The Church, Part 11

Acts 4:36-37 NKJV

I. We should submit our all to God so that our lives have eternal impact for God's Kingdom.

Matthew 16:24-28 ESV

Romans 6:12-14; 19 NASB

Acts 5:1-2 NKJV

II. We should strive to comfort/encourage one another in humility and not compete in pride and envy.

Galatians 5:19-26 NKJV

James 3:13-16 NKJV

James 4:1-10 NKJV

Acts 5:3-4 NKJV

Philippians 2:3-4 NKJV

"A man may say, 'I can't afford to give' but the truth is, we can't afford NOT to give."

Our giving is an acknowledgment that the work of the church is important.

When we give (as God has given to us) we are saying, "the church's eternal work in the temporal world is important."

III. We should be eager to give all to God and sow into His work because of His graciousness to us.

Malachi 3:8-12 ESV

Luke 6:38 ESV

The Church - Part 10

Matthew 10:16-23 NKJV

John 16:16-33 NKJV

Their recipe:

Loss

Mourning

Faith/Hope/Trust

God's Word

Gathering/Togetherness/Faithfulness

Adversity

Threats/Persecution

Clarity of Mission/Purpose

Instability/Confusion/Division in Culture

Prayer

Acts 4:32a NKJV

I. When we have faith, faithfulness, and the right foundation our lives funnel to unified passion and purpose.

Philippians 1:27 ESV

It's deciding to be aware of the circumstances, and to feel the real emotions, yet CHOOSE to focus on truth; and CHOOSE to, by faith, follow that truth, versus focusing on the circumstances, and getting swept away in emotion.

Acts 4:32b NKJV

II. When we have unified passion and purpose, we experience Spirit-induced and Spirit-infused community and not communism.

Acts 4:34-37 NKJV

When we are all on the same page, with the same mind and the same heart, which equates to the same purpose, and same passion, then community will occur.

John 17:14-23 NKJV

Acts 4:33 NKJV

III. When Spirit-induced and Spirit-infused community exist great power for witnessing and great grace falls on all.

The Church, Part 9

Acts 4:19-20 NKJV

I. There's a real decision to make in either obeying God, or man.

Proverbs 14:34 ESV

Philippians 1:21 ESV

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

Joshua 24:15 ESV

Matthew 6:24 ESV

Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV

Colossians 1:18 NASB95

Romans 10:9-10 ESV

He is either Lord of all, or He's not Lord at all.

Acts 4:21-30 NKJV

II. There are undeniable blessings, as well as, undeniable power in unity and unified prayer.

God has a work for us today.

He has ordained our lives on earth for THIS time.

III. We have a spiritual heritage that will never change because our foundation is Christ.

Acts 4:31 NKJV

Luke 4:1 ESV

Luke 4:14 ESV

Luke 4:18-21 ESV

The Church, Part 8

Acts 4:513 NKJV

I. There is boldness to proclaim the gospel when we are filled with the Spirit.

James 3:13-18 ESV

Ephesians 5:18 ESV

Galatians 5:19-23 ESV

Luke 4:18 ESV

Ephesians 6:19 ESV

Acts 2:4 ESV

Acts 4:8, 31 ESV

Acts 4:14 NKJV

II. There is no denying the work of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV

1 John 4:16 ESV

Acts 4:15-18 NKJV

III. There are monumental consequences to our silence, both temporally and eternally.

Series: The Church

Sermon: The Church, Part 7

John 20:29 ESV

Acts 3:12 NKJV

I. It is important to give God glory for the work He does.

Philippians 2:311 ESV

Colossians 3:17 ESV

Colossians 3:23 ESV

1 Corinthians 6:20 ESV

1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

Acts 3:13-16 NKJV

II. Our greatest need is fulfilled by God's grace and faith in Jesus.

Acts 4:11-12 ESV

Philippians 2:9-11 ESV

Romans 10:9-13 ESV

Acts 3:17-18 NKJV

III. God's perfect will is accomplished even in man's tragedy.

Genesis 50:20 ESV

1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV

Acts 3:19-21 NKJV

IV. The second coming of Christ is real and near.

Hebrews. 9:28 ESV

2 Thessalonians. 1:5-10 ESV

Acts 3:22-4:4 NKJV

V. We must faithfully and fearlessly proclaim the gospel that sets the captives free, even if it makes us a captive.

A prison of man is nothing compared to the prison of sin.

Series: The Church

Sermon: The Church, Part 6

Acts 3:1-7 KJV

I. No matter how far you've strayed, you are still here, and God desires to use you.

If you're not gone, God's not done.

II. God blesses us so that we can bless others.

Acts 3:8 KJV

III. No situation/life is to grim for Christ to transform.

IV. Gratitude and praise are the natural result of a life that has truly been transformed.

It's the first and foremost desire of the transformed life to give praise to the Transformer.

Acts 3:9-11 KJV

Series: The Church

Sermon: The Church - Part 5

Acts 2:42 KJV

I. Doctrine

Doctrine is the tie that binds, but it's also the sword that divides.

Matthew 10:34-38 KJV

God's Word unites unlikely sinners and divides family ties.

"It is an undoubted truth that every doctrine that comes from God, leads to God; and that which doth not tend to promote holiness is not of God." George Whitefield

II. Fellowship

1 John 1:3-4 KJV

Doctrine is what facilitates fellowship - true fellowship.

"There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers." J Vernon McGee

"When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy." Corrie Ten Boom

III. Breaking of Bread

Andrew Murray: "Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God."

IV. Prayer

Matt. 6:5-15 KJV

Acts 2:43-45 KJV

Eph. 4:28 KJV

2 These. 3:10 KJV

Acts 2:46 KJV

Simple ingredientsmultiplied results.