This is a part of a sermon series in the book of Acts. You can watch more here.
This morning we will be in Acts 2. You can turn to page 91 in our devotional or you can turn to Acts 2 in the New Testament. We are continuing in a short vision series to remind us who we are as a church family, because we have all these areas in life; work, children, friends, relationships jumping up and easy to get distracted.
Last Sunday we were reminded of the power of the church. When I say, “Church” I am not talking about 10:30 on a Sunday morning. The word “church” comes from the Greek word “Ekklesia” which means “assembly or the called-out people of God.”
The “church” are the followers of Jesus around the world. The church isn’t a mom and pop operation but the church is a global movement of God. The means by which the glory of God is ushered into the world. It’s the church!
Different cultures, different ethnicities, different financial, educational backgrounds launched in Acts 2 as the church.
Their hearts and minds were convicted of their sin, they turn to Jesus in repentance, they commit their lives to following Jesus. In our passage this morning we get to see the daily life of the church. Look at Acts 2, verse 42:
Acts 2:42, “42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Remember, Jesus has lived the perfect life, Jesus has died on the cross for our sin, resurrected from death, so that in Acts 1 Jesus ascends into the heavens and tells the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit.
At the beginning of Acts 2, the Holy Spirit shows up, we saw that last Sunday, the church is birthed and grows from 120 people to 3,000, which is like the church going from a daycare to a high school overnight and it says they “devoted themselves” to the teaching of God’s Word, fellowship with one another, and prayer.
First let’s talk about the phrase “devoting themselves.” It doesn’t mean they were devoted to church activities. It doesn’t mean one hour a week on Sunday morning. The word “devoting” in the original language means “to attach oneself” to the apostles teaching, which is God’s Word, fellowship and prayer.
When you devote yourself to something you are setting it aside as priority in your life. Just like when John Legend sang the song, “All of Me.”
You know this song? Cause all of me, loves all of you. Now, I am pretty sure John Legend wasn’t talking about the church when he sang those words but these lyrics are pretty helpful, “Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.”
I am guessing for most of us, we don’t love “devoting ourselves” to the perfect imperfections of the church. We want a church that is easy. We want a church that is convenient.
I had someone email a number of years ago and said, “I am looking for a church where there are Asians, blacks, and Hispanics on staff. I am looking for worship music that reflects all those cultures. I am looking for people who are young, committed to the Lord, as well as those who are older and full of wisdom.” I emailed them back and said, “I think that’s called heaven.” Wouldn’t that be great if we could all have our own little personal church with our own little preferences?
But the church is like a public school. The public school doesn’t get to pick who walks through their doors. The public school get kids with special needs, kids with learning disabilities, parents that are way too involved and parents that aren’t involved enough.
That’s the beauty of the church. We are a hodge-podge of people with different socio-economic backgrounds. Most of us are socially awkward, most of us are horrible at communication, most of us assume everyone should see life the way we see it and when they don’t, we get frustrated. That’s the church! That’s the beauty of the local church.
If we are just looking for people who love dogs, or have toddlers, or a certain economic class then that’s called a Meet Up Group. If you walk into a local church and everyone looks alike, talks alike, and walks alike; that’s a cult.
The beauty of a local church is that most of the people don’t have everything in common. The beauty of the local church is at its best when we are rubbing shoulders against other seasons of life, different stages, interests and hobbies but because of our common belief in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we are indwelled with the Holy Spirit and within talking to one another for 2-3 minutes we know, “Oh, we’re family!” That’s the beauty of the local church!
Let’s quickly talk about the three areas mentioned in their “devotion.” When you see the emphasis to the “apostles teaching” it is talking about God’s Word and you need to know that is a huge part of our church family.
We love reading God’s Word. We love studying God’s Word, talking about God’s Word, applying Gods’ Word and most of all showing us how God’s Word points us to our need for Jesus.
It’s popular in our culture today to see churches rallying around something known as Liberation Theology. Most of the biblical references on social media right now are rooted in Liberation Theology, and their focus is to read Scripture through the lens of carrying for the poor.
God’s Word and God’s heart obviously bends toward those who are hurting, but the whole of God’s Word doesn’t exist to accomplish social and political transformation.
You might believe that, but we don’t believe that as a church family. We see all of God’s Word exposing our need for a Savior, made known in Jesus, so that we might be reconciled to God.
We don’t see this as just a means to get to heaven, which it is, but even more so, it is heaven on earth as our souls longing for security, safety, success, peace, joy and trying to find those things in this world but only finding lasting satisfaction in Jesus. We are devoted to this as a church family.
Right now, we have men and women working to launch groups that will meet throughout the month to help us get into God’s Word, study God’s Word, share God’s Word with one another, so that we might all be growing in our devotion to the “Apostles teaching.”
Second, when you see the phrase “fellowship and breaking of bread” it means we are devoted to being in relationship with one another. We don’t want to all live together in a commune. We don’t want to rummage through one another’s mail. We don’t want to be nosey, but we want to know one another and be known by one another.
We think one of the best ways we get to know one another is through sharing meals with one another, so sometimes we host meals after the worship service but one of the best ways is when we exchange information and meet for coffee, lunch, or invite one another into our homes.
Now, how do you think that goes when we take two socially awkward people who don’t have a ton in common and try share our lives with one another? It’s awkward.
It has a high rate of being uncomfortable. It’s one step forward and 2 steps back. Surprisingly, lifelong friends don’t develop overnight. It would be much easier to just go to a church where you attend a worship service, but in our church family we want to grow in our devotion to one another.
Our church family rallies around a passage in Matthew 18 that teaches us we are going to offend one another and when we do, because of Jesus, we can reconcile with one another. This is probably one of the most important ingredients in our church family.
Matthew 18 teaches us we are all sinners, so at some point sinners are going to offend one another. We are going to forget to text, we are going to not say, “Hello” on a Sunday morning. We’re going to fumble relationally. We are going to drop the ball. We are going to step on toes. We are going to hurt one another’s feelings.
Therefore, when it happens Matthew 18 teaches us to either forgive one another, genuinely, or we need to go and talk to those people about the offense, so that we can reconcile.
Wouldn’t it be awkward on a Sunday morning for us to all gather, lift our hands in worship at the glory of God but in our hearts not stand talking to one another? So, we must reconcile with one another. We must extend grace to one another. We must humble ourselves, admit our offenses, so that for the health of our church family we can continue in our devotion to one another.
When you see the word “prayer” it means “talking to God about our lives and His glory.” A church family can’t grow in prayer enough. How many churches can say, “We probably pray too much?” Therefore, we love growing in our devotion to prayer.
Yes, we want formal prayers on Sunday morning, ministry teams, and our community groups but we love organic prayers also. We love when people just stop in the hallway to pray for one another. We love when people grab one another in a worship service to pray for one another. We love when we text one another throughout the week and say, “I was praying for you.”
Sometimes we post a sign on Anderson Ln. to offer prayer to the community. During those moments most people will come with tears in their eyes longing for prayer, because no other organization can do prayer.
We want to pray for new people, marriages, our elders as spiritual leaders, parenting, and instead of carrying a list of prayers, and prayer lists are great, but we also want our prayers layered in confession.
Prayers of confessions when we drop the ball with one another. Prayers of confession where we are fearful of what others think about us. Prayers of confessions when our life is drifting toward darkness in thought, word and deed.
When a church family is layered in the gospel (admit our sin and our need for Jesus) that changes everything in our confession.
We’re not here to impress one another. We are here to be naked and unashamed with one another, so that we confess our appetites for this world. We confess how we ignore the Word of God, the voice of God and do what is right in our own eyes, so that our church family growing in our devotion to prayer.
These are characteristics of the church. I know this is just one verse. We’re going to be here till 2pm today, but listen to me, we can’t get distracted from these things as a church family.
Agencies can help with poverty. Counseling can help with marriages. Hospitals can help with those who are sick. But only the church can be devoted to God’s Word, fellowship and prayer. Look at verses 43-44:
Acts 2:43-44, “43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common.”
Remember, this is the first church, exploding from 120 to 3,000 and we see signs of miracles but the miracles aren’t the focus. The focus is that men and women were devoted to specific areas and as a result there was awe and wonder in their midst.
Therefore, we need to ask ourselves this morning, “Do we have awe and wonder toward the church?” I am not talking about a worship service. I am talking about the church, His people in Austin and around the world for His glory.
I think it’s possible we could hear these characteristics of the church in verse 42 and it could feel like a list of demands. Maybe we are nervous? Maybe we find ourselves pushing back like, “Well, they had it easier then. It’s harder today.”
I don’t want you to hear this as a rebuke but an encouragement. The only reason we exist as a church is because men and women are committed to our church family, but I don’t want us to lose the “awe and wonder.”
Let’s just take a moment to ask the Lord to open our hearts and minds for “awe and wonder” of His church. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us remember the “awe and wonder” of the church.
Listen to me, when we lack “awe and wonder of His church” you need to know we will settle for awe and wonder of the world. In the absence of awe and wonder of His church we become captivated by the pop culture, we will be in awe of Trump taking over Canada, we will think our children, driverless vehicles, going to Mars, or the latest event in sports are the best life can offer, so that we need to ask the Holy Spirit, “Would you expand our hearts and minds with awe and wonder of His church?”
It starts with verse 42, committing ourselves to God’s Word. I don’t just mean a daily verse, that’s great, but I mean studying God’s Word, breaking down chapter by chapter, seeing the flow, exposing truth in the world, in our life, so that your mind is just lost in awe?
When is the last time you opened your life to someone? When is the last time someone brought correction into your life and you were thankful? When is the last time someone challenged you to live out who God created you to be?
When is the last time prayer was personal? When is the last time prayer was like Jesus was right next to you in in that moment? When is the last time you prayed for someone and when you said, “Amen” you both had prayer in your eyes? Let’s look at verse 45:
Acts 2:45, “45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”
Now, verse 45 can scare some of us because we think the book of Acts is prescriptive instead of descriptive, so we start thinking we need to live on some land, create a commune, share wives, so don’t get distracted by the details but instead see the heart of verse 45.
These men and women devoted themselves to God’s Word, fellowship, prayer, so that there began to stir in them an awe and wonder of what God was doing in their midst so that they were willing to not only look out for their own interests but also the interests of one another.
Now, keep in mind, Galatians 6 teaches us to “bear one another’s burdens” and at the same time the next verse teaches us we are to “bear our own loads.” So that we each have a responsibility to the daily needs of life, but also growing in our interest or desire to help one another to get stronger.
I think of it as rowing and sailing. Each of us has a responsibility to row our boats of life, the daily activities. Right? Life is hard, and it is putting our heads down to row and sometimes we get to come along side one another and blow God’s grace into the lives of one another. Isn’t that what we see in our church family?
I see us looking for ways to pray for one another and encourage one another. I see us offering a shoulder to cry on. I see us reconciling with one another. I see us making ourselves available to help strengthen someone’s marriage, study the Scriptures, organize their finances. It’s awesome! It’s the fruit of God’s grace in our church family.
Where else in life do we see this besides the church? Most world religions are based on ethnicity and geographical location; not the church. Most organization are tied to financial standing, educational standing, family background; not the church.
Every other group is cut-throat, competitive, cliquish, but the church is these hodge-podge group of people, united in Christ, and sharing of life resources to strengthen one another for His glory. Look at verses 46-47:
Acts 2:46-47, “46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
This is a summary of the day to day routine. It’s like a schedule of their lives. They were devoted to Gods Word, fellowship and prayer. They were in awe and wonder, so that they were carrying for one another and as a result there were people around them that were curious and drawn to the Lord.
Listen to me, we can’t become some committed to one another that we forget what it’s like to be clouded in darkness. Amen?
We have a sign on the window that says, “You’re Invited” and practically it means to come to a worship service but even more so, we want to always be inviting those who are lost into His family.
We never want to become so committed to one another that we forget what it was like to be lost, forget what it was like to be confused. Right?
I don’t know what Jesus is doing in Austin, but I know He wants to break chains of darkness. He wants to bring people into His Light. He wants to seek and save the lost and He has empowered His church, so that we don’t have to tippy-toe in our city.
Just because a person is making money or getting college degrees doesn’t mean people are experience awe and wonder in life. The darkness of this world wants to blanket people in fear and the best this world has to offer is the American dream, which is more like a nightmare.
You never feel secure. You never feel established. You always have to compete. You always have to wonder where you stand. You never feel like you have enough, so you work, work, work and you consume, consume, consume so that people are generally exhausted! Yeah, Jesus is better!
Creation belongs to Him. Life belongs to Him. He calls His church to be devoted to these things and when we do we will find awe and wonder in life. We don’t have to wait till heaven, we can taste of heaven on earth in Him. This is why we exist as a church family.
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
You are welcome to contact us if you would like more information.
NVC Online
Unable to attend this Christian Church in Austin? Don’t worry, because, through God’s provision, we have created NVC online, an Online Church streaming a worship service every Sunday from 10:30am Central Time. You can also watch our short, powerful sermons on demand and follow us on Instagram for daily Christ centered content.