Sermon Cloud

The Pentagon of Christianity

Acts 2:42-47

Sunday, September 7, 2008

On September 11, 2001, that tragic day in our recent history, four planes were hijacked, three of which flew into very prominent buildings.  Two of those buildings were the Twin Towers in New York.  What may have been forgotten was the third building: the Pentagon.  This was no accident on the part of the terrorists: for the Pentagon serves as our country’s Department of Defense.

Some have asked if there is any symbolic significance to a five-sided building.  The answer is, not really.  When the building was originally constructed, it was on a piece of property that went up against a highway and a bridge that were at a 108-degree angle, which forced them to build it with five sides instead of four. 

What we Christians must do is realize that there exists a Department of Defense for our Christian life God constructed in His Word.  This defense helps protect the borders of our hearts from the enemies of the world, the flesh, and the devil.  These are the true enemies of the state, which is the Kingdom of God. 

As we close out this series, it would benefit us to see what the five sides of this Pentagon.

1.        Attend faithfully.

Attending times of corporate worship at your local church is crucial for maintaining a good defense system.  We have already seen what Hebrews 10:23-25 says about not neglecting to meet together but to encourage one another.  In Acts 2:42-44, Luke records the activities of the fledgling church:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 

While it would be easy to focus on the particulars of what they did: listening to the teaching, fellowship, prayers, God’s power on the move, and genuine compassion for one another.  And if you recall back in April, I passed out a list of what our worship services consist of, and the biblical basis behind those elements we have. 

But the key word here is “And they devoted themselves.”  It is difficult to be devoted to something or someone when you are chronically absent from that thing or person!  How can someone be devoted to their spouse, their children, their work, their hobbies if there is not a decided diligence to spend time with those things?      

2.        Pray continually.

This coming Wednesday, we will have a special prayer meeting for lost unbelievers called “With One Voice” and in October, we will spend all four weeks looking at the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-15.  But it’s not enough for us to think highly of prayer, to simply read about prayer, or even to preach about prayer. 

James Montgomery in 1818 penned a hymn about prayer.  My favorite verse is the sixth one which says, “Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air.”  We should feel at home with prayer as we do with breathing—it’s just part and parcel of the holy oxygen we need.  So when Paul says, “Pray without ceasing” (2 Thessalonians 5:17), “Continue steadfastly in prayer” (Colossians 4:2), and to “Pray at all times in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18), what does he mean? 

He means that we are to live in constant communion and sensitivity to God’s Spirit at work in our lives.  While you may not continually stay having your eyes closed or spend your entire day in your prayer closet, you as Christians have the Holy Spirit who gives us a direct connection and communion.  In his wonderful little book entitled “Prayer,” John R. Rice starts off his book with this verse from Psalm 65:2:  “O you who hears prayer,      to you shall all flesh come.”  He then said simply, “It is God’s nature to hear and answer prayer.”  As a Christian, we have that connection.   

3.        Give graciously.

Here is another that we have spent some time on over the last few months, but one more word concerning this will do us well.  This past Wednesday, we looked at Genesis 4 with the issue of Cain and Abel.  We know how this relationship turned out, usually summed up with three words: “Cain killed Abel.”  But it would be helpful to see where all this came from.  In reading Genesis 4:1-7

In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

Did you notice that Cain was ultimately angry not at Abel, but at God!  But it all stemmed from his lack of willingness to give and offer rightly.  Abel gave the firstfruits (or, as many say, “Off the top!”).  He gave God the choicest of offerings.  Cain just gave the leftovers.   Paul echoes this in 2 Cor. 9:6-7:

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 

We can round up a number of reasons for not giving: economy, bills and other debts.  Some have hobbies and fetishes that take up a great amount of money.  I one time belonged to a CD club while I was in college and seminary (before I got married).  Before I knew it, I catalogued 200+ CDs … at $12-15 a pop.  And I honestly wondered where my money was going.  It was going to my idol! 

But what we give to God and how we give to Him is a direct reflection of what we think of Him and what His Son accomplished.  We tie up our money in other things necessary and unnecessary—yet so many who claim they are Christians give so little.  Are you sowing so little because you think so little of what he gave to you?

4.        Study diligently.

If we long to take God seriously and to build a great defense system for our souls, we cannot avoid this portion: you must study God’s Word diligently.  I believe many of us see the necessity for this, but sadly many do not for whatever reason. 

·        Some say it is irrelevant: we have jobs to work, classes to attend, bills to pay, children to raise—this old Book doesn’t speak to today.  It’s irrelevant, they say.

·        Some say it makes no sense and they don’t know how to go to it.

·        Some say, “I’m not seminary-trained, I’m just a lay-person.”

·        Some say, “I just don’t have time.”

·        Some say, “I have some doubts as to whether it’s really reliable.”

·        Some say, “It’s just plain boring.”

This is not just those who are outside of Christ who say this—these are the opinions and feelings of many Christians as well!  Yet, what made David say in Psalm 119:15-16, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. [16] I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”  What made Paul say in 2 Tim. 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”  What made Paul, who was in jail, alone, desolate, and understanding that death awaited, ask Timothy to bring “the books and above all the parchments” so he could continue his study?

For one, Paul wanted to know Him.  Paul said in Philip. 3:10-12 that he desired to “know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”  He wanted to know his splendor, his majesty, hiw power, but also his attributes.  He wanted to identify with Christ.  Ezra the priest echoes this: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”

Secondly, Paul wanted to grow in Him.  Paul in this very familiar verse found in 2 Tim. 3:16-17, says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  Paul wanted to grow and that is only found through growing in God’s Word.   Peter was the same: 1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”

Lastly, Paul wanted to serve Him.  We find out what God has in mind as far as service to Him, don’t we?  Mark 10:42-45 says:

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  [43] But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  [44] and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  [45] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

When we live our lives

5.        Serve willingly.

Psalm 100:1-5

    Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

        [2] Serve the Lord with gladness!

        Come into his presence with singing!

    [3] Know that the Lord, he is God!

        It is he who made us, and we are his;

        we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

    [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

        and his courts with praise!

        Give thanks to him; bless his name!

    [5] For the Lord is good;

        his steadfast love endures forever,

        and his faithfulness to all generations.

Did you notice verse 2?  Serve the Lord with gladness.  These two cannot be disconnected.  We cannot serve or worship the Lord simply out of a sense of duty!  We must serve him with gladness!  Why?  Because it all comes down to the gospel.  Huh?  Yes!  When we consider how Christ came to serve humanity through his death on the cross, we gladly serve our Savior and Lord who served us so!

Service entails action.  Look at this Psalm again.  Look at all the commands:  make a joyful noise, serve the Lord, know that the Lord, he is God, enter, give, bless!  Service entails an action propelled by the love and longing for Christ! 

In what ways will you serve?  Some of you may be longing to serve, but do not know how.  To you, I suggest that you let me know and we can talk about what gifts and talents God has given to you.  Yet, some of you know there is a place where you need to serve.  You see the choir sing and you know that God is calling you there.  Consider what is stopping you.  Some of you have a longing to serve with our children.  Consider what is stopping you!  Would it be that Christ is stopping you?  Or Satan?  Or self? 

You say, “Well, Bro. Matt, God has been leading me to start something up, but it’s not on the committees lists, choir, children, or anything along that line.”  Come talk to me—God has not called us to bow the knee to committees, but to the leading of His Spirit! 

Conclusion

“The devil doesn’t care how big your church is - he cares how influential it is.”
- Brian Houston, Pastor, Hillsong Church, Sydney, Australia