Unstoppable – More Than a Gathering
10/1/17
Acts 2:42-47
Video Intro – If You Want to Change the World (6 min.)
When I saw this video I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to our text for today. I couldn’t help but think of the many spiritual parallels that might apply. For according to Acts 1:8, the moment the H.S. descended upon the disciples at Pentecost – they were called (just as we’re called) to participate in changing our world for the glory of God.
But you will receive power when the H.S. comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
I think it’s in the little things in the Christian life where we must be faithful if we’re to share in changing our world.
Example – it’s not in making our bed but in kneeling beside it when we first awake to seek intimacy w/ the Father that we can begin to change our world. For if we will not take time to meet w/ God in the small moments, what makes us think we will stand for Him in the big moments.
Likewise, when it comes to dealing w/ sharks and all things spiritual – it’s in learning how to engage our enemy we learn how to punch him in the nose to overcome/defeat him.
Likewise, it’s in never underestimating the size of our God and His call on our lives but in understanding that success is found in our dependence on God and not in our independence from God that we can change the world.
Maybe most importantly – understanding how difficult life can be, how following Jesus can be so challenging, and how the demonic is constantly seeking to kill, steal, and destroy – if we want to change our world – we can’t do it alone – we need other believers to unite w/ us to spur one another along towards love and good deeds – hence the church.
On the day of Pentecost, when all heaven broke loose – not only did the H.S. show up in a big way to the disciples and empower Peter to boldly speak the truth of the Gospel – but after 3,000+ people come to Christ – the church began.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled w/ awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together w/ glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
Before we jump into the heart of the church as God intended, let me remind you of the ONE item that can’t be missed or forgotten – the church is a movement of the H.S. If you take the H.S. out of the church – then it’s no longer a church but an impotent religious gathering. From the outset – church can only occur when God’s people submit/depend on the leading of the H.S. in their lives. Thus the heart of the mission of the church is to connect believers w/ the H.S.
The early church modeled for us the essential elements necessary for the church to champion walking in the Spirit.
I Devoted to Following SCRIPTURE
apostle’s teachings – to reveal, God-inspired truth.
They were committed to knowing, applying, and living the truth. They were more than hearers – they were doers. Like newborn babies, they were hungry for truth – to know God and to know His will for their lives.
The Scripture is our true north. It is God’s primary voice to our lives. It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths.
Here’s the truth about the Bible – if I don’t hide it in my heart, I will not follow God. And biblical illiteracy is rampant in the church today. And b/c we don’t know it, we don’t live it. And worse, we don’t know how to live it.
Study to show yourself approved of God… 2 Tm. 2:15
My brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, b/c human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do. Jm. 1:19f
II Devoted to Sharing ENCOURAGEMENT
fellowship (koinonia) invested partnership – this is more than popcorn, parties, and picnics. This is sharing life and allowing other believers to pour into you, encourage you, and hold you accountable to pursing/serving God.
This refers to being personally engaged in spiritual intimacy w/ one another to spur each other along in living for Christ.
This has been lost among most believers in today’s church. We live independent rather than interdependent lives.
But if we are to thrive in our faith, we need one another to spur one another along.
Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God w/ a sincere heart and w/ the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed w/ pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-24
One w/ MANY – One w/ SOME – One-on-ONE
III Devoted to Regular EXAMINATION
breaking bread – a reference to communion
In celebrating the Lord’s Supper we not only remember the love of God expressed thru the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – it is a time of reflection and self-examination to make sure that we’re in a right relationship w/ God. The point is to constantly be taking an audit of our intimacy.
D Devoted to Prayerfully SEEKING
As believers, prayer is about individually and together being in desperate pursuit of knowing/following God. Prayer is the desperate pursuit of God’s direction/will.
No great spiritual awakening has begun anywhere in the world apart from united prayer – Christians persistently praying for revival. J. Edwin Orr
In 1857, Jeremiah Lanphier, a businessman burdened by the spiritual condition of his day, knelt in the back room of a small church in NYC w/ a broken heart and a simple request: “Lord, what will You have me to do?” That day, God birthed in his heart to begin a businessmen’s prayer meeting at noon one day a week for an hour. His invitation simply read, “Come when you can, leave when you must.”
On 9/23/1857, he launched the prayer meeting and found himself alone. After 30 min., 6 others joined him – so they prayed. The following week, 20 men came. The next week 40. By 1/1858 (3 mo. later), they were meeting simultaneously on three floors of the same building. By March, 6000 gathered daily in NYC, 6000 in Pittsburgh, 2000 in Chicago, 4000 in Philadelphia… By May, 50,000 people in NYC had trusted Christ for salvation. A New England newspaper reported that in entire towns had come to Christ – meaning there were no unsaved adults!
It was estimated that for a period of months, 50,000 people a week were accepting Christ across America. By early 1859 (18 mo. after 1st prayer meeting), Over 1 mil. people had accepted Christ in the U.S. At that time, the population of U.S. was approx. 30 mil.
Spiritual Truth – God in His sovereignty has chosen to limit His activity to the prayers/obedience of His people.
If we want to change our world – it begins and ends w/ walking in the Spirit. The early church reveals to us that if we’re to be a church that abides in Christ and lives under the influence of the H.S. participating in this Divine movement – then it requires that we diligently study the Scripture seeking to live it, we engage in genuinely accountable relationships w/ other believers desiring God’s best for us, we constantly audit the our willingness to follow Christ, and we diligently seek His direction through prayer longing to hear and sense His guidance in our lives.
If we want to participate in changing the world – then these are the priorities we must seek. It is in these (4) priorities that we walk in faith instead of by sight and by fear. Nothing great has ever been accomplished by God through fear.
FEAR is believing the enemies ways are better than God’s way – while FAITH is believing God’s ways are better than the enemies ways.
