Illus: A woman goes to the doctor's and says:
• "Doctor, Doctor, you have to help me. Every time I eat I throw-up DIMES!" The doctor tells her to relax, go home, rest with her feet up and come back in a week.
• A week later the woman returns and says, "Doctor, Doctor, it's gotten worse! Every time I eat I throw up QUARTERS! What's wrong with me?" Again the doctor tells her to relax, go home, rest with her feet up and come back in a week.
• Another week passes and the woman returns and yells, "Doctor, Doctor, I'm still not getting any better, every time I eat I throw-up HALF-DOLLARS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!!"
• The doctor says, "Relax, Relax,... you're just going through the change!"
We all are going through change, EVERY ONE OF US! We live in a changing world…
• Once, when a family moved into a neighborhood, that family lived their entire life in that neighborhood and knew everyone in the neighborhood. EVERYONE!
• When children got to be adults, they would have fond memories of living in that house as they grew up. But today, many families have moved from house to house, and the only memories some children will have is how often they had to pack up and move.
Illus: Moving makes me think of the coworkers that sympathized with a woman as she complained that her back was really sore from moving furniture.
•“Why didn’t you wait until your husband got home?” someone asked.
•“I could have,” the woman told them. “But the SOFA is easier to move if he’s not on it.”
It used to be that a person got a job they stayed on that job their entire life. After they retired, they were given a gold watch to honor them for their faithful service over the years.
Illus: Two older gents, working as waiters, were talking:
• "You've got to give the President credit for creating all of these new jobs."
• "Yes, I know, I have three of them."
It used to be when a person got married, it never crossed their mind about getting a divorce. They had their arguments, but divorce was never a thing that was brought up.
Illus: I think of the woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove, that seemed way too qualified for the job.
• “Look Miss," said the foreman, "have you any actual experience in picking lemons?"
• "Well, as a matter if fact, yes!" she replied. "I've been divorced three times."
We live in a changing world!
Back in the 50’s, who would have ever thought we would have people changing their sex through operations. Back then, a man was born a man and he was happy with being a man, but we have some today who can not even be satisfied with this. We have men that want to look like their sister.
With all this CHANGING and SWAPPING, it is no wonder that people are constantly changing churches. There was a time when a family would join a church and they would stay in that church all their life, but today, many go church shopping as much as they go shopping at Walmart’s.
Most people will not find a great church, because they do not know what constitutes a great church. To many, a great church is -
• A church that has many programs and activities and ministries that cover all ages.
• A church that has an upbeat, updated music ministry with a dynamic worship team having instrumentalists and good vocalists.
• A church that has a spacious state of the art facility that is attractive and pleasing to the eye.
• A church that has a dynamic pastor that can preach a good message, and a congregation of people that are outgoing, warm and friendly to first time guests.
• A church that has a coffee or café area where they can gather and fellowship over a hot cup of java or cappuccino.
Yes, many people are seeking a “great church” with all these things and more!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY IS A GREAT CHURCH? In the eyes of God, according to the scriptures, a church can have all these things that people today are looking for and still not be considered by God to be a GREAT CHURCH.
The church that is great, according to the Scriptures, is a church that WHOLLY ACKNOWLEDGES THEIR NEED OF GOD. It is not about:
• How much talent is in the congregation
• How much wealth is in the congregation
• How much money they use to build a building
• How talented a preacher might be
A GREAT CHURCH IS A CONGREGATION OF ANY SIZE THAT HAS COME TO RECOGNIZE THEIR NEED FOR GOD! Any church of any size can be a GREAT CHURCH in the eyes of God!
In Acts 4, we see a powerful example of the “Great church.” It is my absolute conviction, by the Scriptures, that the “Greatness” of the Acts 4 church is the same “Greatness” that God would have for the 21st century church.
A great church is built on -
I. STRENGTH OF PRAYER
Look at Acts 4:31, we read, “And when they had prayed…” The apostles endured persecution for preaching and ministering in the name of Jesus Christ. The religious Jewish leaders had threatened them and told them not to speak in His name AGAIN!
When the apostles came back to be with the saints, what did they do?
• They did not call for a board meeting or call for a business session to talk, discuss and brainstorm a plan on how to handle these threats.
• They did not ask for man’s advice.
• In the midst of hardship -- THE CHURCH WENT TO PRAYER.
Look at verse 24, “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord,…”
A GREAT CHURCH IS NOTED FOR PRAYER. If we are going to be seen by God to be a GREAT CHURCH, so should we.
Illus: In a little hamlet in southern Wisconsin lived a blacksmith. He was not specially gifted in speech, though always taking part in the little church there. One dark night, a man who was a staunch Catholic got off the train and started to walk to his home a mile or two away. Just beyond the depot was a trestle over a creek, perhaps sixteen feet below. In some way the man slipped in the darkness and fell to the rocks. He was seriously injured. His cries attracted neighbors, and when they came his first words were, "SEND FOR THE BLACKSMITH WHO PRAYS." ("Choice Illus." W.W. Clay pg. 56)
The New Testament Church was truly a GREAT CHURCH! They knew how to pray themselves out of difficulties!
Illus: Nat King Cole use to sing a song, “I found the answer I learn to pray!”
The church today that wants to be a GREAT CHURCH, must discover that same answer.
Illus: When difficulties came, they did not walk around scratching their heads saying, “I do not know what to do.” They knew exactly what to do…THEY PRAYED THEIR WAY OUT OF THESE PROBLEMS!
Illus: We used to have a saying when a fellow was a weakling. We would say, “He could not beat his way out of wet paper bag!”
Listen, the church today is taking a tremendous beating because it is weak, confused and it is placing greatness in the wrong places.
The Lord vowed, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”, but it will not be built until the people of God seek Him with all their hearts.
A great church is built on THE STRENGTH OF PRAYER and -
II. THE STRENGTH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Notice, after this GREAT CHURCH prayed, something happened. Look at Acts 4:31, we read, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together;…”
• As theologian Stanley Horton comments: “After they prayed the place where they were gathered was shaken (by the Spirit, not an earthquake), indicating a mighty move of God”.
• As John Stott writes: “They were shaken to be made more unshaken”.
Things would shake them up, but once they called upon God, they became UNSHAKEN!
It saddens the heart of God that there are many beautiful church buildings absolutely void of the presence of the Living God. By the way, all these beautiful church buildings are not in Europe.
Many congregations are meeting in these magnificence buildings that haven’t got the presence of the Spirit of God in their midst. These churches are lifeless, powerless, without strength and unable to stand against the attacks of Satan and the influences of an ungodly age. These congregations have become empty organizations that cannot impact lives for eternity.
When a church begins to set itself to pray and seek the Lord—in due season a mighty shaking will come.
A great church is built on THE POWER OF PRAYER, THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT and -
III. THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY SPIRIT FILLING
Look at Acts 4:31, “…and they were all FILLED with the Holy Spirit…”
Illus: There was a television program where some aliens came from out of space. These aliens began to invade the bodies of Americans, one by one. Once they were filled, they started to act like the aliens from this other planet.
This is exactly what the Lord does to a GREAT CHURCH, He invades their bodies and fills their bodies with the Holy Spirit of God, so they will be begin to conduct themselves like Him.
These believers had to be equipped by the Spirit of God to carry out the work of God, because within themselves they were not equipped.
This particular moment had come when the Bible says they were, “all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? The apostles had just endured a time of intense persecution. I believer they were tired and weary in body as well as spirit. With new challenges, trials and opportunities, they needed a fresh filling of the Spirit to empower them to face the trials they had to face.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT WE BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? It is essential because we have been given:
• A divine commission
• To proclaim a divine message
• To carry on a divine ministry
And we need divine power to fulfill this divine purpose.
Jesus said in Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses….”
A great church is built on THE POWER OF PRAYER, THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY SPIRIT FILLING and -
IV. THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY BOLDNESS
We must remember that they were commanded not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. It was still fresh in their minds that the Lord Jesus had been crucified for doing the same thing they were doing.
Can you imagine the fear they had?
• They had seen their leader crucified
• Some had been beaten and imprisoned
• They had been told they were not speak in the name of Christ
But once they prayed and were filled with the Holy Spirit, look at Acts 4:31, we read, “…and they spake the Word of God with boldness”.
Sometimes you can hear Christians say, “I know I should witness to the lost about Christ….but I am afraid.”
God had indeed answered their prayer. What was the cry of their heart? Look at verse 29, “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,”
We need a heaven-sent boldness, BUT LET’S CLARIFY “BOLDNESS.”
• Boldness is not arrogance, cockiness, being brash or harsh, speaking loud or shouting, or arguing and debating, being obnoxious or self-righteous.
• Someone said, “This ‘boldness’ they received was a divine enablement and empowerment by the Holy Spirit to speak the word of God fearlessly and courageously with grace, love, sincerity and with conviction.”
Look at the boldness God gave them:
• They spoke the Word with freedom and were not bound in fear and terror
• They were not concerned with man’s reaction, man’s opinion or with threat of harm
A great church is built on THE POWER OF PRAYER, THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY SPIRIT FILLING, THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY BOLDNESS and -
V. THE STRENGTH OF UNITY
A great Church will walk together in great unity. Look at Ephesians 4:32, we read, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
Where the Holy Spirit is present in grace and power, THERE WILL BE A DIVINE UNITY.
God brings us into unity, but it is our responsibility to maintain that unity in our midst. This is not always an easy job. You see, the church consists of many different people from different backgrounds with
• Different personalities,
• Different races,
• Different likes and dislikes.
• Different situations
They are to be united as one Body and live in one accord. That can only be done by a work of God. But God the Holy Spirit can do this as we yield to Him.
Not only were they united in heart and faith and doctrine, they were united in love and lifestyle; they were truly devoted to one another.
HOW DID THEY DO THIS? In Acts 4:32, we read, “…neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”
They not only loved God, they expressed His love by loving and looking out for one another!!! The Lord said it this way, in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Conclusion:
Many talk about finding a GREAT CHURCH, but since they never read the scriptures, they would not know a GREAT CHURCH if they saw one.
We have found out that a GREAT CHURCH consists of:
I. THE POWER OF PRAYER
II. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
III. THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY SPIRIT FILLING
IV. THE STRENGTH OF A HOLY BOLDNESS
V. THE STRENGTH OF UNITY
