The Early Church: Devoted Series

The Early Church: Devoted

Acts 2: 42

INTRO

SERIES - EARLY CHURCH Part 2

ILL.: STUCK IN AIRPORT

SUDDENLY - ALL IN THE AIR

FLIGHT CANCELLED, PLANS CHANGED

NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, NO CLEAN CLOTHES, NO MONEY

LAST WEEK - PETER GAVE A POWERFUL MESSAGE FULL OF HOLY SPIRIT

3000 PEOPLE SAVED

CROWD - MANY FROM FAR AWAY, JOBS, FAMILIES, HOMES

NOW LIFE UPSIDE DOWN THEIR FOCUS HAS BEEN TURNED TO SOMETHING NEW

THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT OTHER STUFF

TEXT

ACTS 2: 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

IF WE HAVE A LIFE CHANGING EVENT, WE OUGHT TO EXPECT OUR LIVES TO CHANGE

THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW CHURCH DID CHANGE,

DEVOTED / FOCUSED - MEANS CONTINUING STEADFASTLY

TEACHING

FELLOWSHIP

BREAKING BREAD

PRAYER

1. APOSTLES TEACHING

STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH (JESUS = TRUTH)

ACCESS TO TEACHERS WHO HAD BEEN WITH JESUS

HAD VERY WORDS OF JESUS , OT SCRIPTURE

THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY

TODAY WE NEED SAME

STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH

I BELIEVE THIS IS THERE MANY LOOKING FOR TRUTH

THE KEY IS WHERE YOU LOOK

MANY TEACHINGS- BUDDHA , MOHAMMED

FALSE PROPHETS OF MORMONISM

APOSTLES TEACHING = SCRIPTURE

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES

VERY WORDS OF JESUS WRITTEN TO US

AS BELIEVERS TODAY JUST AS THE BELIEVERS IN ACTS

WE NEED TO CONTINUE STEADFASTLY

STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH

WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD LEARNING GOD’S TRUTH

LONG FOR IT, THIRST

ON SUNDAY MORNING, DO YOU DREAD THE SERMON

OR DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO IT

MY CALLING

WORD OF GOD

SUNDAY/WED NIGHTS, PERSONAL DEVOTIONS,

FAMILY STUDY TIME, SMALL GROUP STUDIES

2. FELLOWSHIP

CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN KOINONIA

MORE THAN JUST SITTING IN THE SAME ROOM OR EATING TOGETHER

KOINONIA = A BROTHERHOOD, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS

THIS IS OUR BIBLICAL EXAMPLE

TODAYS PREVAILING ATTITUDE IS ONE OF ISOLATION

IT CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE TO GET TO REALLY KNOW PEOPLE

EASIER, MORE COMFORTABLE TO KEEP THEM AT ARMS REACH

TODAY YOU CAN PAY BILLS, SHOP, DO ALMOST ANYTHING WITHOUT

INTERACTING WITH REAL PEOPLE

GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE OR LETTING THEM GET TO KNOW YOU

CAN BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE , MEANS TRUSTING

WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS DO YOU HAVE

DO YOU CONSIDER US BROTHERS AND SISTERS

DO YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME RELATIONSHIPS TO NEXT LEVEL

WE NEED EACH OTHER, GOD MADE US THAT WAY

ALL BROTHERS AND SISTSERS

SOME EVEN DEEPER

3. BREAKING OF BREAD

PART OF FELLOWSHIP - RELATIONSHIPS

LITERALLY BREAKING BREAD

COULD BE MEAL

LORDS SUPPER

1COR 11:20-21

20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,

21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for

anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.

FROM THIS- EARLY BELIEVERS COMBINED LORDS SUPPER WITH FULL MEAL

DOESN’T MEAN LESS IMPORTANCE PLACED ON LORDS SUPPER

MEALS SHARED TOGETHER WERE VERY INTIMATE EVENTS

TRUE TODAY

SHARE MEALS, HAVE COFFEE, TALK

OUR MEALS

HERE, IN EACH OTHERS HOMES(V46)

OPPORTUNITY

4. PRAYER

DEVOTED - CONTINUED STEADFASTLY

PART OF FELLOWSHIP, CORPORATE PRAYER

SOMETHING MANY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH TODAY

IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER , STRESSED IN BIBLE

JESUS SET EXAMPLE - OFTEN PRAYED SOMETIMES ALL NIGHT

DISCIPLES SAW IMPORTANCE, POWER OF PRAYER

Ja 5:16...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

"ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY" (we say this sometimes)

PRAYER IS NOT LAST RESORT

MOST POWERFUL THING WE CAN DO

WE HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO GOD

LIKE A RICH UNCLE ONLY WAY BETTER

LK19:46

It is written, he said to them, My house will be a house of prayer-

HERE IN ACTS, THEY ARE DEVOTED, CONTINUED STEADFASTLY

HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE / OUR PRAYER LIFE TOGETHER

CONCLUSION

FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE EARLY CHURCH IN ACTS

MEETING JESUS BROUGHT RADICAL CHANGE

JESUS SPECIALIZES IN RADICAL CHANGE

ARE YOU DEVOTED, CONTINUING STEADFASTLY

TO THE APOSTLES TEACHING, GODS WORD

IN FELLOWSHIP - REAL RELATIONSHIPS

BREAKING OF BREAD AND PRAYER