What Makes A Dynamic Church part 2 by Ed Pruitt

Acts 2:42-47

What Makes A Dynamic Church?
Part Two
Sunday January 12, 2003
Pastor Ed Pruitt
Acts 2:42-47

This evening if you will, I would like for each of you to,

Imagine gang members, drug dealers, racists and sex offenders being transformed by the Power of God!

Imagine politicians, judges and other influential leaders taking stands based on the Word of God!

Imagine hundreds and even thousands of people being saved in a single church service!

Imagine the unimaginable just for a few minutes.

And then by the Power of God let’s speak it into existence through our prayers and our positive attitude!

That very thing happened in the Book of Acts, and it can happen again today if you and I are willing to pay the price.

The early church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, was a dynamic, growing church that turned the world of its day upside down!

In spite of incredible opposition and terrible persecution, first from the Jewish authorities and then from the might of the Roman Empire itself.

The church began & grew so dynamically that within 300 years the Roman Empire had surrendered to the Gospel of Christ, and the emperor himself had become a Christian, too.

How was this possible?

Why did it happen?

What was there about the early church that gave it the strength, enthusiasm, and unity to face incredible odds and outlast strong opposition in its conquest of the hearts and lives of those around them?

I think that much of the secret of the impact of the early church upon the people can be found in a few verses in the 2nd chapter of Acts.

The 2nd chapter of Acts tells about the Day of Pentecost, about Peter preaching the very first Gospel sermon ever preached.

The people’s reaction to that sermon, and the beginning of the church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Then it goes on to tell even more about the amazing growth of that church.

Listen as I read just a little portion of that chapter, as it tells about the people’s reaction to Peter’s message.

Acts 2:38-47
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Now those ten verses may be short, but they contain within them a description of the characteristics that marked the life and witness of the early church.

And I promise you that when those same characteristics, are present in any church today, they will produce the same results that were produced then.

I’m convinced, that when the 7 characteristics of the early church mentioned in these verses are put into practice, and are evident in our lives, then God will use us to build a great and dynamic church that will bring glory and honor to Him.

First of all, a dynamic church emphasizes learning God’s Word and Will for our lives.

Verse 42 says, they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.

For any church to be faithful it must be a studying church.

God has not called us to reach His people, with the Good News of Jesus, only to walk away from them.
He has called us to invite people to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and then to teach them the things that God’s Holy Word has taught us.

Isn’t that what Jesus said in what we call the Great Commission?
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Church in America today has a huge problem.

Too often we have neglected one of our most basic responsibilities.

There are people in their 30’s, 40’s, & 50’s joining churches, looking for direction & sense of purpose in living.

They have heard the good news of Jesus and accepted Him and become a part of His church.

But all too often, the church fails to challenge them to truly be a disciple, learning His Word and His Will for their lives.
All to often the leaders of the church fail to be the kind of disciples that God wants us to be.

And then we wonder why God is not blessing us with more new families.

As a result, there are people, some of whom may even be here in this church, who wouldn’t know Matthew, Mark, and Luke from Larry, Moe and Curly.

God’s plan for building a dynamic church involves learning the Word of God.

Those who lead the congregation must make the teaching of the Word meaningful!

With a sense of urgency so that all may desire to know and follow God’s will for their life!

We as leaders, must first examine ourselves, and then by our own actions, stress the importance of learning and following His Word!

If we do not feel the need to pray and study the Bible, then why should anyone else?

I hope I continually communicate to each of you the tremendous need we all have for prayer and daily study of God’s Word.

Buy a translation of the Bible that you can understand & begin reading.

Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what you are reading.

Then use what you learn to speak to people all around you!

Never, never miss out on a chance to talk to someone about Jesus and what He has done for you!

Secondly, A dynamic church experiences dynamic fellowship.

Once again, Verse 42 says, they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship.

The Greek word that has been translated "fellowship" means far more than just meeting together, eating, & having a good time.

It means, a closeness, a sharing, a common bond, a feeling of togetherness, of belonging to each other, of belonging to the family of God.

It’s "fellowship," caring about one another, that causes you to roll out of bed on Sunday morning while others simply roll over & go back to sleep.

It’s a desire to share the good news to those around us, and to meet with fellow Christians, encouraging one another, learning from our experiences, sharing our victories, and comforting one another in our setbacks.

A dynamic fellowship is one of the pillars of a dynamic church!

Thirdly, A dynamic church includes communion.

Verse 42 says that "They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine & fellowship, in the breaking of bread..."

That "breaking of bread" is describing what we call "communion" or the "Lord’s Supper."

Now if someone were conducting a poll and asking each of us to name one of God’s ingredients in building a dynamic church, I’m not certain that too many would think to mention communion.

Communion is vitally important for the church if taken correctly!

And by correctly I mean taken with a clean heart, having asked God to search your heart and if He finds any sin in your heart to forgive you and to not only forgive you but to help to never commit that sin again.

1 Corinthians 11:23-30
23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

The Lord’s Supper is the distinctive symbol of Christian worship instituted by the Lord on the eve of His death, being a spiritual partaking of bread and the fruits of the vine.

These elements are presented as a thankful expression of Christ’s sacrifice, taken in fellowship with Him and with one another.

It is a memorial conducted in remembrance of Christ’s atoning death, anticipating His return to earth.

The two symbols of this ordinance are the bread, representing the broken body of Christ, and the cup, representing His shed blood.

Christians are divided as to whether the table should be “open” or “closed.”

The chief argument supporting open communion is that it is the Lord’s Supper, not a ceremony of a particular religious denomination.

Those who believe that the table should be restricted argue that the church should not allow a person to eat unworthily or bring judgment on his own head (vv. 27–30).

“Close” (not “closed”) communion is an attempt to have the best of both.

The pastor reminds everyone of the need for self-evaluation.
But after this instruction, the pastor leaves the decision to participate up to the individual.

God judged some Corinthian Christians with sickness and death for their failure to properly observe this ordinance.

Every Christian should use the Lord’s Supper to examine his own spiritual progress and attitudes before partaking.

It is during communion that we should withdraw from our busy daily routines of rushing about and taking care of business into the quiet, soul-searching presence of Almighty God!

During communion you and I are alone with God, yet united with all those who claim Jesus as Lord of their lives!

God’s master plan for building a dynamic church centers around the table of our Lord.

Number four, A dynamic church includes constant and consistent prayer.

Verse 42 says, They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

First century Christians knew they did not have the power to go out into a hostile world, stand tall, and to move forward with the Good News they had gained.
They had to trust in God to give them their strength.

Jesus had set the example for them in the three years He had been with them.

Listen to these verses of scripture: Matthew 14:23
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
Matthew 19:13
13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray:

Mark 11:25
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Luke 6:12
12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

There is a need in our church for more people to commit themselves to prayer.

Prayer is not simply a time when we go to God with our wish list.

It is a time when we seek His Will and get direction and guidance from God concerning the troubling situations in our life.

If we will be still & know that He is God, then God will strengthen us to do His will.

There is tremendous power in prayer!

I hope you get a glimpse of that power as each Sunday we lift our hearts up to God together in prayer.

As we pray together we’re strengthened & encouraged to continue on because we’re not alone.

Prayer is the cornerstone of a strong and dynamic church!

Now for number five,

A dynamic church takes action.

In verse 43 we read, "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles."

Things happen when God’s people come together!

In the beginning of Acts 2, it wasn’t the perky personality of Peter that swept the mass of people on Pentecost.

It was the power of the Holy Spirit of God moving and working in the lives of the people.

And God’s power in the lives of His people did not cease at Pentecost.

It was obvious in the life of Stephen and Barnabas, and even the apostle Paul who had once been Saul, the persecutor of the church.

God is at work all throughout the world today.

In every corner of the globe you’ll find followers of Jesus who are active in their faith.

God’s plan for His people in building a dynamic church is that they be people of action!

Now let’s go to number six,

A dynamic church has a heart for giving and sharing.

Verse’s 44-45 tell us,

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

Their sharing was voluntary, not forced.

In a time of opposition and persecution, their concern for those who were in need resulted in an outpouring of love and sharing to meet those needs.

They believed what Jesus had taught them, and they put it into practice in their lives.

Jesus said in, Luke 6:38

38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

And Jesus tells us all that when the great Judgment Day comes, and we stand before Him,

Matthew 25:31-46
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

We are called to care. We are called to share.

God’s plan for His church is that we willingly, freely share of that with which He has blessed us in this life.

Finally, A dynamic church is filled with joy.

Verse’s 46-47 tell us,
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, praising God and having favor with all the people."

Look at that phrase, "gladness and simplicity of heart."

The word translated "gladness" has a great meaning in the Greek language.

It means, "great joy, a feeling of extreme happiness."

Because of Jesus we can possess a deep and genuine joy that does not come from financial security, relationships with loved ones, or community prestige.

All those only contain fleeting happiness.

A joyful heart that comes from Jesus sets us free from the daily hassles and pains of this life.

Life can make you bitter, but with joy mixed-in, life can make you better.

In a dynamic church, God’s people, is characterized by joy!

When this church begins to follow God’s plan and exhibits the seven characteristics of the early church in Acts, rather than the past traditions of men,

Then folks will flock to us as they see the power of God manifest in our church and in our lives.

In closing I want to tell the story about the mayor of a small city who was driving through the city square when he noticed 2 city workers doing something rather unusual.

Along one side of the main street, they were working steadily.

One of the men was digging a hole in the ground, and the other was filling it back up.

After watching them dig and fill several holes in this manner, the mayor, somewhat confused, confronted the 2 workers and asked for an explanation.

"Well, sir," replied the first man, "we work for the city planting trees, and usually there are 3 of us - one to dig the hole, one to plant the tree, and one to cover it up.

The guy who plants the tree called in sick today, but," he proudly announced, "we’re here and we’re doing our jobs anyway."

How easy it is to fall into the habit of just being at church - attend worship, sing in the choir, attend most services, volunteer some time, give some money, and attend Sunday School.

We can become so programmed, that like the tree planters, we totally lose sight of the meaning behind what we’re doing.

The result is that after years of "doing" church, our relationships are still on the edge, our walk with God is in the same place it has always been, and our lost friends and family members are still without Jesus.

We have passed the time, as if just being in the church building has been our main objective.

God have mercy on us if we’re just going through the motions!

Our mission is one of eternal consequences, and we must never lose a sense of urgency about it.

Our goal is not just to be counted among the regulars on Sunday morning!

We’re here to make a difference in a dying world.

Everything we do should be motivated by the desire to win others to Christ!

If we do not have a sense of urgency about that, then we have missed the whole meaning of the cross of Jesus, and of His sacrifice for our sins.

My prayer for each of us this evening is that the Holy Spirit will come into our lives in a way like He never has before!

That we will be so filled with a hunger for God like we never have before!

That we will testify to our lost friends and family more than we ever have before!

That our life will become so filled with Jesus that when we walk into a room, people, will be able to sense the very presence of God!

My prayer is that we are going to pray for revival to come first to us on a personal level and then covering the entire church and the out into the streets and just keep on going.
 

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