Sent – Week 4 – The Sent Church
If you have your Bibles please open them up we are going to be in Acts 2:42-47 together this morning.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe 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.” (2:42-47)
Prayer:
Introduction:
- last Sunday – we saw this in the text that – The Holy spirit came – filled the believers and specifically empowered Peter to preach this message and we see 3,000 people come to know Christ –
I want to point out three main things in the text today – Specifically I believe that there are three commitments that we see of a sent church – according to this passage – that the early church committed to –
- The sent church has a commitment to Seeking God
- The sent church has a commitment to one another
- The sent church has a commitment to the world
Let’s look at that first one there –
The sent church has a commitment to Seeking God
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
So right after all these people become believers – 3,000 people – the text tells us what this new group of people – known as the church – they devoted themselves to specific practices –
-the greek word for devoted here literally translating to – they continually kept up these practices
- The first thing we see is that they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching
- or in other words they devoted themselves to hearing God’s Word taught
- Second is they mention is that they devoted themselves to fellowship and breaking of bread –
- I combine these things because they are related – the word for fellowship is koininae – which means close relationships
- Third is text mentions that they devoted themselves to prayer.
So in short – you can say that this early church – built itself around three main practices
- learning God’s word together // spending time together as God’s children // seeking God together in prayer
Their entire system of what they devoted themselves to was seeking God together – and they had this amazing result – the next verse says And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
- The text says – that as they sought Jesus – As they placed him first – As they learned of him – they were filled with AWE –
- They didn’t just believe in Jesus – Jesus was beautiful to them.
The sent church has a commitment to one another
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.
If we had time – we could look at the 59 one another commands that are found throughout the New Testament – Throughout Scripture – we are told to
- forgive one another – love one another – bear one another’s burdens – pray for one another – confess your sins to one another – be honest with one another – encourage one another.
The list could go on – but it is this love of one another – that sets us apart from a world that is bent on eating up and devouring eachother. In fact, that’s what Jesus says – In John 13, he talks to his disciples and he says, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35).
The sent church has a commitment to the world
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.”
The text says that the church day by day – left the four walls of the church and entered the world and lived their faith in front of other people.
- there’s a phrase here that I want to draw attention to – it says “They day by day attended the temple together.”
Biblical faith – leads you into the world – to take the gospel with you