Follow Me – Part 3
This newest series of messages on Internet Pastor is called “Follow Me”.
We’re in part three of a series called “Follow Me” and we are talking about what it means to respond to the invitation of Jesus. In our first week we talked about what it means to be a disciple. Last week we talked about what it means to be an ambassador. Today we are going to talk about what it means to be a member. As a follower of Christ you are a member of His family and a member of His body.
Romans 12:5 (NIV)
5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
When you accept the invitation to follow Jesus, you don’t just belong to God, you don’t just belong to Jesus, you belong to me, and I belong to you. We belong to each other and every other believer. You are in the family of God.
Galatians 6:10 (NIV)
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
As a member of the family of God, we are to do good to ALL people, especially those who belong to the family of believers.
The family of believers is the church. When most people say “church” they think of a place or a building, or an event. Something you see or something you attend. The reality is that church is neither a building or an event. The church is the family of God.
And God wants to grow His family. You may not have noticed, but our part of the family, has been growing. And I believe that God wants to continue to increase the size of the family. Not because WE are trying to be something, but because the larger the family, the more opportunities we have to impact the world for the Kingdom of God. Large, healthy churches are not a new phenomenon. They have been around since the very first church, the church in Jerusalem was started. The history of the first church is recorded for us in the Book of Acts and it provides some very useful information on what the church, the family of God is supposed to be doing.
1. The Growth of the First Church
Let’s start by doing a quick run through in the book of Acts about the first church.
After Jesus died and rose again, He told His followers to wait for Him in Jerusalem until He sent His Spirit, which would be the beginning of the church. Then Jesus went back to heaven. In Acts 1:15 we see that there were about 120 believers.
Then in Acts 2, we have the story of the first day of the first church. On that day the Spirit came, Peter preached, and 3000 people were added to the church.
In Acts 2:47 we see that “The Lord added daily those who were being saved.” So the church is growing on a daily basis.
Added daily means that a minimum the church is adding 365 people a year.
As we get to Acts 4:4 the number of the church is 5000 men. Where there are five thousand men, there are even more women and children, so the church by now is probably 15,000 – 20000.
Acts 5:14 tells us that “believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of men and women. Now there are so any people they’re not even counting anymore. It says a multitude was added.
In Acts 5:28 the critics have their say “You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” Because this church is growing and everybody is hearing the news, the church is having a significant impact on the city.
In Acts 6:1 it says the “The number of disciples rapidly multiplied.” In Chapter 2 the church was adding members, now it is multiplying them. The church is growing so fast they can’t even keep up with it.
In Acts 6:7 it says “The number of believers increased rapidly.”
We could keep looking through the process but let’s jump to a verse closer to the end of the Book of Acts. This verse would account for the early church being about twenty-five years old. Acts 21:20 says “Tens of thousands have become believers.” It literally is tens of tens of tens of thousands. The word there in Greek is the word myrios. Myrios literally means “tens and tens of thousands.” We get the word “myriad” from it. Too numerous to count. The church was so big they couldn’t even count them all.
It is believed by Biblical scholars, that there were at the twenty-five year mark of the church in Jerusalem around 100,000 believers. The population of the city at that time was 200,000. Half the people had been impacted by the church and were now a part of God’s family.
How did they do that? Is there anything in this story that we can copy that we can do?
Yes there is, and we are doing quite a bit of it already. And before I elaborate let me say up front that we are not in competition with any of the other churches here that are preaching God’s Word. We pray for them to be blessed and grow as well. They are part of the family. So what can we learn from the first church?
2. Where did they meet?
You think it is hard to park here? How did they get 100,000 people together.
Acts 5:42 (NIV)
42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.
Circle “temple courts” and circle “house to house.”
a. In the temple courts (large groups)
Courts is plural. They didn’t meet in the temple, because only the priests were allowed in the temple. They met in the courts surrounding the temple. There were numerous courts that were around the temple and so they would meet in the various courts.
Our variation of that is that we meet during multiple services. Since we only have this one building, we meet four different times on the weekend. A full temple court for us is about 325 people. We are often full at the 9:30 service. We have room to grow at the other three services. My prayer is that all four of the services reach the point of being “full”. We will be talking about how we hope to do this in the future, but I want you to have the thought in your mind.
b. From house to house (small groups)
They also got together in smaller groups during the week. We have tried lots of different formats for this type of meeting over the years. We have met in home groups, kinship groups, small groups with varying levels of success. Eventually we ended up with small groups that meet here during the week. Women’s group, men’s group, Celebrate recovery, Wed night Bible study (which really isn’t a small group any more. One thing we tried a few years ago which I though was good was something we called affinity groups. People getting together to do something they liked and added a time for prayer and perhaps a short discussion of what was being taught in church that week. I think that these affinity groups could fit really well into what God wants us to do in this area, and so we are going to be getting those started again soon.
3. A Healthy Church – family – group
In Acts 2:42-47 we are given the characteristics of a healthy church. It is a model that is given to us from the very first healthy growing church, the church in Jerusalem, and these verses talk about what a healthy church should be doing. Let’s take a look and see how we are doing.
1. They studied the Bible.
That’s the first sign of a healthy group. They studied the Bible together. Verse 42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.”
2. They ate together.
In verse 42 it says “They devoted themselves to the fellowship” and in verse 46 “They ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Food is a tool of fellowship. Why? Because when people are eating they’re relaxed. That way communication can get through. Their barriers aren’t up. They’re not defensive.
3. They shared Communion.
“They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread.” That’s talking about Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Lord’s Table.
4. They prayed for each other.
“They devoted themselves to prayer.” Prayer has to have a high priority in a healthy group.
5. They helped each other in practical ways.
“They gave to anyone as he had a need.” People helping each other whenever they can. Serving one another, blessing one another, encouraging one another.
6. They worshipped together.
“They praised God and they enjoyed favor of all the people.”
7. They invited others to church.
To become part of the church, the family of God. “Every day the number in their group continued to grow as the Lord added those who were being saved.”
Big opportunities to invite people to church are on us. The Pet Blessing, The Good Friday Concert, and Easter Sunday. Invite people to come so that they can become a part of the family.
Come back often to see the latest sermons or bible studies on your Online Pastor site. We are blessed to be your Pastor Online!
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