Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Acts: Enlarging Our Vision
Covered Dish Christianity Part 2 08/24/08
Sermon Series: Acts: Enlarging Our Vision
Message: ‘Covered Dish Christianity’ pt.2 Text: Acts 2:41-47
Introduction: Church Swindoll tells the following story.
In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta, Canada to the Yukon. Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to the Yukon alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture.
The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wakeup call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early-morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood.
Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. “Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked. ‘the Yukon’ “In that little Civic? No way! This pass is DANGEROUS in weather like this.”
“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy, if not very informed, response.
“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested. Linda drew back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!” “Not like THAT!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one behind you. In that way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”
All that morning Linda followed through the heavy fog, the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains.
Caught in the fog in our dangerous passage through life, we need to be “hugged.” With fellow Christians who know the way and can lead safely ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we, too, can pass safely. (Swindoll, Growing Strong, p. 286)
Truth be told, we have become too independent, too self-sufficient for our own good. We have been told that asking for help is a sign of weakness…and we’ve believed it, but it’s a lie. And believing the lie has hurt us, individually and corporately.
We struggle, we fall, we hurt, all the while there is help available, support waiting, comfort knocking at our door, but we refuse to answer.
Listen to the words of the wisest man whoever lived…Solomon.
Read: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.’
By recognizing and living in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the early followers of Jesus Christ
· were able to develop community,
· were able to live, worship and serve within community
· and through community, the concerns and needs of the one became the concerns and needs of the many.
And as we’ll see, people took notice, and God took action.
Transition: Open your Bibles to Acts 2:43 (pg. 832 in the Bibles under the chair in front of you.) For it’s there we’ll continue to discover the meaning of ‘covered dish Christianity.’
III. Acts 2:43 Everyone was in awe of God
Read: Acts 2:43
The miracles and signs done by the apostles authenticated not only their teachings, but the reality of the community God had formed among them.
And Luke tells us that ‘everyone was filled with awe.’ Awe here means ‘holy fear’, ‘profound honor’ and ‘a deep respect.’ What this means is the people who saw the Apostles do the signs and wonders were especially interested in hearing what the apostles had to say because they knew the signs and wonders were from God. Listen to how Paul describes the same thing in the Book of Hebrews.
Read: Hebrews 2:1ff ‘We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away… how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.’
Luke and Paul both were saying… ‘Look, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is serious…life and death serious. Listen to it, accept it, live it, share it and remember it. Because we have seen what God can do.’
People inside and outside that first community of faith, saw that God was present within that community, and they were in awe. An element of the supernatural was evident in the life of that community. There was obviously something more at work than just human ability….and everyone took notice.
· Too many churches today are ineffective because they are not doing anything that the world around them would look at and say ‘There is evidence in that church that God is real. Maybe I should listen to what they have to say.’
How can we show the people outside these walls that there is evidence of the presence and power of Almighty God here, in our midst?
· By recognizing and depending upon the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
· By using the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to us for the building up of God’s kingdom on earth.
· By being committed to one another, praying for one another, forgiving one another, accepting one another, bearing one another’s burdens, worshipping with one another, encouraging one another, serving one another, by considering one another more important than ourselves, by loving one another.
Can I be honest? We are selfish, stingy, egotistical, prideful, uncaring, self sufficient, hurtful, arrogant, prejudice people...top varying degrees. For any of us to live out the one another’s found in God’s Word is evidence of God’s presence and power in our midst. Can I get an Amen?
The choice is ours…ultimately the choice is each of ours.
· Will you live in the presence and power of God in this community of faith?
· Will you use the gifts God has given to you to build His kingdom and this local church fellowship?
· Will you commit to living out the one another’s in the Bible? Not just in theory, but in real life situations, with real life people? With the people you see around you?
Say yes and I promise we will see God prove His Word true. What Word?
Read: 1 Corinthians 2:9 ‘…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.’
That’s what being in awe of God means!
Transition: Luke now tells us just a couple of the ways the early followers of Jesus Christ make this a reality.
IV. Acts 2:44-45 God’s people sought the
common good
Read: Acts 2:44-45
First, Luke is not advocating a communist state where there’s no such thing as private property. He’s just saying God’s people took care of each other.
· This is no different than when you give to our Deacon’s Fund that’s used to help others here with financial needs.
· This is no different than Nancy Joyce and Anne McCullough offering their pick up trucks when we needed to move something for someone here.
· This is no different than you taking a meal to someone here that is unable to make it themselves.
· This is no different than those of you who gave me rides to physical therapy after my knee replacement.
· This is no different than those of you who are financially supporting Becky to fulfill her call to build God’s kingdom on college campuses across the USA and the world.
Do you see it? It’s not that hard. The text is telling us to care for each other in practical ways. Because…
· we’re family,
· we’re a community of faith,
· and because… it’s just what we do.
And if you’re not already doing it…we need you, we all need you to begin to care, to begin to live like you belong to this community.
· And everyone will take notice of the community called CBC.
· And everyone will be in awe of the greatness of our God!
Transition: I am excited to be a part of what God is doing here and what He is going to do here…through all of you! And it begins, as it should, with heartfelt, corporate worship of the One True and Ever Living God.
V. Acts 2:46-47a God’s people worshipped
together
Read: Acts 2:26-47a
· And day by day, attending the temple together… (ESV)
· And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple…(KJV)
· And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple…(NASB)
Notice that not only did the early followers of Jesus Christ attend worship together, regularly, they all believed it was the right thing to do.
· They were together on this
· They were in one accord
· They were of one mind
What did they believe in common? That fellowship together with God is the best kind of fellowship they can have with one another. And they weren’t going to miss it for anything.
‘Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple’ could very easily and rightfully be translated, ‘everyday, they were devoted, or steadfastly continued, to meet together, with each other, in the temple.’
· The point here is not that they met everyday for worship, because we know that will change to a weekly worship on Sunday.
· The point here is that they were devoted to meeting together, to worshipping God, together
· They were devoted, faithful, loyal, dedicated, committed, single-minded, whole hearted, sold out to meeting together to worship the God who had saved them and who sustains them.
Luke’s point…is the same as Paul’s point in Hebrews 10:24-25
Read: Hebrews 10:24-25 ‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.’
And if you’re not already doing it…we need you, we all need you to begin to be devoted to worshipping God together, to begin to live like you belong to this community of faith.
· And everyone will take notice of the community called CBC.
· And everyone will be in awe of the greatness of our God!
Transition: Do that and watch God take action.
VI. Acts 2:47b God adds to the church
Read: Acts 2:47b
Luke is not talking about a method or program for church growth.
· He’s talking about lost people coming to faith in Jesus Christ and finding their way home to heaven.
· He is talking about lonely and isolated people on the outside of the church finding a place to belong inside the church.
God isn’t concerned with how big CBC becomes.
…just how devoted we are.
Conclusion
· Covered dish Christianity is community instead of isolation.
· Covered dish Christianity is we instead of me.
· Covered dish Christianity is here instead of anyplace else.
· Covered dish Christianity is yours instead of mine.
· Covered dish Christianity is devotion instead of indifference.
Jesus said ‘You (plural) are the light of the world’ Luke is telling us that if you try to burn alone, you will burn out. But when we learn to burn together, the world will see a blaze that will never burn out.
And everyone will be in awe of the greatness of our God!