WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.920 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:21.359 Morning, everybody. 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:22.559 Would you pray with me? 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:26.079 Thank you, Jesus. 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.199 Thank you that you are our living hope. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:30.960 Thank you for dying for us. 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:33.520 Thank you for the forgiveness that means for us. 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:37.439 Thank you that that means that we're we're completely righteous in you, Lord. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:41.439 We don't want to forget what it is that you have done for us, Lord. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.039 So I pray this morning as we've come, we want to hear from your word, Lord. 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:46.479 We want to grow in you. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.399 Would you speak to us this morning, Lord? 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:52.960 We're trusting that your Holy Spirit is here and you're going to speak individually to each of us. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:53.759 Would you come? 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:54.880 Would you do that, Lord? 00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:56.159 In your name I pray. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:57.119 Amen. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.560 Alright, guys, so this is the second sermon in our core value series. 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:06.480 Neil talked about the gospel last week, and this week I'm talking about community. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.239 These are kind of the distinctives that set our church apart, right? 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:11.439 So community. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:15.280 So we're going to be in Acts chapter 2, verses 42 to 47 this morning. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:18.000 Acts chapter 2, verse 42 through 47. 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.239 I will go ahead and read. 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:26.879 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:28.799 And awe came upon every soul. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.680 And many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles, and all who believed were together and had all things in common. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:40.799 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:55.680 And day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their proof 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. 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.760 So really encouraging passage. 00:01:57.840 --> 00:01:58.959 This is the early church. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.159 This is how they operated. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:03.760 And this is the kind of closeness and intimacy they had as a people. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:06.640 And I think we look at that and we're like, man, I want that. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:09.199 I'd love to be part of that kind of community. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:13.680 And so, what do we have to do to have this kind of community? 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.840 What were some key things that they were doing that created this for them, right? 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:19.759 That's what we're going to look at this morning. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:21.520 So let's start off in verse 42. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:26.560 It says they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship and to the breaking of bread and prayers. 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:33.039 The grammar of this Greek sentence, the way it's kind of structured, teaching and fellowship are the two main things. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:34.560 Two of the main things in this. 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:39.599 And then the other two things, the breaking of bread and prayers, are describing fellowship in the Greek grammar, right? 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:42.000 So that's kind of how I'm going to look at it. 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.800 So it says they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:45.759 Well, what is that? 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:47.680 What is it they devoted themselves to? 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:52.560 Well, they literally had apostles like Peter who would get up and start teaching them. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.479 So, I mean, that's like probably he was teaching from 1st and 2 Peter. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:03:00.000 It wasn't written yet, but that kind of stuff was probably coming out of his heart. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:05.120 And so when it says the apostles' teaching, I think the best way, modern day, that would be the New Testament. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:06.960 That's what they devoted themselves to. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:10.479 They devoted themselves to this scripture that we now have today. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:15.520 And so this is one of the first things that we as a people need to do. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:18.800 We need to devote ourselves to the Bible. 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:20.240 And that's one of the key things. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:23.039 If you want a biblical community, this is something that you need to do. 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:25.360 And so I want you to think, what would this have been like for them? 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:26.800 Imagine Peter getting up. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.240 You know, he starts preaching. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.240 And what kind of things would he say? 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.560 Let's look at 1 Peter chapter 4. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.039 And this is the kind of thing that I think he probably said. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:36.560 I mean, he wrote it down later. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:39.360 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 8 through 11. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:40.560 So he gets up, and this is what he says. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:45.520 He says, Above all, keep on loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.080 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:51.199 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:04:04.960 As good stewards of God's buried grace, whoever speaks as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies, in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:05.599 Amen. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:12.000 So imagine you're somebody in the audience and you hear Peter up, he's sharing this, and you're like, Well, I have some questions about that. 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:20.399 What, like Peter, when you said, when you said that love, you keep on loving one another earnestly, and love covers a multitude of sins, what did you mean by that? 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:27.759 And I imagine this would be the kind of environment where you could raise your hand and ask that question, or maybe afterwards you go up and ask Peter, you say, Hey Peter, you know, this one part I didn't quite get it. 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:30.160 What do you mean by love covering a multitude of sins? 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.160 And I think Peter, his response would be, well, I'm not saying that you excuse sin. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:39.759 Like as Christians, you want to be the kind of people that you regularly challenge one another when they're struggling with sin. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:42.399 But let me maybe say, let me give you an example. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:43.439 Here's what I mean. 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:49.600 You know, maybe you have a friend, and kind of the presenting issue with him is he's sleeping with his girlfriend, and that's what you're noticing. 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:54.959 But really, if you start to look into his heart, what you see is everything he's doing is about him. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:57.040 He's very self-centered. 00:04:57.199 --> 00:05:04.480 Like the way he dresses, even his girlfriend, the job that he has, it's all because it makes him look better and gives him more status in society. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.399 So he's a very self-centered person. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:12.240 And so at some point, you're gonna need to confront this friend about these issues in his life. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:16.079 And I don't think the first thing you should confront him about is the fact he's sleeping with his girlfriend. 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:17.920 I think you should go after the heart of the matter. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.480 And you should go to your friend and you should say, Hey, have you ever thought about the fact that the way you carry yourself, it's it's kind of self-centered. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:30.639 Like the girlfriend you have, the job you have, all of it is about you and getting more status and making yourself look better. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:46.560 And then if if this friend is a is a believer and and they're quick to admit their wrongs, they're gonna admit they're wrong, and then they're gonna suddenly the Holy Spirit is gonna begin to work in their life and they're gonna begin to try to change, and they're gonna begin to see all the ways that they're self-centered. 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:51.040 But you can't expect your friend to just like that suddenly be fixed. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:53.040 Like it it doesn't work that way. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:58.720 It's gonna take time for them to grow in Christ, and that's what I'm talking about when I say that love covers a multitude of sins. 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:03.680 There's gonna be some things that you're gonna have to choose to overlook as this person is slowly but surely growing closer to Jesus. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:06.800 I'm not saying that you excuse abuse and things like that. 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:08.000 That's not what I'm saying. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:13.360 But I am saying that as they grow, you're gonna have to have grace for them because that's what you would want others to do for you. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:15.120 Oh, okay, that makes sense, right? 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.720 So you see, like this is this is how the early church needed to function. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:24.079 They needed to be so devoted to the apostles' teaching that these are the kind of questions they were asking. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:28.160 They couldn't be somebody sitting there listening to Peter preach and be like, well, when's the football game? 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:29.120 I want to get out of here. 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:35.519 That that couldn't be how they had to be the kind of people that, you know, they're they're taking notes, they're thinking, how does this apply to my life? 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:37.519 I I need to go out and do this this week. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:41.680 That's the way they were interacting with God's word. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:51.040 Um the denomination that I used to serve in, I don't, they used to be known as people of the word. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:52.560 They used to be known as people of the book. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:54.240 That was something that was said about them. 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:56.879 I don't think they're known that way any longer. 00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:01.199 And the reason they're not known that way any longer is they've accepted something called open theism. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.000 Open theism is the belief that God does not know the future. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:09.600 Now, if you would open your Bible up and you start to read it, you could read it for about five minutes and you'd probably find out that God knows the future. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:11.279 It's all through this book. 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:21.759 And so there's something like if you want true community, but you're not gonna accept scripture as kind of your your guide, it's not gonna happen. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.279 Another thing that they think is penal substitutionary atonement. 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:26.879 Again, big theological word. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:31.279 It just means that Jesus died in our place and he took the wrath that we deserve. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:32.879 Basically, it means that. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:39.199 They say that that is divine child abuse, like God is abusing his son, and they want to get rid of that as well. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:44.800 And again, if you would look at your Bible and you go to the book of Romans, you'd be like, well, that's not what Romans says at all. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:46.000 It says that that is what happened. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:50.000 Like penal substitutionary atonement is a totally biblical concept. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:08:03.360 And so when you begin to allow your feelings to lead you, you know, when you come to Scripture and you say, Well, I'm gonna have to bend Scripture and make it fit my life, rather than going to Scripture and saying, Well, if Scripture says that, then I'm gonna have to change. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:06.000 I'm the one that needs to change, I'm the one with the problem. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:08.399 That's how you get to true communion. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:12.079 You have to be that devoted to God's word that you're willing to change. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.800 And the people around you need to be aware of that. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:16.240 Here's what this looks like. 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:20.879 You know, in 1 Peter chapter 4, that passage we read, look at verse 10. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:27.199 It says, As each of you have received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:36.159 So imagine you're having your quiet time one day and you read that and you feel convicted by it, because you realize, you know, I don't think I've ever used my gifts to serve other people. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:37.759 And you're like, well, what are my gifts? 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:43.360 You start, well, I'm pretty good at accounting, but I've only used that gift just to get me more money and to bless myself. 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.159 What would it look like for me to start to serve other people with that gift? 00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:51.600 And so you go to your discipleship group or maybe your community group that week and you say, hey guys, I was studying the Bible this week. 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.080 I feel so convicted, I'm not using my gifts to serve other people. 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:55.039 What do I do? 00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:02.639 And maybe your discipleship group guys or your community group people, they're like, Well, you know, I know this uh this nonprofit organization that's looking for some accounting help. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:04.559 Maybe you could volunteer some of your time to them. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:14.000 Or maybe some people in your group, they say, you know, maybe you could go and you could talk to the pastors at our church and you could say, is there anybody in our church that could use some help with their accounting or some financial advice? 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:15.039 I would like to help them. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.440 I want to donate some of my time to that. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:23.759 That's what it looks like for you to be so devoted to the word that you start to do what it says, right? 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:29.039 And this is one of the one of the requirements for biblical community. 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:33.279 And so I know you know the right answer to this, but I want to know the real answer. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.200 Are you a people that are devoted to the apostles' teaching? 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:41.919 That you're devoted to God's word, because that's one of the the prerequisites for biblical community. 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:48.159 Are you somebody that you know you're sitting in here, you're taking notes, you're thinking, how am I gonna apply this week this week? 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:53.519 And you go out and you do it, you're quick to admit that you you have fault and you've made you you've done something wrong. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:54.399 Is that you? 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:55.759 Is that who you are? 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:58.320 Let's keep going. 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:03.519 So they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship and the breaking bread and prayers. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.279 Fellowship is the Greek word koinania, koinanea. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:08.240 And it means this. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:16.480 It means you share whatever you have in anything, and there's also this element of a participation in this word, like you're you're participating together. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.200 Um, so sharing whatever you have in anything. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:22.080 I I think a half of this, I think as Americans, we get. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.240 Like we get that to have true community, you've got to be authentic and real with other people. 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.480 Like we're like, yes, that is that is important. 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:31.919 I've got to be real with other people to have true community. 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:36.799 Um, Paul Tripp, he said this: he said, You don't have to be afraid of what is in your heart. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:44.879 You don't have to fear being known, because there's nothing in you that could ever be exposed that hasn't already been covered by the precious blood of your Savior, King Jesus. 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:46.960 That's why we can be authentic. 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:48.159 That's why we can be real. 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:52.720 Because anything that you share, it's already been covered by his blood, so you don't have to be ashamed of it anymore. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.440 And so what this means is we we need to be a people that openly share with others. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:05.279 We share our weaknesses, we share our strengths, and and we need to have people in our lives that we know we can share anything with them, and they still are gonna accept us and love us. 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:07.519 Do you have people like that in your life? 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.279 So that's part of it. 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:13.919 But it said, uh it says that it means sharing whatever you have in anything. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:15.039 Anything. 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:19.440 And so this also means your material possessions, the stuff that you have. 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:25.200 That that is also the kind of thing when you're in true biblical community that you're gonna begin to share with others. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:30.480 That means your time, that means your resources, like you you need to be willing to share that. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:34.480 If if I can make it a little clearer in 1 John 3.17, it says this. 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:42.320 It says, if anyone has the world's goods and he sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:44.480 That's pretty clear, right? 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:57.440 So what this means is this winter, if you're walking down the street and you see a little kid that doesn't have a coat on and they're shivering, and you say, Well, bless you, son, let me pray for you, and you pray for him, and you just keep moving on. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:00.080 But you have the money in your pocket to buy them a coat. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:05.120 What this verse would say is, How can you say you love God if that's how you operate? 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:07.679 Like you're to actually do something about that. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:11.440 You're you're to live out what what what you're saying. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:17.600 And and the reason you're to do that is because Christ, when he came to earth, he walked on earth and he held nothing back from us. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:19.919 He shared everything with us, even his very life. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.399 He he died for us, he gave up his life so that we could be forgiven and we could live. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:27.279 And so we're called to reflect that then to others. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.480 And so we can't be holding back when we see others in need. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:34.960 Uh in Romans 12, 14 to 17, it it's kind of talking about the same thing. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:43.919 And it says this it says, Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.080 Don't be haughty, but associate with the lowly. 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:53.039 Never be wise in your own sight, repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.000 I I think those verses, that is what uh a life that's laid down before Jesus is to look like. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.360 So, practically, what's this look like? 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:07.759 Maybe there's somebody in your that you know here in church that they're in the hospital right now. 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:10.399 And maybe you just need to go mow their lawn this afternoon. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:13.759 That's what it looks like for you to live out community with them. 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:19.200 Maybe there's somebody in our church who they they had to have a surgery a couple weeks ago and they don't have insurance. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:22.960 And now they have you, they they have debt that they would not have had before. 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:30.559 And maybe they're in your community group and you need to say, hey, you need to contact your community group members and you say, Listen, we've got to do something about this. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:35.279 This is our brother or sister in Christ, and if we don't help them, I don't know that we can say we're brothers and sisters anymore. 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.399 This is what family does. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:37.360 We need to take care of them. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:40.639 Whatever you have to give, let's give and let's begin raising money for them. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.320 Because this is a responsibility of ours. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.159 We need to care for them and care for them well. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:50.080 Maybe one of your friends calls you Monday and they say, Hey, I've had a really tough day at work. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:52.159 And they begin talking about it, and you say, Hey, wait a minute. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.679 What if I just come over to your house? 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.360 Let's sit on the back porch, and I just want to hear about your day. 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:58.960 And they're like, Oh, that's exactly what I need. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:13:59.600 Come on over. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:01.679 And you go over and you sit there and you talk. 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:06.159 It's your resources, it's your time, it's you giving of yourself that others could flourish. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:07.919 That's that's what community is about. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:13.840 I think one of the best examples I have seen of this probably in my lifetime was during my time in YWAM. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:22.399 During my time in YWAM, we would run these discipleship training schools, and you know, it'd be three months of training, and then we'd go on a field assignment or a missions outreach. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:32.000 And so we would have to, we would wait until probably two months into the school and we'd say, your fees are due for the missions portion of this school. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:37.200 And every time when we came to that day, we would still owe between$60 and$100,000. 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:44.480 I mean, there's 70 to 100 students in the in every school, and we'd owe$60 to$100,000 in the last day, and we had no idea where it was coming from. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:47.279 And the students in the school are all 18 to 24 year olds. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:48.879 They don't have much money, most of them. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.240 They don't have access to a lot. 00:14:50.399 --> 00:15:03.919 And what we would do is we would read a passage like Acts 2, 42 to 47, and we would say, listen, guys, we believe that if we simply obey God, that if you do what he asked you to do, that he will provide the money for each of you as students. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:08.159 So we're gonna pray, we're gonna worship God, and we're gonna ask that you guys go out and you obey. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:15.200 And so what we would do is we'd get a marker board and we would write how much we needed total, and then we put everybody's name in the amount that they still owed. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:17.279 And we'd start to obey. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:23.039 Guys would go and get their surfboard, sell their surfboard, and hand it to someone, hand the money to someone. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.480 Other people would sell their laptop. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:28.320 We had people go and they'd sell their iPhones and turn the money in. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:34.080 We had people that would cash in their retirement account and give money to others. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:38.000 And every time that we did this, there would be, you know, we had students from all over the world. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:42.879 So there'd be some student who's from an impoverished country that they're like, I still owe$3,000. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:46.000 I have no idea where I will ever get the money. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:48.559 I don't know anyone with these kind of resources. 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:55.200 And every time what would happen is some student would come to this person from an impoverished country and say, Here, here's the money, you paid in full. 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:58.879 And every time that happened, the person would just melt into a puddle of tears. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:03.440 Every time that we did this, God provided all the money. 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:11.200 And when all the money was provided and we wiped it off the board, the place would go nuts and we would have some of the best worship I've ever experienced. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:16.080 That is what healthy biblical Christian community looks like. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.360 That is how we are to serve one another. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:26.480 Um as we keep going here in the text, it says to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:29.840 Um that means that they ate together. 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:30.960 They broke bread together. 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.559 And so this is kind of referring to two things. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:37.120 One, I think they had meals together, but also I think they regularly celebrated the Lord's Supper together. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:37.679 Okay? 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:46.720 Um, and so let's if you would come to one of our community groups at our church, every single community group, you're gonna at least be offered tea, coffee, probably some snacks. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.639 Some of them you're gonna get a full-on meal. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:53.519 And the reason that we do that is because it's it's here in the scriptures, it's what the early church did. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:17:00.240 And there's something about when you have a cup of tea or coffee in your hand or a sandwich or something, it's just easier to talk to people around you. 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:03.039 Like it just, it's it's almost like a social lubricant. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.880 You're eating, it's just what we do culturally. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:08.240 You eat and you start to talk and enjoy one another. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:13.839 But I think what I'd like to ask you here is you know, that doesn't just happen in community groups. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:25.359 Do you realize when you're out to lunch with one of your coworkers this week, or when you're having dinner with your family in your dining room at your dining room table, do you realize the Holy Spirit is in you in those times too? 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:30.160 And he also wants to minister through you to other people in those times? 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:34.319 That is a time where you can create this kind of holy community as well. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:39.920 Like, are you thinking when you're having a meal with your wife and kids, like, God, what do you want to do in this situation? 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:44.079 How can I draw my family closer to you tonight through our conversation at this table? 00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.759 How can I be a blessing to my children? 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:49.599 How can I be a blessing to my coworker that I'm eating lunch with today? 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:53.680 The next thing it says, it says they prayed together. 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.960 They prayed together. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:18:00.400 Again, our community groups, every community group, we we it expresses itself differently, but we all pray together. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.519 That's just something that happens. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:07.039 And again, there's something powerful when you pray out publicly in a group of other believers. 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:12.319 It's it's you being honest before God and sharing your hearts and your heart and your concerns to Him. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:16.559 There's an intimacy that grows when we when we pray together with fellow believers. 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:17.759 That happens. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:23.920 And so that's something that we we want to see happen, a healthy biblical community. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:25.599 You're gonna regularly be praying together. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.720 And again, this isn't something just for the community groups here in our church. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:30.480 This is something you need to be doing at work. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:34.720 This is something you need to be doing with your family at home, and something you need to be doing on the baseball fields. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:42.720 All of those places are all the kind of places that if you pray for somebody, it's gonna draw you closer to them, and an intimacy is gonna be formed, and community will be built. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.440 Next thing it says. 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:52.240 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:58.000 And you know, this is something that I think our our churches in America, a lot of them are lacking. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:01.039 I don't know that we have that much awe of God anymore. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:07.039 I think we're way more in awe of our iPhone, and I don't know that we're that in awe of God. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:14.960 And and I think that the simple answer, like, you know, do you spend more time on your iPhone or more time worshiping Jesus and in the Word each week? 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.680 I mean, the iPhone will tell you how much time you spend each day. 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.640 Mine does it every Sunday morning. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:22.000 It's like you spent this many hours, it's like yeah. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:26.000 Are you still in awe of God and what he can do? 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:33.039 You know, just just going to church twice a month to make your wife happy, that's not what community is. 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:43.759 Community, like like the reason that we do you realize the God of the universe, if you've repented of your sin and said, I want to follow Jesus, the God of the universe, the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:48.960 The same God that created the entire universe lives inside of you. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:56.319 The same God that in Acts does amazing miracles, amazing miracles lives inside of you. 00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:58.480 Are you still in awe of that? 00:19:58.640 --> 00:20:00.079 Does that still affect your heart? 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:03.759 Like when you came in the doors this morning, were you thinking about that at all? 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:05.119 Were you like, I'm excited? 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.039 What God could do anything this morning. 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.000 My friend that's far from God that I've been praying for for years, they could walk through the doors this morning and God could save them. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:13.599 That that could happen. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:18.319 When you go into work this week, are you in awe of God as you walk into the workplace? 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.359 And you're like, you know, what could God do today? 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.519 What might he do among my coworkers? 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.720 What might he want to do through me? 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.400 Is there somebody he wants me to pray for? 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:30.000 Are you in awe of God when you're sitting around that dinner table with your family? 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:35.440 Do you still have your sense of awe or have you lost it? 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:37.680 Have you lost it? 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:48.480 Um, I think the time when I kind of most got this sense of awe in my life, it was it was it was actually kind of a strange time. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:50.240 I was at a Korean funeral. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:58.000 So again, I was I was in Hawaii, and uh there was this Korean young man, he was probably in his early 20s, and he was out in the ocean swimming. 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:06.720 And there was a really bad riptide at the shore, which most of the locals knew, but he wasn't local, didn't know, and he goes out into the water, doesn't swim well, and he gets sucked out. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.200 And some of the other young men tried to save him. 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:16.720 One man in particular, he one young man in particular really tried to save him, almost drowned himself trying to save him, but eventually he gets sucked out to sea and he's gone. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:17.759 He died. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:21.200 And so we have to call his family and we invite them. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.799 I mean, this is a kid that he was he was in a missionary training school and he he dies. 00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:29.279 So we call his family and we invite them to the campus and say, hey, we want to have a memorial service for you. 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:35.200 And I think between 50 and 75 Koreans show up at the campus to celebrate this young man's life. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:37.759 And there's two things that stick out to me from this funeral. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:43.440 The first thing is I remember that the young man that tried so hard to save him and almost died himself trying to save him. 00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.799 I remember he was so dejected. 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:49.359 I remember him just there crying, and he went to the young man's mom and he said, I'm so sorry. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:52.000 And he's his head's just down like this. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:57.519 And the mom takes his chin, lifts it up, and says, No, you're not gonna blame yourself for this. 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.640 It's not your fault. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.440 I forgive you. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.759 You need to go and you need to run after Jesus. 00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:05.759 And that moment happened, and I saw it, and I'm just I'm just back there weeping. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.400 I'm like, what? 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:14.720 And then the next thing that happened in the funeral was um that when we came to the part where we were gonna praise Jesus, we're gonna worship him. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:16.079 The Koreans are all in the front. 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:20.799 We got like 75, 100 Koreans in the front, and and all of them were related to him. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:26.559 And so I didn't expect them to be super uh, I didn't expect much display of worship. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.720 I thought, you know, this is gonna be such a somber time. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:34.960 But we start to worship and their hands, both of them go up, all hundred people, and they're worshiping Jesus with everything they have. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:37.279 And again, I'm in the back, just I'm crying. 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.519 I'm like, God, how how are they doing that, God? 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:42.400 They just lost everything, they lost their dearly loved son. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:44.480 How are they worshiping you like that? 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:49.039 I just felt like God said in that moment, He said, Brand, I'm I'm worthy of worship. 00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:53.440 Even in the hardest times, I'm still worthy of worship. 00:22:53.759 --> 00:22:58.720 And I don't know how to describe it to you, but in that moment, I had such an awe of God. 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:03.599 Do you still have that sense of awe within you? 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:06.000 That God could do anything. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.240 There's nothing that's impossible for Him. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:11.519 Verse 44 and 45. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:19.839 And all who believed were together and had all things in common, and they were selling their possessions and their belongings, and they were distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:21.599 This is what I was talking to you about earlier. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:22.799 This is what they were doing. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.000 They're just, this isn't something that's mandated by the government. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:27.839 This isn't communism, okay? 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:33.920 This is a group of people that like the love of Jesus is so welled up in them that they can't help but do this. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.000 And so here's how you grow in this. 00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.680 This is how this has happened in my life. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:46.400 As I get the gospel more, as I understand more and more how wretched of a sinner I was and what I deserve. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:47.839 I deserve to die for that. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:55.200 More and more, the more I understand the holiness of God, his goodness, his greatness, his kindness, the more I understand how how wretched I used to be. 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:57.839 But then it just makes it all the better what he's done for me. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:01.680 Like he has forgiven me, and he hasn't just forgiven me, he said I'm as righteous as he is. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:03.200 And that is nuts to me. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:04.640 I don't deserve that. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.240 I'm so grateful for that. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:13.279 And as that starts to happen in my heart, and I start to get that deeper into my heart, I become this kind of person. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.480 I become more generous. 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:18.559 It's not hard, like this just bubbles up out of my soul. 00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:26.720 It's taking time, but God is continuing to work on this in me, and I'm becoming a more selfless person, and he can do the same for you. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:31.519 Um 46 and 47. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:35.200 And day by day, it's a notice there's a repeated phrase in here. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:46.720 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. 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:49.839 So that I think the thing to notice here is day by day is repeated. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:50.720 Did you guys catch that? 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.680 Day by day. 00:24:51.920 --> 00:24:53.839 They were meeting together every day. 00:24:54.000 --> 00:25:01.680 And they weren't meeting in private like this, they were meeting in a public place in the temple where there were people that didn't know Jesus and were far from God meeting in that same place. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:02.720 And they like that. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:09.759 They liked that people got to hear what they were preaching every day, because you know, they're gonna hear it, and probably some of them are gonna be drawn in day by day. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:10.559 They met every day. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:14.160 And so we look at this and we're like, man, I don't know modern times, does that work? 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.839 I don't know if I have time to meet every day, Brent. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:17.920 Like, that's a little bit too much community for me. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:20.559 And I would say for most of us that that's probably true. 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:22.559 And listen, I understand Acts. 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:25.839 I understand that Acts, it's it's not uh it's not prescriptive. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:28.480 It's not saying you have to live this way, it's descriptive. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:33.119 It's saying this is how the early church lived, and we've got to use wisdom to apply that. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:37.279 But I think in doing that, we need to be careful not to just completely write this off. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:42.720 Like we can't just completely write off that they they they met together day by day and they had this kind of close fellowship. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:46.880 Because I don't think the majority of our churches are reflecting this type of close fellowship. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:51.599 And so here's what I think you need to ask yourself: God, what are you asking me to do? 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:56.240 What's this look like in my life for me to grow closer to you? 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:59.440 What kind of community do I need in my life for me to grow closer to you? 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:01.519 Here's what it looks like for me. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:04.240 For me, I need to be in a community group. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:11.359 I need to be with a group of people where I can let my hair down and just be myself and they can fully know me and who I am and they still accept me. 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:16.160 And I can know the same about them and I encourage them and I challenge them. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:19.279 Community groups start September 17th, September 18th. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:22.559 If you're not in one, I encourage you to join one. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:24.799 I I think it would be very helpful to you. 00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.920 That's one thing that I need. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:28.319 Another thing that I need, I need to be in a discipleship group. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:30.799 I need a group of three to four men that know me well. 00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:40.160