|
DATE |
CHURCH |
SUBJECT |
PREACHER |
BIBLE
REF. |
|
13.04.08 |
All Saints' Church |
What is Church
For? |
Rev. Tony Higton |
Acts 2: 42-47 |
|
What’s the purpose of the church? What’s
it all about? Is it just for people who have nothing better to
do on a Sunday morning? Is it just a cosy religious club? Is it
a gathering of those who like singing hymns?
In Acts 2: 42-47 we have a wonderful
description of the church as it should be: “They devoted
themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to
the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with
awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the
apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in
common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone
as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the
temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together
with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the
favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number
daily those who were being saved.”
Firstly,
They were devoted to the apostles’ teaching
The early Christians understood just how
important the teaching of the Bible is. The didn’t just read it
or listen to it. They were devoted to it.
The Psalmist shows a similar attitude in
Psalm 119: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day
long ….. I hate double-minded people, but I love your law ...
All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross …. therefore
I love your statutes. … Because I love your commands more than
gold, more than pure gold …. See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love … I hate
and detest falsehood but I love your law … Great peace have
those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble …. I
obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. (verses 97, 113,
119, 127, 159, 163, 165, 167)
How much do you love God’s word?
How often do you read it?
If you’ve been a believer for many years,
have you ever read the whole Bible through?
If you don’t read it regularly, you don’t
know what you’re missing.
The Bible is God’s Word. It is the message
of eternal salvation. It is the written account of God’s
dealings with humanity centring on Jesus. If God took the
trouble to provide it for us, using 40 writers over a period of
1500 years, and has preserved it for us for over 2000 years, why
aren’t we devoted to it?
If it is a written message from someone who
loves us eternally and infinitely, why don’t we regard it as
precious?
The church is about being devoted to the
Bible’s teaching.
Secondly,
They were devoted to the fellowship
All the believers were together and had
everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they
gave to anyone as he had need” (verse 44-45).
Fellowship doesn’t just mean a cup of tea
at the back of church! It is far deeper than that. It isn’t just
a group of people meeting for a study group or a discussion.
It is a gathering of people who are really
committed to each other in Christian love. It is a group of
people who care for each other. We may not work this out in the
same way as the early church –selling our goods and giving all
we can to the poor. But to care for one another in financial
terms is an excellent indication of real caring. I have seen it
happen: churchmembers privately (without my involvement or
detailed knowledge) ensuring that a fellow member who is in real
financial need is given help – not just advice but money. That
is real fellowship.
The church is also a gathering of people
who encourage each other. That includes sharing positive news,
taking an interest in how people really feel, offering to pray
for them, seeing if there is any practical help that can be
given.
The church is also a gathering of people
who advise one another. That includes sharing experience, wisdom
and relevant teaching from Scripture.
This is just a brief outline of what
fellowship means, and the early church was devoted to it.
Thirdly,
They were devoted to breaking of bread
“They broke bread in their homes and ate
together with glad and sincere hearts” (verse 47). This may not
always have included Communion but I suspect it frequently did.
When they ate bread and drank wine they probably didn’t just
“say grace” as we do, but they ate and drank in remembrance of
Jesus.
Clearly Communion began in the context of
the Passover meal. Jesus took some of the Matzah biscuits they
were eating throughout the meal and he took the third of four
glasses of wine they always had at Passover and he gave them
profound new meaning.
The early church had fellowship meals or
agape meals (“love feasts”) and would include Communion. I was
brought up in churches where Communion was not as important as
it would be for me now. It is a wonderful “means of grace” (way
of receiving God’s strength). Unlike our Catholic friends, I
don’t believe there is any change in the bread and wine. But I
do believe that when we take communion in faith there is a
supernatural change in us. We are built up in our most holy
faith.
The early church were devoted to breaking
bread together. They would have had relaxed times of enjoying
one another’s company (an important part of fellowship) and they
would have vividly recalled the presence of Jesus with them in
sharing bread and wine.
Finally,
They were devoted to prayer
This included “praising God” (verse 47) and
worshiping God, adoring him and thanking him are very important
aspects of prayer. But it also includes praying earnestly about
every aspect of the church, for the world, for individuals in
need etc.
The early church were devoted to prayer.
Corporate and individual prayer is of incalculable value ad
importance for the church. But most churches don’t really pray
outside the brief intercessions in their Sunday services. Then
they wonder why they don’t grow, why new people don’t come to
faith and Christians stay immature. I believe any church can
grow if it starts to pray together, say for an hour a week.
But on an individual level, how often do
you pray and for how long? The old saying is true: “Seven days
without prayer make one weak.”
And do you give thanks? When churches
begin to pray, they often forget to be really thankful for
answered prayer. In fact, they don’t even remember what they
prayed for! So write down what you prayed for at one meeting
then check the list at the next meeting to see what answers to
prayer you have experienced.
The early church were devoted to the
Bible’s teaching, to caring fellowship, to breaking bread
together and to prayer.
Little wonder: “the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved” (verse 47). |
