An Original Snapshot of the First Church, Part 3

When looking for a place for you and your family to attend. How can you tell the difference between a good church, one that's lost its way.

One of the virtue telltale signs of a healthy church today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll contends the answers are found by looking at the very first church in acts chapter 2.

In these verses were able to see how their love and unity because their numbers to multiply.

Let's pick up the message truck started earlier this week of an original snapshot of the first church babies need lots of things.

Mainly they need nourishment, 120+ people brand-new just been baptized. Now gathered together.

They have one thing in common. That's Christ they've all placed their trust in Jesus it all believe in him so what are they need well look for yourself. Verse 42. All believers devoted themselves to four priorities to the apostles teaching to fellowship, to the sharing of meals. Your Bible may redo the breaking of bread that is the Lord's supper and to prayer. Those are priorities first priority.

One would be instruction from the Scriptures never choose fellowship look at the result of fellowship verse 44. All the believers met in one place they shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions they shared the money with those who were in need. So there is a commonality. Now there's 1/3.

Go back to our original verse 42 they devoted themselves to the sharing of meals and the Lord's table as well as baptism. So now we find the ordinances taking place as well as times of real personal worship and how joyful they were. Verse 46 I love this verse.

They worshiped together at the temple each day and they met in homes for the Lord's supper. They shared their meals.

Look at it with great joy and generosity. When we worship we become lost in wonder love and praise when we worship we invite the Lord's presence to give direction. When we worship we give him our praise. As we said in all before him, we pause for a moment and illustrated years ago Benjamin Warfield BB Warfield, who was a very respected teacher at Princeton seminary, wrote a letter to students. He was concerned about because I was seminary. It is easy to get lost in what I call the hothouse setting where you're dealing with the Bible like a textbook every day you're working in translation every day you're dealing with the languages church history, theology, Bible exposition church on a Christian education on your your living in in this place where it is constant emphasis on biblical things and you get enamored of it, you lose your all in it which is what BB Warfield writes about listen to his words. Think of what your privileges when your greatest danger is that the great things of religion they become common to you. The very atmosphere of your life is these things you breathe them in every poor. They surround you, encompass you press in upon you from every side. It is all in danger of becoming common to you.

God forgive you. You are in danger of becoming weary of God. Paul David Tripp and whose book disappears, titled dangerous calling as this.

What powerful words of warning to everyone in ministry of any type. The great danger lies precisely in his constant contact with divine things to warn you about that, but warn you faithfully attend the Bible study and has becoming perfunctory for you big word for its business as usual there were no nano Bible study.

Our in verse five. Last time we started verse six. This time way stop. You are in danger of losing your all of God you worship is suffering you not attending the class you're sitting before the presence of the living God.

This is why I make such an emphasis of the word awesome.

We've even cheapened the word and use it for everything. Now I hear it every day about everything, but God and if he's the only one at this. He is an awesome God noticing chambers 43, and a deep sense of all swept over them. He alone is the star of the show. No one else is deserving of praise or flattery, we come before Almighty God, and that should be a hallmark of our church as part of our worship. We keep feeling a sense of all. By the way, how did they participate. There was that since of all, there was a model of unselfishness.

There was a joy to sincerity. There is generosity.

Never a dull, colorless kind of gathering I think it was the most winsome place in the city of Jerusalem to be was a place of laughter, fun, enjoyment O wouldn't happen but there was a transfer of fund somewhere down the line we all got shifted to the local bar or somehow it got shifted to the late-night comedian as if that's funny, it's nasty is because even how to make it really funny so as to make it dirty but real fun is clean, pure, without guilt is full of energy and purity, and you're left with no regret.

I I I long for it and everything on the part of I'm speaking at the seminary this weekend and if you were there. Bear with me. I want to preach again little bit about that that I shared a model closing comments which you can't beat fun and I mean that even at a seminary I have never when I went was to be a part of the leadership and I got there it was like it was like Monroe's city. So I said to the lady was my assistant. Where's the fun she said what I said the five what where's the laughter of the classroom.

Where's the joy in the hallway. She said ducks window business. Now I go I know lady outings a lady is and I know I I know. But the question is the same.

Take away fun and I'm gone.

She started to me like I was in you know if she was a Catholic and of Newgate.

I mean it was like talking about you know what one observer you could hear laughter in the classroom and laughter. The hallway and even in the chapel. Why because it's Christ it's Christianity, and for some reason artists stop drawing pictures of Jesus laughing he's always in all of his disciples.

There was it a statute, smiling ever know why the dark ages took away all the joy and were left with darkness. When my Bible is full of laughter and energy and enthusiasm.

Ralph Waldo Emerson lived 1803 to 1882 as 19th-century guy talk about bright graduated from Harvard when he was 18. Okay, listen to what he said about enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is one of those powerful engines of success when you do things do that with all your might. Put your whole soul into it, stamp it with your own personality be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful and you will accomplish your objective. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. You believe that three of us believe that enthusiasm right never heard of a goddess witnessing and says you would like to know Jesus. Would you look course not turn out like that course not. That's not the way these people were. They were on the edge of their seats. This was the place to be. This was the Eckley seal the place called by God to be his body, the church and we bought into this nonsense of the 21st century that passes all as a church, which is hardly even a glimmer of what the first snapshot look like, how good was it. Look at his last one, all the while they were praising God and enjoying the good will of the people they were enjoying the good will of the people.

Each day the Lord added to their number. Those who were being saved. I love that. Talk about a spirit of evangelism.

These people move into the streets of Jerusalem telling their friends. You'll never believe how exciting it is were part of you missing out.

Are you aware of what's going on over here are you are you aware of this. One of my mentors, Ray Steadman used to say if the church were doing what it is called to do.

The people of the world would be so curious. They couldn't stay away I think is right.

It is so exciting, so important and so much in the realm of delight that I can't imagine a person living his life without and really I find myself spending much of my time clarifying what it is not because we have been enamored by tradition, wrong opinions. For examples, former churches that failed us toxic churches that ruined our appetite, broken churches, dysfunctional churches that thought among each other rather than a place like this. Are you ready for the ultimate these people turn the world upside down. You know that but that generation.

They impacted the world you know even heard the Emperor, you realize the context in which they existed godless Roman world for the worse hated Christ they so I was a threat and all of his officials were Christian haters and these people thrive in spite of the government. Some folks we don't need the government. We don't take our cues from the government we march on based on what Scripture teaches. And it's always exciting to think about that. That's why we read each day the Lord added to their fellowship. Those who were being saved on thinking back some 20 years when we were nothing. I'll tell you more about that next time when I deal with the state of the church and I look at what God is done over these 20 years now. Tell you II stand literally in all and what God of most everyone around 20 years ago. Many of the were here 15 years ago, or for that matter 10 years ago, and God faithfully is brought you in this preparing you for whatever the future may be some calm there here for a while than they're on their way to someplace else to impact them. That's great. Were not a holding tank where a vibrant living body designed to make Christ known and is sharing with all the people we are in touch with Ms. you're not doing that, you're missing out and something very very important. I long for you to come on board and see what can be done for the cause of Christ. Let's bow our heads together.

Please as you about search your own heart and ask do I know Christ really have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that is life-changing and all-consuming. Do I know Jesus has he really infiltrated my life. The answer is no more.

I'm not sure this is your moment our ministry is here for one purpose, and thus help to move you from where you are to where you want to be and that's from thinking about Christ to becoming a part of his family trust in him, turn to him now connect with us and let us help you get there.

Let's look to our God with gratitude for what is done in our lives and always led us to where we are today and let's give him praise how grateful we are our father for your work in us through us among us.

And admittedly, often in spite of us. Thank you for igniting the flame and never letting it go out from this first day when these early brand-new Christians breathe their first breath of Christian air. Thank you for deleting them changing the world through them writing the New Testament because of them and giving us guidelines to follow. Make us we pray when some magnetic people in this day and age in a world that has long since lost its way and may Christ be glorified in and through us who are a part of this ministry in the name of Jesus we pray all God's people said amen once again all God's people said hey man hey man, in today's message you're listening to the voices and musical talent of the stone briar community church choir and orchestra today selection is called. We believe that trick is reserve the final minutes of today's insight for living to share a personal comment with you so please stay with us and to learn more about the ministry of insight for living. Please visit us online@insightworld.org and then let me remind you insight for living produces a number of resources designed for all ages and stages of your family effect.

If you receive the recent mailing from us, you discover the vast array of creative tools including a children's audio series called pause entails through creative and memorable stories and fun music with playful lyrics your kids and grandkids will learn timeless theological truths through pause entails and for the curious student of the Bible. Yes, he insight for living offers Chuck's entire New Testament commentary series called swindles living insights you find gift ideas for all kinds of occasions when you go online to insight.org/store well with a brand-new year with insight where asking you to join insight for living and giving generously so others will hear the truth about the unconditional love. God offers it like every dollar God prompts you to give will go directly toward declaring this message at home in our country and even around the world. Check thanks Dave.

It was a revered pastor and author AW toes are who made this brilliant observation many years ago he wrote these words. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us now stop and ponder that statement. To paraphrase AW toes are the most important thing about you is what you think about God. So here's the question.

When you think of God is he a big God with a G or a little God with a small sheet. Alt I'm not talking about the, the dimension I'm referring to God's competence is significance. What do you think about God well at insight for living ministries.

We fully submit ourselves to the majesty and the magnitude of a big God with a G of course the God who does the impossible. Remember what the resurrected Lord said to his disciples when he was in Galilee. He said go and make disciples of all nations doesn't sound a bit grandiose maybe over the top, perhaps even audacious, well, not if your God with God.

You see, nothing is impossible and insight for living ministries. This accurate view of God is what shapes our entire mission were driven to pursue the impossible.

And that is to make disciples of all the nations. Just as Jesus commanded and gratefully we have big minded and generous friends like you who come alongside us and enable us to make that happen. As we come to the end of another year. I'm calling upon you to lock arms with us as we pursue an impossible God -sized goal of reaching all 195 countries in this entire world with the good news of Jesus Christ. Your special year end donation will make all the difference.

Believe me, so are you with us in this cannot count on you to stand alongside us.

Let's introduce people to the great God, who says behold, I am the Lord God of all flesh is anything too difficult for me so it's your move. Let's do this together. Here's how to respond to Chuck's window gives a call right now if you're listening in the United States dial 1-800-772-8888 – 1-800-772-8888 or if you prefer quicker and more efficient to give online insight.org/donate. Once again, that's insight.org/Swindoll describes what he calls and E ticket for reaching the lost. That's right here on insight for living. The preceding message and original snapshot of the first church in the sound recording were copyrighted in 2018 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited