The Danger Of Being At Church And Not In Church

As I was scanning through the scriptural neighborhood I stopped in the neighborhood of Acts 3 and looked at the scenes that were there and I quickly moved to chapter 4 because I said that I have preached this text before, as I was turning God said no go back because I want to show you something that you missed this time, I want you to go back to chapter two.

My brothers and sisters, after reading this portion of scripture, I really don’t know how much time had lapse between the events of Acts chapter two and the occurrences of Acts chapter three. I don’t know how wide was the time gap was between the closing events of Acts chapter two and opening events of Acts chapter three.

I do know that in Acts chapter two, the Holy Ghost had fallen upon the church. In Acts chapter two, the Day of Pentecost was fully come. In Acts chapter two, the Disciples and others from across the earth were gathered together when all of a sudden there came into the building a mighty rushing wind. In Acts chapter two, there appeared unto them cloven tongues as of fire that fell upon each one of them. In Acts chapter two, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. In Acts chapter two, they became loud in their spiritual response. In Acts chapter two, they were falsely accused, falsely evaluated and looked upon, saying, “These men must be drunk with new wine.

But also, in Acts chapter two, there was one who had faded into the background. There was one who had denied knowing and being with Jesus, and now he is filled with the Holy Ghost and he is speaking out boldly in Acts chapter two. In fact He preaches a sermon and in his sermon he is telling them that these men are not drunk as you suppose. He goes on to preach about The Prophesy of the Old Testament by saying that in the last days God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.

In Acts chapter two, after that sermon was preached, some three thousand souls were added to the church. Yes all of this happens in Acts chapter two. In Acts chapter two the multitude is gather together rejoicing, shouting and praising God. But now in chapter three, the excitement has died down.

In Acts chapter three, the crowd has dwindled away. In Acts chapter two, a large crowd was present. Three thousand converts was there for the cause of Christ. But now in Acts chapter three, we just see two men walking together, by the name of Peter and John, and I think I ought to tell you that there are some people that are in the crowd who are only there only for the excitement. Some people are in the crowd are only there because it is different.They are there just too be inquisitive. But can I tell you something, and that is, everybody that’s in the crowd will last. Because there are some that will run at the sign of any trouble, there are some that will give up and give in, in the time of animosity.

In Acts chapter three, there are only two men. Look at what a change that has now taken place by way of the market place.

You must understand that Peter and John really didn’t have a great friendship with each other in Acts chapter two. But now we see Peter and John are walking together. Before the events of Acts chapter two, both of them seemed to irritate each other. They were so different in their personalities that one seems to get on the nerves of the other. Some of you can relate to people getting on your nerves.

You see, Peter was a protester, but John believed in a peaceful means of working out ones problems. Peter believed that violence was the answer to any problem, but John believed that talking it out was the best way.

So they both irritated each, but that was before the Holy Ghost fell. And now after the Holy Ghost fell in Acts chapter two, by the time we get to Acts chapter three, they are walking together.

And that’s my first point: I’ve got to tell you all that the Holy Ghost has a way of putting us together. The Holy Ghost knows how to make us be as one. Whereas, Peter and John where working separately they are now working together as a team, and I think I ought to tell you that church work, is not a one man job. Church work is team work. What you we must understand is, that you’re not the whole show. Church work is team work. I can’t do it all and you can’t do it all, team work makes the dreams work, because all of us are working together for the cause of Christ.