WEBVTT 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:05.200 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:11.039 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.960 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:19.120 To find out how to connect with us, keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:24.079 Good morning, CCW. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:26.800 That was that was good. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:27.600 That was good. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:31.519 Turn your Bibles this morning to Acts chapter 2 as we jump in. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:35.679 This is our fourth week in the tribe study. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:42.240 And this week, as Pastor Dave mentioned, is community in or through hospitality. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:47.679 And uh before I do start, I just want to, a couple of things I want to get you to be praying for. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:54.560 Elizabeth Wilkins, many of you know her, her and Gary, very involved in our missions at the church. 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:58.320 And Elizabeth was uh hospitalized on Friday. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:07.359 She's still dealing with this brain cancer, and it's serious, and we're just asking for God's mercy and grace on her and Gary and Shirley the family. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.319 So just be in prayer for them continuously. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:17.519 And uh Marcus Brewer had an appendectomy since last Sunday, and if you've ever dealt with that, it's a uh painful thing. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.560 But be praying for the Brewer family as well. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:24.239 Um last night, if you weren't here, you missed it. 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:32.159 We had the prices right live over here uh with uh Pastor Dave Barker, as we know him as. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:35.599 And uh he spoke into a curtain rod. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.400 We had a great time. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:41.120 So thank you, Amanda and Dave, for all of that. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:45.840 But in your Bibles, Acts chapter 2, I've been excited about this week for a while. 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:53.280 I was telling the serve team, I've never heard anybody preach on this topic just specifically, and uh it's a passion of our hearts. 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:55.120 So let me pray and then we'll jump in. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:00.640 Father, we just ask for your presence this morning to be with us. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.640 God, uh calm our minds, still us. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.960 Psalms 46, 10 said to be still and know that you are God. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:15.439 And uh we need for the remainder of this time of worship, Lord, to meet with you. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.960 And uh God, speak to our hearts, let your word do its work. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:27.360 Get us and our mind and our schedule and our busyness and everything, Lord, give it a break and allow us just to meet with your Holy Spirit. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:34.080 Tell us what needs changed, tell us what needs better, tell us how we can be a help to the ministry. 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.000 God, just speak to us. 00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:41.439 And Lord, we'll be grateful and thankful to meet with you in Jesus' name. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:42.400 Amen. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:48.800 In Acts chapter 2, the first point this morning is hospitality is a major marker of the Christian. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.800 In Acts 2, it is the conception of the church. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:58.000 Acts 2 to the church is what Genesis 1 is to humanity. 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.759 It's the embryo, the initiation of church. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:07.599 And we find out what markers of the church are starting in Acts chapter 2. 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:15.439 And so as we look at hospitality being a marker of the Christian, there are many misconceptions of what hospitality is. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.520 Hospitality is not a house. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:23.039 Hospitality is not entertaining, hospitality is not even hosting. 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:33.199 The Greek word is philosynia, and that word means love of strangers, fond of sharing or to lodge. 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:37.840 And so as we jump in, let me read Acts chapter 2, 41 and 42. 00:03:38.080 --> 00:03:39.680 Look what it says here. 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:51.840 41 and 42, and it says, Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:53.919 And they continued steadfastly. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:56.000 Listen to what they continued. 00:03:56.159 --> 00:04:01.759 In the apostles, doctrine, fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 00:04:02.000 --> 00:04:03.199 Go down to verse 44. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:13.439 Now all who believed were together and had all things in common, sold their possession and goods, and divided them among all as any one had need. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:21.279 So continue in verse 46, daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.480 So these markers that are in this scripture are important for you to see. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:32.399 The early church, because of hospitality, was able to continue the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:49.759 This was not a popular crowd of people, and there was people against that spread of the gospel, and so it was very important that people had a place to go to stay, that they had a meal to be given to them, they had lodging, that they had a place, a home that would welcome the spread of this gospel. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:54.879 And so the banding together of early Christians is vital to where we are even now. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:05:00.800 Hospitality in its purest form is therefore for the other. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:07.279 Because in its purest form, it's exhibited without someone seeking a recompense. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.120 It's for the other. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:11.600 What is the opposite of hospitality? 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:18.240 Well, it's rude, it's discourteous, it's pushing aside a need. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:22.639 And when I thought about that, I remembered all the way back to sixth grade. 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:28.800 Sixth grade, I had a friend who would sit across from me from lunch, and my mom would give me money and I would order. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:30.079 We would, y'all remember, right? 00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:32.240 French bread pizza. 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:32.879 Okay. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:44.160 Nachos, I would get nachos on nachos days, or I would get pretzels with cheese, and all the time this guy, my friend, supposed to be my best friend, he would say, Hey man, give me some of that. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:46.879 Why don't you share with your with your brother? 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:48.240 Why don't you give me a piece of that? 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:49.439 Give me a piece of that French bread. 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:50.560 And I would share with him. 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:55.759 And one day I came to school, dreaded, without my lunch. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:57.439 Y'all know that feeling? 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:02.480 Sitting there watching everybody happy, just diving into their stuff. 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:06.319 And over across on the table, my friend had some handy snacks. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:07.199 You know what that is? 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:11.120 Four or five crackers and some little, I don't know, you can call it cheese. 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:18.160 I don't know if it really is, but that package, and I said, Hey man, I said, Why don't you give me one of them crackers? 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:19.279 I don't have no lunch. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:24.079 He looked me dead in my eye, Benji, and he said, This is a one-man snack. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:26.079 I said, What? 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:28.959 Are you kidding me? 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:32.800 Rude and discourteous, that's the opposite of hospitality. 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:38.720 Hospitality seeks a person who is in need in order that we can offer care. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:44.319 It treats everyone, listen to me, everyone as if they're a guest of honor. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:50.399 It doesn't look at social status, doesn't look at wealth, doesn't look at skin, doesn't look at any of that. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:51.920 Everyone's a guest of honor. 00:06:52.079 --> 00:07:01.759 And today, through God's word, I want to submit God has placed you in a community, in a family, in a church, in a body to share in hospitality. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:10.720 I want you to turn over to Romans chapter 12, just for a quick look at this little passage, 12, 9 through 12. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:17.680 And after the conception of the church, Paul begins, he becomes a Christian. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:26.000 This is 28 years later, Acts 2 is 80 30, about uh 80 58 was when Romans was written. 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:30.959 And by this time, there is a lineup of how a Christian ought to look. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:37.680 And this is even in the heading in my Bible, Romans chapter 12, verse 9 starts with, Behave like a Christian. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:43.360 So if you want to know today what is a Christian supposed to look like to the world outside, how are we different? 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.439 Why, what what are what is our behavior? 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:46.639 Look at what it says. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:56.639 It says, Let love be without hypocrisy, abhor what is evil, cling to what is good, be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:13.759 In honor, give preference, that means give first place to someone else, to the to one another, not lagging and diligent, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continue and steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saint. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:15.279 And look at how he ends. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:17.759 Given to hospitality. 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:19.839 Bible says you want to behave like a Christian. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:23.680 Paul said, you need to be given to hospitality. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:25.199 And you see it through scripture. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:30.480 It's a marker of how a pastor should act, a marker of a deacon in a church should act. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:31.759 It says a widow should act. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.799 Hospitality is riddled through the pages of this book. 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:44.799 And so my question today, when you hear the definition, the behavior that should be marked of a Christian, are you actively looking for a way to help? 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:55.919 Are you actively, do you have goals set for your week, every week, looking for a way that you can be a help? 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:03.039 Not this just comes up and then I'll react, but am I actively pursuing means of hospitality? 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.360 Well, let's talk about what it looked like and who it was. 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.919 Letter A, to that church, it was a saved membership. 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:13.600 It was a saved membership. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:15.120 Look at verse 41. 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:28.799 The word penetrated them, they repented of their sins, they received the word, were baptized, and that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:30.559 They received the word. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:35.679 3,000 people at one time were saved, is what the scripture said. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:37.200 What a sight that must have been. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:43.279 Heather and I had the opportunity to lead a youth rally for about 10 years in Connorsville. 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:44.320 It was called Storm. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:51.120 And there was one or two occasions where we were leading that rally that multiple hundreds of students came forward. 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:52.799 One time there was over 300. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:10:04.399 And I'm telling you, it was a massive thing to watch, and the sight felt like this is a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing to behold, to see all these people responding to the gospel. 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:12.879 And when I thought about that, I thought about what do the crusade, what is the biggest time where somebody received this? 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.600 And this scripture says 3,000 at one time. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:19.039 But I got a picture I want you to see of Billy Graham Crusade. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:25.759 This picture is from 1973 in Seoul, Korea, at an airport hangar. 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:32.639 And over a few days in attendance, there was 3.2 million people who attended this crusade. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:40.399 75,000 decisions for Jesus Christ were made in 1973, 50 years ago. 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:56.080 Everyone for multiple generations in that area of the world was impacted by somebody who knew the gospel because 75,000 people, it's somebody's aunt, their uncle, their grandpa, somebody was impacted by Billy Graham's ministry. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:06.480 And so when I picture what it looked like for 3,000 to come, just imagine the front part of that crusade just coming in droves to know Jesus Christ. 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:08.960 Amazing to think on. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:13.679 Verse 44, it says, continuing daily with one accord in the temple and bringing bread from house shells. 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:15.919 They ate food with gladness and simplicity. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:17.840 I'm sorry, I'm reading verse 46. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:25.200 It wasn't making sense to me, so if it was to you, now all who believed, that's what I wanted, now all who believed were together. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:31.679 This was everyone who believed, participated in the hospitality of the saints. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:38.799 So what I'm telling you, this is not expected of a lost world, this kind of Christian hospitality. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:43.360 It's not expected of somebody who doesn't have Jesus in their heart who knows him. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:46.799 This is the work of the Holy Spirit to be a witness. 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:52.080 Acts 1.8, if you study the book of Acts, I'm sure these groups, there's a few of them study in Acts. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:55.200 And Acts 1.8 says that we are to be witnesses. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:56.799 Well, witnesses of what? 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:00.320 Witnesses of what Jesus did on the cross. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:05.360 These were the initial witnesses of what formed our Christianity. 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:10.000 So they banded together and they were going, they were being witnesses of that truth. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:15.679 But it required for them to continue that early church hospitality. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:18.639 He says there in the scripture a couple of times. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:21.840 Twice it says it was to be continued, and they continued. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:23.919 Remember that phrase is popping up. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:27.440 You remember growing up and that popping up on television? 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:29.120 To be continued. 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:33.840 This generation has been ruined by Netflix. 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:34.799 Okay? 00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:38.320 They don't know what to be continued did for a small child. 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:38.960 Okay. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.600 When you want the next episode, you got it. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:46.879 And back in those days, to be continued meant, listen, kids, you had to wait a whole week. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.480 A whole week to see what the continuation was. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:55.679 And in some cases, you had to wait eight months to find out who shot JR. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.960 You had it had to be continued. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:04.159 Well, this was sort of in the early days of Christianity. 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.080 This was the cliffhanger feeling. 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.279 It was on edge. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:17.679 What was about to happen with this early church, this young group of people vibrantly going out with the spread of this gospel, quit their jobs, quit everything. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:21.919 And it had to have hospitality. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:23.919 It was to be continued. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:26.080 Verse 42, go back to that. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:32.080 Letter B in verse 42 will be a steadfast membership. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:35.919 So how did the church grow from its conception? 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:38.000 It growed because of this. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:43.840 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, and breaking bread and in prayers. 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:44.799 But they continued. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:45.200 How? 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:52.480 That word continued, that steadfast is prosketero, and that means to adhere to one another. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:57.279 Similar to the word we learned the other week, uh parallel, which is cleave. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:01.039 When a man leaves his father, mother and cleaves, it's like glue. 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:09.440 That early church, they were unified, they were together, they were one body, and it means to devote, to give great attention. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:11.919 They had to be steadfast. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:18.159 And again, what I said earlier, they were not, the early Christians were not a popular bunch. 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:23.440 The wealthy and the religious and powerful had a bone to pick. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:28.559 They wanted to eliminate anything that was a threat to their perceived power. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:32.879 Does this sound familiar to America today? 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:41.360 Christians were persecuted, they were imprisoned, they were beaten, they were martyred for that witness. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:53.039 It's amazing to think back on the foundation of who we are today that started with people willing to be steadfast in the face of great persecution. 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:59.840 We still today in America have great freedom from religious tyranny. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:01.840 Today we still do. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.840 Early Christians did not. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:11.840 We are very blessed still in America because listen to me, persecution worldwide for Christians is still very real. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:14.159 I want to show you a world map of persecution. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.360 I want you to see this. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:22.240 Anything that has orange or red designates persecution across the globe. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:23.679 Red means heaviest. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:29.600 If you look far, far right, North Korea is number one, and you can look across this map and see where it's very heavy. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:32.159 But I want you to hear these statistics while you look at that. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:36.960 5,621 Christians were killed for their faith in 22. 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:42.879 22,110 churches were attacked in 22. 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:48.240 4,542 Christians were detained in 22 for their faith. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:54.320 360 million Christians across the globe faced persecution. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:16:03.120 So when you think about the blessings, and if you even look at that map, they don't even designate that America has any persecution still at this point. 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:11.200 Now we know there's there's talk, but by and large, nobody's coming into our church pulling us out because we're meeting. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:15.519 They're not stopping you and detaining you in that way. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.519 And how did this happen? 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:23.600 I want you to understand, Scripture says, Blessed are they who are persecuted for my name's sake. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:25.679 Blessed, happy are they. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:30.240 The Bible says, if they hated me talking of Jesus, how will they treat you? 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:36.960 But they continued, and they were able to because of the hospitality of the church community. 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:48.000 We have inherited, hear me, church, we have inherited blessings from the early church because of their proscritero, because of their steadfastness. 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:56.240 Can you imagine the type of person they dropped everything they had in life and they continued for the spread of what they saw? 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:58.399 And how were they able to do that? 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:01.600 Hospitality was a major marker of how they continued. 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:04.720 Daily, it says, look there at verse 44. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.640 So, what are the other markers? 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:09.599 It says they met together. 00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:16.799 Verse 42, steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, and breaking of bread and in prayers. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:22.799 In verse 44, they came together, they sold their possessions and good and divided among them as anyone had need, continuing daily. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:27.039 Verse 46, one accord in the temple and breaking bread house to house. 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:27.839 Daily. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:29.200 Okay, hear me, daily. 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:32.319 Christianity was not Sunday, it wasn't Wednesday. 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:38.000 Christianity was daily, and they met together daily in the temple and house to house. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:41.519 And so that proscotero was adhering to one another. 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:44.000 How did they do how they become so unified in the pursuit? 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:44.799 It was daily. 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:47.119 It was a part of their breathing, it was a part of their life. 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:52.640 And it says they were praying daily, they were praising daily, and they were eating daily. 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:56.000 And in verse 46, it says they were no vegetarians. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:57.039 They were eating meat. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:57.680 That's what it said. 00:17:58.160 --> 00:17:59.920 With gladness in their heart. 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:03.279 So I identify with the early Christians here. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.559 Proscotero. 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:08.240 It means steadfast adhering. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:13.039 When I thought about that word, I see it again in 1 Corinthians 15, 58. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:21.759 It says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for then you know that your labor is not in vain. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:24.559 It said, Therefore, be steadfast. 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.079 What is the therefore? 00:18:26.160 --> 00:18:27.039 Is the question, right? 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:32.000 And the therefore in 1 Corinthians 15 is because Jesus said, Death has no sting. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:37.759 What Satan brought with sin when sin has no victory, because Jesus already has the victory. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:43.359 So the therefore is this that if you'll be steadfast in the work of the Lord, you know your labor is not in vain. 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.720 What do you mean, Pastor? 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:48.960 Because I have heaven to gain, my labor is not in vain. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:50.079 Are you hearing me? 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.799 Heaven gain, labor is not in vain. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.440 I'm working. 00:18:53.519 --> 00:19:02.000 And they took off the early church and went wild because they just believed in what Jesus Christ did and said. 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.279 And so they continued daily. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.400 Well, how do we do that? 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:08.160 Steadfast letters see. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:09.359 Selflessly. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:11.440 It was a selfless membership. 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.839 It was selfless. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:16.079 Look at verse 45 and 46. 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.960 How do we know it was selfless? 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:23.599 And they sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as any had need. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:29.759 They sold all of their things. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.759 We have a great discontent in America because of things. 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.799 We want things, and we believe that things are going to make this heart leap. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:47.119 And I'm telling you in scripture, this group of people were united on a front and happy and blessed, and they were because they were selfless. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.440 It says they were in one accord. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:54.079 That word one accord in the Greek is a compound word, hamothomodon. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.680 It's hemothomodon. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:20:00.079 It's used 12 times in the New Testament, and 10 of them are in Acts. 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.920 Hamathomodon. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:07.759 And it what that word is, is to be rushing along in unison. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:10.079 To rush along. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:11.279 I want you to think about that. 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:13.759 The opportunity to do something united. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:17.680 They rushed along in unison and continued this early church. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:20.799 Anyone here ever seen the movie Christmas with the Cranks? 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.640 You remember how it started out and they were done with Christmas? 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:26.000 They weren't going to go on Christmas. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:27.440 They were going to go on a cruise. 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:33.359 And Christmas was over and all the neighborhood was had in a big uproar because they were not doing Christmas. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:37.599 An old daughter called and said, I'm coming home for Christmas. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:45.680 And all of a sudden the lady drops the phone and she's calling everybody and gets the whole neighborhood, and everybody's in unison because she's coming home for Christmas. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:47.039 We gotta have Christmas. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:54.240 The lady's fighting with the lady at the grocery store over some ham and all this melee is going on so that they can have Christmas. 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:56.880 And you see a whole community works together. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:59.680 So this girl doesn't miss her Christmas. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:14.160 I want to tell you, that's a silly story about somebody coming together in unison, but the early body of the church, man, it was a rush to go and present this gospel, to continue that work. 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:18.720 A few weeks ago we talked about the importance of the body to the mission. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:30.000 Matthew 28, 19 through 20, the mission, the great commission that we have is to go there for all over this planet, spreading the gospel and discipling and teaching. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:32.880 Okay, so you come here and if you receive it, that is one part. 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:39.519 Well, then we want to teach you so that you can become in unison with, we don't want you just to receive Christ and say, oh, awesome, we got you. 00:21:39.599 --> 00:21:39.759 Good. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:41.440 Your tickets punched, we're done. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:46.640 We want you to believe in it, and then therefore you go and be a part of the taking it. 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:49.039 Are you taking it? 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.240 Are you taking it to the workplace? 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:55.119 Are you taking it to the teammates? 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.279 Are you taking it? 00:21:57.440 --> 00:21:59.440 Let me tell you, early church died. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.119 For the spread of this. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:06.880 And sometimes we have it and we don't share it to a lost family member. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:10.400 But these people were selfless. 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.920 It says they sold their stuff. 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.519 Can you picture that? 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:20.079 One of the hard things to conquer in this culture is the lust for more. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.880 I've got a uh credit card graph I want you to see. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.799 Take a look at this. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.839 It's the age. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:34.480 The ages are at the bottom, but this is the average credit card debt in American culture. 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:40.000 185 billion, 170 billion. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:47.119 The average American households has somewhere between 14 to 21,000 in credit card debt. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:52.960 That means they have spent more money on things that they don't have the money for. 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:54.799 They hadn't worked for. 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:58.640 Would you say that we like things? 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:01.920 We like stuff. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:06.960 We like shiny things and new things and expensive things. 00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:14.720 And one of the schemes that Satan has to fight hospitality is our need for more, bigger, and better. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:20.400 And I want to tell you another scripture, 1 Timothy 6, life does not consist in the abundance of things. 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:24.640 You can have more, but that's not life. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:29.519 This gospel that these early Christians were pushing was life to them. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:32.480 The early church got it. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:33.759 They sold all. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:37.759 Can you imagine what this looked like if we got everybody together from CCW? 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.519 We met out on the pavilion and said, All right, let's put it all up. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:50.880 And everyone had an equal amount in things to move forward so that they could basically be missionaries from that point forward. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.440 What would that look like? 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:56.480 You know, there's a scripture about it. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:01.680 A man Jesus encountered, he said, How can I get into heaven? 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:03.920 And Jesus finally saw the wealth of the man. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:06.160 He says, Take all your things and sell them. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:10.160 He knew the man's heart that he wouldn't be surrendered fully. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.359 There was another step. 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:19.440 And I think some of the things that we fight in culture today is not that we don't understand the gospel, sometimes we don't understand surrender. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:29.359 It says they sold it all, they bartered it all, they worshiped together day and night in the temple and went from house to house. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:32.960 It was people over possessions for the early church. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:39.920 It reminded me, Heather and I had a chance to meet a family, sweet couple, last name of Valero. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:48.640 The Valeros were a family who, in their 50s, majorly wealthy, majorly successful in the business arena. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:55.279 God got a hold of his heart in his 50s, and they surrendered to the call to go to the mission field. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:01.839 And the Valeros, he was talking to me, and I said, you know, I just was asking, I was wondering, I said, what happened to like your stuff? 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.960 You're in your 50s. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:07.119 You have lived a long life, and what happens, you know, you're in a building phase. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.000 This is what happens. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:10.960 There's storage units because we're in a building phase, right? 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:18.000 Everybody gets stuffed so much so that in American culture you got to buy some storage units to hold the stuff that doesn't fit with your other stuff. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:21.039 Bible said the man had a barn and had to build another one. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:21.519 Okay. 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:24.480 And so I said, What happened? 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:30.799 And he said, Well, everything I have for a long while was put into two storage units. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:36.559 Everything from my whole life, all of my successes, all that this man was, sat in two storage units. 00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:39.839 And he said, Finally, about six months ago, I just got tired of it. 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:41.519 He said, I sold it all. 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.839 I thought about that. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:47.839 A man lived his life to build to a place of success. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:57.200 The world said, This is the pinnacle, and he reached it in the business world, and then he filled up his sheds and he said, I'm done. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:00.480 Because I can help the spread of the gospel. 00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:01.359 Mr. 00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:08.160 Valero, a few years back, lost his life spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:17.599 He woke up in heaven with nothing from earth, but he was greeted with a well done, you good and faithful servant. 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:19.440 Are you hearing me, Church? 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:24.559 Dave Ramsey says it like this: live like no one else, so you can give like no one else. 00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:26.079 It's hospitality. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:28.480 My wife has a gift of hospitality. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:39.920 Since our Tennessee temple days, when I saw her and started understanding who she was, one day she said, I'm going to put together this gift basket. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:40.960 I said, Oh, you are? 00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:41.599 Who's it for? 00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:48.640 And she said, there's a girl in my hall, and she's, you know, I can just tell she has needs, and she started putting together this basket. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.359 And I'm like, What? 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.480 I'm like, are you friends? 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:52.559 No, I really haven't talked to her before. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:55.920 Her heart was, she wanted to meet this girl's need. 00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:57.920 And I never seen a college student do anything like that. 00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:59.759 College students are poor. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:01.279 College students unite. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.799 Ramen noodles. 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:07.599 We're gonna get together, and three of us are gonna split a Papa John's at 10 o'clock at night. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:08.720 We're poor. 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:14.079 And she's buying bath supplies and things for this girl, and I thought, wow. 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:21.359 The first time Heather took me, we were we were dating, and I went to her home in Warrington. 00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:23.839 She cooked a meal for 12 people. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:27.039 And the food was delicious. 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:29.839 I'd never seen a 21-year-old girl cook. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:33.039 I never seen a 21-year-old cook for 12 people. 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:34.880 And the food was delicious. 00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:37.680 This fried pork, chopped corn, mashed potatoes. 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:39.119 I'm like, oh my goodness. 00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:41.039 And look at her, she's gorgeous. 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:44.160 That was the day I started saving for a ring. 00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:47.839 Cooking and good looking. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.359 Amen. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:54.720 But I saw that heart. 00:27:55.759 --> 00:28:00.799 And I'm telling you, church, because of, I can't cook a thing. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.559 I can cook a mean toast. 00:28:02.720 --> 00:28:04.079 I can't cook nothing. 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:14.319 But because of that heart and that care, I've been a part of seeing hundreds, maybe, maybe thousands of people sit at our dinner table. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:19.200 I get to love on people because God's given her this gift of hospitality. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.000 They come into our home. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:23.119 We love having people in our home and don't even believe it is our home. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:28.559 It is God's home so that we can administer hospitality. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:32.400 Well, I want you to see what Paul had to say about this in Philippians 2. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:39.680 They got rid of everything and gave. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:41.839 Philippians 2, 2 through 4. 00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:42.960 So how do we do this? 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:44.960 Remember what I said, they were not selfish. 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.240 They had to be selfless. 00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:55.519 Paul said in his writing, Fulfill my joy, verse 2, being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, one mind. 00:28:55.680 --> 00:29:11.920