ACT 2:1-42 First church as a model of a blessed church.
· Anything that is born, grows, matures, and can also die……
What causes a church to die?
· They stopped doing the things that God created the church to do.
What keeps a church alive and vibrant?
· The blessing of God.
When God blesses a church, it continues to thrive,
· Marriages are saved.
· Lives have changed.
· People are put back together.
· People get out of debt.
· All kinds of miracles happen.
· People’s lives are dramatically changed when a church is being blessed by God.
What makes GAEC a blessed church?
· God has allowed this church to break records in many ways. Growth, outreach, hospitality.
· There has been deliverance and lives have been changed in this church.
· We have caused impact not only here but even in our backgrounds.
· My greatest fear as your pastor is that we would lose that blessing on our church.
The first church is a model-what did they do?
Everything we need for God’s blessing was put in the DNA of the original church in Acts 2.
1. Must PRAY for God’s power.
· The presence of God’s power makes the church different from every other organization or group.
· No government or organization has the Holy Spirit. Only the church gets the Holy Spirit.
God has given us enormous responsibility. To populate heaven with unbelievers.
· But God doesn’t expect us to do this on our own. He gives us his power.
· You need God’s power to live every day.
· You need God’s power to change the things you can’t change.
· You need God’s power to get out of debt. You need God’s power in every area of your life.
How do you get God’s power?
· Prayer. Acts 1:14
· Devoted fellowship.
· Staying connected to God.
The power is to purposely make you witnesses.
· Acts 1:8 and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
· Intelligence and human wisdom only will not transform lives,
· It’s only the creating power of the Holy spirit that can transform lives from within.
· Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection,
· 1 Corinthians 2:1-6…. but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
2. Must use everybody’s language.
· We must use everybody’s language to get the good news out.
Acts 2. “They all began to speak in different languages ….
Act 2:11 “All of us hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done!’”
· This is the miracle of multi-channel and multi-cultural communication.
· What is God doing here on the first day of the church?
Genesis 11:7-9 That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
· The church already speaks every language.
· The church speaks more languages than the United Nations.
· There are about 2.37 Billion Christians [1/3 of world population]
YOUR LANGUAGE
· God put you in this church. You, specifically in the Exaltation center, reach people that only you can reach.
· Some of you are mechanics and you can talk about carburetors and headers
· Some of you are accountants, math and you can speak accounting and mathematics.
God intends you to use that language for his glory, to reach people in many different ways.
3. We must employ every member’s talents.
In the first church there were no spectators. One hundred percent participation. Every member was a minister. There was no audience. Everybody was in the army. All ages, both genders, multi-cultural.
· God empowered everyone to work.
· He equipped everyone in the room with the power to evangelize. All 120 I that upper room.
· They heard the message of God’s greatness from everyone.
Acts 2:17-18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. “
· Who does that exclude? Nobody!
We are ending the year in style; we will prophetically match to the new church over one month. I will give you details but I’m already excited about the plan. We will have a week where the kids will be praying and fasting for the new church season. A week for mothers, fathers, pastors and grandmothers.
4. We must be devoted to God’s Word.
· We hear it, we read it, we study it, we memorize it, we meditate on it.
Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…”
What is the apostles teaching? It’s the Bible. The apostles wrote the New Testament.
· The church that God blesses is built on the Bible.
· The family God blesses is built on the Bible.
· The life God blesses is built on the Bible.
· Not self-help psychology. Not self-help pop psychology. Only the truth sets us free.
No other message can change people’s lives like the good news.
Deuteronomy 8:3 Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
act 2 the Gospel summarized. ACT 2.
- verse 22: Jesus is God and his miracles prove it.
- verse 23:He died on the cross for us.
- Verses 24, God raised him back to life.
- verse 26,The gospel gives us gladness, joy and hope.
- He sent his Spirit from heaven.
- We must repent and be baptized.
- He puts his Spirit inside of us.
- Verse 40.We can live differently from the world.
It’s the good news. Nobody else has got this good news. Past forgiveness, purpose for living, home in heaven.
5. must love each other deeply.
· Growing churches love and loving churches grow.
· When Christians love each other- that is fellowship.
· The Greek word is the word koinonia which means being as committed to each other as we are to Jesus Christ. [Fellowship with God, Son and the Holy Spirit] Paul uses koinonia throughout his letters to describe the close relationship Christians have with: Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9) ,The gospel (Philippians 1:3-5),The Holy Spirit (Philippians 2:1),The sufferings of Jesus (Philippians 3:10)
· The first church took care of each other. They genuinely loved each other. They treated each other like family.
· If you want God’s blessing on your life you’ve got to love other Christians.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Acts 2:42 “They took part in the fellowship, and the sharing in fellowship meals and in praying together.”
· Is that what Christianity is known for today? Love?
· I think Christianity should be known for what we’re for, not for what we’re against.
“There are some things you have to be against because there’s a war between good and evil. When you’re neutral you’re an ally of Satan. You have to be against some things in life. But you should be known for what you’re for; and we should be known for love.” Rick Warren.
1 Corinthians 16:20“Greet one another with a holy kiss.”
· There are people whose only physical affection they get all week is the church.
· It’s the only place I’m hugged. It’s the only place I get a handshake.
· It’s the only place I don’t get judged.
· It is the only place I can laugh out loud.
Verse 44 “All the believers continued together in close fellowship.” 46 “They met in small groups in homes for communion and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
6. Must worship with joy.
· God wants worship to be a festival not a funeral.
· He wants us to celebrate not commiserate/mourn.
What kind of worship attracts people?
· True worship in Truth and spirit. Not entertainment.
· Happy worship.
· It ought to be fun to go to church.
· Jesus is alive. My sins are forgiven. I’m going to heaven. That’s cool!
Acts 2:28 “You’ve shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy!”
There’s so much bad news in the world the last thing you need has come to church and get more bad news.
· All week you get the joy kicked out of you.
· Some of you, you come to church on the weekend. You’re emotionally drained.
· Worship only recharges you if you participate.
· Do not worry about what are other people going to think if you express some emotion.
Acts 2:46-47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
Acts 2:26 “Because of this, my heart will be glad, my words will be joyful, and I will live in hope!”
Friends, there are two reasons why people who don’t know Jesus reject him.
· They’ve never met a Christian.
· They meet loaded/gloomy Christians.
7. Must be willing to sacrifice.
The first church was famous for generosity.
· GAEC is famous for generosity .
· We cannot wait to extend our generosity as the church grows.
· Not only here in America but even behode the borders of this country .
Acts 2:44 & 45 “All the believers shared everything with each other. They would sell their land and the things they owned and then give the money to anyone who needed it.”
Acts 2:46 “They shared their meals with great joy and generosity.”
2 Samuel 24:24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So, David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
8. Must bring our friends to Jesus.
· We bring our friends to Jesus.
Acts 2:40-41 says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to their numbers that day!”
· They baptized three thousand people on that day.
Acts 2:47 “People liked what they saw. So, every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.”
· When they came, they met the power of God.
· People were serving at their different strengths.
· The word of God was the reference and the light that guided their families.
· They loved one another.
· People worshiped with joy.
· They had to get their friends to come and see too.
How do I reach my friend who doesn’t know the Lord? It says
They liked what they saw.”
· When people like what they see they’ll listen to what we say.
· Before people trust Jesus, they’ve got to trust you.
· Before people want to know, is the Bible credible? They want to know, are you credible? Are you real?
This is from the first church. “You’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!”
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