WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.840 Well, good morning, Redemption. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:08.720 It is super good to be back with you here today, bringing God's word after a few weeks off with my family. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:10.080 Much, much needed. 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:13.199 But again, great to uh open up the Bible with you. 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.800 You can get it turned to Acts chapter four right now. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:27.600 And as you are getting your pages turned there or your phone open or what have you, I have this kind of funny memory etched in my mind from back when I was a kid. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:33.200 I was maybe 10 years old or so, uh, one year at summer camp. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:37.920 I remember, I don't know, it was like middle of the week or whatever, and and I was in the dormitory area. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:45.280 So just picture a big, like basically like uh like a hotel hallway, a really long hallway with all kinds of rooms down the side. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:55.520 And I was at the at the beginning of this hallway and I was walking down to wherever I was going, and I remember in the far distance, probably like a hundred feet away, I saw this other kid walking towards me. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:57.359 It was a guy that I had seen that week. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:04.239 He was a couple of years older than me, probably, but I didn't know him, I hadn't had a conversation with him, uh, nothing at all. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:08.159 And so we were, you know, slowly but surely getting closer and closer to each other. 00:01:08.239 --> 00:01:10.640 And you know how you're sort of thinking, like, am I gonna nod to this guy? 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:14.079 I'm gonna say hi, or am I just gonna keep looking forward or straight down? 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.680 And you're trying to figure that out. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:35.439 Well, the really kind of interesting thing is that as we were walking together, uh, right as we were just about to pass each other, both of us just instinctively put up the hand, gave each other a high five without uttering a word, without looking back, just kept walking forward. 00:01:35.599 --> 00:02:01.280 And I remember, I remember sort of laughing to myself, and I've kind of done that throughout the years as I thought about this, because again, kind of a weird moment, but but an interesting one of this togetherness, this unity, even that this guy and I had, where somehow we were on the exact same page about this, about this high five without ever having discussed it. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.680 We never saw each other in the dining hall afterwards and talked about that or anything. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:10.000 It was just something, again, last minute, both of us just knew exactly what to do. 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.159 We had the high five totally dialed in. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:23.360 Now, again, kind of a weird example, and you're probably wondering where I'm going with all this, but I was actually reminded of that whole exchange uh with that guy uh as I was reading our passage for today. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:42.479 Because as we'll see here, the early church in Jerusalem uh they experienced uh what I think is uh could be seen as a very special degree of unity in their ministry uh to each other and into the wider community uh in their city. 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:57.439 They were exactly on the same page together, the church was, uh, and um and and and our passage here shows us uh this great picture of how a uh a unified local church operates. 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:03.520 And so without further ado, let's read it right now, and uh, and then I'll pray, starting in verse 32. 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:05.039 This is Acts chapter 4. 00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:16.080 It says this It says, Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him were his own, but they had everything in common. 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:24.960 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:39.759 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:56.400 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the disciples or the apostles' feet. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:04.639 Father, as we read your word this morning, as we look at this, we see uh the togetherness, the unity of this church. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:17.680 Lord, they were of uh one heart and soul, they were on the same page, they were focused on the mission at hand, and Lord, it was a it was a special thing for them to experience and live out. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:21.279 And Lord, uh I pray that for our church, Lord. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.759 I pray that we would have a unity in the Spirit, Father. 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:35.600 I pray that we would be unified around your word and in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Father, and and that you that you would uh use us in each other's lives in our church, God. 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:39.120 I pray that you would use us in the surrounding community as well. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:40.560 Lord, teach us about these things. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:45.360 Grow us in in grace, uh, we pray, in all of these matters. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:47.600 Uh, to the glory of Jesus, we pray. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:48.560 Amen. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:49.519 Amen. 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:57.920 Now, uh, you've maybe noticed uh that this passage has some real similarities to one that we looked at not too long ago. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:01.680 Acts chapter 2, actually, uh verses 42 to 47. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:04.480 You can you know flip back at that and look at it if you want to. 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:07.839 Uh, but there we saw a church hitting its stride. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:14.879 That's how we framed it up, and that in that they began to function, they began to operate as a church, a local church does. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:22.160 Here in our passage, in chapter four, we see uh the emphasis on really two major things. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:34.720 One, and one, and how they expressed generosity towards one another in taking care of tangible needs among them, specifically with the poor in their midst. 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:50.879 And then number two, there's an emphasis on their continued focus on the gospel and the Holy Spirit's work through it in their lives and in their ministry in Jerusalem. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:53.920 Okay, so with that, let's look at the very first one that I mentioned there. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:54.399 Here it is. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:06:01.680 A unified local church expresses a generous, what's mine is yours mentality. 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:07.759 Okay, for this, take a look at verse 32 as we walk our way through these verses. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:26.000 Hey, and just remember, of course, that we left off, I know it's you know three or four weeks ago now, uh, we left off with uh Peter and John being persecuted for the whole healing of the lame man saga, and maybe more specifically, they were being persecuted for proclaiming Jesus Christ. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:29.360 They were proclaiming that it was Jesus that healed this man. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:33.279 They were proclaiming that salvation was found through Jesus Christ. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:41.600 The religious uh authorities they hated that message, and so because of that, they decided to imprison Peter and John. 00:06:41.839 --> 00:07:00.319 They they questioned them, they they they they threatened them, and then and then ultimately, not really being able to do much because they feared the crowds, they release Peter and John uh back into their freedom, which of course motivated them to regather with their uh the rest of their local church and pray. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:08.879 Remember last time we looked at it where they prayed for uh for boldness to continue carrying the gospel forward despite the threats that were coming their way. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:21.600 Okay, so verse 32 here gives us one of those snapshots that we see is pretty common in the book of Acts as we see kind of a zoom out picture of what of what local church life uh looked like after that. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.079 Okay, so verse 32, I said we're getting to it, here we are. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:32.319 Okay, it says, Now the full number of those who believed, so these are the Christians, were of one heart and soul. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.680 Okay, so there's that unity uh right there. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.079 Okay, they were they were on the same page. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:46.879 They were they were dialed in, and obviously more of a uh of a powerful way than me and that other kid giving each other a high five and just kind of knowing what the other person was doing. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:48.639 Um, but but it was in a deeper way. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:57.040 It wasn't just uh you know in an external unity where you know where it was outward deeds that they happened to do together. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:05.519 It wasn't just that, but it was it was deeper in the sense of their their attitude and their mentality about those deeds that they were doing. 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:12.240 Because it says here that they were of one heart and soul, each of the believers in there, the full number of them. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:15.199 So it wasn't just a couple of them, it was it was all of them. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:25.600 Which again tells us that there was this deep bond, this deep bond between these believers on a desire level, on a on a passion level. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:36.000 They shared the same same convictions and the same commitment to see something happen, to see some action carried forward. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.200 Okay, and here's what those actions were specifically. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:51.360 The rest of the verse, if you look at it part way through 32, says that uh says that no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:56.720 Okay, very similar wording actually to again Acts chapter 2, 42 to 47. 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:59.759 And verses 44 and 45 specifically. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:05.600 Now with me for just a moment here, jump actually down, jump over verse 33, down to verse 34, as it continues. 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:08.799 This thought started uh in verse uh 32. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:11.759 Okay, we'll come back to verse 33 in a bit, I promise. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:30.000 But here's what it says it says, There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold, and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:34.320 Now, here's an example of that in the very next verse, verse 36. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:41.279 Thus, Jose uh Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas, so you remember that guy, we're gonna see much more of him. 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:45.039 He was the guy that accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:47.840 We'll see that in later chapters uh of Acts. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:57.039 Okay, so this guy called by the apostles Barnabas, Barnabas, which means son of encouragement, a Levite, a native of Cyprus, this is what he did. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:10:03.519 He sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:20.639 Okay, so what this is showing us here is that those with more financial means than others, it means that they they freely and generously shared their possessions, shared their belongings that they owned. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:33.360 And some of them, Barnabas being an example, even sold some of what he had to be sure to care for others in the church who uh had greater need. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:34.720 I mean, that's awesome. 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:48.000 And some of us here at our church in redemption, myself included, my family included, have been the recipients of similar acts of generosity by people in our church. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:48.720 How great is that? 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:56.320 I mean, such a great example of the love and the care that a local church body is to have for each other. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:06.559 Having an eye, looking around, who who are people around us that that are in need, that then, and how can I maybe meet that need with what the Lord has blessed me with? 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:23.679 And and in them here, it was this this Holy Spirit produced and and driven unity of that one heart and one soul idea to live out this, you know, whatever's mine is yours type of a mentality. 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.000 That's the attitude that they had. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:35.360 Now it's really important here, I think, to recognize that the generosity that we see in these verses is voluntary. 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:40.320 Okay, it's something you can tell, it's something that they actually and really wanted to do. 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:49.600 They knew that Deuteronomy chapter 15 was about Israel caring for the needs of the poor and and the needy. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:54.240 And so you can tell here in these verses, a guy like Barnabas specifically, they they loved to. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:55.200 They were all about this. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:02.000 They couldn't wait to jump at this opportunity to care for other people who needed uh their their help. 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:14.799 It was out of their love for Christ, it was out of their gratitude to him for his generosity to them in giving his very life for them. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:15.279 Right? 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.279 That was the idea, that was their motivation. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:18.720 Well, this is what Jesus did for me. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.320 Of course I want to go and do this for other people. 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:26.559 It's a joy to respond in a Christ-like way in our local body. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:33.600 Okay, so their acts of generosity here was really an expression of their love for Jesus and their heart for the gospel. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:41.120 Like, wow, look, look at what Jesus has has done for me, and and look what he has done for my family and so many of us here. 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:48.879 What a privilege and what a joy it is that we get to serve and love others in a similar way. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:59.440 Okay, so so realize here as you as you're understanding this, that this was not some kind of weird love communism uh type situation going on. 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:00.720 That's how I heard one author put it. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:01.679 I thought that was kind of funny. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.519 It's not a love communism thing. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:09.519 You know, so so those with, again, the financial means weren't being forced here to do this. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:17.679 They weren't being forced against their will to divvy up their belongings, uh, to be spread out among people evenly. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:23.440 You know, it's not that they weren't allowed to privately own property or possessions or things like that. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:29.840 Okay, what we're seeing here is the people of this young church simply being transformed by grace. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:31.919 That's what God was doing in them. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:41.279 He was He was transforming them from the inside out, and their whole desires were changing in lining up with God's desires. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:14:00.559 They were going from being, naturally speaking, in our flesh, primarily concerned about self and their own interests and their own wants and just accumulating possessions and and and stockpiling wealth for my for my own desires and my own kingdom building and everything that I would want for my own gain. 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:03.440 That was being changed by the Holy Spirit. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:08.080 And to now they're they were they were primarily, as we see here, they're caring for other people. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:08.480 Right? 00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:15.039 They're putting the the well-being of their community um as as as prime. 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:17.039 They couldn't wait to do it. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:20.960 They were they were being genuinely, genuinely generous. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.840 I mean, what a beautiful thing, what an incredible thing. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:32.480 What a picture of the gospel in action, in very in very practical and in very tangible ways. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:56.000 Okay, so hey, as as Christ is transforming you, as you are being sanctified, as the Holy Spirit is working in your life, and and as the Lord Jesus and who he is and what he's done, as that just become sweeter to your heart and your soul, how has that led you to be generous in the lives of other people, specifically uh in our church? 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:03.360 In what ways have you begun to adopt uh a what's mine is yours mentality? 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:09.840 Maybe you don't have this stockpile of lands or houses to sell. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.799 Real estate's a little uh a little pricey around here. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:17.919 Okay, so so so generosity for for most of us, I think, will look a little bit different than that. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:27.279 Okay, but it could be something as simple as sharing your tools with somebody who needs to fix their broken fence. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:33.600 Okay, it could be something like uh like that, or or in how you give of your of your time. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:34.960 You can be very generous that. 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.919 Time seems to be like the greatest commodity uh these days. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:46.320 And so maybe for you, it's like, hey, I'm actually gonna come over to your house Saturday afternoon and and help you fix your broken fence. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:53.600 Okay, or or maybe for you being generous, it's it's it's in your knowledge and in your expertise. 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:54.080 Right? 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.600 Here's how to fix your broken fence. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:06.080 Okay, obviously the the examples of how to be generous are just are just endless, and I would encourage you to get really creative about how to do that. 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:18.000 And something to keep in mind here, and I don't want us to miss this in the text, is how there was such a strong communal sense of of how this was all to be carried out. 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:20.720 Okay, keep in mind all the different people in play here. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:24.960 Barnabas laid his money at the apostles' feet. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:34.240 Okay, so you got the leaders of the church and the people of the church, and they're all involved and they're all working together in this. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:36.559 One heart, one soul. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:44.879 Okay, so listen, if there are some ways that that you want to express generosity, uh let us know about that. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:54.240 Hey, come talk to the leader, send us an email, give us a call, send us a text, let us know how it is that you might want to be generous uh with people at redemption. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:00.879 I remember even a long time ago hearing about somebody in our church, and she mentioned to me, she's like, hey, I'm actually a certified nutritionist. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:08.000 And so, Pastor Mike, if you hear about somebody who's just struggling with their health and their diet and everything, feel free to point them my way. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:12.960 And I would love to just bless them by sharing some of the things that I've been taught and some of the things that I've learned. 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.000 I was like, that's amazing. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:17.839 It's amazing that we would have people who'd be so willing to be generous in that kind of way. 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:20.960 It doesn't always have to be financial, it can be all kinds of things. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:24.079 And as I said, feel free to get creative with this. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:38.079 There's all kinds of unique abilities and skills and assets that you might have that you could use to sincerely, majorly bless those in need in our church. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:38.480 Right? 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:42.240 Let us know so that we can work in uh work together in all of this. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:56.559 When I hear about people's gifts and what people have and the desires that people have, we we like catalog that and I file those things away so that when something comes up, I'm like, oh yeah, there is somebody in our church who actually can do that and would love to help you and bless you. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:07.920 Let's let's let's talk about these things together so that we can be a unified local church and work to make this happen. 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:10.079 Okay, last thing today. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:17.039 A unified local church experiences great power and grace through the gospel. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:19.519 Remember, I said we get back to verse 33. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.480 Well, here it is. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:31.920 It says, And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:33.440 And now take a look at that again. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:35.279 We'll unpack that a little more slowly, okay? 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:39.839 And it says, and with great power, you know, now whose power is that? 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:42.079 Where did that power come from? 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.359 Was that power their own? 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:44.319 Hey no, it's not. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:46.079 It's it's the Holy Spirit, right? 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.599 The Holy Spirit is providing that power for them. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:58.720 Specifically, in context, if we understand the verses before this, the Holy Spirit is giving them the boldness that they had just asked for. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:07.920 You might remember that they had had just said, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness. 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:16.720 The Holy Spirit was was honoring that request and was providing the power now for them to go and proclaim boldly. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:26.319 Okay, so it says, and with great power, the apostles were giving their testimony to look at this, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:32.960 Okay, that that's a that's a bit of a mouthful, but but really all of it all it says is all it really means is is the gospel. 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:38.240 Okay, that's what they were giving their testimony of, the gospel, how they had come to know and love Jesus Christ. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:20:00.400 They're boldly sharing there that Jesus is alive, that Jesus has risen, the grave is is empty, that Jesus was Lord and Savior, that forgiveness was a gift extended to them because Jesus paid their penalty through the cross and and and triumphed over sin and over death when he rose. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:11.759 In the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, as it says there, they're proclaiming that they have been and people also can be reconciled to their Maker. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:21.440 Peace is, this is amazing, peace is available now where judgment and punishment and condemnation once existed. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:22.799 And that's really the gospel. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:28.640 And again, I would just ask you and urge you, have you, have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior? 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:47.279 Have you responded to the gospel by just realizing what Jesus has done for you, what God has done for you, by sending his son to die, to pay your penalty, to take on the punishment of your sin that you deserved, and to die, uh a sinner's death, even though he was perfect. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:48.240 He did all of that for you. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:53.599 And then when he rose from the grave, it was him defeating sin and defeating death and triumphing over it. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:21:04.160 That if we would believe in him, if you would just have, would have faith and believe that Jesus actually did these things, and then it was for you while you confess your sin and to just admit all of that to him, you would be saved. 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:05.359 Listen, have you done that? 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.960 Can you do that today? 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:08.240 It's just a simple prayer. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:14.880 Just admit your need for Christ as Lord, admit your brokenness, that your sin is against him, and trust him today. 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:18.160 Listen, if you have any questions about that, reach out to one of us. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:22.640 We would love to walk you through and unpack that a little bit more if you still have questions. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:27.200 Pray for you and and and and I trust be a real blessing to you. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:32.000 Okay, this is the gospel that that we proclaim as a church. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:34.160 And this is the gospel that this church was proclaiming. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:38.960 We see this, you know, testifying to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.480 Okay, that was that was the power right there. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:48.559 They were experiencing this great power in the proclamation of this. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.359 This is what the Holy Spirit was doing, and they were doing this together. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:53.920 They were very unified in this mission. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:55.200 Okay, but that's not really all. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:22:03.759 If you finish the verse there, it says that not just great power, but great grace or Or God's favor was upon them all. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.160 That's an amazing thing to think about, too. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:09.039 Now realize here, I love those two phrases there. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:13.440 God's great power and God's great grace that you see in that one verse. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:22.480 Realize that they are the very causes of everything that this church was experiencing here in this passage. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:31.279 Power and grace, great power, great grace, they were the reasons why they could be so unified as a church together. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:38.400 It was the whole reason why they were of one heart and one soul and cared for each other so well. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:52.559 Great power and great grace were the reasons they were they were able to proclaim the resurrection and evangelize so boldly and so fiercely as they ministered in times of just increasing persecution. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:58.960 They weren't able to do these things because they were superhero Christians that we just need to try harder to be like. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.359 No, they were regular people like you and I. 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:12.799 It's that the Lord was pouring out great power, he was lavishing them with great grace, and that was exactly what was helping them and allowing them to be able to carry this out. 00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:26.640 Okay, so so as I see that, and maybe you're seeing this too, and kind of unpacking this and understanding it, my my question as I look at this is okay, sweet, like that's amazing that this is what's happening here in Acts chapter 4. 00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:31.279 Now, how do I, or how do we as a church tap into that, right? 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:38.079 Or experience that same power and that same grace in our lives and in our church. 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:48.880 Okay, well, understand that it all happens as you and I are anchored to the gospel, okay, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.880 That's the phrasing in this verse, right? 00:23:50.960 --> 00:24:25.119 That was the ultimate game changer for these apostles and these new believers in this church, as they were deeply moved and impacted by the truth that Jesus is God who came to save undeserving them, which is the gospel in a nutshell, as they as they absorbed that truth and that reality, God just continued to pour out more of his great power, more of his great grace on them so they could carry out the tasks and all the things that he had called them to do and be. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:20.799 Don't look at it as something, well, it's it's this burdensome thing that man, I mean I gotta do that, I gotta read my Bible, and I gotta make sure that I tune into church or or or maybe even come to church next weekend. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:23.279 I mean, this is something that I have to do. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:25.519 What what what what a what a hassle. 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:26.480 Don't look at it like that. 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:37.119 Look at this as something that that you and I, we get to spend the rest of our lives unpacking the wondrous depths of who Jesus is, right? 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:43.920 Of what he has done for us, what he continues to do in us, and who we are in him. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:50.079 I mean, what a marvelous thing to be a part of as Christians as a church. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:57.920 And listen, as that happens in us, isn't that as that happens in our community here, we're gonna see God's great power. 00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:04.720 We're gonna see it at work, we're gonna see God's great grace, he's gonna heap it upon us in a multitude of ways. 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:08.160 We're gonna see his power and his grace at work in us. 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:13.519 We're gonna see his work uh and his power at work in other people as well. 00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:20.640 And as all of this is taking place, we'll become a deeply unified local church along the way. 00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:23.920 And of course, all of that to the glory of God. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:24.960 Let's pray. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:38.480 God, we thank you for this time together, Lord, these uh verses that encourage us and stir us and and and make us long for uh you to move and work in our lives. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:43.359 And so, God, I pray that we would um lean into you here today, Lord. 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:46.720 I pray that we would humble ourselves where needed, Lord. 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:48.000 I pray that we would cry out to you. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:54.880 Lord, I pray that you would stir our desires to long for more of you, more of your power, more of your grace. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:56.240 Father, I pray that you would do that. 00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:00.559 I pray that we would be a unified local church here, God. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:02.960 I pray that you would protect us from disunity. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:09.599 God, I pray that you would protect us from getting our eyes and hearts off the gospel and onto other things that aren't nearly as important. 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:21.759 Father, I pray that as we're in such a strange time in this pandemic, Lord, of course, and and and a lot of things in life and church and all of it just seem maybe extra difficult for us these days. 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:28.079 Lord, I pray for your great grace and your great power to just be unloaded on us even more. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:39.279 God, we are we are needy people, Lord, and what a no better place uh for us to be than in that position because it means that we can reach out to you, we can cry out to you, we can ask for more of you. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.799 So, God, that is what we are doing. 00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.559 That's what we're doing as a church. 00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:45.039 We need more of you, we want more of you. 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:48.000 And so, God, uh do these things we pray. 00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:50.640 We pray that you would do it to the glory of Jesus Christ. 00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:51.680 Amen.