https://youtu.be/x_SIebqHiUU

Blood

is Thicker Than Water   (Acts

2:42-47)        *Verses in NKJV*

Acts

2:42-47, And

they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (teaching) and fellowship,

in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then

fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the

apostles. 44 Now all who believed

were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold

their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46 So continuing daily with one

accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their

food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising

God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church

daily those who were being saved.

- This is the “Acts Church”. The

prototype. Our example. THE local church.

- If we are going to experience

the church, in the way that the first Spirit-filled Christians experienced

church, then we are going to have to root

our values in the same things that they

valued.

- This is a literal story of what the local church did. They broke bread together, had all things in common, continued daily in the temple and from house to house, and they praised God… AND they, verse 45, “…sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”

- The question becomes, why? Is that what we should be doing today?

- Some

scholars say that the local church was short

sighted, believing that Jesus was

returning in days, weeks, or months. Some say they were overwhelmed with

emotion and acted irrationally.

-

My answer is: Don’t try to rationalize away the amazing work of the Holy

Spirit!

-

These actions were HUGE, and the Lord blessed them mightily for their generosity.

- If “giving all your money to the poor” was the proper

expression of discipleship, the Apostles would have preached it in every town

they went to. They didn’t. (only

spoke of in the Jerusalem church)

- So… why’d they do it? The church was meeting the new believer’s most

pressing needs.

- How can we as the local church, follow their example today? How can we be like them?

1. The

Acts Church was welcoming.

- Acts

2:44-45, Now all who believed were

together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold

their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

- DO NOT sell your houses and

stuff and give it to our church!

- In America, we don’t typically

become destitute and ostracized, losing jobs, and all our money and financial

opportunity because we choose Jesus. We lose friends and family.

- The

new believer’s most pressing need is relationships! They need new friends and family!

- This is our American ethos: “Time

is more valuable than money, because you can make more money, but you can never

make more time.” TIME

is the new currency!

- It is common to say things

like, “I just don’t have time to....” The truth is, you don’t find time to!

- You will find the time to do

the things that are really important to you. (Hobbies, vacations, OT)

- When

you welcome someone to church,