Friday, January 22, 2021 Some material taken from Church Is A Big Deal by Sam Nobles
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
Something You Want To Be A Part Of -
Anytime we are doing things God’s way and following His commands, there will be good results. This was true with the early church as well. Yesterday we talked about the values the early church can teach us. They lived by these values, not as you do when you are just following the rules or guidelines, but it was how they lived. It flowed into every area of their lives and as a result, some really great results happened.
REVERENCE: It is okay for a church to be “relevant”, but it is not okay for “relevance” to take the place of reverence. It is far more important to be biblical than it is cool. Some churches have forgotten the awe and wonder we should be ex in how our building looks and what will draw people in - which is important - but it is easy for the real reason we have church to get lost. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. v. 43
UNITY: The strength of the church or any family is found in its ability to be unified. Sharing life together - the hard times and the good - always brings us closer together. Praying for each other, serving each other, serving with each other, and sharing God’s work in our hearts and lives while witnessing it in other’s lives as well strengthens that bond. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. v. 44
GENEROSITY: Generosity toward others is expressed through having an open heart and an eagerness to help meet the needs of others. Generosity is not solely about wealth; it also includes sincerity towards the circumstances of others. The example of others giving helps us to be more aware and look at our own lives to see what we can do as well. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need v. 45
PRESENCE: As believers we are to be present with others, in good times and bad. Being present and accompanying others through desperate times and places. The people we share everyday with will be the ones that carry us and walk with us through the tough times. This is family - and it was God’s design for believers in a church to have this kind of relationship. He knew what we would need and He provides those relationships for us. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts
v. 46
INCREASE: This is God’s prescription for church growth. If we are intentional to tend to the depth of the church, God will tend to the breadth of the church. The goal of the church should not be to get big, but to get strong. A strong church will be a growing church, but if the goal is growth instead of strength then the people will be spiritually shallow. Spiritual growth is the key that makes churches thrive. When the people are growing and maturing, others will see and they will want to be a part of it. They will be drawn in. …praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. v. 47
As believers, the church is our family. God designed it this way and it is all inclusive - no matter race, nationality, or gender. This past year we have missed out on a lot of time together, and we have found some ways to make up for it. All in all, I believe we have all discovered how much church, and our church family really means to us. We know the gift we have and we need to strengthen our values and bonds so we will see some of these results above. The field is ripe with those who want something more and the church is the only place to find it.
