The Amazing First Century Church | Part 2

What is business the body and grind this into Adrian running is why we exist in the fix all the Savior evangelize the center and it was the site not complicated is not complicated. All question. Does this excite you.

Would you like to be a part of that is want to draw your breath drawing a salary Dragon to have with a wasted life.

Welcome to featuring truth, the gospel simply state by Adrian Rogers part one of our message today, we learned that the church is the world's first ID, Jesus. We must ask ourselves, do we exhibit the same power as the amazing first century church turn the world upside down with the gospel. The church exists to exalt the Savior to proclaim the manner of Jesus life the meaning of his death and the miracle of his resurrection. If you have your Bible turn acts chapter 2. As Adrian Rogers shares more about the amazing first century church. I wonder here. Now, a description of a church trial where you ask God to make our church that, church, right here in the second chapter of the book of acts you know we talked about the principles of power, and the Holy Spirit of God, but now once we have that anointing that power. What do we do what is our purpose will number one we are to exalt the Savior now begin now in verse 22 of this chapter, the day of Pentecost is come all of the signs and wonders have been done the Holy Spirit as common baptize that motley crew into the body of Christ, and Peter stands up to preach the gospel, and here's what he says in verses 22 through 26. You notice real hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding up for David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope. Now Peter preached a message and it is simply to say that it was a plane Christ centered gospel message.

The church grew because they lifted up Jesus. Jesus said, and I've I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me, know church in my estimation is going to be a growing, vibrant church that does not exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. Some churches reserve Sunday morning for God the father, son, and I forgot the sign in Winston, I forgot the spirit. No not really but you know the sort of an emphasis like that on Sunday morning.

They just want to speak of God and and there's nothing wrong with that. Of course we should magnify God the father, but every service, every service must exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. You believe that I do because he is the attractant the church I have I be lifted up, will draw all men I meet.

And so what do we do as a church, what is our duty. What is our privilege. What is our joy.

What is our mandate is first of all, to exalt the Savior now. Until we do that we've not done anything. But secondly, not only must we exalt the Savior. Secondly, we must evangelize the center that continue to read now and looking at will, in verse 37 through 41. In this passage of Scripture. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and sent them to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what must we do, what shall we do, what is the conversion, the evangelization of the Senate. Number one listen to him again. It is the conviction by the Lord. It is conversion to the Lord. It is a confession of the Lord and it is control by the Lord.

Look again in verse 38 if you will hear and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost that is he comes into you to control you. The Holy Spirit takes possession out of the person is been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Real salvation is not just to believe something or to achieve something, but the receive someone the Holy Spirit of God comes in to you real salvation is not just going to heaven when you die. That's a byproduct. Salvation is not getting man out of earth into heaven. It is getting God out of heaven and demand. First of all there's conviction then there's conversion, then this confession. And then there is control and finally there is continuance like you will in verse 41 and 42 of the same chapter. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized in the same day there were added under them about 3000 souls, and they continue steadfastly.

Jesus did not call us to make decisions. He called us to make disciples. They continue steadfastly. A continuance with the Lord. Now that's what we're about and evangelizing. That's why we preach. That's why we teach that people might be convicted that they might be converted, that they might make a confession of Jesus that they might be controlled by the Holy Spirit and that they might go on and on with God in continuance and continue steadfastly.

Now here's the third thing that we want to do not only exalt the Savior not only evangelize the center but we want to enlist the saints. Once we get them say what we do will begin now in verse 42 again and look and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine little boy again did understand what the word doctrine meant somebody asking what his doctor and he said that's what folks need when they're sick, say hey man, we need a lot of great churches are Bible centered, they continued in the apostles doctrine. That's just another way of saying they continued in the word of God because the word of God came through these apostles. How do we enlist the saints will first of all we get them.

In Bible study you say will Pastor Rogers. I just don't need it. Yes you do. That's how they know you by name. That's how they miss you when you're sick, that's all they pray for you when you say can and with you go to hospital come over and cut your grass and administer you that we have fellowship. That's the prayer care share there in that class and so we going to list people in Bible study, but also we going to enlist them in fellowship. Notice if you will, in verse 42 again they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. What's this and fellowship by the some people think that fellowship is incident know fellowship is absolutely fundamental. The Bible does not teach a Lone Ranger Christianity I need you. You need me. I was reading an interesting passage of Scripture concerning the apostle Paul, do you think the mighty apostle Paul had such a walk with Jesus. Did he need fellowship. Listen to this verse is asked 20 verse 15, Paul is been through a shipwreck is been trying to get the room. Finally he lands on the shores of Italy and this is what it says and from thinness when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as the appy forum and the three taverns whom when Paul saw and when he saw these brethren whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.

I love that here's the mighty apostle Paul. These brothers go out and meet him. Now he's tired and worn bedraggled, and when he saw him explode like God and he took courage. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 and 25 says let us consider one another to provoke him to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a matter of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more we need fellowship that people say that they churches are cold will be raised if they churches are: how do they get to be big churches. No big churches don't have to be cold enough big churches can be full of big love, but there's a danger with a big church.

The danger is that we can have wonderful programs and we can become program centered rather than relationship centered now friendliness is a sine qua non a prime requisite for any growing church and I can't do that by myself I can say with a full heart is so welcome here, but people listen to me. It is up to you if you are not friendly. This will not be a friendly church and we have to grow in fellowship. I was reading some statistics about what causes people to come to churches what you think causes people to come to churches. Well, here's what the statistics say nearly 50% of people who fill out the survey said they went to this are that church number one because of friendliness number one nearly 50%, 15% said they came because of programs.

12% said location. 12%.

What I'm asking? Your friends that you choose. Do you put a point on a map and then just come draw a circle around and say I won't have any friends, except in the circle. No, not with the day of automobiles.

People drive across town to restaurants. They go to ball games to go hear their people did not come to churches anymore because it happens to be in the neighborhood a file, but they do not come primarily because of location, only 12% said location, and 12% said belief that you would think it would be different doctrine doesn't seem to make that much difference if I'm not saying that is not important. It is important. I'm just saying how do people's minds work when they're looking for church. Only 12% said belief and 12% said location 7% said denomination. What I gained almost 50% said friendliness that's just another way of saying fellowship and let me tell you, folks, we need to work at this when people come in here they need to look they needed non-they need a word. They need a touch. All right, now listen when those people come in to that fellowship.

They are very apprehensive now… Suppose you were invited you had neighbors and they invited you to a Buddhist temple there Buddhist a Afternoon after the afterlife so well honey we just got to go so we go. They said what will pick you up descent when I tell you what will just take our car when you say that why you will be able leave, we believe, and so forth. And when you go there you be one and am I go to something wrong.

Always people looking at me wonder what they're thinking about me. What are they going to do next friend. Fear is a terrible thing and what we need to do is to reduce the fear element. The most attractive part of you is your smile.

A smile is a passport almost anywhere.

We are to enlist the saints we enlist them in Bible study, we enlist them in fellowship and we enlist them in worship.

Look in verse 42 and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking bread and prayers. Now most exegetes believe breaking of bread here refers to the Lord's supper and prayers obviously is worship as their praying together, we need to always maintain the worship service, we must enlist them also in stewardship.

Look, if you will hear in verses 43 through 45 and fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles and all that believed were together and know what's this and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need about Bible stewardship. There is folks, none of them said what I have is mine. Lord, if you want you can have it. There was an emergency. There was persecution there. Some people think this was talking about communism. It was not communism for a number reasons. Number one was temporary. Number two. It was based on belief in God number three was church control and number of for it was voluntary, but the point is this that everything that they own was at the disposal of the Lord Jesus Christ is everything you own at the disposal of Jesus mean honestly if he ask for your last minute would you give it to my saying he will, but if you did, you should. It all belongs to him. Perhaps the last thing that we want the releases are finances are material possessions. If all belongs to God. Don't get the idea that 1/10 belongs to God and the rest is yours for your pleasure for your laundry. It all belongs to God. 1/10 is only a sign that it all belongs to God. Don't get the idea that one day belongs to God, and six are for you every day belongs to God and he is to be the Lord over all.

And we are to teach this kind of stewardship. So many of us are afraid were going up all over again. Ever. You cannot give God you show laddie shelves and he's got a bigger shop to member talking once adieu tied before or after taxes. Elements are not tied before taxes so wise that he says God gets more that way that they somehow believe that man gets more. Also, because God loves the man who didn't trust him with his finances, trying to tell you to give things God doesn't tell you to give that's presumptuous, I'm just simply saying hey you tell the Lord, Lord, whatever you want me to do what you do not willingly and joyfully give God neither needs nor wall.

We will around ringing people's arms and trying to make them give listen, you can fall in love with Jesus and not want to give you cannot love the Lord and not want to give you cannot have the Christ that Peter was preaching about what we said exalt the Savior. You can have that without warning, to give to Gavin so we have to enlist people in stewardship and we have to keep giving and keep giving you say well when we get our buildings built, then we can stop oh, that's when were really*because now we going to be reaching out and out and out and out sharing Jesus Christ with this community and sharing Jesus Christ with estate and sharing Jesus Christ for this world and we go to be born more and more money into reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. So that brings me to the next one. Not only do we enlist them in stewardship, but we enlist them in evangelism notice.

Here again in verse 46 now and they continue daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house that house and did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people know what's this, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be say, this church was a growing church that nothing wrong with a small church. Nothing wrong with a big church there something wrong with any church that is in an area with a lot of lost people in the church is not broke.

The church is to grow this early church was perhaps in size. The greatest church and church history.

Do a little arithmetic. Let me show you something you just get your Bibles I lick your fingers look and accept the one in verse 15, and in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said now here's a parentheses and the word of God.

The number of names together were about 125 so we start with 120 to 12 had become hundred 20 now looking next to verse 41 then they that gladly received his word were baptized in the same day there were added on to them about 3000 souls pretty good church growth.

Now the 3120. But now, go to accepted to verse 47 speaks of them praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be say we only know him and this was but every everyday souls are getting saved more everyday, not just on Sunday now go to acts chapter 4 and look if you will, in verse four and they had another service in the Bible says here howbeit many of them which heard the word believe and the number of man was about 5000 doesn't say 5000 were saying this is the number of men that were saved were 5000. So let's just give each man a wife and two children. That's 20,000 right there. If the rest of the family came to the Lord Jesus Christ and so now the church that's been growing everyday takes this 3120+ that those which came in every day, which probably now have 20,000 would add another 20,000. That's 45,000 members in just a few days and then look if you will now acts chapter 5 and looking at will. Now in verse 28. They are rebuking the disciples for the preaching and is what they said to them, did we not straightly command you, that he should not teach in this name, and behold, you have to Jerusalem with your doctor. By the way, that's what I'm calling the church to do is to fill the city with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is our Jerusalem.

They said you have to say. They literally saturated the city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Malachi chapter 6 and verse seven and the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly remember what I said and asked to the Lord added to them daily such as should be say no more addition now announce multiplication. The church is growing exponentially.

BH Carol, the founder of Southwestern Baptist theological seminary, said that this church had a membership in excess of 65,000 members in the first six months 65,000 in the first six months Jeannie Campbell Morgan said no it was more like 250 house in the first six months about big churches patient do you think God wants her body.

Go to hell do you think God just doesn't want people reach for crimes when I go to get 250,000 in this building, but when Bill saw the building somewhere. We can help some other churches to grow.

We can send some workers to other churches if they're not growing and we can find places to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we enlist the saints, is what we exist to do exalt the Savior evangelize the center and enlist the saints not complicated is not complicated. All question. Does this excite you.

Would you like to be a part of that use want to draw your breath drawing a salary Dragon to heaven with a wasted life. Would you say Lord, make me a part of that vision. Lord I don't want to be just a grown I don't want to be just a Sunday night benchwarmer. I want to be a part of that vision. Show me, Lord, what part time to head if you have questions regarding your faith in Jesus Christ today would love to offer you an insightful resource on our website to find God's love page. There you'll find answers, you may need about your newfound faith. Who is Jesus. How can I know him, how can I take a step toward receiving that forgiveness that he's offering. Simply go to LWF.org/radio and click the tab that says find God's love can't wait to hear from you today. Now if you like to order a copy of today's message.

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Are you part of the New Testament church spirit filled Bible believing Christ honoring church consider your purpose today to exalt the Savior to evangelize to sinners and to enlist the same will join us again next time. For more from Adrian Rogers right online word.

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