WEBVTT 00:00:01.229 --> 00:00:04.129 The Sunday school teacher was explaining to the 00:00:04.129 --> 00:00:07.009 class something about the armor of God, as is 00:00:07.009 --> 00:00:13.150 found in Ephesians, the sixth chapter. She explained 00:00:13.150 --> 00:00:16.870 about the breastplate of righteousness, and she 00:00:16.870 --> 00:00:21.410 talked about the shield of faith. And then she 00:00:21.410 --> 00:00:25.789 said to the class, the Apostle Paul also says 00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:28.839 that we should carry a weapon. which he calls 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:31.179 the word of God. Do you remember what he called 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:34.179 the word of God? And none of the little hands 00:00:34.179 --> 00:00:37.939 shot up. So she gave another clue. She said, 00:00:38.020 --> 00:00:40.859 it's something very sharp, something that cuts. 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:43.979 And finally, one little boy lifted his hand. 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:47.020 He said, I know, I know. And she said, what is 00:00:47.020 --> 00:00:49.880 it? He said, it's called the axe of the apostles. 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:54.840 Well, let's turn to the axe of the apostles this 00:00:54.840 --> 00:01:06.900 morning. to the second chapter. It is said that 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:09.879 in Brussels, Belgium, a fire alarm was sounded 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:15.260 for a house which was on fire. Very soon, a nearby 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:20.079 volunteer crew arrived to be joined almost immediately 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:24.159 by a full -time brigade of professional firemen. 00:01:25.930 --> 00:01:29.269 However, the two chiefs began to argue over who 00:01:29.269 --> 00:01:33.810 had the priority of the fire, and it was not 00:01:33.810 --> 00:01:36.209 long before they lost the house to the flames. 00:01:36.909 --> 00:01:40.769 Now, what was the problem? The problem was one 00:01:40.769 --> 00:01:43.569 of priorities, not the priority of which should 00:01:43.569 --> 00:01:47.390 fight the fire, but the priority of putting out 00:01:47.390 --> 00:01:51.370 the fire. I want to talk this morning about putting 00:01:51.370 --> 00:01:56.200 first things first. Priorities are important 00:01:56.200 --> 00:02:00.319 because priorities determine what we do. Right 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:05.480 priorities lead to right living. The Jerusalem 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:10.340 saints, as members of the first church, committed 00:02:10.340 --> 00:02:15.039 themselves to God's priorities. Up to this time, 00:02:15.060 --> 00:02:19.879 they had other priorities, of course. But a change 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:22.039 was made in their lives when they understood 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:26.370 that Jesus of Nazareth, is both Lord and Christ, 00:02:26.629 --> 00:02:30.990 and they received him by faith. That brought 00:02:30.990 --> 00:02:36.289 a change of priorities. And what were their priorities 00:02:36.289 --> 00:02:40.449 then? Well, we find in verse 42 that they committed 00:02:40.449 --> 00:02:44.090 themselves or they were continually devoted to 00:02:44.090 --> 00:02:49.469 four things, to teaching, fellowship, worship, 00:02:49.650 --> 00:02:52.409 which was centered in the breaking of bread or 00:02:52.409 --> 00:02:55.960 the Lord's Supper. And prayer, public prayer, 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.479 praying together as a body. Teaching, fellowship, 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:05.120 worship, and prayer. How does one measure priorities? 00:03:06.939 --> 00:03:13.960 Is it by what one says? Not always. Is it by 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:21.810 what others see in us? Sometimes. But the most 00:03:21.810 --> 00:03:24.949 accurate measurement of our priorities is what 00:03:24.949 --> 00:03:31.110 we do. The way that we spend our time actually 00:03:31.110 --> 00:03:35.530 tells us what our priorities are in life. And 00:03:35.530 --> 00:03:39.629 let's remember that time is life. Five minutes 00:03:39.629 --> 00:03:42.849 of time is five minutes of life that we cannot 00:03:42.849 --> 00:03:48.490 reclaim. Each hour of our lives we invest in 00:03:48.490 --> 00:03:53.639 one way. which can never be reclaimed. Life is 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:56.280 important, time is important, and priorities 00:03:56.280 --> 00:04:00.699 tell us how we use our time. The text that we're 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:04.659 going to read today is a snapshot of the outworking 00:04:04.659 --> 00:04:07.500 of right priorities in that Jerusalem church. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:11.900 This is what they were like at that point in 00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:15.800 time. Later, the priorities worked out somewhat 00:04:15.800 --> 00:04:19.829 differently. Yet in the snapshot that we're going 00:04:19.829 --> 00:04:23.089 to look at, we see what a difference and what 00:04:23.089 --> 00:04:27.129 a dynamic that living by right priorities produces 00:04:27.129 --> 00:04:31.410 in a local church. We'll begin reading in verse 00:04:31.410 --> 00:04:35.990 43. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe. 00:04:36.889 --> 00:04:39.689 And many wonders and signs were taking place 00:04:39.689 --> 00:04:43.610 through the apostles. And all those who had believed 00:04:43.610 --> 00:04:48.139 were together and had all things in common. And 00:04:48.139 --> 00:04:50.500 they began selling their property and possessions 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:53.160 and were sharing them with all as anyone might 00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:57.120 have need. And day by day, continuing with one 00:04:57.120 --> 00:04:59.740 mind in the temple and breaking bread from house 00:04:59.740 --> 00:05:02.860 to house, they were taking their meals together 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:06.620 with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising 00:05:06.620 --> 00:05:10.079 God and having favor with all the people. And 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:13.079 the Lord was adding to their number day by day 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:19.160 those who were being saved. God's people, living 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:23.819 by God's priorities, will establish a powerful 00:05:23.819 --> 00:05:28.639 ministry in their local church. It seems to me 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.319 there are four characteristics of that kind of 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:34.420 a ministry and that kind of a church, where the 00:05:34.420 --> 00:05:38.120 people are living with the priorities that the 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:41.480 Jerusalem saints determined and committed themselves 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:45.509 to. Characteristic number one is found in verse 00:05:45.509 --> 00:05:48.629 43, and it's this, that God is manifested in 00:05:48.629 --> 00:05:52.009 that church. And after all, isn't that the church's 00:05:52.009 --> 00:05:55.310 calling? Isn't that the church's privilege? To 00:05:55.310 --> 00:06:00.170 manifest the very glory of God himself? Peter 00:06:00.170 --> 00:06:04.750 says that we are a royal priesthood, a chosen 00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:10.120 nation. We are God's own special people. that 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:14.720 we might show forth His excellencies to those 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:19.680 around us. We learned that the church is the 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:24.180 body of Christ a few months ago. And the real 00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:27.620 heart of that analogy is that we are the extension 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:32.040 of the very life of God in this world. We are 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:36.600 the extension of Jesus Himself. Therefore, we 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:40.779 manifest Him. What do people think about Jesus 00:06:40.779 --> 00:06:44.500 Christ? What they see in you and in me, for the 00:06:44.500 --> 00:06:48.720 most part. Because we as His people manifest 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:52.220 Him. And when we live by right priorities, God 00:06:52.220 --> 00:06:55.220 is rightly manifested. People get the right picture 00:06:55.220 --> 00:06:59.839 of Him. In that Jerusalem church, God was specially 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:04.240 manifested through wonders and signs in their 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:09.600 midst. I would refer you to the earlier part 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:14.339 of the chapter in verse 19 where Joel, the Old 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:18.160 Testament prophet, is quoted. It says there, 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.560 I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:25.759 on the earth beneath. And so you see wonders 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:28.500 and signs mentioned in that Old Testament prophecy. 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:32.459 However, these wonders and signs have to do with 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:38.569 miracles in nature. At the end of this age, in 00:07:38.569 --> 00:07:42.410 that time that we call the tribulation. Nonetheless, 00:07:42.589 --> 00:07:45.230 those same two words are repeated with an additional 00:07:45.230 --> 00:07:50.050 one in verse 22, when Peter points to Jesus and 00:07:50.050 --> 00:07:53.089 says, He was a man attested to you by God with 00:07:53.089 --> 00:07:58.050 miracles and wonders and signs. And so those 00:07:58.050 --> 00:08:01.480 were the wonders and signs and miracles. which 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.920 Jesus performed in his ministry as proof of his 00:08:04.920 --> 00:08:08.959 claim. Now, in our part of the chapter, it says 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.819 that these were done through the apostles. And 00:08:12.819 --> 00:08:17.180 this is as Jesus said it would be. For example, 00:08:17.180 --> 00:08:21.660 in Mark chapter 16, beginning in verse 14, it 00:08:21.660 --> 00:08:24.220 says, Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves 00:08:24.220 --> 00:08:28.810 as they were reclining at the table. And he reproached 00:08:28.810 --> 00:08:31.269 them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. 00:08:31.350 --> 00:08:35.149 Now notice, this is after the resurrection. Jesus 00:08:35.149 --> 00:08:38.169 rebuked them for unbelief and hardness of heart 00:08:38.169 --> 00:08:41.230 because they had not believed those who had seen 00:08:41.230 --> 00:08:46.110 him after he had risen. The fact of the resurrection 00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:49.210 does not preclude unbelief or a hardened heart 00:08:49.210 --> 00:08:53.830 in any of us. And he said to them, Go into all 00:08:53.830 --> 00:08:56.230 the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 00:08:57.159 --> 00:08:59.899 He who has believed and has been baptized shall 00:08:59.899 --> 00:09:03.740 be saved. That almost looks like it ought to 00:09:03.740 --> 00:09:05.980 go in Acts chapter 2, next to that verse we studied 00:09:05.980 --> 00:09:08.419 last week, doesn't it? But notice what else he 00:09:08.419 --> 00:09:11.500 says. And he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.559 If in fact Jesus had meant that baptism were 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:19.340 a part of salvation, to be added to believing 00:09:19.340 --> 00:09:22.769 as a condition of being saved, Would he not have 00:09:22.769 --> 00:09:24.750 said, but he who has disbelieved and has not 00:09:24.750 --> 00:09:27.330 been baptized shall be condemned? I think so. 00:09:28.049 --> 00:09:30.269 Then there would have been a parallel. Well, 00:09:30.289 --> 00:09:33.389 let's go on. Verse 17, And these signs will accompany 00:09:33.389 --> 00:09:35.809 those who have believed me. In my name they will 00:09:35.809 --> 00:09:38.870 cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, 00:09:39.110 --> 00:09:41.429 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink 00:09:41.429 --> 00:09:44.129 any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them. They 00:09:44.129 --> 00:09:46.070 will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.480 Jesus is speaking to the apostles and he's telling 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:54.539 what the signs of their ministry would be. And 00:09:54.539 --> 00:09:59.580 now just a few days later in Acts chapter 2, 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:03.419 we see these signs and wonders being performed 00:10:03.419 --> 00:10:08.059 as Jesus has said they would be through the apostles. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:13.620 Now the verb that is used in Acts 2 .43 were 00:10:13.620 --> 00:10:18.110 taking place. is in such a tense that it means 00:10:18.110 --> 00:10:20.850 they occurred regularly, but it also suggests 00:10:20.850 --> 00:10:23.610 that they were in the past at the time that this 00:10:23.610 --> 00:10:26.470 book was being written. They were something that 00:10:26.470 --> 00:10:30.570 were taking place continually in that day. But 00:10:30.570 --> 00:10:32.970 even as Luke was writing this, which was about 00:10:32.970 --> 00:10:38.250 30 -some years later, they were in the past at 00:10:38.250 --> 00:10:42.149 that point. Now it was particularly because of 00:10:42.149 --> 00:10:46.230 these wonders and signs, apparently, that there 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:51.809 was a sense of awe or fear which settled upon 00:10:51.809 --> 00:10:56.169 every one of them. It seems that the more miracles 00:10:56.169 --> 00:11:01.470 there were, the more the fear intensified. It 00:11:01.470 --> 00:11:04.049 was not a terror of God, but it was a healthy, 00:11:04.149 --> 00:11:10.500 trusting respect of God. In other words, what 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:12.399 was happening was that they were becoming more 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:15.039 and more aware of God's presence in their midst 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:20.559 as he manifested himself. And he was free to 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:23.460 manifest himself because they themselves were 00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:28.720 living by the right priorities. His lordship 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:34.580 was not just verbalized, but it was lived. It 00:11:34.580 --> 00:11:37.299 was not in words only, but it was in reality 00:11:37.299 --> 00:11:41.379 that Jesus Christ was their Lord. And because 00:11:41.379 --> 00:11:44.620 that was their commitment, God manifested himself 00:11:44.620 --> 00:11:48.879 powerfully through them. Now let's talk about 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.779 some application for today. Although wonders 00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:57.340 and signs are not the norm for this age, 2 Corinthians 00:11:57.340 --> 00:12:00.360 12 .12 says that they were the signs of the apostles. 00:12:01.450 --> 00:12:03.750 In other words, when the apostles left, so did 00:12:03.750 --> 00:12:08.389 their signs. Although signs and wonders are not 00:12:08.389 --> 00:12:11.350 the norm for the age, God still does manifest 00:12:11.350 --> 00:12:15.830 his presence. How does he do that? Well, let 00:12:15.830 --> 00:12:18.129 me suggest several ways. First, through an inner 00:12:18.129 --> 00:12:21.190 sense of his presence. You might call it the 00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:24.950 witness of the spirit within. Yes, that is subjective. 00:12:25.169 --> 00:12:27.870 Yes, it is a little mystical, but it's real nonetheless. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:34.019 God manifests His presence in us with that inner 00:12:34.019 --> 00:12:38.500 sense that He's there. His Spirit bears witness 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:40.740 with our spirit that we are the sons of God. 00:12:42.379 --> 00:12:44.720 And then He manifests His presence through the 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:48.580 power of conviction, especially through the proclamation 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:52.620 or the sharing of His Word. How do we know that 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:55.759 God is here? Because of the convicting work of 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:59.740 His Spirit in our midst. Thirdly, by answered 00:12:59.740 --> 00:13:04.240 prayer, God manifests Himself. God tells us He 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:07.399 is here, that He is involved in what we are doing 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:12.179 because He answers our requests. And fourthly, 00:13:12.179 --> 00:13:16.919 because of an occasional miracle. Not as a sign 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:20.679 or as a wonder in the sense of that which was 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:24.179 happening in the early church, but God still 00:13:24.179 --> 00:13:29.389 does miracles. God still does things that are 00:13:29.389 --> 00:13:32.250 direct answers to prayer and cannot be explained 00:13:32.250 --> 00:13:36.789 in human terms. I think of the one man in particular 00:13:36.789 --> 00:13:41.470 that we prayed for last June who was completely 00:13:41.470 --> 00:13:45.190 healed of cancer overnight, astounded the doctors 00:13:45.190 --> 00:13:48.230 at Mayo's. They could not explain it. They were 00:13:48.230 --> 00:13:51.149 ready to go in and operate. They decided to take 00:13:51.149 --> 00:13:54.789 one final x -ray, and when they took that x -ray, 00:13:54.850 --> 00:13:58.500 that cancer, It was entirely gone. God still 00:13:58.500 --> 00:14:01.500 does miracles. God still manifests His presence 00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:04.679 among His people. We say, well, why isn't that 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:10.080 the norm? Wouldn't there be a lot more fear among 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:12.659 God's people? Wouldn't there be a sense of awe 00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:16.320 in our church if God would do lots of signs and 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:21.259 wonders? Human reasoning would say, yes, that 00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:25.399 might be true. But sadly, the facts don't bear 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:29.279 that out. What would actually happen is that 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.299 these wonders and signs would grow common and 00:14:32.299 --> 00:14:37.059 unappreciated. You say, oh, come on. Yeah, that's 00:14:37.059 --> 00:14:40.360 right. And I know that because we're no different 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:43.960 than the Jews that were delivered out of Egypt 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:46.500 and walked with God for 40 years in the wilderness. 00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:51.580 Miracle after miracle, wonder after wonder was 00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:54.840 performed for them. and yet they failed in their 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:58.840 unbelief. In fact, even Christ's resurrection, 00:14:59.220 --> 00:15:03.019 even His resurrection from the dead, did not 00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:06.139 shake most of the people, even in that day, from 00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:10.559 their unbelief. The answer is not in signs and 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:15.019 wonders, but it is in the proclamation of God's 00:15:15.019 --> 00:15:20.480 Word. God wants us to walk by faith, not by signs 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:26.139 and wonders. or sight by faith. God still does 00:15:26.139 --> 00:15:29.519 manifest himself today. And folks, as you and 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:34.019 I get right priorities in our lives, and we begin 00:15:34.019 --> 00:15:36.759 to live faithfully according to those priorities 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:40.100 of teaching and fellowship and worship and prayer, 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:44.500 then God is free to manifest himself in our church. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.559 That's what I want, and I believe that's what 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:50.879 you want too. But it's somewhat dependent on 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:53.019 us because we have to get those priorities where 00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:57.700 they need to be. A second characteristic to be 00:15:57.700 --> 00:16:00.639 found in a local church where God's people are 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.860 living by right priorities is that needs are 00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:08.259 met. Verses 44 to 45. What is described in these 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:12.720 communal type actions? Let me hasten to say it 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:17.259 is not Christian communism, as some people like 00:16:17.259 --> 00:16:23.000 to think. This is no communistic effort on the 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:26.340 part of the early church. Rather, it was completely 00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:30.700 voluntary. The state was not involved. Even the 00:16:30.700 --> 00:16:33.519 apostles were not involved in directing this 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:36.700 activity. It was completely voluntary on their 00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:40.299 part. What is described here is actually Christian 00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:44.340 compassion for those who have pressing needs. 00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:47.940 And I would have you note with me carefully these 00:16:47.940 --> 00:16:50.740 five observations about it. Number one, it grew 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:55.159 out of their unity. It says that they were together 00:16:55.159 --> 00:17:00.980 in verse 44. They were together. They were in 00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:03.639 this thing together, as a friend of mine says. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:09.740 Their unity produced a tremendous spirit of sharing. 00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:18.180 What we see here grew out of their unity. Now, 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:20.859 you parents who have teenagers, isn't it amazing 00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:24.140 that you cannot get your teenager to drink out 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:28.460 of the same glass of somebody else in the household? 00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:32.339 But if he gets on an athletic team at school, 00:17:32.460 --> 00:17:36.240 he'll drink out of the same bucket with 25 other 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.839 slobbering kids his own age. Isn't that amazing? 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:44.960 Now, why is that? Because of the team unity that 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.140 is there. I mean, they're in it together, you 00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:51.259 see. And so it was with this church. They were 00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:54.720 unified. And out of that unity came this compassion 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:58.720 to share, to meet needs. Secondly, note it was 00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:03.359 occasional. It was not continuous. The verbs 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.900 here indicate that it was from time to time that 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:08.220 this took place. That is, as the needs arose. 00:18:09.210 --> 00:18:11.630 someone would sell a piece of property and give 00:18:11.630 --> 00:18:14.769 that money. So it was occasional. It only happened 00:18:14.769 --> 00:18:18.750 when the occasion arose. Thirdly, it was temporary. 00:18:20.549 --> 00:18:26.809 It was not permanent. It was not meant to be 00:18:26.809 --> 00:18:31.369 the norm for this age. Now, I recognize there 00:18:31.369 --> 00:18:33.910 are some people who like to live in communes, 00:18:33.910 --> 00:18:36.529 Christian communes, and they use this as their 00:18:36.529 --> 00:18:40.259 scriptural basis. But that is not what God intended. 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:44.400 This is not meant to be the norm, the practice 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:46.740 for everybody. It was a temporary thing. It was 00:18:46.740 --> 00:18:50.660 not permanent. That leads me to the fourth observation. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:53.180 That is that it was local. It was never practiced, 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.440 as far as we know, by any of the other churches. 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:02.660 It was done only in Jerusalem. And the final 00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:04.940 observation is that it was limited to believers. 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:09.230 The sharing was not... a community relief project. 00:19:09.349 --> 00:19:12.769 It was not a public welfare program, but it was 00:19:12.769 --> 00:19:15.990 a relief program for other believers within the 00:19:15.990 --> 00:19:22.089 church. These people had right priorities, and 00:19:22.089 --> 00:19:24.410 the right priorities led them to share, to meet 00:19:24.410 --> 00:19:29.269 one another's needs. Right priorities mean that 00:19:29.269 --> 00:19:33.750 others come before myself, so that if I have 00:19:33.750 --> 00:19:38.470 something which my brother truly needs, Jesus 00:19:38.470 --> 00:19:43.009 Christ's love in me will motivate me to share 00:19:43.009 --> 00:19:49.029 with him. I would emphasize that this is not 00:19:49.029 --> 00:19:54.849 always sharing of material things. It may involve 00:19:54.849 --> 00:19:58.369 that and often does, but not always. There are 00:19:58.369 --> 00:20:01.680 other things that we need to share. For example, 00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:05.000 one person rather than money may need help in 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:09.500 learning to be disciplined in his spending. He 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:12.359 may need someone, another believer, to come alongside 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:15.019 and give counseling regarding a budget and how 00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:17.940 to live by a budget. You see, that's far more 00:20:17.940 --> 00:20:22.299 important to share than just more money. Or it 00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:26.420 may be entirely non -monetary. It may be that 00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:30.890 I need to share a listening ear. with some Christian. 00:20:31.710 --> 00:20:34.950 Or I may need to give time to help with a project. 00:20:36.630 --> 00:20:40.809 Or I may need to work with a child of a single 00:20:40.809 --> 00:20:45.130 parent as a big brother or big sister. And may 00:20:45.130 --> 00:20:48.789 I say that we have some single parents in our 00:20:48.789 --> 00:20:52.069 church who are crying for men who will do that 00:20:52.069 --> 00:20:57.349 for their sons. In those cases, it's just sons. 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:03.359 What about a ride to the doctor's office or to 00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:06.279 the grocery store? What about sharing a word 00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:10.940 of encouragement or of understanding? You see, 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:13.359 all of these are ways in which we, if we are 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.400 sensitive and have our priorities right, will 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:18.380 be able to meet the needs of those around us. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:21.359 And I'm glad to say that there are some of us 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:23.740 who are very involved in these ways that I've 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:28.339 mentioned. Let me suggest to you a project. Many 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:31.690 of us have made a commitment. to right priorities. 00:21:33.170 --> 00:21:35.910 Now that we've done that, would you look around? 00:21:38.049 --> 00:21:44.990 Whose need are you aware of today? Is there a 00:21:44.990 --> 00:21:48.509 family or another individual where you know of 00:21:48.509 --> 00:21:53.390 a particular need of the monetary or non -monetary 00:21:53.390 --> 00:22:00.339 sort? Just a need. Do you know of some way you 00:22:00.339 --> 00:22:03.799 can help? Or do you know someone else who can 00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:08.720 help fill that need? Would you take upon yourself 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:12.079 this project to determine to meet a specific 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:16.099 need in someone else's life before the end of 00:22:16.099 --> 00:22:21.559 this week? Will you pray about that? Will you 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:24.019 seek, if your priorities are right today, I challenge 00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:27.509 you to do this as part of the outworking. of 00:22:27.509 --> 00:22:31.390 those priorities. Find someone who has a need 00:22:31.390 --> 00:22:34.410 and then seek to meet that need as God enables 00:22:34.410 --> 00:22:37.190 you to do it. God will bless you in doing it. 00:22:38.470 --> 00:22:40.869 It may be that the kind of need you're seeking 00:22:40.869 --> 00:22:44.529 for is a ministry need. We have those kinds of 00:22:44.529 --> 00:22:47.630 needs. Right now we have a Sunday school class 00:22:47.630 --> 00:22:52.470 that desperately needs a teacher. We have a sparks 00:22:52.470 --> 00:22:55.210 group. Those are the two and a half and three 00:22:55.210 --> 00:22:58.549 year olds. We meet on Wednesday night as part 00:22:58.549 --> 00:23:01.730 of the Awana ministry. We need some adult helpers 00:23:01.730 --> 00:23:07.690 in there. We need 12 helpers for occasional assistance 00:23:07.690 --> 00:23:11.849 in our junior church program. Not every Sunday, 00:23:11.950 --> 00:23:16.130 just occasionally helping out. You say, well, 00:23:16.269 --> 00:23:19.230 maybe I can meet one of those needs. Then indicate 00:23:19.230 --> 00:23:23.159 that. Go to the information desk or see. Pastor 00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:25.339 Helmberger, who's just come in, Mr. Helmberger 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:26.799 back there, would you lift your hand in case 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:29.539 there's somebody that wants to see you? Look 00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:32.440 him up after the service. Say, hey, how about 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:34.460 this? What can I do to help in that area of the 00:23:34.460 --> 00:23:37.599 children's ministry? Now, I'm in a lot of trouble 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:40.920 because I haven't mentioned the adult ministry. 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:43.740 I haven't mentioned the music ministry and others. 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:48.819 And there are needs in all of these areas. Needs 00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:51.319 are met when God's people are living by his priorities. 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:55.640 Then there's a third characteristic of a church 00:23:55.640 --> 00:24:00.460 in which God's people are living by right priorities. 00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:03.700 It is this, that fellowship is enriched, verses 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:08.599 46 and 47. Fellowship is enriched. Now, what 00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:13.480 is fellowship? That is really a hard term to 00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:15.940 get your hand on. It's like reaching out and 00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:18.099 trying to pick up a piece of jello, isn't it? 00:24:18.660 --> 00:24:21.980 What is fellowship? How do you define fellowship? 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:24.640 Have you ever tried to do that? You say, well, 00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:28.200 it means sharing. Well, essentially, that is 00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:32.000 what it means, but that's no definition for it. 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:36.380 Here's a stab at it, just from my own heart. 00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:42.559 To me, fellowship is the joy, the sense of belonging 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:46.440 I experience in the company of God's people. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:51.460 who share my priorities and commitments, and 00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:54.299 with whom I can make a significant life contribution. 00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:59.759 To me, that's what fellowship is. Now, there 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:02.720 are seven statements of insight that I want to 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:07.480 make regarding our text, verses 46 and 47, to 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:10.420 help us understand the fellowship of this Jerusalem 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:13.920 church and make application to our own. Number 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:18.740 one, Fellowship was born out of unity. That sounds 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:20.779 like a repeat from point number two, doesn't 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:24.819 it? And it is. Because it's emphasized here again 00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:28.400 by the Holy Spirit. Notice he mentions one mind. 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:36.319 They were of one mind. The idea is that they 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:40.259 had one spirit, of the same spirit. It says that 00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:43.349 they were together. Notice that word again, the 00:25:43.349 --> 00:25:46.750 same one as in verse 44. They were together. 00:25:49.109 --> 00:25:55.250 This fellowship was born out of unity. This unity 00:25:55.250 --> 00:25:59.730 precludes genuine fellowship, just like cement 00:25:59.730 --> 00:26:05.390 precludes grass from growing. It is not enough 00:26:05.390 --> 00:26:07.650 to be in the same room with other Christians. 00:26:08.170 --> 00:26:13.250 That is not unity. Unity is when you share the 00:26:13.250 --> 00:26:18.390 same heart, the same mind, the same spirit. We 00:26:18.390 --> 00:26:20.789 all are moving in the same direction. We have 00:26:20.789 --> 00:26:23.190 the same interests. We don't agree on every little 00:26:23.190 --> 00:26:25.710 point, but there is a sameness. There is a unity. 00:26:26.269 --> 00:26:29.809 And we are together in this thing. We are a team. 00:26:30.789 --> 00:26:36.250 That's unity. I praise God for the degree of 00:26:36.250 --> 00:26:40.109 unity that we have in our church. I'm certain 00:26:40.109 --> 00:26:42.269 it's not perfect and could be well improved. 00:26:43.569 --> 00:26:46.210 But I have been in other places where I've sensed 00:26:46.210 --> 00:26:52.289 much less unity. I can guarantee you that. And 00:26:52.289 --> 00:26:54.950 where there is not unity, there cannot be real 00:26:54.950 --> 00:26:57.549 fellowship. Fellowship, you see, is born out 00:26:57.549 --> 00:27:01.309 of unity. That's why it's so important that all 00:27:01.309 --> 00:27:04.829 of us guard the unity of our church. We just 00:27:04.829 --> 00:27:09.049 jealously guard that. One of our members was 00:27:09.049 --> 00:27:11.910 sharing with me the other day that a former member 00:27:11.910 --> 00:27:18.589 of the Emanuel Church, which joined with us back 00:27:18.589 --> 00:27:22.670 three and a half years ago, called and said, 00:27:22.769 --> 00:27:27.769 Why are they tearing down that church? I started 00:27:27.769 --> 00:27:30.670 railing about the fact that the old auditorium 00:27:30.670 --> 00:27:34.029 was torn down. What are you doing there? And 00:27:34.029 --> 00:27:37.190 so this person, who was also a member of that, 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:40.480 Emanuel Church is with us today, said, you know, 00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:43.940 people are getting saved, and our attendance 00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:45.980 is growing, and God is working in our church. 00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:52.039 Now, what was your problem again? You see, what 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:54.380 was she doing? She was jealously guarding the 00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:57.619 unity of the church. And it's out of that unity 00:27:57.619 --> 00:28:02.440 that fellowship, real fellowship, is born. Second 00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:05.180 observation, or second statement. Fellowship 00:28:05.180 --> 00:28:08.259 was experienced on a daily basis. Notice that 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:12.420 it talks about it happening day by day in verse 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:19.960 46. Day by day. They continued steadfastly day 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:24.500 by day. Not just for Sunday. Fellowship is for 00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:27.920 Sunday, but not just for Sunday. It's to occur 00:28:27.920 --> 00:28:30.440 throughout the week as I meet regularly with 00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:32.970 other members of God's family. It can happen 00:28:32.970 --> 00:28:35.650 in the grocery store when I happen to push my 00:28:35.650 --> 00:28:38.930 cart past another person who's a believer. And 00:28:38.930 --> 00:28:41.210 in about 15 seconds we greet each other, there 00:28:41.210 --> 00:28:45.509 can be fellowship there. It can happen in the 00:28:45.509 --> 00:28:48.490 prayer meeting on Wednesday night. It can happen 00:28:48.490 --> 00:28:50.930 in the small group Bible study, the growth group. 00:28:51.269 --> 00:28:54.609 It can happen in the foyer of the church. You 00:28:54.609 --> 00:28:56.369 see, fellowship is something that should happen 00:28:56.369 --> 00:29:01.170 day by day as we meet together. Thirdly. Fellowship 00:29:01.170 --> 00:29:03.269 was expressed in public. It was in the temple. 00:29:04.430 --> 00:29:07.029 At this particular time, there was no conflict 00:29:07.029 --> 00:29:10.109 with the Jews. Later, there would be conflict, 00:29:10.190 --> 00:29:15.589 and persecution would drive out these Jews who 00:29:15.589 --> 00:29:17.950 had completed their faith by belief in Jesus 00:29:17.950 --> 00:29:22.630 as Lord and Christ. Persecution would demand 00:29:22.630 --> 00:29:24.309 that they leave the temple, and there would be 00:29:24.309 --> 00:29:27.819 a whole new orientation. But at this point, All 00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:30.119 they knew was the temple, and so they went to 00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:35.220 the temple. And their fellowship was expressed 00:29:35.220 --> 00:29:40.400 for everyone to see. Frankly, the unregenerate 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:45.380 yet religious society around us also needs this 00:29:45.380 --> 00:29:50.400 kind of a witness. I trust that when people know 00:29:50.400 --> 00:29:52.900 that we are from Grace Church or that we are 00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:56.559 believers with... other believers and churches 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:00.359 in this area, and they see us together, they 00:30:00.359 --> 00:30:03.099 will be able to remark, as some of those early 00:30:03.099 --> 00:30:06.380 people did, behold how they love one another. 00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:12.900 The public needs that kind of a witness. But 00:30:12.900 --> 00:30:15.460 then fellowship was shared in private as well. 00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:19.420 It was from house to house. That seems to be 00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:22.279 the best rendering of that phrase. It was from 00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:24.500 house to house that they shared their meals. 00:30:24.859 --> 00:30:27.940 The public fellowship which they enjoyed overflowed 00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:30.940 into smaller home settings where they shared 00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:35.059 meals together. It seems as though some of them 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:38.420 even built worship rooms, they were called, to 00:30:38.420 --> 00:30:42.480 house such gatherings as this. What this tells 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:44.700 me is that the public meetings are important. 00:30:47.210 --> 00:30:49.849 But they're no more important than the more intimate 00:30:49.849 --> 00:30:52.329 opportunities that I have to be with others of 00:30:52.329 --> 00:30:55.329 God's people. Because it is in those smaller 00:30:55.329 --> 00:30:57.950 groups where I'm able to become more transparent. 00:30:59.289 --> 00:31:01.789 And we're able to do that somewhat in our small 00:31:01.789 --> 00:31:03.650 churches. And I hope that you're involved in 00:31:03.650 --> 00:31:07.109 a small church and plugged in that way. But it 00:31:07.109 --> 00:31:10.289 happens even more so in the subdivisions of the 00:31:10.289 --> 00:31:13.029 small church. We break down into growth groups. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:16.640 where we stimulate one another and share with 00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:20.480 each other and open our hearts. Fellowship was 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:26.259 shared in private, from house to house. And then 00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:28.559 fellowship was consummated in worship, it seems, 00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:31.059 because they broke bread together. Often this 00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:34.400 was the end of their meal. They would conclude 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:38.720 their time of eating by worship. They would observe 00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:41.539 the Lord's table as they would break bread together. 00:31:42.109 --> 00:31:47.789 and in so doing they would be praising God. Their 00:31:47.789 --> 00:31:52.509 fellowship led to worship. Real fellowship always 00:31:52.509 --> 00:32:00.150 does. It always leads us to praising God. That 00:32:00.150 --> 00:32:03.829 word for praising God in verse 47 is a word that's 00:32:03.829 --> 00:32:05.950 only used in the New Testament regarding God 00:32:05.950 --> 00:32:09.650 himself. Praising God, it's the same word the 00:32:09.650 --> 00:32:12.349 shepherds used. In Luke chapter 2, when they 00:32:12.349 --> 00:32:13.890 had been to the manger and then they returned 00:32:13.890 --> 00:32:18.609 to their fields, praising God. Fellowship leads 00:32:18.609 --> 00:32:21.170 us to praise the Lord. Fellowship is never an 00:32:21.170 --> 00:32:25.430 end in itself. Fellowship leads us to something 00:32:25.430 --> 00:32:28.009 even greater, and that is the awareness of Christ's 00:32:28.009 --> 00:32:31.970 presence and a greater appreciation of His grace 00:32:31.970 --> 00:32:37.210 and mercy working in the lives of others. Then 00:32:37.210 --> 00:32:39.990 fellowship was enhanced by right heart attitudes. 00:32:41.549 --> 00:32:43.769 And there are two of them mentioned here in our 00:32:43.769 --> 00:32:48.890 text. Gladness and sincerity. Gladness means 00:32:48.890 --> 00:32:54.170 exuberant joy. Exuberant joy. Have you ever noticed 00:32:54.170 --> 00:32:56.289 that some saints seem as though they've been 00:32:56.289 --> 00:32:59.130 weaned on pickle juice? Have you ever noticed 00:32:59.130 --> 00:33:03.150 that? It's hard to please them, to satisfy them. 00:33:05.009 --> 00:33:09.970 They're critical, complaining, griping. But not... 00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:14.180 the early church. They had the right heart attitude, 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:17.319 and that fellowship was enhanced by it. They 00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:21.099 were a glad people. And it's not just inner joy 00:33:21.099 --> 00:33:24.079 here. It's talking about outward exuberance. 00:33:25.500 --> 00:33:31.480 They were glad in their fellowship. That is the 00:33:31.480 --> 00:33:35.579 work of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 1 .44, this 00:33:35.579 --> 00:33:39.829 very same word is used regarding... a baby who 00:33:39.829 --> 00:33:44.650 was still in the womb of elizabeth and that baby 00:33:44.650 --> 00:33:47.109 was john the baptist because it says that when 00:33:47.109 --> 00:33:52.349 mary came into the room and by that time she 00:33:52.349 --> 00:33:55.710 was of child by the holy spirit she went to her 00:33:55.710 --> 00:33:58.750 sister elizabeth to announce it and when she 00:33:58.750 --> 00:34:02.670 came into the room luke tells us that elizabeth 00:34:02.670 --> 00:34:06.589 experienced a sensation within that baby leaped 00:34:06.589 --> 00:34:14.980 for Because of the voice of Mary. You say, what 00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:16.639 does all that mean? I don't know, but I'll tell 00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:18.260 you this. If I believed in abortion, that would 00:34:18.260 --> 00:34:23.260 scare me to death. Because while he was still 00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:28.320 in the womb, John had exuberant joy that the 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:31.460 Messiah was in the womb of the person in the 00:34:31.460 --> 00:34:35.820 room with his own mother. And then sincerity. 00:34:36.909 --> 00:34:39.250 This word is used only here in the New Testament. 00:34:40.489 --> 00:34:45.210 Literally, it means not stony ground. The idea 00:34:45.210 --> 00:34:48.429 is that their hearts were plain, simple, smooth. 00:34:49.969 --> 00:34:52.710 In their fellowship, they had no hidden agendas. 00:34:54.710 --> 00:35:01.969 There were no secret motives. Have you ever been 00:35:01.969 --> 00:35:03.969 aware of a person who joined a church because 00:35:03.969 --> 00:35:06.070 by joining that church, it enhanced his business? 00:35:07.949 --> 00:35:11.730 I have. There was no that kind of stuff here 00:35:11.730 --> 00:35:14.989 in Jerusalem. There was just sincerity of heart. 00:35:15.250 --> 00:35:18.989 They were transparent. They were genuine. It 00:35:18.989 --> 00:35:21.269 was sort of what you see is what you get attitude, 00:35:21.429 --> 00:35:23.530 you know. I mean, what they were, they were. 00:35:24.369 --> 00:35:27.429 There was sincerity about them. And when you 00:35:27.429 --> 00:35:30.030 and I come together that way with gladness and 00:35:30.030 --> 00:35:35.030 with no hidden agendas, sincerely, that's real 00:35:35.030 --> 00:35:38.289 fellowship. And finally, fellowship resulted 00:35:38.289 --> 00:35:45.010 in wide acceptance. People around them were apparently 00:35:45.010 --> 00:35:49.530 hungry for deeper, real relationships. And the 00:35:49.530 --> 00:35:51.989 result is that they had favor with all the people, 00:35:52.090 --> 00:35:55.949 even those that were unsaved. Oh, that people 00:35:55.949 --> 00:35:59.349 today would see in our fellowship something attractive, 00:35:59.730 --> 00:36:08.170 compelling, satisfying. When God's people live 00:36:08.170 --> 00:36:11.030 by right priorities, it produces in that church 00:36:11.030 --> 00:36:16.530 that kind of fellowship. And finally, a church 00:36:16.530 --> 00:36:18.909 that is that way, characterized by people with 00:36:18.909 --> 00:36:23.730 right priorities, growth is continuous. Look 00:36:23.730 --> 00:36:26.050 at the last of verse 47. And the Lord was adding 00:36:26.050 --> 00:36:28.409 to their number day by day, notice that phrase 00:36:28.409 --> 00:36:34.269 again, those who were being saved. Those who 00:36:34.269 --> 00:36:37.300 were being saved. Notice that. Not those who 00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:39.460 were saved, who shall be saved, those who were 00:36:39.460 --> 00:36:43.820 being saved. It's progressive here. It's in the 00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:46.739 present tense. It suggests that they were being 00:36:46.739 --> 00:36:49.420 saved from the present condition of the perverse 00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:53.760 humanity around them. That's the way salvation 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:56.059 is. It's past, it's present, it's future, isn't 00:36:56.059 --> 00:37:01.440 it? Growth is continuous in a church where God's 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:04.579 people have their priorities right. Now granted, 00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:08.579 the growth may not always be fast growth, but 00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:11.440 it is hard to conceive of a church where people 00:37:11.440 --> 00:37:13.920 have right priorities and there's no growth. 00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:17.500 And notice that the Lord produced the growth 00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:21.440 day by day. It was not just Sunday. The picture 00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:24.559 is that of a dynamic power flowing through the 00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:27.800 people every day, wherever they went, so that 00:37:27.800 --> 00:37:30.280 as a church, as a body of people, they were impacting 00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:34.429 their whole society day by day. And the result 00:37:34.429 --> 00:37:36.650 of that is that people were being saved continuously 00:37:36.650 --> 00:37:42.869 and added to the church. Well, I don't know about 00:37:42.869 --> 00:37:45.170 you, but that's the kind of a church I want to 00:37:45.170 --> 00:37:48.289 be a part of. A church that's characterized this 00:37:48.289 --> 00:37:51.829 way. A church that has a dynamic and powerful 00:37:51.829 --> 00:37:55.130 ministry because God's people are living by right 00:37:55.130 --> 00:37:58.110 priorities. And that includes me as well as you. 00:38:00.010 --> 00:38:03.789 A couple of questions as we close. Are you living 00:38:03.789 --> 00:38:09.329 by God's priorities? Now, before you answer that, 00:38:09.389 --> 00:38:12.869 remember, the way you measure your answer is 00:38:12.869 --> 00:38:18.090 by how you spend your time. Do you give time 00:38:18.090 --> 00:38:22.590 to the teaching of God's Word when we're together? 00:38:24.090 --> 00:38:26.349 Or are you too much of a hurry to go to small 00:38:26.349 --> 00:38:29.130 church, too busy on Sunday night to come to church? 00:38:32.909 --> 00:38:36.730 How much of a priority is teaching to you by 00:38:36.730 --> 00:38:42.869 the time that you spend being taught? And then 00:38:42.869 --> 00:38:47.050 fellowship. Is fellowship a priority? Or are 00:38:47.050 --> 00:38:48.949 you a quick in and quick out, a fast food kind 00:38:48.949 --> 00:38:56.769 of Christian? What about worship? Prayer. Do 00:38:56.769 --> 00:39:02.440 you give time to prayer? And then a second question 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:06.500 is this. How do your true life priorities help 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:11.360 establish our church? You say, well, I'm not 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:13.420 a member here yet. Do you attend regularly? You 00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:20.139 are a part of us, even in that sense. How do 00:39:20.139 --> 00:39:23.079 your life priorities help establish God's work 00:39:23.079 --> 00:39:27.659 in our church? The fact is that the kind of church 00:39:27.659 --> 00:39:32.610 we are directly depends upon you. and the true 00:39:32.610 --> 00:39:37.010 priorities which govern your decisions and control 00:39:37.010 --> 00:39:41.130 your partnership in God's work in Grace Church 00:39:41.130 --> 00:39:46.989 Roseville. I trust that each of us today can 00:39:46.989 --> 00:39:51.309 honestly say before God, as much as we know our 00:39:51.309 --> 00:39:56.530 priorities are right, and when that is true, 00:39:56.769 --> 00:40:01.099 then God is going to use us. to build a dynamic 00:40:01.099 --> 00:40:03.940 ministry in this place to the glory of his name. 00:40:07.139 --> 00:40:10.659 Father, I pray that today you will search us 00:40:10.659 --> 00:40:22.800 as you know us to be, reveal it to us, wherein 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:27.460 our priorities are incorrect, our real priorities. 00:40:28.909 --> 00:40:33.929 Give us repentance. And I pray that our heart's 00:40:33.929 --> 00:40:38.150 desire will be to have the lordship of Jesus 00:40:38.150 --> 00:40:45.650 the number one priority. And then teaching and 00:40:45.650 --> 00:40:51.409 fellowship and worship and prayer. God, I pray 00:40:51.409 --> 00:40:56.110 that so many of us will do that, that our church 00:40:56.110 --> 00:41:00.170 will be characterized Like that Jerusalem church. 00:41:02.349 --> 00:41:04.829 Make us, I pray, for the glory of your name, 00:41:04.849 --> 00:41:11.090 that kind of a ministry. In Jesus' name I pray, 00:41:11.269 --> 00:41:11.710 amen.