MELVIN NEWLAND, MINISTER
RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK
(Revised: 2011)
A. I’m sure that most of us here this morning would agree that the greatest single event in human history is the resurrection of Jesus. Just seven weeks ago much of the world celebrated that occasion.
And today we’re celebrating what many consider another great event - the birthday of the Church - for it was on the day of Pentecost _____ years ago that the Church began. And this morning, let me remind you of the events of that day.
B. Remember, after His resurrection Jesus appeared & spoke with the apostles & many others again & again over a period of 40 days before His final appearance to them on the Mt. of Olives. There, on the Mt. of Olives, Jesus tells them:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” (Acts 1:4)
Continuing on in vs. 8 Jesus tells them, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
“After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.”
“’Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking up into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.’ (Acts 1:8-11)
Vs. 12 says, “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mt. of Olives…” And vs. 14 tells us, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
What did they do? It says “They all joined together constantly in prayer…” Obeying the command of Jesus they spent the next 10 days praying & waiting in Jerusalem. And then came the day of Pentecost! Listen to what happened on that day:
C. “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4)
Listen to what happens next! “Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
“Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
‘Parthians, Medes & Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea & Cappadocia, Pontus & Asia, Phrygia & Pamphylia, Egypt & the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews & converts to Judaism); Cretans & Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’
“Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’ Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’
“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
‘These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: …’” (Acts 2:5-16)
D. And with that beginning Peter preaches the first-ever gospel sermon about the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus. He points out that the prophets had predicted exactly what had happened, & he told them:
“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
“… and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead…” (Acts 2:22-24)
Then, in Acts 2:36-38 Peter says, “‘Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’
“Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 2:40-41 tells us, “With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”
SUM. That was the birthday of the Church. And what a beginning it was!
ILL. Dr. Terry Teykl, in his book, "Acts 29", wrote: "Imagine gang members, drug dealers, racists & sex offenders being transformed by the Gospel. Imagine politicians, judges & other influential leaders taking stands based on the word of God. Imagine hundreds & even thousands of people being saved in a single church service!"
Then he says, "It all happened in the pages of Acts, & it can happen again if you are willing to pay the price."
He's right! The early church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, was a dynamic, growing church that turned the world upside down!
In spite of incredible opposition & terrible persecution the church grew so dramatically that within 300 years the Roman Empire had surrendered to the gospel of Christ, & the emperor himself had become a Christian, also.
How was this possible? What was there about the early church that gave it the strength, enthusiasm, & unity to face incredible odds & overcome all opposition in its conquest of the hearts & lives of those around them?
To find out, let’s read a few more verses in the 2nd Chapter of Acts, vs's 42-47, as it tells about the people's reaction to Peter's message.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching & to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread & to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, & many wonders & signs were done by the apostles.
"All the believers were together & had everything in common. Selling their possessions & goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
"They broke bread in their homes & ate together with glad & sincere hearts, praising God & enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Now those 7 verses mention the characteristics that marked the life & witness of the early church. And I'm convinced that these characteristics, when present in any church today, can produce the same results.
PROP. The title of this message is, "What makes a dynamic church?" I'm convinced that when the 6 characteristics of the early church are put into practice, & are evident in our lives, then God will use us also to bring glory & honor to Him.
I. A DYNAMIC CHURCH EMPHASIZES LEARNING GOD'S WORD & WILL
First of all, a dynamic church emphasizes learning God's Word & will for our lives In what we call the “Great Commission” Jesus told the apostles, "Go & make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, & teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:18-20)
They did it! Vs. 42 says that these new Christians "…devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching..." It was a learning church, filled with people eager to know more about Jesus & His teachings, & learning also how to apply them to their own lives.
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger & thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
We see this characteristic today in people who show an eager mind & open heart, seeking God’s will for their lives. One who is devoted to the teachings of God’s Word will place himself in the position where He can be led by the Holy Spirit.
Such a person comes into the worship services with a spirit of anticipation, eager to learn, & believing “…that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
What a contrast that is to those church attendees who walk out unmoved, critical & unfed because their hearts were not prepared to receive what God has for them.
II. A DYNAMIC CHURCH EXPERIENCES REAL FELLOWSHIP
Secondly, a dynamic church experiences real fellowship. Once again, Vs. 42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching & to the fellowship..."
The Greek word that has been translated "fellowship" means far more than just meeting, eating, & having a good time. It means a closeness, a sharing, a common bond, a feeling of togetherness, of belonging to each other & to the family of God.
It is "fellowship," caring about one another, that causes you to roll out of bed on Sunday morning while others simply roll over & go back to sleep.
It's a desire to share the good news to those around us, & to meet with fellow Christians, encouraging one another, learning from our experiences, sharing our victories, & comforting one another in our setbacks. A dynamic fellowship is one of the pillars of a great church!
III. A DYNAMIC CHURCH INCLUDES COMMUNION
Thirdly, a dynamic church includes communion. Did you notice? Vs. 42 says that "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching & to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread..."
That "breaking of bread" is describing what we call "communion" or the "Lord's Supper." Now if someone were conducting a poll & asking each of us to name one of God's ingredients in building a dynamic church, I'm not certain that too many would think to mention communion.
But communion is vitally important for the church because it is in communion that we as individuals withdraw from our frenzied daily routines of rushing about & taking care of business into the quiet, soul-searching presence of Almighty God.
During communion you & I are alone with God, yet united with all those who claim Jesus as Lord of their lives. God's master plan for building a great church centers around the table of our Lord.
IV. A DYNAMIC CHURCH INCLUDES CONSTANT & CONSISTENT PRAYER
#4 - A dynamic church includes constant & consistent prayer. Vs. 42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching & to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread & to prayer."
First century Christians knew they did not have the power to go out into a hostile world, stand tall, & move forward with the Good News they had gained. They had to trust in God to give them the strength.
Jesus had set the example for them in the three years He had been with them. Listen to these verses of scripture: "After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone..." (Matthew 14:23)
Time after time the Gospels mention, "Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, & spent the night praying…" (Luke 6:12).
And again He set the example for us in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)
You see, prayer is not simply a time when we go to God with our "wish list." It is also a time when we seek His will & get direction & guidance from God concerning perplexing situations in our life. If we seek His will, then God will strengthen us for whatever comes our way.
There is tremendous power in prayer. I hope you get a glimpse of that power as each Sunday we lift our hearts up to God together in prayer. As we pray together we're strengthened & encouraged to continue on because we're not alone. Prayer is the cornerstone of a strong & dynamic church.
And what was the result? Vs. 43 tells us, "Everyone was filled with awe, & many wonders & miraculous signs were done by the apostles." Things happen when God's people pray!
V. A DYNAMIC CHURCH HAS A HEART FOR GIVING & SHARING
#5 - A dynamic church has a heart for giving & sharing. Vs's 44-45 tell us, "All the believers were together & had everything in common. Selling their possessions & goods, they gave to anyone who had need."
I've heard people talk about those verses & compare what they did to communism. But let me point out one major difference - their sharing was voluntary, not forced.
In a time of opposition & persecution, their concern for those who were in need resulted in an outpouring of love & sharing to meet those needs. They believed what Jesus had taught them, & they put it into practice in their lives.
Do you remember? Jesus said, "Give & it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together & running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6:38)
And Jesus tells us all that when the great Judgment Day comes, & we stand before Him, "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels.
‘For I was hungry & you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty & you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger & you did not invite me in, I needed clothes & you did not clothe me, I was sick & in prison & you did not look after me" (Matthew 25:41-43).
We are called to care. We are called to share. God's plan for His church is that we willingly, freely share that with which He has blessed us in this life.
VI. A DYNAMIC CHURCH IS FILLED WITH JOY
Finally, a dynamic church is filled with joy. Vs's 46-47 tell us, "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes & ate together with glad & sincere hearts, praising God & enjoying the favor of all the people."
Look at that phrase, "with glad & sincere hearts." In Greek, the word translated "glad" has a great meaning. It means, "great joy, a feeling of extreme happiness."
A joyful heart that comes from Jesus sets us free from the daily hassles & pains of this life. Life can make you bitter, but with joy mixed-in, life can make you better. A dynamic church, God's people, is characterized by joy!
When the church begins to follow God's plan & exhibits the characteristics of the early church in Acts, rather than the traditions of men, then folks will flock to us as they see the power of God manifest in our churches & in our lives.
ILL. In "Acts 29", Dr. Terry Teykl relates that one day the mayor of a small city was driving through the city square when he noticed 2 city workers doing something rather unusual. Along one side of the main street, they were working steadily. One of the men was digging a hole in the ground, & the other was filling it back up.
After watching them dig & fill several holes in this manner, the mayor, somewhat confused, confronted the 2 workers & asked for an explanation.
"Well, sir," replied the first man, "we work for the city planting trees, & usually there are 3 of us - one to dig the hole, one to plant the tree, & one to cover it up. The guy who plants the tree called in sick today, but," he proudly announced, "we're here & we're doing our jobs anyway."
It is easy today to fall into the habit of just “doing church” - attend some services, give some money, volunteer some time. We can become so programmed, that like the tree planters, we totally lose sight of the meaning behind what we're doing.
The result is that after years of "doing church”, our relationships are still on the edge, our walk with God is in the same place it has always been, & our lost friends & family members are still without Jesus. We have passed the time, as if just being in the church building has been our main objective.
God have mercy on us if we're just going through the motions! Our mission is one of eternal consequences, & we must never lose a sense of urgency about it. Our goal is not just to be counted among the regulars on Sunday morning! We're here to make a difference in a dying world.
Everything we do should be motivated by the desire to win others to Christ, & if we do not have a sense of urgency about that, then we have missed the whole meaning of the cross of Jesus, & of His sacrifice for our sins.
