Sermons About Early-church
Christiann Living 101
The fundamental basics of the early church and the two essential evidences of the Holy Spirit.
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Managing The Ministry
If Satan cannot destroy the church from the outside by persecution, he will seek to disrupt it from within by pitting believers against each other. Experience throughout the church age demonstrates that one complaint, not dealt with in a godly way, is all it takes to divide a church. In Acts 6:1-7, Luke explains how the twelve apostles wisely managed the rapidly expanding ministry of the early church by delegating the temporal tasks of the church to capable, qualified men so they could maintain their spiritual priorities to pray and preach. As D. L. Moody once said, "It is better to put ten men to work than try to do the work of ten men."
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The Damascus Road
The testimony of the Apostle Paul is recorded three times in the Book of Acts. This is an important story, and we should pay attention to it. We have all been on the road lately. Saul of Tarsus was experiencing some "road rage" as he headed to Damascus to throw Christians in jail. God interrupted his journey and dramatically changed his passion. He stayed on the road, bu this time he was traveling as a Christian missionary rather than a hit man.
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The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit
The pride and self-worship of the people who built the Tower of Babel prompted God to send confusion of languages that divided the nations. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost was a reversal of that fracture, a coming together by people from many languages and cultures.
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Becoming the Missional Church
Acts 2:41-47 Missional? What does that mean? If you take a noun and add –al to the end you get an adjective! So you and your adversary have and adversarial relationship. So to be a missionary in your community means that you live missionally. We have spent 5 of the last 6 times I have had the privilege of speaking to you talking about what it means to be a missionary in our own town. For far too long the church in America has failed to think missionally. We have assumed that if they were interested in church they would attend. We have assumed that our neighbors had friends and relatives around better suited to meet their needs. We have assumed that our community knows where we are and will find us if they are in need. But when we look at our Missionary God we don’t see him waiting for us to reach out or waiting for our friends to serve us. We see him coming, sending, serving, reaching and pursuing. So what has been the big idea of these five sermons and what is the big idea behind Missiology (the study of missions) and missional thinking? For us this is the big idea : We are a community of servants sent by God to allow Jesus to pursue our neighbors, family, friends, and coworkers through us. Now let us look at what this looks like when an entire church is committed to being on mission with Jesus!
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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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