Four Characteristics of a Godly Church
READ Acts2:42-47
Ask you what you might think a silly question—
Do you want this church to be like God’s church?
This question needs to be asked because the church of today is slipping.
Did you know that the United States is the third largest unchurched nation in the world? That North America is the only continent where Christianity is not growing. That more that 80 percent of all churches in the United States are plateaued or declining?
I believe that the reason from this decline is the lack of churches acting like God intended for them to act.
Lets look at the four characteristics of a Godly church so we know how to make this church what God wants it to be. And maybe it already is you judge.
First lets look at the scripture before the one we read so we know what is going on before that time.
Jesus had ascended. The Apostles stayed together and they drew lots to select another apostle to replace Judas. That was Matthias. Then the day of Pentecost came and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and were speaking in tongues and everyone understood in their own language. But the thing that I want you to see that leads into today’s scripture is what happens at Peter’s sermon. They heard his sermon and were pierced to the heart. And asked brethren what shall we do. And Peter answered in vs. 38 Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.41: So then those who had received his word were baptized and there were added that day about three thousand souls. They had a great revival. New baby Christians. The excitement was high had to be something wonderful.Why is this important? What would in be like to add three thousand to this church today? And what do you do with that many people to continue in God’s work? What would God’s church look like?
Let’s see what makes God’s church.
I. God’s church is steady (steadfast)-AND.V42- continually devoting themselves (steadfastly persevered)(kjv-continued steadfastly)
Illustration; Have you ever had a person in your life who was a steady person seemed like he never changed. He was sure to do the same thing you were sure he or she was going to be the same. My Dad was like that. He was someone you knew you could count on he was always there always steady. I use to go fishing with him when I was younger and I knew he would always want to go. But it got to be a steady thing that if I went with him we wouldn’t catch any fish. The day before and the day after my dad would catch them but not if I went. He called me the jinx. But he would always go fishing with you regardless. He was steady person.
God’s church is steady there is four thing this scripture says it’s steady in:
a. Teaching. Apostles- can be doctrine
1.They believe in fixed truth- the doctrine of the cross never let the excitement of any person, place, or thing lead you away from that truth. Even the excitement of revival.
2. C.H. Spurgeon said, “If God does not save a man by truth he certainly will not save them by lies, and if the old gospel is not competent to work a revival, then we will do without the revival; we will keep to the old truth, anyhow, come what may!”
The church is not to drift from one momentary emotional out burst to the next, rather the church moves immediately to the task of teaching keeping itself straight about what it is and what it is to be about.
Back to verse.
b. Fellowship-word is “common”-A relationship between individuals, which involves a common interest, and a mutual active participation in that interest and each other.
1. They loved each other and continued to do so.
2. They talked with each other about God and they did not give up that talking.
3. They helped each other when they were in need and they continued helping each other.
4. They were true brothers and sisters and their fellowship was not broken.
c. They were steadfast in the breaking of bread-They were steadfast in this delightful ordinance, which we should never despise or underestimate.
We know this breaking of bread was more than an agape meal. It was a meal mixed with the Lord’s supper we can see that in 1corth.11:23-24. It wasn’t until later in church history that the two were separated.
d. They were steadfast in prayer- supplication, worship, to pray to God (Def.-to ask for humbly and earnestly, to knee; down)
Illustration:
God cannot bless a church which does not pray and church must increase in prayer (supplication) if they would increase in strength. Acts 6:4 When the church was growing and increasing in numbers the Apostles knew how important prayer was they devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
II. God’s church is Spirited powered-
Moses-Ex.20: 20—Reverential fear –De10: 12 GO THERE—It is a fear that makes you want to do something for God out of love for his awesomeness.
AND---verse 43
a. Godly fear- sense of awe on every soul –reverential fear- they
Could see the spirit of God working. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed
Of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation.”
God was doing things that were so great. Look at the verses before.
Holy Spirit ministry- thousands getting saved.
b. Signs and wonders (miracles) were taking place through the apostles. We know people were getting healed but more important people were getting saved and lives were being changed. The Holy Spirit was working and hearts.
1. We know that these gifts of the Holy Spirit were building the church.
2. We know that the greatest of all the gift that we see in this passage is love
3. This church was filled with the Holy Spirit
III. God’s church is Unselfish-Verse 44-45
Christmas time is the time of the year when people are the most generous I heard a story about a little boy that several years ago who attended Mohawk Central School at Paines Hollow in New York. He heard them asking for contributions for Santa Clause Anonymous, a group that provides gifts for unfortunate children that other wise would go without Christmas presents. The boy struggled to save a few pennies for this purpose. On the Friday before Christmas vacation he had fifteen cents and planned to turn in this small treasure at the School that day. But a furious blizzard blasted the area that Friday and the school buses couldn’t run. So the boy waded through the deep snow a considerable distance to give his fifteen cents to the school principle. The principle found it difficult to control his emotions as he accepted the gift, for the youngster was one of the destitute children listed to receive a Christmas present from Santa Claus Anonymous.
The early church had a great, intense, desire, feeling of responsibility for each other,
1. They stayed together
2. They share all things
3. They saw the need and fulfilled it
They were so generous that they threw in their property and sold in because there were people in need. We could look at this and say they were in a commune or they were communist, but they weren’t they were Christians. The difference between a Christian and a communist is this: a communist says, “All yours is mine;” while a Christian says. “ All mine is yours;” The one is for getting the other is for giving.
These believers acted in such a generous spirit that they didn’t think about what might be theirs or not they just looked at the needed of other and did something about it. Do you do that? Do you look at the needs in this church and fulfill them?
I don’t believe that God will bless a stingy church. I was in a church that they spent more on the removal of garbage them they did on helping poor families in the church.
God is a generous God. He has given us the greatest gift He could ever give and God loves to have a generous people.
IV. God’s church is a unified church. Verse 46
A church that is not unified, not together in the way they do things is like rowing a boat with one oar, or having one strong rowing and one weak one. When I’d go out with my girls in my boat and we would have to row they would have to work twice as hard to keep up and go in a straight line or I would have to stop. But it is hard to go any where with one oar.
1.One mind- how can a church have one mind? Well they loved the Lord so much that they were at the temple daily together. There were no parties’ among them, no petty arguments, and no divisions. They love the Lord and each other too much for that. When a church is divided you divide the things that the Holy Spirit wants to do in the church, but when you are full of love for one another and then you can expect that God the Holy Spirit will fill you with blessings.
2.The second way they were united was spent time together in their homes
b. They broke bread (Lords supper) When is the last time you had the Lord’s supper at your home?
c. They ate meals together- this is a sign of unity, deep friendship. Not only that but in Jewish fashion when the blessing is said at the table the table becomes a holy place and eating together a sacred activity.
d. They did it with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God. You see their faith was not a sobering, sombering, sad, faith. It was joyous, joyful, jubilant, jolly, faith. They believe in the risen redeemer, how could their faces not shine with a heavenly glow, How could people not know that these people believed in a blessed gospel?
I want you to notice something important here. They didn’t think that church was just for Sunday nor was it only what people call today ‘the house of God.’ They had raised the level of worship to being a way of life. It was the way they conducted every aspect of their daily lives. Their homes were houses of the Lord. He resided in their home and in their lives.
God lives in the lives of His people. Your house should be holy, were you live, what you eat what you drink, what you look at, where you sleep, how you praise God with your life. Your worship at home shouldn’t be sacrificed or left out in place of your worship at church. Every Christian household is a church. Is your house a place of God? Does He dwell in your house? Are you praising God with your life?
Verse 47-- And having favor with all the people. Everyone liked them!! Everyone like them! How could you not like these people who called themselves Christian, that were so steady, so spirit-powered, so unselfish to one another, so unified, so loving to each other and to the one who loved them the most their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
. How could people not like a church like that? How could people not want to join and be part of a church like that?
Yes we all do!!
God said He did too!!! The rest of Verse 47 And the Lord was adding to their numbers day by day those who were being saved.
The LORD was adding not the Apostles, not the people, The Lord.
He added to their numbers not only added but they were people who were being saved.
The church was growing with saved people imagine that!
What can you do to make this church like God’s church?
What is it God is telling you today, that would help this church be like God’s church? Only you can answer that. Maybe you can tell me I’m all wet that this church is exactly like God’s word says it should be. Then I say praise God. We will be dynamite in the town of Shoals. And lives will be changed. And God will add to our numbers daily. But if we fall short then we can only seek God’s face and do what HE WANTS US TO do as his people. Amen?
Listen if you have been sitting there and saying boy that’s what I want I want to be part of God’s church and God wants you to His family today, you need to come today and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Become part of God’s church. Please come! Don’t leave here today without know Jesus in your heart, and becoming a child of God.
