Who would have ever thought that going to church would be dangerous? But it has become exactly that in some places.
Simon Loh, a pastor at Faith Assembly of God in Singapore, visited a hospital to pray with a church member who had contracted SARS. Soon thereafter, Loh discovered that he, too, had the disease and on March 26, Loh, 39, died.
As news of his death spread, many people stayed away from church. Those who came wore surgical masks and declined to shake hands, fearing they would catch the sometimes fatal malady.
In Toronto where Priests use a common spoon to distribute the sacrament the church insists that they will not remedy the way they do things for they believe that nothing deadly can be transmitted through the Holy Cup.” The only thing they request is that members use common sense in helping to prevent the disease. If you don’t feel well the church requests that you stay at home. A doctor in Toronto said, "The most important and effective means is to prevent individuals with symptoms of SARS from coming into the church."
SARS has scared people away from church because of a fear of what they might catch at church. The church in an area affected by SCARS can be a dangerous place. Unfortunately, in most churches, people don’t have to worry about catching anything at church because there’s nothing that’s being spread. That wasn’t the case in the church of the New Testament.
In our text this morning we find a church that is highly contagious and in fact very dangerous. A church which is so contagious that it affects the community around it and in fact turns its community upside down for Jesus. We find a group of people who are so passionate about their love for Jesus that they are contagious. A group of people so on fire for God that their lives threaten others. A group of people so in touch with God and each other that the Holy Spirit works through them in miraculous ways.
I want you to once again open your Bibles with me to the book of Acts. Last week we began this series on the church and discovered that God is calling us to the edge. That God wants us to take our faith to the ends of our worlds. Remember that those edges do not always signify geographical locations but must start with our own personal lives, with those areas in which we are uncomfortable but to which we know God is calling us.
This week I want to look with you at the events of Pentecost. Pentecost for the Jews was the feast when they celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses at Mt. Sinai. It was on Pentecost then that the disciples were all together in the upper room. The same upper room where we left them last week. You’ll recall that they had been told by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for the gift that the Father would send them. So there they are waiting. And suddenly the room is filled with the sound of a wind. Imagine what that would be like. They couldn’t tell where it was coming from they could only hear it. As they’re sitting there wondering what’s going on, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks and they started speaking in a number of different languages. They couldn’t understand each other but as this commotion continued we’re told that those who were staying in Jerusalem for the feast heard them speaking in their own native tongues and came running. They were amazed! Here, these foreigners who had made long journeys to Jerusalem were standing listening to men speaking about the mighty works of God in their own languages. Some supposed they were drunk but Peter quickly put an end to that line of thinking with a powerful speech which he made. He clearly explains the Gospel to these people and boldly declares the good news about Jesus Christ. The people accept his message and that day some three thousand persons were saved. 3,000 people in one day! Can you imagine? It’s amazing what God can do when we are ready to be used.
These apostles, who previously had not had the courage to even stand up with Jesus when he was being persecuted were suddenly changing the world. Peter who had denied that he had even known Jesus was now preaching to the multitudes. What happened? What caused such a significant change? And how can we experience that same kind of life-giving, life-inspiring change in our own lives?
I believe there are at least three elements which are essential in the life of a person who is dangerously Christian. These are characteristics which are present in a person who is poised to impact their world significantly:
1. A person who is dangerously Christian is Ready to be Used. Where were the disciples when the Holy Spirit came upon them? They were exactly where Jesus told them to be, waiting. They were anticipating something great. They were watching and believing that something was going to happen. They were ready to be used.
Folks, are you ready to be used? God wants to move in this community through this church in unbelievable ways but it won’t happen until we’re ready for it to happen. Prepare your hearts. Prepare your lives and then wait to see what God will do in and through you.
2. A person who is dangerously Christian is able to Communicate in other languages. I’m not talking literally about other languages here, but what I mean is that you and I need to learn to speak the language of others. In July we’re going to be starting a contemporary service on Saturday nights. It will be unlike church as you know it. The songs will be different. The dress code will be different. We’re learning to speak another language.
We live in a culture which speaks a language different than our own. Just look at our bulletins. How many people on the streets know what an “Invocation” or “Psalter” or “Doxology” are? We have our own language, and until we learn to speak the language of those around us we will not be able to reach them. Very seldom will they learn our language. We need to be learning theirs. We can change the medium without changing the message, and that’s what we need to be doing. That’s why we’re looking at transforming our Sunday School Program next fall into something totally different than you’ve ever seen, in an attempt to speak the language of the culture.
3. A dangerously Christian person is one who Boldly Declares Their Faith. A few weeks ago I was out front watering my plants when a young boy rode by the front of my house and circled around. I said, “Hello” and started making small talk with him attempting to see what he was doing. Finally, I noticed he had an order blank in his hand and I asked him what he was selling. He was selling pretzels and I asked him what it was for and then I asked to look at the order blank. He was the furthest thing from a bold salesman that I’ve ever seen.
Christian, you need to be bold. You and I need to be unafraid of boldly sharing Jesus with those around us. That’s what you see in today’s story. Peter boldly shares his faith and as a result thousands of people make a decision to follow Christ.
As a result of individuals who were dangerously Christian Acts 2 gives us a picture of what a dangerously Christian Church might look like. This portrait is my vision for our church. When I dream about what God wants to do this is what I see. Look with me at verses 44 and following: “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day be day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
From that passage five earmarks of a dangerously Christian Church emerge: Write these down, post them on your refrigerator. Insert them in your Bible. Put them somewhere where you’ll be reminded of them constantly:
1. A Dangerously Christian Church is characterized by UNITY…
2. A Dangerously Christian Church MEETS NEEDS…
3. A Dangerously Christian Church VALUES WORSHIP…
4. A Dangerously Christian Church VALUES FELLOWSHIP…
5. A Dangerously Christian Church GROWS…
