say, because it should absolutely blow you out of your seat! How’s that for a prelude! Honestly, we should all be falling on our face giving thanks to God for this! Are you all ears!?!?!?!
I’m going to reread part of the scripture ~
19 and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
20 He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
Do you know what that means?!! The power God gives us, is the very same power He used to raise Christ from the dead and the same power He used to bring Christ to heaven to sit with Him. Do you get that? Do you realize what power the church really has? But we have to work at it together. We can’t work alone, we can’t say “I have no need for the church.”
The church is everyone together — doing the work of Jesus. There can’t be lone rangers. There can’t be naysayers and pew sitters. The church is all of us . . . all of us opening our eyes to what Christ is calling us to do, to go into the world and make a difference to lead others to know Him and call Him Savior and have their lives and ours transformed so we become more and more like Christ.
Ultimately, we look like the early church did. And we do this because we see what Paul wrote, when he explained that Christ is the head of the church and we are the body.
You might think – ‘that sounds limiting. I'd rather do my own thing for Christ.’ Maybe you would rather do your own thing, but is that what Christ wants you to do? You say, "I don't want to get tied up with the church." But that is what Christ has chosen to do. You see, Jesus chose to work through the church to bring redemption to the world. Now, it’s our job to step up and be involved in the most powerful institution there is in the world. . . not the White House, not your house, but the House of God.
