Sermons About Early-church
The Model Church
Acts 2:42-47 provides a concise description of the first church. These verses include seven characteristics of a church that pleases and honors the Lord. Members of the early church were comprised totally of believers who were steadfast and worshiped in awe and wonder. They shared much and were unified such that they were stimulated immensely by the company of other believers. Finally, the early churched shined and grew in number by growing in edification and going forth to share the gospel with those outside the church. If today's church is faithful to this model, it will experience many blessings from the Lord.
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The Sequel
A look at what the sequel to Jesus' work here on earth is and who the actors in the Story are.
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Pick Up That Baton
Pick Up That Baton What matters most? ‘Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…’ Hebrews 12:2a ‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and than will the end come’ Matthew 24:4-14 I am struck with the realization that the timing of God’s purposes is at times contingent on people. God has a plan that is relying on you and me to carry out. We are members of the kingdom of God and to some degree responsible how it is administered on this earth during our lifetime. So while life may be looked at as a race that we as individuals run, as Paul described it, it is also a relay. We are an integral part of the whole. What we do or don’t do contributes to, or adversely affects the completion of God’s plan. We easily lose sight of the significance of the moment in the larger picture of what God has done, is doing, and will do. Some characteristics of the early church (first three centuries). 1. They were moved by a burning conviction Galatians 2:20 2. Persecution and the Christian’s response to it had a profound impact on those who witnessed and administered it.Hebrews 11:32-40 3. The gospel as presented filled a heartfelt need. It presented life change and grace. Ephesians 2:8, James 1:12 4. The practical expression of Christian love was one of the most powerful causes of early Christian success Matthew 25:35-40 We are on the team with them and are called to ‘Pick up the Baton’ and run our portion of the race. The video watched during the services can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXnT84Eu-oA
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shift : being the church in a strange new world
This week, Pastor Kevin looked at how the death of Christendom will affect the church, and how we must navigate the waters of this strange new world we are entering.
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Transformissional Leaders
Every week that we've been in the book of Acts, we've been asking the same question in a variety of ways, "What was going on in the midst of the early Church that made them so attractive to the world?" We've been asking this question so that as we read the book of Acts, we don't simply relegate it to a distant but pleasant historical read.
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This Beautiful Facade
Up to this point we have seen the incredible advancement and expansion of the Gospel as it breaks new ground in new ways. The Spirit promised by Jesus to the Church in Acts 1 has empowered the Church to be witnesses of Jesus starting in Jerusalem and moving into Judea, Samaria, and now we see this incredible news of what Christ has done spreading all the way to the Gentiles now in Antioch.
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God Inside Out: How It All Began
A look at how the power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost enabled Christianity to “get legs” and spread rapidly throughout the middle-east despite the enormous challenges the movement faced in the beginning
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Send and Receive
Last week we looked at the incredible story of the welcoming of Cornelius and his household into the family of God. The continued advancement of the Gospel at this time was unheard of. The culture was fragmented and separated by numerous factors working to split up and segregate various groups. Historians tell us that until Christianity, religion always divided people. Religions were always geared towards a particular region, race, or socio-economic class.
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Transformissional Conversion Part II
We've been looking at the story of Paul's conversion and early ministry, how an enemy of God who was spiritually an orphan was welcomed in to become a child of the Father. Luke, however, abruptly shifts from Paul's life to Peter's life and the two miracles mentioned at the end of chapter 9.
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Transformissional Relationships
We are back in the great historical narrative of Acts. One of the great joys of this book is its seemingly inconsequential detail from Luke the historian, yet in these details are found treasures if we’re willing to dig a bit for them. We’ve been on a quest to determine what it was that so captured the hearts and minds of the early Christians that it created such an explosive spread of the Gospel in such a hostile environment.
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Catalyst - Who, US?
Ever since the first human beings walked away from God, God has been at work to form a community of people who would bring the world back to Him. There is a sacred calling on the church and REUNION to fill that role.
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Kingdom, Calling, Suffering
Last week we looked at what true conversion is. This week we’re looking at what true conversion believes. What is the motivating factor behind those who have been called?
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Controversy in the Early Church
As the controversy between the Judaizers and the preachers of the Gospel flares, Paul returns to Jerusalem to get things straight. In Galatians 2:1-5 the Apostle Paul sets an example for us to follow when dealing with doctrinal controversy that arises in the church. We need to be wise & courteous, unyielding to false brothers, and preserve the gospel at any cost. Galatians 2:1-5
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A Tale of Two Gospels (SDSU)
Last week we looked at the result of God-ordained persecution. We’re told that all “who were scattered went about preaching the word” wherever they went (v. 4). This is incredible because at this point it wasn’t only the apostles; it was those who were scattered.
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A Tale of Two Gospels
Last week we looked at the result of God-ordained persecution. We’re told that all “who were scattered went about preaching the word” wherever they went (v. 4). This is incredible because at this point it wasn’t only the apostles; it was those who were scattered.
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Scattered for Joy (SDSU)
We’ve been asking how it could be that a group of small, marginalized, powerless people like the early Church, could sweep through the most powerful empire in the world in a few decades and turn the world upside-down, or right-side-up, depending on how you look at it.
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Scattered for Joy
We’ve been asking how it could be that a group of small, marginalized, powerless people like the early Church, could sweep through the most powerful empire in the world in a few decades and turn the world upside-down, or right-side-up, depending on how you look at it.
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The Church (Acts 2:41-47)
The early church was characterized by three things: the gospel message, the gospel community, and the gospel mission. These three things help us to understand what is essential and what is non-essential in our understanding of church. Recovering a biblical view of both the gospel and the church is the key to seeing our city transformed.
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Acts 2 Church part 2
Looking closely at the Acts 2 church gives a clear blue-print and outline for how the present day church and Soma Church Community should conduct itself.
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Acts 2 Church part 1
The Acts 2 church changed the world. Many churches dream of having an Acts 2 church in our day. Is it possible? What does it look like for Soma Church Community.
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