Acts Chapter 2:41-47

We need to know is I say that is just part of you that's just not really probably more the guys like to say that but I am a man and I realize how we think and know we like to think there were independent even as I was saying.

What if there was no gas went up to make ghostly lawmakers later no food to go struggle in the woods until so I needed may be cooked enough rabbit sushi or something.

There's just something about saying that no and that makes us feel vulnerable are some in and that's a good thing.

We need God and we need each other. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina as a Christian it's important to be a local fellowship. In fact, we all made the fellowship of the local church and the fellowship of the church you DA is one of our associate pastors here at the bridge brings more insight to Bob. We've heard it said perhaps we go eat at a restaurant we have a bad experience does that mean we never go eat again. Do this go to a different restaurant funding this, but hopefully we won't find the missing in Turkey about this is a critical teaching about how important churches in the life of bliss listed as David McGee continues with part two of his teaching. You will receive power when you're in acts chapter 2, verse 41, then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that they about 3000 souls were added to them. Something in verse 41 it says that gladly received his word. If you remember you were here last week. What was the word that Peter gave him Peter said Jesus was the son of God you guys killed. That's the short version predict that that's what he said to them, yet look what this verse says is that gladly received his word, Peter was not like namby-pamby and I mean he was telling the truth is talking to brother the other day is to churches, way out in the is involved in ministry district way out in the country. He said that I let them folks but there's there's not a plateau in their will and they said their toes have never been stepped on by the pastor, I never heard that that was conical but here's the thing. At some point everyone of us will hear something can be hard to hear everyone of us that it's only a matter time. If you stay here for very long. I'm not calling you. I may not everybody you know how I will call your name but the Lord will speak to your heart to the word and you can get mad at me if you want just the messenger, but the Lord will say something to you and and oftentimes to be honest, I can see it from up here. I call say something also.

I mean it's not like old unit. I mean I got no obvious semi is closing me off the closing to the word of God. Don't do that and understand make the decision that when you hear this thing that you're going to receive it and you actually going to be gone because the Lord loves you so much he wants to speak work. He wants to speak to your life and he wants you to continue to change your life and of my kids are playing out mystery to get out of the street will know it's because I love that I'm saying that and oftentimes it be easier to not say some of the things I say from up, but because I love it when a stamp I want to encourage you in and you have to make the decision and let me encourage you to make it now when I'm not necessarily out there dancing on your toes make the decision now that when you hear that word that you received the life lesson here the word of God. Pastors and people sometimes tell us things we don't want to hear the need to hear. They tell us things we don't hear but need to hear. You know, in my years of being a Christian. I offered some things are really tough to hear you had some loving brother Sidney Dugger look. I talk to about this and you know I heard things that were like wow really but I knew from God is okay. I that's that's good work that's that's that's solid not only to address this or address that she made the decision long time ago and following the Lord, that when he spoke to me about these things I would listen. Sometimes it's hard man pretend like it's not. But sometimes it's hard hard to hear these things and may the Lord continue to soften our heart as we hear these things.

Now this is interesting and it was a long time after I was studying the Bible that I recognized something in here it says that 3000 souls were baptized is interesting is interesting. No one is Ranger is what you have to do anything. Jerusalem is in the middle of the desert where you baptize 3000 people media right there at the ocean.

That's an easy one is taken all emotion and you start the baptism where in the middle of the desert you baptize 3000 people well when you're on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem becomes real obvious were these folks wrapped she is as you look around on the steps. There's at least 50 if not more. Mix us. Let's a Jewish term for a ceremonial bathroom before the people went out into the temple to worship God.

They were going to the mix on they would go through the ceremonial cleansing and then they would go up and there's lots of cool analogies and pictures there. One of the things they would do it. They would wash themselves to go to God and then the last thing they would do as they would clean their hands and as they clean their hands. They would raise their hands so that the water would not run back on their hands after they were cleanly raised her hand like only some you guys raise your hand. Sometimes we think of baptism as a New Testament concept is not Jewish concept of being ceremonial claims.

Now it it's that it's us outward sign of an inward change, but it has its roots in Judaism has its roots in the Hebrew Scripture is interesting is for a long time I thought well you know that that was New Testament concept well it's it's a New Testament slant on the Hebrew Scriptures think so scan interesting.

There's no doubt that that's where they were indeed baptized. Now it also mentions 3000 people. Lots of stuff mentions 3000 people. There's another place in the Bible that mention 3000 people.

It's in the book of Exodus after the giving of the law. You probably remember the story the giving of the law on Moses goes up to receive the 10 Commandments and Aaron in his first role as assistant pastor, you know, leads everybody and then in the worship of the golden calf you know and it's amazing.

It's amazing to me that Moses didn't he come down make the first thing out of his mouth. What an error in your fire, and I somehow God still use the Aaron and I messed up so bad in his first official service, but if you remember what happens as they come down and Exodus 3228 tells us of the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and about 3000 men of the people felt that day while this is interesting. While when the law was given 3000 people died when Grace was preached 3000 people became alive. It's important for us guys you hear me talk about Jewish roots a lot and and you know some people get nervous, but let me assure you something. I don't want to try to earn my righteousness of the law. I don't want to submit myself to that sort of torture to try to earn my salvation and I totally respect messianic Jewish movements. Some of them guys get into the righteousness, the keeping of the law and we can't do that.

Paul addresses that in Romans 614 pieces for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace were under grace were not under the law. Galatians chapter 2 verse 21 says I do not set aside the grace of God.

First, righteousness comes to the law than Christ on networks if you can earn your forgiveness to doing good things by Jesus, Jesus done. There was no other way.

None of us could earn into our righteousness.

It was given to us by grace. So once we are being given freedom and grace don't go back and embrace the law, you can't do that, Paul. Galatians 5 forces you become and strange from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law. You have fallen from grace. So again, while I respect Jewish roots and read up and look at Judaism and presented the baptism thing I will never tell anybody to go back and try to earn it through work. Sure through sacrifices or anything like that so verse 42 him a lot of theology in this verse is a lot of key verses in your first 42 and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers.

So we see a couple things here. Number one being steadfast or consistent they engaged in doctrine or teaching in the Fellowship where they were gathered in heaven communion, the breaking of bread, which was like socializing and eating, and then print now.

All too soon. People be trying to pull amount of consistent teaching and doctrine getting away from the main thing we want to keep the main thing the main thing the early church was involved in evangelism. We need to understand that so that were involved in evangelism incident. I mentioned communion.

If you've only taken communion at church you've been missing out.

Let me encourage you at some point to have communion at home have communion at home with your kids or with your wife or neighbors or friends. It's not something she notes that some of your habit have a religious background of all that's wrong. You can't.

You can't just do that, but it's not that it's not open for just anybody okay will you deputize in authorizing the debt and all that go to community understand that you know the reason you felt that that's a remnant from the Catholic Church that only the priest can give communion you don't see in this Bible anywhere this is you can only give communion of your priest and even if it didn't, guess what were all priest. That's what the word of God says so priest could take communion to have communion you have an awesome time when encourage and now it talks about continuing in doctrine.

This is important thing us because we believe in teaching the word. Verse by verse chapter by chapter Joshua chapter 1 verse six is this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do it according to all that is written for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success you will have good success so teaching being in the word.

Those are important things to the believer during non-options. Their mission critical for you to grow as a believer for you to grow as a Christian you have to sit under solid biblical teaching. You're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be right back with more just a moment, but I want to remind you of the free resources available to you on cross the bridge.com there's a team of hundreds of people that will pray for somebody to be saved.

You have a loved one that needs to know Jesus as Savior.

You need people to pray for them. You need someone to present God's word to them every day were present in God's word to them here on cross the bridge with Pastor David McGee. We can pray for them as well.

Just by simple going to cross the bridge.com and click on the pray for the lost button. All you need to do is put in the first names of the people you love, that need to know Jesus as Savior.

Click on submit and immediately hundreds of people begin praying for your lost loved ones.

What an awesome way to bring your loved ones to Jesus.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown want to take just a couple minutes to pray for some cities in our listening audience. Specifically, Williston, North Dakota and Hamlet are Perrysburg and Toledo, Ohio and Clinton elk city in Carnegie Oklahoma will we thank you for everyone who lives in the cities.

We pray that you would draw them to Jesus. Even right now or I pray that you would fill them with the faith that they need to say yes to what you want to do in your life over. Pray for the leaders in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment helped in the put their trust in you, hoping to turn your Bible for answers I got. We pray that the church is to be full of people wanting to get to know you to be taught and to use their gifts to be a blessing to people in their community.

In Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 43. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Now all that believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, is anyone had need.

Now we have in this in this fellowship.

We have a room is called the blessing or what is in it is close and shoes and things like that supports the question is close and there were not selling them work we give them away.

You guys bring clothes. We look strongly sort through and we put a mountain you know it's it's not just for people who are homeless. It certainly is. We give we can we count we hook people up with close but if you got kids and it's just not in the budget to get him some clothes and go in our you know is if you're covered, then maybe next time your Walmart or some you want to pick up socks or underwear and bring them a set amount will give him when cassettes were supposed to be doing in the me, it's amazing that the church is set will know. Let's not do that. Let's just give some organization five dollars a month and let them do some of his organization maybe wonderful organizations. But here's what happened. Some I comes here for closer food also and everybody on staff knows what supposed to happen. Some ice was to stop what you're doing maybe more than one person and begin to talk to. What about closing food and beginning but then find out where they are with Jesus because of all we do is getting close given food we've done no better than Walmart approved loan. What were supposed to be doing is give them Jesus or we want to give them Jesus now verse 46 is so continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, to understand at this point.

This church is open seven days a week, seven days a week while because this is the this is the body you don't see any lone rangers in this book, and yet somehow we've come to the place and you've probably heard this before. Really need to church you know what you're all man didn't come up with the church, God came up with the church. You do need the church in the church need you see here's the thing. If you're standing with the battalion or division or stand with my two guys in your get Ray to fight me and there's like 12 of you in the first thing I'm going to do about that. Your one at a time right Sadie.

You don't need those other guys. Wish you enough time because it makes the battle easier right in some I guarantee you some people in this very room thing only church only broke to do this myself hasn't been going to an honest question usually doesn't go so well doesn't. When you try it by yourself. God set it up that we would sit together as the body and we we need the body. Now I know that you know all of us like to think that were very independent. None of us are independent if tomorrow you could get gas for your car. You find out how dependent you were or your car broke down and you don't have six cars this thing tomorrow if if electricians if if Duke Power wasn't giving energy, your plumbing went bad you don't know what to fix that.

And there is no gas in your car in the grocery stores were there, how independent would you be at that point is just the fact that I now know we don't like hearing this, but the reality is we need each other.

We need one another. I'm grateful there's a grocery store at least have a garden and I discover they sell that stuff in the cursor story who know so we need each other. We fit together. See this road you know what this rope is made of these little strings that's easy sit here breaking plumb off. Can you imagine if you're hanging off a cliff and try to give you this little string paragraph no.

But once you begin to combine all these individual strings into a rope and offered you this take. Why is this good boy this was around the whole to keep people out to keep people from falling in that whole to keep you out from falling in the home and guess what, as we join together we can pull people up we can help them avoid the holes in life's like the body of Christ that you can continue on with this. I don't need anybody thing the friend resume be a day where you do need somebody and at that point. If you've built relationships with the body of Christ there going to be there for you. Maybe if you've not built the relationship. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24 says, think of ways to encourage one another to outburst of love and good deeds.

And let us not neglect our meeting together.

Some people do encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day it was coming back again is drawing near the life lessons from your we needed to. We need each other. I know that you know as I say that is just part of you that's just not really probably more the guys I hate to say that but I am a man and I realize how we think and you know we like to think that were independent and even as I was saying. What if there was no gas guzzling makers later go in the woods and kill some needed maybe cooked enough rabbit sushi or something. There's just something about saying that no and that makes us feel bored or something you and that's a good thing.

We need God and we need each other in order to be body you need understand there's any now there's a flipside to this. You need the body. The body needs you and I can say that you, you know need the body and you go, but when I say you know what the body needs you, then it's like, okay, I'm needed near God needs me to do something I need to be apartness.

The final lifeless you need the fellowship of church and fellowship of church need you to beautiful picture set it up that way for us to be part of the body and that you could be encouraged and found the place where you could pour yourself and yet the church is not perfect. This church is not perfect. Historically, the church is never been perfect, but you know what I've never seen anything better.

The church is engaged in horrible thing, crusades, and all such the most awesome and beautiful things have also been done through the church. Verse 47 praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved was to say who added to the church programs, advertising, marketing, says the Lord added to the church.

I don't have a problem with advertising or marketing, or you can't depend on those things those things only bring people to church bring somebody Jesus. That's a God thing. Only God can do that and so were dependent upon God to do that. Those who were being saved. The Lord added to the church who was it's okay we can wait. Duncan say amen and all sorts of stuff in here on who answered the church, the Lord added to the church. That's important.

Remember why because we get confused about that. We get confused about that but it's the Lord that adds to the church and so were dependent upon the Lord, the other flipside of that is it's the Lord adding to the church. That is what I mean by when somebody comes forward on Sunday morning. You know I get just one because God is and somebody else to this fellowship. God is put in somebody else's name in the book of life. Somebody that wasn't going to heaven, now is, you should get excited about the angel in heaven.

Rejoice over it. Can we get a little bit happy. Can we take just a moment what you got and get fired up coming weekend and week out. We see people come to the Lord and get saved here in sunny morning.

That should excite you if that doesn't excite you. You probably will take your pulse release your spiritual pulse because it's an awesome think that's God working in our midst. We get were allowed to watch the Lord work and so we see this church.

This first generation church me and unified in multiply.

We see the word daily, so that it wasn't just a Sunday experience was it day by day phase while here's our model loving one another porn out to one another. That's what were supposed to be doing were supposed to be empowered in some weird sort of way but empowered to live out our lives.

Yes, supernaturally in a natural sort of way. Walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. When the law came 3000 people died when grace was given 3000 people were born again some of your satin fellowships and you've heard that you need to jump higher and try harder.

But they all the 10 Commandments and be at church every Sunday and if you do all those things, God will be dutifully impressed and allow you entrance in the neat notion is not biblical. The Bible says in order to be forgiven. What you need to do is ask Jesus to forgive because Jesus loves you so much. He's willing to do that as you turn to Jesus and turn away from the stuff in your life. Jesus will forgive you give that grace to provide you that grace simply waiting for you to ask for and you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sinned, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you'd like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much you would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. Thank you so much ODA before we go.

What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading plan enough thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart.

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Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the book of acts