Overview Acts 2:42 -47. The outreaching community
Over the last two weeks we have been looking at the example of the NT Church to see if there is any principles which can be implemented into our own situation here at www.cbchurch.org.uk we have been asking the question:
‘What is our purpose as a Church?
As we have looked at the NT Church Acts 2:42-47.
We have seen five characteristics which stand out Worship, outreach, ministry, fellowship, discipleship often we tend to find Churches which are good in a number of these area but will fail in others.
Do you remember our New Year text?
Jer: 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you, ‘declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’
I believe its Gods plan for this Church to develop, in all five key areas.
The first week we had an overview of the five and last week we looked at True Worship as those who worship in Spirit and in truth, and such worship will be authentic and will sustain our lives and attract others, for such worshippers the Father seeks. True worship is being satisfied in God.
The five characteristics tie in with the greatest commandment and the great commission.
Matt 22:37-38 to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with your entire mind…Love you neighbour as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang upon these two commandments.
1. Worship involves Love for God
2. Ministering involves demonstrating Gods love to people.
This week we are looking at outreach as a pattern for Church life, this was an obvious hallmark of the NT Church as we read through the book of
Acts.2:47 And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This Church pattern of people being added into the Church ties in with the great commission
Matt.28: 18- 20. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surly I am with you always to the very end of an age.
3. Evangelism involves sharing the good news.
4. Fellowship involves baptism, which symbolises identification with the Church.
5. Discipleship involves teaching them to obey.
Rick Warren says, ’A great commitment to the great commandment and the great commission will grow a great Church.’
We see that these five principles are embodied in the commandment and the commission.
1.To go is our mandate
Last words of a dying relative are very important. Jesus left us with some last words not dying words because of course he conquered death. The word ‘to go’ in the great commission is present participle in the Greek text it should read as you are going.
Every Christian is commanded to go and share the good news! Not a choice!
It’s very important because it is reiterated no less than five times within the scriptures: Matt.28: 18-20. Mark: 16:15. Luke 24:47-49. John: 29:21. Acts: 8:1
J.Piper said, ‘there are three possibilities with the great commission You can go, You can send. Or you can be disobedient. Ignoring the cause is not a Christian option.
The general election campaigns, leaders hold conferences, laying down their mandates to inspire the party faithful as they go out … speaking to general public to vote to keep their party in power a further 4 years. We also need to know what we have been sent by one who has a far greater mandate than any Prime Minister. His term is eternal, and individuals are voting upon eternal issues when we share this message.
Jimmy Carter recently spoke about mission in his home town over 14 years he had visited 140 homes.
When he was running for political office in 1966 for governor for Georgia, he met 300,000 people to vote for him the comparison struck him 300,000 for me in 3 months/ 140 visits for God in 14 years. What about us what are our statistics for self and God?
2. V18 To ‘go’ in his authority
His authority given by God
Jesus has divine authority as the Son of man which was given to Him by God the Father as a result of His holy life, His atoning death, paying the price for sin and satisfying Gods requirements. God raised Him from the dead and set his seal upon him giving Him all authority in heaven and upon earth.
This authority looked forward to a future fulfilment in Matt.26:64. When he returns. But here we see that fulfilment has already been achieved already. This authority was foretold in: Dan: 7:13-14 Read
Notice His authority not ours, Jesus demonstrates authority whilst upon earth in Matt.7.9 In his Teaching. In Matt 9.6 to forgive sins in Lke.4:32 In his message in Jhn.10:18 Authority to lay down and take up his life in Jhn. 17.2 authority over all people to give eternal life
His authority is inferred to us as his official ambassadors as though he is speaking through us 2Cor.5:20. We represent him in an alien land and it’s in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit we go. What does his authority enable us to do?
Twofold authority
To baptise those who have come into faith have identified themselves as being brought into the family of God, identified as His children who are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. And making a public profession.
When available its commanded to be undertaken, there should be no indifference.
Acts:8:36 Ethiopian Eunech ‘Why shouldn’t I be baptised?’
Have you been baptised? Do you profess Jesus Christ as your Lord? Are you a secret disciple? If you are a believer, I challenge you to be obedient and be baptised!
Matt.3: 13.The Lord Jesus was baptised himself, to fulfil all righteousness. Not to be baptised is disobedience. Jesus here commands Christians to be baptised. The early disciples proclaimed Acts.2: 38 repent and be baptised!
The 2nd is to teach. This is a searching expression it shows all those who merely say are Christian and don’t live in the light of the word are hypocrites. His disciples have the authority to teach others all that he has commanded whilst upon earth.
This must be the character of all true Christians the desire to obey His word and live in the light of it and to teach it to others.
3.To go into our own community.
V19 To all nations: Gods promise to Abraham that in his seed ‘all the families in the earth should be blessed’
Jesus said to go to all nations: Grk: ta ethne –ethnic refers to all people groups each of these people groups needs a particular gospel strategy that speaks to them in their cultural background
This diversity makes it impossible for us to reach everybody, The good news is God doesn’t expect us to either. But what it does mean is that we need to know more about our own community in order to reach it.
Many Churches are like.
Peanuts cartoon Charlie Brown practising archery instead of aiming at the target he fired the arrow at the fence and then walk up and draw the target around the arrow. Lucy walked up and said why are you doing this? Charlie said this way I never miss!
This highlights the evangelism of many a Church they just shoot arrows into the community hoping to hit anybody and everybody instead of having a clear target.
Targeting our community. (The village recently held a Parish plan Survey)
Our first responsibility is to our local community, where God has placed us, to reach out to them but before we can do that effectively we first have to know the make up of the community: Cultural background, social, interests, expectations of Church.
How could Church become more relevant to them
Imagine a commercial Radio station tried to appeal to everyone’s taste in music from classical, reggae country, rap, soul, blues, Jazz to heavy metal. It would end up alienating everybody.
Targeting is Biblical
Matt 15:22-28. Jesus said he had come to focus upon the lost sheep of Israel
Matt.10:5-6 Go to the lost sheep not the gentiles Paul targeted the Gentiles and Peter the Jews Gal 2:7 Targeting is built into the great commission.
Acts 8:5 Philip target the Samaritans in Samaria
1995 Billy Graham held the Puerto Rico crusade, it was communicated simultaneously in 116 languages around the world the message was the same but it was culturally made appropriate to their culture through the music, and testimonies. Over 1 billion people heard the gospel appropriate to their cultural background.
1Cor: 9:19-23 Paul adapted to his setting but never compromised his message.
If we are going to engage with this new generation, we need to adapt also being relevant. It will cost, we will have to come out of our comfort zones, and our pre-conceived ideas of what Church ought to be will be challenged.
In each generation God raises up individuals who are culturally relevant to that generation, to enable them to engage and win souls. My prayer for this Church is that God will raise us up to be relevant and engaging to our community.
4.To go means not alone v20
And surely I am with you always to the very end of an age
Liverpool football clubs terrace chant ‘you’re never walk alone!’A Christian has the great reality that he/she will never walk alone because Emmanuel ‘God is with us’ God has not left us alone with this task of evangelisation.
His presence assures us of comfort.
I am with you always. As a small child knowing the presence of my mother in hospital was a great comfort.
The far greater comfort for the child of God, that wherever he/she goes, the Lord is with them to carry them on through the difficulties they early disciple would meet as they share the good news across the world.
We too will meet with apathy, rejection, hatred, even persecution. We must remember the Lords words
"I am with you, to bear you up, to plead your cause; with you in all your services, in all your sufferings, to bring you through them with comfort and honour. When you go through the fire or water, I will be with you.
Psalm 23 even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff comfort me.
Psalm:46.1 God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble.
Nietzsche said, “A man can undergo torture if he knows the way of life,”
Christian Reger said but here at Dachu, I learned something far greater. I learned to know the who of my life. He was enough to sustain me then, and is enough to sustain me still.
Corrie Ten Boom said “How ever deep the pit Gods love is deeper still.”
His presence assures us of success.
Roger Daltery lead singer out of the ’Who’ has got his own trout fishing farm, his fish are in their your guaranteed a catch Jesus has died for this world his fish are in it, they will bite its guaranteed
He makes your ministry effectual in witnessing, for the pulling down of the strong holds of Satan, and the setting up of God’s kingdom " Jesus will build his Church, he will call His elect in from the Four Corners of the world and then the end will come. All of whom he has chosen will be saved.
The Church is expanding. 12 disciple grew to 120 in a upper room followed by Peters sermon 3000 believed, shortly after 5000 were add then came persecution till AD 313 Edict of toleration around 10 million Christians at this time. By the year 1000 this had grown to 50 million. By the end of the 18th century had grown to 215 million. By 1795 Missionary endeavour began in earnest with men like William Carey by 1900 the total Christians to 500 million. Then by 1980 it had grown to 1.3 billion, by the year 2000 the number has grown to 1.8 billion. God is committed to using people to bring people to himself.
Finally His presence is assured forever
To the very end of an age (into eternity)
We see him not with the physical eye, but with the spiritual eye of faith, he is with us in our hearts in this world right now. And forever at the end of an age into the next world where we will be in his presence for ever! Rev.7: 9-10. There is one thing we will not be able to do in heaven that will be to go and tell others… because it will all be done.
LETS GO FISHING!
