Midweek Message from the Mount - July 25, 2012

⁴² They (the believers in the early church) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶ 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, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

In our current sermon series and Sunday morning Bible study we are asking ourselves the question, “Why are we here?”  We are looking at what a church that has been made alive by the power of the Gospel is to look like and how they will act.  The verses above from the book of Acts about the early Christian church gives us great insight into what a healthy, growing, vibrant church that has been moved by the Gospel looks like.

The early Christians were devoted to God’s Word, the Lord’s Supper (breaking of bread), and to prayer.  They were hearing the Word every chance they got and they received it with great excitement.  “Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts.”   They craved God’s Word!  They regularly received Holy Communion to be assured that they lived as forgiven children of God and they had his power to live a life pleasing to him.  They spent time in prayer together as they praised God and prayed for others.

They were devoted to fellowship with each other.  They cared for one another.  They shared with those who were in need.  They were a family.  The love they had for their Lord was evident in their love for each other.

They praised God openly and others around them saw their faith was evident in their lives. It must have been said of them, “Those Christians really love each other!”  “Those Christians certainly know what they believe and they are committed to it!”  And simply by the way they conducted themselves and the message they were so eager to share, many people came to believe.  The early church knew what their purpose was and God blessed them significantly.

Why are we here?  For exactly the same reason the early church existed.  We devote ourselves to hearing God’s Word and receiving the Sacrament so that we can grow strong in faith.  We devote ourselves to prayer for God’ blessing.  We share with each other and care for one another, because we are a family.  And when people see we are committed to the Gospel and in our love for each other, we will gain the favor of outsiders.  We keep working and preaching and living faithfully, and we let God take care of results!