Serious Talk Or Idle Chatter?

Serious Talk or Idle Chatter?

Introduction

Acts 2:41-47

Wednesday night Bro. Tom asked the question of everyone at Bible study, What are your goals for the church? First off let me say thanks to Bro. Tom for being willing to be so bold and ask such a point blank question.

Of the few that were here, a number of responses were given and I’d like to share a few with you...especially those of you who weren’t here Wednesday night.

People wanted to see People strong in God’s will; 3 digit attendance; Strong prayer life in the church; A church full of children/youth and teachers for them; and People saved in the past come back to church...just to list a few.

Now before you say, Well yeah Pastor, who wouldn’t want those things let me reread a part of the passage we used for our text this morning.

Acts 2:42, 46-47

Did you hear that, we don’t have to wish for it, Luke, the author of the book of Acts, has just given us the formula for making it happen¡Kfor the success we, and every other church in the world, should be looking for.

Luke gives us the proof right here in the Word of God.

We chan have a church that has triple digit attendance; a church that has a strong prayer life; a church that has people strong in God’s will; a church full of kids/youth; and people saved in the past back in the house of the Lord if we’ll only follow the formula that’s right in front of us!

For once, and you won’t hear me say this very often so take note, but it’s all about us folks!

It’s all about us and what we’re willing to do and give up in order to see this happen!

What are you willing to do to see these things that were mentioned Wed. night happen; to see the Kingdom of God enlarged...that is the true question?

Let’s look this morning at the four major things we have to do first in order to see God do what He has promised.

First, v. 42 says ¡§they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching.

Now before someone feels the need to bring it to my attention that we don’t have apostles anymore, bear with me for a moment.

We may not have the apostles per say by that title, but we do have people such as pastors, evangelists, ministers, etc. who God has put here for the holy purpose of feeding the sheep¡Kor teaching Christians.

God didn,t just put pastors here to babble on Sun. morning and night to take up your time...we are put here with a heavenly purpose...very specific purpose.

Listen to the words of 2 Tim. 4:1-5.

2 Tim. 4:1-5 1I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

So here you have the pastor’s ultimate job description¡Kexactly like what the apostles were to do.

So now that we’ve established what part pastors play in this, what part do you, the members of the church, play in this.

It says in v. 42, devoting themselves to the apostles’ (or pastors in today’s terms) teaching.

Let’s look at that word devoting.

Let me give you Webster’s definition of devoting - To give or apply (one’s time, attention, or self) entirely to a particular activity, pursuit, cause, or person

Now can you honestly say that if you come in and listen to a forty-five minute sermon and then go home and do nothing with it that you are devoting yourself to the teaching of the apostles or pastors?

I believe that God intends for us to go home and dig further into the Word and allow Him to speak more to us through it.

Many Christians look at hearing the Word of God preached as something that is over when the pastor closes the service in prayer...but to God, that’s just the beginning.

We need to be devoted to the teaching of our pastors and evangelist and be willing to take what God gives us through them and continue to build on it¡Knot just leave it when we leave the service.

Second, v. 42 says, they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching AND TO FELLOWSHIP.