He saw signs that said:
• Smith Hardware
• Smith Pharmacy
• Smith Tire Service
• Smith Garage
• Smith Insurance Company
• Smith Funeral Home
• Smith High School
• Smith Real Estate
• Smith Body Shop
After seeing all these signs with the ame Smith on them he said to his wife “I wonder where all these Smith came from?”
When he got out side of the town limits he saw a large Building on the side of the road and he said to his wife “That is where all these Smiths came from.”
On the side of the building was a large sign that said, SMITH MANUFACTURE COMPANY
In the New Testament we read about some great Christians, “Where did all of these great Christians come from?”
They came from the NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH that produced some of the greatest Christians that ever walked on the face of the earth.
God wants to PRODUCE some great Christians in this church. So we need to learn more about this great church.
WHAT MADE THIS CHURCH SUCH A GREAT CHURCH?
They understood that God placed certain things in the church that the church cannot do without.
That is, they realized there is no substitute for some things.
(1) The same thing applies to food…
Illus: We all have had the similar experience of having our taste buds seduced by a delicious meal. But the moment we took one bite of that delicious food, we immediately knew that one of the main components that would have made this dish taste so good, such as salt or pepper, was missing.
There are some things that cannot be replaced!!!
(2) The same thing applies to Medicine…
Illus: Suppose a person has to take a certain kind of medicine for high blood pressure. The individual runs out of medicine, but he says, "Well, a pill is a pill, they all look alike, it doesn't matter what kind I take."
Really, he will find out very soon, it does make a difference, and you cannot substitute some things.
(3) The same thing applies to gasoline…
Illus: Suppose a person runs out of gas, and he says, "Well, I do not have any gas, but gas looks a great deal like water, so I think I will fill my tank with water and go to town."
It won’t take this person very long to find out that you cannot substitute some things.
(4) The same thing applies to the church…
There are some things the church cannot get by without.
For example, a church cannot get by without DEDICATED CHRISTIANS.
Many churches today are SUBSTITUTING UNDEDICATED CHRISTIANS FOR DEDICATED CHRISTIANS.
Illus: One thing I appreciate about this church (THE FIRST BAPTIST) when the Nominating Committee meet to select nominees for the coming year they will only nominate DEDICATED CHRISTIANS to hold positions in leadership.
They have enough Bible knowledge to know that a church is asking for trouble when they INSTALL UNDEDICATED CHRISTIANS INTO CHURCH POSITIONS.
Beloved, show me a church that is trying to replace the DEDICATED CHRISTIANS with UNDEDICATED CHRISTIANS, and I will show you a church that is spinning its wheels, or sliding backwards.
In the Book of Acts, we clearly see the reason that the early church was so successful. It was successful because of the DEDICATED CHRISTIANS this church produced.
• The greatness of this church was not in the luxuriant buildings they worshipped in
• The greatness of this church was in the God they worshipped and the people who worshipped Him.
Now when you take these two ingredients out of the church, you have a poor substitute for a church.
Let’s read about this great church. Look at Acts 2:41-47. "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there added unto them about three thousand souls.(This church was built on the preaching and receiving of God’s Word) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord into the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
In order that we might become like this GOD LOVING and GOD USED church, let us look more closely at why God used them the way He did.
We first see in this portion of Scripture that I just read to you this church PRODUCED CHRISTIANS.
I. THAT RECIVED GOD'S WORD
Look at verse 41, we read, "Then they that gladly RECEIVED HIS WORD.
Have you ever wondered why a class full of students can hear the same lesson being taught in a class room and when they are tested some will make an “A” and some will make an “F”.
WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN THESE STUDENTS?
Some received what the teacher was teaching while it was being taught and others were present while the lesson was being taught but their mind was on other things when the lesson was being taught.
This New Testament church when the Word of God was preached it was RECEIVED.
Illus: In many of today’s church many are present when the Word of God is preached and taught but their mind is in other places.
Look at verse 41, we read, "Then they that gladly RECEIVED HIS WORD.
The main ingredient in a good church is the Word of God.
There is absolutely no substitute for the Word of God.
• We hear today in the world in which we live IF A COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE BORDERS YOU CAN NOT HAVE A COUNTRY.
• But also if a Church does not have the Word of God preached and taught you cannot have a church.
One of the great compliments we hear here at the First Baptist when people attend they leave saying they have HEARD THE WORD OF GOD TAUGHT AND PREACHED.
That cannot be said of every church in town.
Illus: For example, a church in town is known for their shouting and so on!!! One man who attends this church was asked about their service last week how was it?
“He said we had such a great service the Lord began to bless so much that people began to shout and the preacher did not even get a chance to preach.”
In other words he placed SHOUTING ABOVE THE WORD OF GOD!!!
The Word of God is the main ingredient in God’s Church and there are other things we can have in the church such as a beautiful building to worship in, beautiful singing, and recreation but these things cannot be a substitute for the WORD OF GOD.
But I want to say again the MAIN INGREDIENT is the precious Word of God.
This New Testament church realized this and that is what made them a great church.
Look at verse 41, we read, "Then they that gladly RECEIVED HIS WORD."
Allow me to go NEGATIVE FOR A MOMENT.
Why don't people LOVE GOD'S WORD?
Because of two reasons:
(1) God’s Word interferes with their sinful plans
(2) They do not LOVE GOD!
How we love the Word of God, and receive the Word of God, are good indications of how much we love the Lord.
So many times when the SACRED WORD OF GOD IS BEING PREACED:
1) Some are fumbling through a song book or the church bulletin
2) They are playing with their telephone
3) They are talking to the person next to them
4) They are looking out the window
5) They are bored to death
This great New Testament church LOVE AND RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD.
The preaching of God’s Word to these:
(1) They are like a sponge soaking up the Word of God
(2) They are taking notes on what is being preached from God’s Word.
(3) They are underling scriptures.
We see THEIR RECEPTION TO GOD’S WORD and -
II. THEIR RESPONSE TO GOD'S WORD
When I mention they RECEIVED GOD’S WORD I need to go further and tell you that means THEY OBEYED GOD’S WORD.
Verse 41 again, "...Then they...were baptized."
The test of receiving God's Word is in our obedience of it once we have received it.
Now one of the first things the Bible teaches a new convert to do is to follow the Lord in Believer's baptism.
If a new convert is not willing to do this, they have not obeyed the Word of God and it could be that they have not sincerely received Christ as their Savior.
Illus: You can find professing Christians in our churches today that will tell you they made a profession of faith 20 or 30 years ago, but have never yet obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ concerning believer’s baptism.
Now that could be for two reasons:
(1) It might be that the church they got saved in did not teach them the need of obeying this first commandment.
Illus: Dr. Odell Belger received a telephone call from a local pastor and asked him if his church could use their baptistery to baptize some new converts.
Dr. Belger told him they would be glad for them to use our baptistery.
This pastor said to him also, I need to ask you a favor. Dr. Belger said I am listening!
He said All my life I attended a church that did not consider it to be an important thing for a Christian to follow the Lord in Believer's baptism. But the more I read my Bible, I see that it is always important to obey the Lord, and I want to know if this Sunday, when I am baptizing others who recently got saved, if you will come and baptize me." The pastor agreed to do so and he was baptized.
Some perhaps the reason they never been baptized is because they were never taught the importance of following the Lord in Believer’s baptism.
(2) It might be that the church did teach them, but they never saw it as something that they should do.
The Lord Himself set the example for us to follow so it must be important!!!
When a Christian really receives God's Word, the next step is obedience to His Word, when it comes to Believer's Baptism, and all the rest it teaches.
Notice, verse 41 says, "...The same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
The words, "Added unto them", indicate these were truly people that LOVED THE LORD and LOVED HIS WORD, and God knew it and added them to the roll of the true church.
Water baptism will not save anyone! We do not get baptize to be saved. We get baptized because we are saved.
We have looked at….
I. THEIR RECEPTION TO GOD'S WORD
II. THEIR RESPONSE TO GOD'S WORD
But let us look at one more thing that this church produced.
III. THEIR RESILIENCY TO GOD'S WORK
Look at verse 42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
Look at these words “And they continued…”
Today we have SUBSTITUTED the calling of God for RETIREMENT!
Let me illustrate…
• We have teachers that God has gifted them to TEACH God’s word but now they have retired in good health.
• We have people that God has gifted them to SING for the glory of God but they have retired in good health.
• We have ordained pastors that God has called to preach His Word and they have retired in good health.
• We have ordained deacons that God has called to be deacons in good health they have retired.
According to Romans 11:29 God’s gifts and callings are irrevocable.
“Without repentance” means that God will not change His mind about what He wants you to do. And if God gave you a gift, that gift is still there!
We have substituted the calling of God for RETIREMENT.
The Bible says they "Continued".
Year after year, they continued to RECEIVED GOD'S WORD and to RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD.
Illus: How refreshing it is to see men and women that God has gifted and called and they continue to serve the Lord.
What a good example these are to young people to CONTINUE serving the Lord in the midst of hard times and good times.
These are the kind of ingredients the early church had, and God used.
There is no wonder this church goes down in history as the greatest church that ever existed.
Without…
• Luxurious buildings to worship in
• Comfortable pews
• Air condition and heating
• Loud speakers
• Printing presses
• Transportation
• Telephones
• Computers
They turn the world upside down with the gospel.
The church today need to recognize having DEDICATED CHRISTIANS IS SOME THING THE CHURCH CANNOT SUBSTITUTE!!!
Conclusion:
I. THEIR RECEPTION TO GOD'S WORD
II. THEIR RESPONSE TO GOD'S WORD
III. THEIR RESILIENCE TO GOD'S WORK
3:43
Gold City - God's Building a Church (Live)
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GaitherVEVO
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Nov 19, 2012
