“THE PLACES” Acts 2:42-47
FBCF – 3/6/22
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Roll call in school. Answered, “Here,” or “Present.” Means, “I’m in my place where I’m supposed to be. I’m ready for my assignment.”
Today, continue w/ our series on “The ChURch” from the book of Acts w/ a message entitled, “The Places.”
EXPLANATION – Acts 2:42-47
Attended a pastors’ prayer conference this week in Houston, TX. Awesome week! Thanks for allowing me to attend.
Conference was put on by the 6:4 Fellowship, a network of pastors that I belong to. Purpose of 6:4 Fellowship is to challenge & encourage pastors all over the world to stay committed to excellence in the priorities of Acts 6:4 – prayer & the ministry of the Word.
The conference was called the 6:7 Awakening. Based on Acts 6:7 – “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” Formula that was talked about over & over – 6:3 disciples + 6:4 leaders = 6:7 awakening!
Prayed “God, please let me clearly hear from you this week.” Got there & first preacher – Kevin Myers, 12 Stone Church, Lawrenceville, GA – talked about Acts 6. Next preacher – HB Charles, Shiloh Church, Jacksonville, FL – preached from Acts 3. Next preacher – Vance Pittman, Hope Church, Las Vegas, & now the president of Send Network w/ NAMB – preached from Acts 1. “I’M LISTENING, LORD!!!”
Conference focused on prayer & the Word of God. We prayed A LOT! Worshiped A LOT! Awesome time w/ about 500 other pastors & church leaders from all across the country & Canada.
One thing we didn’t talk about was church buildings. Conference was held at Kingsland Baptist Church in Katy, TX. Beautiful facility. Got lots of good ideas for ways we may want to design our new building. But there were no workshops or panel discussions on church buildings. The focus of the conference was on who the Church is & what the Church should be doing.
But the truth is that there are places that the Church can be found. And that’s what this message is about.
APPLICATION – The Church is not a place, but there are places that the Church ought to be.
IN HERE – I love church buildings. News ones w/ theater seats & large video screens. Older ones like our sanctuary w/ stained glass & pews. Majestic ones like FBC Jackson (used to take people in there when I was on staff). Simple ones like the small building in Pedernales, DR, where Pastor Frantdzy pastors – no AC, homemade benches, & bare lightbulbs hanging from ceiling.
There is something significant about a gathering place for the people of God. God’s people have always had a place to gather to worship Him.
- Psalm 122:1 – “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
- Moses & the children of Israel had the portable, temporary tabernacle that they used while they wandered in the desert.
Here in Acts 2:46, we see that these new believers – new church members – were still gathering w/ other believers in the temple to worship God. Weren’t doing the OT sacrifices any more, but still going there w/ other believers to pray.
Why do we gather in here? For corporate worship, prayer, & the proclamation of the Word of God.
- Acts 3:1 – “Now Peter & John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer…”
- Acts 5:42 – “And every day, in the temple & from house to house, they did not cease [they never stopped – NIV] teaching & preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”
Hill Street Blues – Every episode opened w/ roll call at the Hill Street precinct. At end of roll call after going over all the crimes being committed & criminals that need to be apprehended, Sgt. Phil Esterhaus would say, “Let’s be careful out there.” Roll call was time for officers to gather before they scattered.
That’s this worship time in here – our precinct. We gather to worship, to pray, to be instructed in the Word. Then we scatter to go do the work we are called to do. We gather, then scatter.
AT HOME – The bulk of our time as the Church is not spent inside this building. The bulk of our time is spent at home. Do we have a responsibility to use our homes as the Church? Or are our homes simply our retreat from the outside world?
When we look at the early Church, it’s clear that another place where we can find them is in each other’s homes. Maybe we can learn from them.
v. 46 – They were “breaking bread in their homes.” We all love to eat! And the early church was no different. Eating together in our homes as brothers & sisters in Christ is a great way to fellowship, to encourage one another, & to have times of teaching, discipleship, & prayer. Look back at v. 42. They were doing all of these activities together in corporate settings in the Church & in their homes.
I’ve been in many of your homes & have a goal to be in many more of your homes this year. I’ve drunk coffee w/ some of you & eaten meals w/ some of you. And one thing I’ve discovered is that you have some beautiful homes. Most of them are pretty spacious. And a whole bunch of you have the “empty nest” now – just you & your spouse in a big old house.
I want to challenge you to use your home for the Church. The Bible both commands & commends hospitality among Christ-followers.
- Romans 12:13 – “Share w/ the Lord’s people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes.” (NIRV)
- 1 Peter 4:9 – “Offer hospitality to one another w/out grumbling.” (NIV)
Your home should be another place for the Church. Start a Bible study there. Invite your neighbors to come. Maybe your Life Group can start meeting in your home. Start a prayer group in your home.
OUT THERE – When the Church was together in “big church” & in their homes, they couldn’t help but worship the Lord, praising Him all the time for His goodness & blessings. And b/c of their Spirit-filled changed lives, the Church was enjoying “favor w/ all the people.” There was a graciousness & an attractiveness that permeated the whole church.
“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Why was this happening? B/c the Church was in another place – they were out there among the people, being led by the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel & bring more & more people into the Church.
CONCLUSION – Jim Elliot – “Wherever you are, be all there.” Good word for us today, Church. Wherever you are – in here, at home, or out there – be all there to the glory of God!
