WEBVTT 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:09.577 We are continuing in what we've titled the Gatherings priorities. 00:00:09.681 --> 00:00:14.265 And somebody asked me a couple of weeks ago about they were visiting, 00:00:14.305 --> 00:00:15.257 they were here on vacation, 00:00:15.257 --> 00:00:15.633 I guess. 00:00:15.633 --> 00:00:20.185 And they asked me about the way we do the messages or the way I do the 00:00:20.185 --> 00:00:22.433 messages and plan and prepare and that sort of thing. 00:00:22.433 --> 00:00:23.025 And I was. 00:00:23.025 --> 00:00:23.537 I just told them, 00:00:23.537 --> 00:00:23.769 I said, 00:00:23.769 --> 00:00:27.449 well, right now we're kind of doing some several weeks in the priorities 00:00:27.449 --> 00:00:28.433 of the gathering. 00:00:28.225 --> 00:00:29.313 Well, what's important. 00:00:29.489 --> 00:00:30.809 What's important to us? 00:00:30.825 --> 00:00:33.097 What's important to me as an individual, 00:00:33.097 --> 00:00:34.481 to you as an individual? 00:00:34.481 --> 00:00:40.705 What is it that God has sort of given for us to hold as important to hold 00:00:40.745 --> 00:00:42.265 as priorities in our lives? 00:00:42.265 --> 00:00:45.665 And so we've kind of focused on the two great commandments, 00:00:45.665 --> 00:00:48.561 as Jesus said in the Gospels, 00:00:48.633 --> 00:00:50.841 as well as what we see in Deuteronomy. 00:00:50.673 --> 00:00:53.473 And it's love God with all your heart and soul and mind and love your 00:00:53.473 --> 00:00:54.737 neighbor as yourself. 00:00:54.801 --> 00:00:58.127 And those kind of form the first two priorities of the gathering. 00:00:58.127 --> 00:01:01.097 And so we spent two weeks on loving God, 00:01:01.215 --> 00:01:03.647 and we spent two weeks on living Jesus, 00:01:03.647 --> 00:01:06.903 which is going out and loving others and loving each other. 00:01:06.903 --> 00:01:09.873 Anybody know what the title of today's message is? 00:01:10.215 --> 00:01:11.355 Walking Together. 00:01:11.655 --> 00:01:14.955 Because that's the third priority is that we're walking together. 00:01:15.031 --> 00:01:20.159 And so it's interesting that this particular message of walking together, 00:01:20.287 --> 00:01:24.115 which can actually kind of be summed up in the word unity, 00:01:24.115 --> 00:01:27.907 sort of falls on the Sunday when there's a great deal of disunity around 00:01:27.907 --> 00:01:30.059 us, wouldn't you say? 00:01:30.227 --> 00:01:33.835 So I'm going to say something that I always say on this Sunday. 00:01:33.835 --> 00:01:37.215 I have been accused of not saying. 00:01:37.715 --> 00:01:40.835 I've been accused of encouraging one way or the other, 00:01:40.835 --> 00:01:41.891 and I never do that. 00:01:41.723 --> 00:01:42.587 I do just say, 00:01:42.587 --> 00:01:43.695 pray and vote. 00:01:44.675 --> 00:01:47.975 Christians, I believe we are called to pray and vote. 00:01:48.795 --> 00:01:51.435 I've never advocated one way or the other, 00:01:51.675 --> 00:01:56.795 but I do believe God expects us to have a part in the community and the 00:01:56.795 --> 00:01:58.339 society and culture we live in. 00:01:58.339 --> 00:02:01.179 So praying Bor. 00:02:01.187 --> 00:02:01.603 In Acts, 00:02:01.603 --> 00:02:02.182 chapter 2, 00:02:02.251 --> 00:02:03.243 46 and 47. 00:02:03.299 --> 00:02:05.371 And these will not be the only verses I read to you, 00:02:05.371 --> 00:02:06.395 but they are all that I gave. 00:02:06.395 --> 00:02:08.531 Rick, up in the balcony. 00:02:08.723 --> 00:02:09.643 It's not a balcony. 00:02:09.643 --> 00:02:10.963 Up in the sample, 00:02:10.963 --> 00:02:12.475 it says this every day. 00:02:12.475 --> 00:02:15.899 They devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple and broke bread 00:02:15.899 --> 00:02:16.867 from house to house, 00:02:16.867 --> 00:02:20.895 and they ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 00:02:21.235 --> 00:02:24.787 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. 00:02:24.891 --> 00:02:29.419 Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. 00:02:29.507 --> 00:02:29.811 All right, 00:02:29.811 --> 00:02:31.979 so this is a historical account. 00:02:32.027 --> 00:02:33.419 The book of Acts is. 00:02:33.419 --> 00:02:35.763 A lot of folks will say it's called the Acts of the Apostles. 00:02:35.763 --> 00:02:40.931 I tend to believe it's the act of God and how he developed the body of 00:02:40.931 --> 00:02:42.979 Christ, the congregation of believers. 00:02:43.027 --> 00:02:45.123 And so let's pray as we break into this thing. 00:02:45.123 --> 00:02:45.763 All right, 00:02:45.763 --> 00:02:46.653 God, we praise you, 00:02:46.653 --> 00:02:47.341 we thank you. 00:02:47.341 --> 00:02:49.069 We just want to give you glory this morning. 00:02:49.069 --> 00:02:51.941 Thank you that you've loved us and cared for us and God, 00:02:51.941 --> 00:02:54.309 that we can indeed sing and praise you. 00:02:54.309 --> 00:02:57.261 Because we have salvation in Christ alone. 00:02:57.413 --> 00:02:59.165 It's by the shed blood of your son, 00:02:59.165 --> 00:03:00.469 Jesus, and Jesus, 00:03:00.517 --> 00:03:02.013 that you died on the cross. 00:03:02.013 --> 00:03:04.525 You gave yourself as a sacrifice for us. 00:03:04.525 --> 00:03:05.405 And so God, 00:03:05.405 --> 00:03:06.381 indeed God, 00:03:06.453 --> 00:03:09.589 your wrath was satisfied in that. 00:03:09.637 --> 00:03:09.941 And so, 00:03:09.941 --> 00:03:12.317 God, we just stand this morning or sit this morning, 00:03:12.317 --> 00:03:16.065 or gather this morning just to be able to praise you and worship you. 00:03:16.065 --> 00:03:16.617 And yet, 00:03:16.617 --> 00:03:20.977 God, we do indeed want to hold those things important which are important 00:03:21.041 --> 00:03:21.701 to you. 00:03:21.785 --> 00:03:23.209 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:03:23.209 --> 00:03:25.625 Amen. Alrighty, 00:03:25.705 --> 00:03:30.765 so I found this little instruction in the appendix of the Bible. 00:03:32.025 --> 00:03:33.417 Anybody pick up on that? 00:03:33.417 --> 00:03:35.513 Okay, there's no appendix to the Bible, 00:03:35.513 --> 00:03:36.377 but here you go. 00:03:36.273 --> 00:03:36.649 It says, 00:03:36.649 --> 00:03:38.685 believers together. 00:03:39.465 --> 00:03:41.245 When believers meet together, 00:03:42.195 --> 00:03:43.815 it's called a church. 00:03:44.435 --> 00:03:46.611 Once you can afford it, 00:03:46.803 --> 00:03:48.455 you name a pastor. 00:03:51.195 --> 00:03:52.723 When you get enough money, 00:03:52.723 --> 00:03:53.915 you build a building. 00:03:53.915 --> 00:03:55.547 And it needs to look like this. 00:03:55.547 --> 00:03:57.197 It needs to be pointed. 00:03:58.155 --> 00:04:03.105 It needs to have one great big room with all the chairs aligned in rows. 00:04:03.795 --> 00:04:10.019 You got to meet once on Sunday morning and once on Sunday evening. 00:04:10.067 --> 00:04:10.875 And just for fun, 00:04:10.875 --> 00:04:11.579 on Wednesdays, 00:04:11.627 --> 00:04:15.475 too. Y'all didn't have this in the appendix of your Bible? 00:04:15.595 --> 00:04:16.895 I'm just curious. 00:04:17.915 --> 00:04:19.691 You gotta start small groups, 00:04:19.723 --> 00:04:20.851 and in some contexts, 00:04:20.851 --> 00:04:23.161 you have to call it Sunday school. 00:04:23.755 --> 00:04:25.723 Once you get to 150 people, 00:04:25.779 --> 00:04:28.089 you need to call an associate pastor. 00:04:28.995 --> 00:04:30.563 Once you get bigger than your building, 00:04:30.563 --> 00:04:32.543 you gotta build a bigger building. 00:04:34.085 --> 00:04:36.065 And this is the biblical plan, 00:04:36.645 --> 00:04:41.225 right? Did God say that's what we're supposed to do? 00:04:41.605 --> 00:04:45.573 No. So when we go back and look at the Book of Acts, 00:04:45.573 --> 00:04:49.265 what we're seeing is not an instructional message. 00:04:50.085 --> 00:04:54.877 It's the account of what God accomplished when God's people were doing 00:04:55.021 --> 00:04:56.957 what God's people do. 00:04:57.141 --> 00:05:00.317 And so the first couple of chapters of Acts are really, 00:05:00.317 --> 00:05:05.133 really important to us to understand that as Christ was resurrected and 00:05:05.149 --> 00:05:06.505 asce ascended into heaven, 00:05:06.545 --> 00:05:11.441 the body of Christ began to act like the body of Christ. 00:05:11.513 --> 00:05:17.241 They began to hold in priority the things that were important as the 00:05:17.273 --> 00:05:19.321 apostles walked with Jesus. 00:05:19.513 --> 00:05:21.593 And so I want to share with you a couple things. 00:05:21.593 --> 00:05:26.265 That passage of verses 46 and 47 is sort of a summation at the end of 00:05:26.305 --> 00:05:27.161 chapter two, 00:05:27.273 --> 00:05:28.409 which Just kind of tells you, 00:05:28.409 --> 00:05:30.257 and this is what was going on. 00:05:30.137 --> 00:05:30.993 This is what was happening. 00:05:30.993 --> 00:05:32.725 This is what we were doing. 00:05:32.725 --> 00:05:37.253 And you need to just know that this is how God was working in our midst. 00:05:37.253 --> 00:05:39.233 But if you flip back to, 00:05:39.485 --> 00:05:40.125 hang on a minute, 00:05:40.125 --> 00:05:42.189 gotta lick my fingers because this paper's thin. 00:05:42.189 --> 00:05:45.653 If you think back Acts chapter one, 00:05:45.829 --> 00:05:48.829 and we look at verse 12. 00:05:48.917 --> 00:05:49.997 After the Ascension, 00:05:50.061 --> 00:05:52.165 after Jesus left the apostles on the mountain, 00:05:52.165 --> 00:05:52.789 he says, 00:05:52.789 --> 00:05:55.341 then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, 00:05:55.341 --> 00:05:56.445 which is near Jerusalem, 00:05:56.445 --> 00:05:58.697 a Sabbath day's journey away, 00:05:58.761 --> 00:06:02.049 which means they're only allowed to walk so many steps on a Sabbath day, 00:06:02.049 --> 00:06:03.369 or else it's work. 00:06:04.105 --> 00:06:05.233 When they arrived, 00:06:05.329 --> 00:06:08.805 they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. 00:06:09.105 --> 00:06:09.985 Peter, John, 00:06:10.065 --> 00:06:10.841 James, Andrew, 00:06:10.873 --> 00:06:11.585 Philip, Thomas, 00:06:11.625 --> 00:06:12.793 Bartholomew, Matthew, 00:06:12.849 --> 00:06:14.097 James the son of Alphaeus, 00:06:14.097 --> 00:06:14.841 Simon the Zealot, 00:06:14.841 --> 00:06:16.649 and Judas the son of James. 00:06:16.649 --> 00:06:17.937 Now listen to this. 00:06:17.937 --> 00:06:22.365 They all were continually united in prayer, 00:06:22.985 --> 00:06:24.405 along with the women, 00:06:24.815 --> 00:06:25.815 including Mary, 00:06:25.855 --> 00:06:28.165 the mother of Jesus and his brothers. 00:06:28.415 --> 00:06:29.311 And then listen to this, 00:06:29.311 --> 00:06:29.871 verse 15. 00:06:29.943 --> 00:06:31.395 In those days, 00:06:32.455 --> 00:06:33.263 Pastor Peter, 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:34.255 no, just Peter, 00:06:34.255 --> 00:06:36.719 stood up among the brothers and sisters. 00:06:36.887 --> 00:06:40.479 The number of people who were together was about 120. 00:06:40.567 --> 00:06:41.567 And said, 00:06:41.751 --> 00:06:42.839 Brothers and sisters, 00:06:42.887 --> 00:06:46.715 it was necessary that the scripture be fulfilled. 00:06:47.455 --> 00:06:48.743 I'm going to stop right there. 00:06:48.503 --> 00:06:49.375 That's mid sentence. 00:06:49.375 --> 00:06:53.995 But here's what I want you to realize is that once Christ had ascended, 00:06:54.145 --> 00:06:57.565 his followers had to take the next step. 00:06:58.225 --> 00:06:59.875 They had to do something. 00:06:59.881 --> 00:07:00.541 I mean, 00:07:00.633 --> 00:07:02.089 there was a lot of. 00:07:02.089 --> 00:07:03.905 Between the crucifixion and the resurrection, 00:07:03.905 --> 00:07:06.385 there was a lot of just discouragement and, 00:07:06.385 --> 00:07:07.649 oh, woe is us. 00:07:07.489 --> 00:07:09.465 What are we going to do now? 00:07:09.465 --> 00:07:12.625 We thought Jesus was the it and all that sort of thing. 00:07:12.625 --> 00:07:15.409 And now they killed him and they buried him and what are we going to do? 00:07:15.409 --> 00:07:18.073 And then he rose from the dead and he started showing up. 00:07:18.073 --> 00:07:22.121 And Corinthians even tells us that he appeared over 500 people in the 00:07:22.153 --> 00:07:23.165 resurrection. 00:07:23.645 --> 00:07:27.293 And so there were firsthand accounts of Jesus resurrection. 00:07:27.349 --> 00:07:29.181 And so God's people started saying, 00:07:29.181 --> 00:07:32.705 we need to tell people what Jesus taught us. 00:07:33.165 --> 00:07:37.501 We need to tell people what God has accomplished through his Son, 00:07:37.573 --> 00:07:38.985 Jesus, the Christ. 00:07:39.325 --> 00:07:43.485 Now, here's what's funny to me and why I started out with the appendix, 00:07:43.485 --> 00:07:48.677 okay? It's interesting over the years that I've been in ministry and over 00:07:48.701 --> 00:07:49.973 the years of my life, 00:07:49.973 --> 00:07:53.401 and to just stop and consider what. 00:07:53.473 --> 00:07:54.865 And I'm going to use the word church. 00:07:54.865 --> 00:07:55.525 Get ready. 00:07:55.537 --> 00:07:57.847 Y'all don't hear me use it often. 00:07:58.145 --> 00:08:01.605 What churches make important, 00:08:04.585 --> 00:08:09.525 right? The kind of things that they're willing to, 00:08:10.745 --> 00:08:11.193 you know, 00:08:11.193 --> 00:08:12.681 the hill to die on. 00:08:12.417 --> 00:08:13.407 Sort of thing, 00:08:13.865 --> 00:08:14.725 you know, 00:08:15.515 --> 00:08:16.123 I mean, 00:08:16.123 --> 00:08:17.995 I've heard the jokes about, 00:08:18.155 --> 00:08:18.975 you know, 00:08:19.395 --> 00:08:21.015 fighting over carpet. 00:08:22.315 --> 00:08:24.827 I never did do that myself, 00:08:24.931 --> 00:08:27.571 but I've heard the kind of things about, 00:08:27.571 --> 00:08:28.335 you know, 00:08:29.035 --> 00:08:35.435 having arguments over the way you decorate or the way you do anything, 00:08:35.555 --> 00:08:36.875 the way you dress, 00:08:37.555 --> 00:08:38.715 those kind of things. 00:08:38.715 --> 00:08:40.843 And then years ago, 00:08:40.899 --> 00:08:44.373 and I came through college and seminary in the 80s, 00:08:44.539 --> 00:08:44.993 you know, 00:08:44.993 --> 00:08:50.273 there was a study that I was a part of that was called the Worship Wars. 00:08:50.705 --> 00:08:52.685 And it was all over music. 00:08:53.345 --> 00:08:54.995 It was all about music. 00:08:54.761 --> 00:08:58.113 And it was this whole big thing going into the Worship Wars. 00:08:58.113 --> 00:08:59.257 And I was like, 00:08:59.257 --> 00:09:00.457 excuse me. 00:09:00.641 --> 00:09:01.209 You know, 00:09:01.209 --> 00:09:02.905 really? I mean. 00:09:03.065 --> 00:09:06.281 And then you had those people that wanted to advocate that, 00:09:06.281 --> 00:09:06.665 you know, 00:09:06.665 --> 00:09:09.241 because Jesus sang to a piano and organ, 00:09:09.241 --> 00:09:10.231 we need to. 00:09:11.725 --> 00:09:12.501 Okay, thank you. 00:09:12.501 --> 00:09:13.685 I'm glad you caught up with me. 00:09:13.685 --> 00:09:14.865 I appreciate that. 00:09:15.485 --> 00:09:16.133 But you see, 00:09:16.133 --> 00:09:19.133 my point is that there are some things, 00:09:19.309 --> 00:09:20.905 historically speaking, 00:09:21.325 --> 00:09:24.405 if we look at the account of the body of Christ, 00:09:24.405 --> 00:09:27.825 that we recognize as being very important. 00:09:28.125 --> 00:09:30.309 Now, the first one was this thing that it says. 00:09:30.181 --> 00:09:30.461 It says, 00:09:30.461 --> 00:09:31.789 when they gathered in that upper room, 00:09:31.789 --> 00:09:33.109 what did they do? 00:09:33.645 --> 00:09:36.425 It says they were continually united. 00:09:37.355 --> 00:09:40.375 There's the unity thing in prayer. 00:09:40.835 --> 00:09:43.935 They were agreeing together in prayer. 00:09:44.635 --> 00:09:47.787 It wasn't any of that praying against somebody kind of thing, 00:09:47.787 --> 00:09:48.375 right? 00:09:49.115 --> 00:09:49.819 And it says. 00:09:49.819 --> 00:09:51.059 Tells everybody that was there. 00:09:51.059 --> 00:09:52.483 Certainly the apostles were there, 00:09:52.483 --> 00:09:55.107 but then the women who were following Jesus were there. 00:09:55.107 --> 00:09:56.131 Mary, Jesus, 00:09:56.203 --> 00:09:57.107 mom was there. 00:09:57.107 --> 00:09:58.757 All his brothers were there. 00:09:58.667 --> 00:10:00.051 As you start to read through Acts, 00:10:00.051 --> 00:10:05.743 you start to see the outworking of how God was working in individual 00:10:05.839 --> 00:10:08.047 lives, which allowed for. 00:10:08.111 --> 00:10:09.199 I am really loud. 00:10:09.199 --> 00:10:11.395 Chris, can you back me up? 00:10:11.935 --> 00:10:14.615 No, I'm going to break some little light bulbs here in a minute. 00:10:14.615 --> 00:10:15.275 All right. 00:10:15.975 --> 00:10:22.655 But as individuals were surrendered to God, 00:10:22.695 --> 00:10:25.335 at work in their lives and following Jesus, 00:10:25.391 --> 00:10:27.863 they came together to meet together. 00:10:27.999 --> 00:10:31.583 And these apostles coming down from the Mount of Olives and going into 00:10:31.583 --> 00:10:32.263 that upper room, 00:10:32.263 --> 00:10:32.903 what did they do? 00:10:32.903 --> 00:10:36.271 They were continually united in prayer together. 00:10:36.343 --> 00:10:37.799 Why? What were they doing? 00:10:37.591 --> 00:10:38.663 They were trying to figure out, 00:10:38.663 --> 00:10:39.551 okay, what now, 00:10:39.551 --> 00:10:41.935 God? What do we do next? 00:10:42.015 --> 00:10:44.159 God, where are we supposed to go? 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:48.783 Jesus led us all these three years and excuse me. 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:52.835 And now we don't have a leader. 00:10:53.415 --> 00:10:55.191 And then it says in verse 15, 00:10:55.191 --> 00:10:57.635 then Peter and I always, 00:10:57.975 --> 00:11:01.321 okay, Peter stood up among them. 00:11:01.463 --> 00:11:01.957 He said, 00:11:01.957 --> 00:11:04.585 look, Scripture had to be fulfilled. 00:11:05.205 --> 00:11:07.421 The Christ had to suffer, 00:11:07.573 --> 00:11:10.789 right? So let's see what they're devoted to. 00:11:10.837 --> 00:11:14.149 Going back to verses 46 and 47 of chapter two, 00:11:14.197 --> 00:11:15.187 because this is, 00:11:15.205 --> 00:11:16.093 again, like I said, 00:11:16.093 --> 00:11:18.733 this is kind of the summary every day, 00:11:19.885 --> 00:11:20.437 right? 00:11:20.541 --> 00:11:23.585 Every first day or every Sunday, 00:11:24.845 --> 00:11:31.155 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, 00:11:31.815 --> 00:11:35.755 man. The body of Christ came together every single day. 00:11:36.135 --> 00:11:38.303 Now, logistically speaking, 00:11:38.439 --> 00:11:39.355 guess what? 00:11:40.455 --> 00:11:43.239 It would be tough for us to do this every day of the week, 00:11:43.239 --> 00:11:47.031 right? But what it's saying is they came together in the temple as a 00:11:47.031 --> 00:11:47.871 fellowship. 00:11:48.023 --> 00:11:49.047 It doesn't give us, 00:11:49.047 --> 00:11:49.959 you know what? 00:11:49.959 --> 00:11:53.035 There's no printed bulletin from those meetings, 00:11:53.745 --> 00:11:55.561 okay? It doesn't get there and say, 00:11:55.561 --> 00:11:57.871 yes, Peter stood up and welcomed everyone. 00:11:58.625 --> 00:12:01.265 And they sang Amazing Grace right after that, 00:12:01.745 --> 00:12:02.297 you know, 00:12:02.297 --> 00:12:03.409 and then they did a whoo. 00:12:03.409 --> 00:12:05.059 And everybody greeted each other. 00:12:06.065 --> 00:12:07.521 That's not in there. 00:12:07.673 --> 00:12:10.545 But what it does say is they met together. 00:12:10.545 --> 00:12:11.177 You see, 00:12:11.177 --> 00:12:12.169 God's people, 00:12:12.257 --> 00:12:13.465 the body of Christ, 00:12:13.465 --> 00:12:15.057 the congregation of believers. 00:12:15.161 --> 00:12:18.799 They were devoted to meeting together. 00:12:18.977 --> 00:12:22.931 They were devoted to coming together as a group, 00:12:23.003 --> 00:12:24.059 as a people, 00:12:24.227 --> 00:12:25.855 as a congregation. 00:12:26.635 --> 00:12:27.387 Every day, 00:12:27.451 --> 00:12:28.611 they devoted. 00:12:28.683 --> 00:12:32.855 Now, how often do you use the word devoted? 00:12:33.755 --> 00:12:35.035 It's not a common word, 00:12:35.035 --> 00:12:35.779 is it? 00:12:35.947 --> 00:12:37.375 I'm devoted. 00:12:38.155 --> 00:12:38.815 You know, 00:12:38.843 --> 00:12:40.219 it kind of goes along with loyal, 00:12:40.219 --> 00:12:40.859 doesn't it? 00:12:40.707 --> 00:12:41.267 You know, 00:12:41.267 --> 00:12:42.587 those kind of words? 00:12:42.915 --> 00:12:45.059 What are we devoted to? 00:12:45.227 --> 00:12:48.859 What are the kind of things that we invest ourselves in? 00:12:48.987 --> 00:12:52.375 Well, God's people were meeting together, 00:12:53.675 --> 00:12:57.019 though. I look at it, 00:12:57.027 --> 00:12:58.003 and I was like, 00:12:58.003 --> 00:12:59.653 did they ring a bell, 00:13:00.275 --> 00:13:00.851 right? 00:13:00.963 --> 00:13:01.531 Did they say, 00:13:01.531 --> 00:13:02.435 okay, look, 00:13:02.475 --> 00:13:04.555 today we're going to meet together at nine, 00:13:04.555 --> 00:13:05.283 but tomorrow, 00:13:05.339 --> 00:13:06.815 because we've got, 00:13:07.235 --> 00:13:08.091 you know, 00:13:08.243 --> 00:13:09.331 traffic duty, 00:13:09.523 --> 00:13:11.173 we're going to meet at 10:30. 00:13:11.187 --> 00:13:11.529 You know, 00:13:11.529 --> 00:13:12.721 we don't have a clue. 00:13:12.721 --> 00:13:14.953 We just only know that they were meeting together, 00:13:14.953 --> 00:13:15.613 meeting together, 00:13:15.673 --> 00:13:16.217 meeting together. 00:13:16.217 --> 00:13:18.417 They were devoted to meeting together. 00:13:18.561 --> 00:13:23.289 And so that really kind of flies in the face of Christians in our day and 00:13:23.289 --> 00:13:23.793 time that go, 00:13:23.793 --> 00:13:26.353 oh, you don't have to go to church to be a Christian. 00:13:26.065 --> 00:13:26.833 And truthfully, 00:13:26.889 --> 00:13:27.885 you don't. 00:13:28.665 --> 00:13:33.401 But if you are a follower of Christ and you are devoted and surrendered 00:13:33.433 --> 00:13:34.225 to his will, 00:13:34.225 --> 00:13:36.865 then the body of Christ will come together. 00:13:37.875 --> 00:13:39.455 We will meet together. 00:13:40.635 --> 00:13:42.731 We'll be devoted to coming together. 00:13:42.803 --> 00:13:43.793 Because guess what? 00:13:43.755 --> 00:13:44.611 Look across the room and go, 00:13:44.611 --> 00:13:45.259 oh, hey, 00:13:45.259 --> 00:13:48.495 I haven't seen you since this time last week, 00:13:48.995 --> 00:13:50.051 right? You see? 00:13:50.123 --> 00:13:51.315 So they were devoted to meet again. 00:13:51.315 --> 00:13:54.523 I want to back up just a minute and look at chapter two, 00:13:54.523 --> 00:13:55.171 verse 42, 00:13:55.203 --> 00:13:56.523 because it says this. 00:13:56.595 --> 00:14:01.175 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. 00:14:01.915 --> 00:14:03.015 How about that? 00:14:03.415 --> 00:14:06.479 See, that's another little summary verse of what was happening when they 00:14:06.479 --> 00:14:07.519 were meeting together. 00:14:07.647 --> 00:14:08.351 Verse 42. 00:14:08.383 --> 00:14:10.103 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. 00:14:10.103 --> 00:14:11.753 What were the apostles teaching? 00:14:11.687 --> 00:14:14.463 The apostles were teaching the kingdom of God because that's what Jesus 00:14:14.463 --> 00:14:15.453 had taught them, 00:14:16.735 --> 00:14:17.679 you see. 00:14:17.847 --> 00:14:21.477 So when all the people would gather in the temple courtyard, 00:14:21.735 --> 00:14:24.247 because there were Gentiles in the mix too, 00:14:24.247 --> 00:14:26.583 right? When they all gathered in the courtyard, 00:14:26.583 --> 00:14:28.395 the apostles were teaching, 00:14:28.985 --> 00:14:31.481 and they were teaching what Jesus taught. 00:14:31.673 --> 00:14:32.393 And Jesus, 00:14:32.449 --> 00:14:34.705 it says in the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, 00:14:34.705 --> 00:14:38.521 says Jesus went about teaching the kingdom of God or the kingdom of 00:14:38.521 --> 00:14:40.449 heaven. So see, 00:14:40.537 --> 00:14:42.793 Jesus taught God's kingdom. 00:14:42.889 --> 00:14:45.185 The apostles were teaching what Jesus taught. 00:14:45.185 --> 00:14:48.417 And so they were all teaching about the kingdom of God. 00:14:48.417 --> 00:14:51.113 How do we be the kingdom of God? 00:14:51.169 --> 00:14:53.641 How do we be in the kingdom of God? 00:14:53.641 --> 00:14:56.281 How are we a part of God's kingdom? 00:14:55.875 --> 00:14:59.123 So they were devoting themselves to the apostles teaching, 00:14:59.139 --> 00:14:59.747 but it goes on, 00:14:59.747 --> 00:15:03.095 it says to the fellowship. 00:15:03.795 --> 00:15:07.555 So not only were they devoted to hearing the teaching and receiving the 00:15:07.555 --> 00:15:09.811 teaching that the apostles were offering, 00:15:10.003 --> 00:15:15.371 they were devoted to the unity, 00:15:15.443 --> 00:15:17.379 the coming together of the body of Christ. 00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:19.359 They were devoted to each other. 00:15:19.755 --> 00:15:21.435 See, we've made. 00:15:21.555 --> 00:15:24.907 And I'm guiltier than any of you are, 00:15:24.971 --> 00:15:27.941 actually, because I've been in ministry 40 something years now. 00:15:27.835 --> 00:15:34.019 But the truth is we've turned worship and the practice of our faith into 00:15:34.067 --> 00:15:35.615 a spectator sport. 00:15:36.155 --> 00:15:36.539 I mean, 00:15:36.539 --> 00:15:40.375 y'all could just as easily be watching Clemson lose. 00:15:42.515 --> 00:15:43.695 Anyway, sorry, 00:15:44.715 --> 00:15:46.267 I'm a little wounded this morning. 00:15:46.267 --> 00:15:47.055 But anyway, 00:15:47.795 --> 00:15:48.331 well, you know, 00:15:48.331 --> 00:15:52.235 we sit in rows and we kind of watch kind of thing, 00:15:52.235 --> 00:15:52.975 you know, 00:15:53.835 --> 00:15:58.351 And I remember years ago when there was a church down in Atlanta area did 00:15:58.351 --> 00:16:00.195 a great big Christmas show. 00:16:01.135 --> 00:16:05.010 And I think the budget that they put on for this Christmas show was $4 00:16:05.010 --> 00:16:05.595 million. 00:16:07.775 --> 00:16:13.711 And great big church buses would roll in to see this great big church's 00:16:13.783 --> 00:16:15.435 big, big Christmas show. 00:16:16.055 --> 00:16:17.095 And the pastor, 00:16:17.175 --> 00:16:20.175 I was in a conference with the pastor at the time, 00:16:20.175 --> 00:16:20.831 and he said, 00:16:20.831 --> 00:16:25.411 he walked out into the parking lot and he was walking up and down the 00:16:25.411 --> 00:16:28.915 rows of the buses and he said, 00:16:28.955 --> 00:16:30.335 it dawned on me, 00:16:30.915 --> 00:16:40.095 we invest $4 million in tons of time and energy to entertain Christians. 00:16:42.435 --> 00:16:44.085 And he shut it down. 00:16:45.435 --> 00:16:48.211 Now, there were some people getting saved as a result of it. 00:16:48.211 --> 00:16:50.659 There were people hearing the gospel as a result of it. 00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:52.015 But by and large, 00:16:53.115 --> 00:16:55.135 the effort was an entertainment. 00:16:55.795 --> 00:16:56.395 Right? 00:16:56.515 --> 00:16:57.691 So why do we gather? 00:16:57.691 --> 00:16:59.395 Are we devoted to the meetings? 00:16:59.395 --> 00:17:00.115 Yeah, you're here. 00:17:00.115 --> 00:17:03.915 Yeah, you showed up on the day that you rolled back the clocks. 00:17:03.915 --> 00:17:07.059 And some showed up early this morning. 00:17:07.107 --> 00:17:09.087 But I won't mention her name, 00:17:10.795 --> 00:17:11.735 you see, 00:17:12.075 --> 00:17:13.355 and that's kind of the idea, 00:17:13.355 --> 00:17:18.283 is that we want to be devoted to what is important to God. 00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:20.083 When we gather in this room, 00:17:20.083 --> 00:17:22.327 is it important to God that we pray? 00:17:22.327 --> 00:17:24.231 Absolutely, man. 00:17:24.263 --> 00:17:26.231 We need to be talking to God as we gather. 00:17:26.231 --> 00:17:30.471 We need to be talking to God when our eyes are open when we're sitting up 00:17:30.471 --> 00:17:31.511 or standing up, 00:17:31.623 --> 00:17:34.923 we need to be praising God when we sing together. 00:17:34.679 --> 00:17:35.079 You know, 00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:39.111 there was a song years and years ago called the Audience of One that all 00:17:39.111 --> 00:17:41.795 of our songs are really sung to God, 00:17:42.255 --> 00:17:48.751 right? So let me finish verse 42 to the fellowship and to the breaking of 00:17:48.783 --> 00:17:50.547 bread and to prayer. 00:17:50.711 --> 00:17:54.507 So it gives us four things in verse 42 that it says, 00:17:54.651 --> 00:17:57.459 not instructionally that they did, 00:17:57.627 --> 00:18:00.835 but reporting as to what was happening when they got together. 00:18:00.835 --> 00:18:01.579 You see, 00:18:01.707 --> 00:18:04.395 so we can take it as instruction. 00:18:04.475 --> 00:18:09.059 Yes, we should be being taught and teaching. 00:18:09.107 --> 00:18:10.547 We should be doing those things. 00:18:10.547 --> 00:18:13.971 We should be devoted to one another in the fellowship and loving each 00:18:13.971 --> 00:18:18.571 other. That fellowship is a koinonia word that's bearing one another's 00:18:18.603 --> 00:18:20.221 burden. You see, 00:18:20.373 --> 00:18:22.309 we should be doing those things. 00:18:22.309 --> 00:18:24.077 We should be breaking bread. 00:18:24.221 --> 00:18:25.025 You know, 00:18:27.285 --> 00:18:31.037 it's always funny to me to talk to different churches or go to different 00:18:31.037 --> 00:18:34.405 churches that eat because they all claim to eat the best. 00:18:34.405 --> 00:18:36.717 Do you know that every church I've ever been in, 00:18:36.717 --> 00:18:37.805 oh, we know how to eat. 00:18:37.805 --> 00:18:38.181 And I go, 00:18:38.181 --> 00:18:39.225 yeah, that's obvious. 00:18:42.205 --> 00:18:44.045 I should not say things like that. 00:18:44.045 --> 00:18:45.365 But I generally do. 00:18:46.545 --> 00:18:47.961 But you see my point. 00:18:47.961 --> 00:18:48.729 You know, 00:18:48.897 --> 00:18:50.605 fellowship meals, 00:18:51.345 --> 00:18:52.361 I think they're important. 00:18:52.361 --> 00:18:53.625 They're disarming, 00:18:53.785 --> 00:18:55.105 they break down barriers. 00:18:55.049 --> 00:18:56.873 They let us get acquainted around. 00:18:56.873 --> 00:18:57.433 You know, 00:18:57.433 --> 00:18:59.083 it's like I did the. 00:18:59.385 --> 00:19:00.433 He ain't in here now. 00:19:00.433 --> 00:19:00.841 But anyway, 00:19:00.841 --> 00:19:01.831 I did the. 00:19:02.145 --> 00:19:05.561 I got to hang out with the senior adults Friday for the luncheon. 00:19:05.065 --> 00:19:07.137 And as I was fixing my plate, 00:19:07.137 --> 00:19:08.649 right, fixing my plate, 00:19:08.697 --> 00:19:10.545 they had this grabber for the salad. 00:19:10.545 --> 00:19:11.319 It was a thing. 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:14.039 It was like a scissor grabber thing. 00:19:14.207 --> 00:19:17.119 And so I reached down and grabbed a big old thing of the salad, 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:18.391 and I was going to put it on my plate, 00:19:18.391 --> 00:19:20.903 and I looked up and noticed there was a camera pointed at me. 00:19:20.903 --> 00:19:21.893 So I went. 00:19:24.815 --> 00:19:25.927 And they got it on. 00:19:25.927 --> 00:19:27.431 They got it on a picture. 00:19:27.431 --> 00:19:28.871 So we'll probably see that one day, 00:19:28.871 --> 00:19:29.903 but it's okay. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:30.631 But you see, 00:19:30.631 --> 00:19:33.623 my point is meeting together around food is a good thing. 00:19:33.623 --> 00:19:35.191 Breaking bread together. 00:19:35.383 --> 00:19:37.033 And then it says prayer. 00:19:37.167 --> 00:19:41.235 And then we get to the end of the chapter where we're looking at verses 00:19:41.235 --> 00:19:42.259 46 and 47. 00:19:42.307 --> 00:19:43.779 It says every day. 00:19:43.907 --> 00:19:45.507 There again is the everyday. 00:19:45.507 --> 00:19:48.477 They devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple. 00:19:48.547 --> 00:19:50.347 They broke bread from house to house. 00:19:50.347 --> 00:19:53.635 Now, there are those that will say that as the body of Christ got 00:19:53.635 --> 00:19:57.883 together, they celebrated what they had participated with Jesus in as 00:19:57.939 --> 00:19:59.563 communion, the Lord's Supper, 00:19:59.699 --> 00:20:02.347 Some traditions call it Eucharist and all kind of different things. 00:20:02.347 --> 00:20:06.913 But the idea was is that it's a time for the body of Christ to remember 00:20:06.913 --> 00:20:10.165 that Jesus died in our place. 00:20:10.665 --> 00:20:12.929 Right? That's what it signifies, 00:20:13.017 --> 00:20:14.153 that's what it represents, 00:20:14.153 --> 00:20:19.209 is that Jesus died on the cross in our place. 00:20:19.377 --> 00:20:21.687 And so when they would get together, 00:20:22.025 --> 00:20:24.329 I've always tried to figure this out. 00:20:24.329 --> 00:20:27.489 I wonder if when they got together in the temple and were doing the 00:20:27.489 --> 00:20:28.945 Lord's Supper kind of thing, 00:20:28.945 --> 00:20:31.525 if they passed out little styrofoam wafers, 00:20:33.635 --> 00:20:35.891 I don't think they did right. 00:20:36.043 --> 00:20:37.947 I think in the fellowship together, 00:20:37.947 --> 00:20:38.995 somebody, one leader, 00:20:39.035 --> 00:20:39.739 maybe Peter, 00:20:39.787 --> 00:20:40.963 stood up and broke a piece of bread. 00:20:40.963 --> 00:20:41.699 And he said, 00:20:41.699 --> 00:20:47.935 folks, let's stop and let's remember that Christ died for us, 00:20:48.675 --> 00:20:54.775 that Jesus gave his life and this bread represents his body. 00:20:55.235 --> 00:20:56.307 Take a piece of it, 00:20:56.307 --> 00:20:57.495 Eat and remember. 00:20:58.175 --> 00:21:00.155 And then they passed cups around. 00:21:00.231 --> 00:21:03.511 And if it was a hundred and something of them that were gathering or 00:21:03.511 --> 00:21:07.983 thousands by the end of chapter two and three that were gathering and 00:21:07.999 --> 00:21:09.495 they were breaking bread together, 00:21:09.495 --> 00:21:13.395 does that breaking bread together mean that they were just simply 00:21:13.735 --> 00:21:15.327 celebrating the Lord's Supper? 00:21:15.431 --> 00:21:18.151 Because some have interpreted it that way that, 00:21:18.183 --> 00:21:21.791 that breaking bread means they got together and what they did was just 00:21:21.791 --> 00:21:23.251 practice the Lord's Supper. 00:21:23.423 --> 00:21:24.691 Well, I put. 00:21:24.723 --> 00:21:29.013 The second point of the messages is that they were devoted to food. 00:21:28.715 --> 00:21:30.267 They were devoted to meeting together, 00:21:30.267 --> 00:21:31.467 and they were devoted to food. 00:21:31.467 --> 00:21:34.691 Because if you take the construction of the sentence when it says every 00:21:34.691 --> 00:21:37.427 day, they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple and broke 00:21:37.427 --> 00:21:38.707 bread from house to house. 00:21:38.707 --> 00:21:41.075 Now it doesn't say they broke bread in the temple, 00:21:41.075 --> 00:21:41.907 does it? 00:21:42.091 --> 00:21:45.061 It says they broke bread from house to house. 00:21:45.075 --> 00:21:46.775 So who's serving today? 00:21:48.445 --> 00:21:49.237 Right? No, 00:21:49.341 --> 00:21:50.585 I'm just kidding. 00:21:51.045 --> 00:21:51.573 You see, 00:21:51.573 --> 00:21:52.585 here's the point. 00:21:53.485 --> 00:21:54.745 They were community, 00:21:55.445 --> 00:21:57.685 okay? That's the point of this. 00:21:57.845 --> 00:21:59.065 They were community. 00:21:59.365 --> 00:22:02.025 They were sharing their lives together, 00:22:02.365 --> 00:22:04.989 right? They were coming together as the body. 00:22:04.989 --> 00:22:07.077 They were going out from the temple as the body. 00:22:07.077 --> 00:22:09.949 They were sitting down around the table and eating together. 00:22:09.781 --> 00:22:11.781 They were remembering Christ's death together. 00:22:11.893 --> 00:22:14.445 They were devoted to this idea of community. 00:22:14.445 --> 00:22:16.405 Now I said devoted to food because guess what? 00:22:16.405 --> 00:22:18.385 They were taking their meals together. 00:22:18.635 --> 00:22:19.819 Because that's what it says. 00:22:19.675 --> 00:22:22.059 It says right here, 00:22:22.147 --> 00:22:25.171 they ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts. 00:22:25.203 --> 00:22:32.155 Now some translations say they ate their meals with joyful and sincere 00:22:32.195 --> 00:22:35.451 hearts. So we know this is not just the Lord's Supper. 00:22:35.451 --> 00:22:36.355 They were sit down. 00:22:36.355 --> 00:22:36.835 Dinnertime. 00:22:36.875 --> 00:22:37.323 Here we go, 00:22:37.323 --> 00:22:39.099 ya'll. You see? 00:22:39.227 --> 00:22:44.645 So I think that's a great argument for dinner on the grounds. 00:22:44.685 --> 00:22:45.675 I don't know. 00:22:46.165 --> 00:22:48.425 But they were joyful and sincere. 00:22:49.325 --> 00:22:50.133 So joyful. 00:22:50.189 --> 00:22:52.485 We, I Talked about that Friday with the senior adults. 00:22:52.485 --> 00:22:53.269 We want to be. 00:22:53.269 --> 00:23:00.077 We want to be the example of joy to a world that misses out on it so 00:23:00.101 --> 00:23:01.861 much, you know, 00:23:02.013 --> 00:23:03.341 we want people to look at us and go, 00:23:03.341 --> 00:23:05.321 man, you folks are just happy, 00:23:05.845 --> 00:23:06.745 you know? 00:23:07.165 --> 00:23:08.155 Who was it? 00:23:07.861 --> 00:23:09.277 Janice was the one asked me Friday. 00:23:09.277 --> 00:23:09.581 She said, 00:23:09.581 --> 00:23:10.721 bobby, she said, 00:23:10.753 --> 00:23:12.073 why do we woo? 00:23:15.425 --> 00:23:19.545 Well, I preached a message up in Maryland years and years and years ago 00:23:19.545 --> 00:23:22.325 about God loving a cheerful giver. 00:23:22.705 --> 00:23:24.953 And so we got ready to take the offer. 00:23:24.953 --> 00:23:25.353 And I said, 00:23:25.353 --> 00:23:26.013 all right, 00:23:26.017 --> 00:23:31.465 let me hear you be cheerful about giving and everybody in the car. 00:23:31.585 --> 00:23:33.505 Whoo. So after that, 00:23:33.545 --> 00:23:34.161 every time I'd say, 00:23:34.161 --> 00:23:34.673 okay, guys, 00:23:34.673 --> 00:23:35.663 it's offering time. 00:23:35.473 --> 00:23:36.605 They'd all woo. 00:23:36.785 --> 00:23:38.325 Well, I just liked it so much, 00:23:38.325 --> 00:23:40.405 I decided we're going to do it all the time. 00:23:40.405 --> 00:23:42.725 That's going to be amen in gathering speak, 00:23:42.725 --> 00:23:45.109 okay? But the idea of being joyful, 00:23:45.157 --> 00:23:49.453 we want folks as they walk in here to recognize that we have joy not 00:23:49.453 --> 00:23:51.365 because of what's going on in the world, 00:23:51.365 --> 00:23:54.685 not because of anything we might have accumulated in our lives, 00:23:54.685 --> 00:23:57.333 but we have joy because we have Jesus, 00:23:57.509 --> 00:24:02.845 okay? That's why we have joy and we're sincere about it. 00:24:02.885 --> 00:24:03.821 This is not just, 00:24:03.821 --> 00:24:04.429 you know, 00:24:04.429 --> 00:24:06.933 a membership card we stick in our pocket. 00:24:06.933 --> 00:24:12.637 We are devoted to what God has done on our behalf in Jesus Christ. 00:24:12.821 --> 00:24:15.245 And then it goes on to say in verse, 00:24:15.245 --> 00:24:16.445 still in the same verse, 00:24:16.445 --> 00:24:20.265 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. 00:24:21.245 --> 00:24:24.445 I think that's kind of crucial in the whole thing. 00:24:24.445 --> 00:24:25.905 They were praising God. 00:24:27.285 --> 00:24:29.385 What does praising God accomplish? 00:24:31.525 --> 00:24:32.625 Anybody know? 00:24:34.085 --> 00:24:35.625 Anybody want to hazard? 00:24:36.205 --> 00:24:38.293 Raise your hand and tell me what you think. 00:24:38.293 --> 00:24:39.237 And always, 00:24:39.301 --> 00:24:39.621 you know, 00:24:39.621 --> 00:24:41.845 and I used to do this when I was a youth pastor. 00:24:41.845 --> 00:24:42.525 If you're wrong, 00:24:42.525 --> 00:24:52.125 I'll tell you what does praising God accomplish The chief purpose of man 00:24:52.205 --> 00:24:53.829 created for God's glory. 00:24:53.997 --> 00:24:55.977 Is that what you're getting at? 00:24:56.045 --> 00:24:59.293 Okay, I thought maybe you found that in Appendix B. 00:24:59.293 --> 00:24:59.693 I didn't know. 00:24:59.693 --> 00:25:00.353 Okay. No, 00:25:00.397 --> 00:25:01.305 just kidding. 00:25:05.515 --> 00:25:06.355 Oh, is that right? 00:25:06.355 --> 00:25:06.779 All right, 00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:08.759 so what does praising God accomplish? 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:10.595 Praising God is the chief purpose of man. 00:25:10.595 --> 00:25:12.575 We were created for God's glory. 00:25:13.355 --> 00:25:13.835 All right, 00:25:13.835 --> 00:25:14.615 what else? 00:25:17.355 --> 00:25:18.655 Any other ideas? 00:25:19.795 --> 00:25:21.575 Recognition of what? 00:25:22.435 --> 00:25:24.915 Recognizing and acknowledging God. 00:25:25.035 --> 00:25:26.175 Right. Okay. 00:25:29.005 --> 00:25:29.493 Say again, 00:25:29.493 --> 00:25:30.483 Beth? I'm sorry. 00:25:34.325 --> 00:25:35.265 That's right. 00:25:36.925 --> 00:25:38.545 If you feel low, 00:25:38.965 --> 00:25:41.745 your best prescription is to praise God. 00:25:42.245 --> 00:25:44.389 See? So when you go to the Psalms. 00:25:44.389 --> 00:25:45.709 Because Psalms is a book of praise, 00:25:45.709 --> 00:25:46.093 right? 00:25:46.189 --> 00:25:49.093 It's the songs of God's people in the Old Testament. 00:25:49.093 --> 00:25:50.773 It's a book of praise songs. 00:25:50.773 --> 00:25:54.255 And so what did they do when they were praising God? 00:25:54.255 --> 00:25:57.471 They praised Because God is God and we aren't. 00:25:57.663 --> 00:26:00.007 They praise God for His glory. 00:26:00.191 --> 00:26:01.863 They praised his glory. 00:26:01.999 --> 00:26:03.775 They praised him because he is great. 00:26:03.775 --> 00:26:04.935 They praise him because he's wise. 00:26:04.935 --> 00:26:06.183 They praise him because he's powerful. 00:26:06.183 --> 00:26:08.271 They praise him because he's merciful and faithful. 00:26:08.071 --> 00:26:09.247 They praise him because he saves. 00:26:09.247 --> 00:26:11.799 They praise him because he provides for us. 00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:17.887 So everything about our lives needs to result in an attitude, 00:26:17.951 --> 00:26:18.943 a posture, 00:26:19.079 --> 00:26:19.711 the activity, 00:26:19.711 --> 00:26:21.517 activity of praising Him. 00:26:21.621 --> 00:26:24.557 So is your life an act of praise? 00:26:24.741 --> 00:26:26.391 Because God's people in Acts, 00:26:26.437 --> 00:26:27.229 chapter two, 00:26:27.317 --> 00:26:28.933 verses 46 and 47, 00:26:28.989 --> 00:26:32.325 and actually chapter one and the beginning of chapter two is the fact 00:26:32.325 --> 00:26:35.381 that they came together in prayer, 00:26:35.533 --> 00:26:36.485 in unity, 00:26:36.605 --> 00:26:37.693 in fellowship, 00:26:37.789 --> 00:26:39.225 and praising God. 00:26:39.525 --> 00:26:40.845 That's what they did. 00:26:42.205 --> 00:26:44.093 So when I looked at all this, 00:26:44.093 --> 00:26:44.533 I was like, 00:26:44.533 --> 00:26:46.677 wow. And I didn't add walking together, 00:26:46.677 --> 00:26:50.173 y'all. Loving God and living Jesus were the two priorities of the 00:26:50.173 --> 00:26:51.625 gathering for 10 years. 00:26:52.325 --> 00:26:53.725 And then five years ago, 00:26:53.725 --> 00:26:56.861 they decided we need to do walking Together because we were starting to 00:26:56.861 --> 00:27:00.757 encourage and incorporate more small group ministries and getting 00:27:00.821 --> 00:27:03.597 together and getting together in different settings and that sort of 00:27:03.597 --> 00:27:03.797 thing. 00:27:03.709 --> 00:27:04.061 I was like, 00:27:04.061 --> 00:27:04.357 all right, 00:27:04.357 --> 00:27:07.477 fine. So why do we praise God? 00:27:07.541 --> 00:27:08.293 Because if we don't, 00:27:08.293 --> 00:27:09.265 rocks will. 00:27:10.405 --> 00:27:12.213 Okay, just so you know, 00:27:12.389 --> 00:27:13.285 if we don't. 00:27:13.285 --> 00:27:18.277 Man, wouldn't you hate to be so negligent in praising God that you're 00:27:18.301 --> 00:27:19.125 walking down the street, 00:27:19.125 --> 00:27:20.425 all of a sudden the rock goes, 00:27:20.425 --> 00:27:21.245 whoo? 00:27:23.305 --> 00:27:23.689 I mean, 00:27:23.689 --> 00:27:25.417 that would be bad news right there. 00:27:25.417 --> 00:27:25.849 First of all, 00:27:25.849 --> 00:27:26.745 I'd have a heart attack. 00:27:26.745 --> 00:27:27.645 But anyhow, 00:27:28.945 --> 00:27:32.285 folks, coming together as the body of Christ, 00:27:32.785 --> 00:27:35.097 walking together as the body of Christ, 00:27:35.241 --> 00:27:37.329 meeting together as the body of Christ, 00:27:37.329 --> 00:27:39.417 praying together as the body of Christ, 00:27:39.417 --> 00:27:41.497 eating together as the body of Christ. 00:27:41.497 --> 00:27:47.475 Coming together in community and fellowship is a priority of God's, 00:27:48.415 --> 00:27:50.327 and He wants us to do it. 00:27:50.327 --> 00:27:51.439 As a matter of fact, 00:27:51.439 --> 00:27:54.195 I think he enjoys our doing it. 00:27:55.695 --> 00:27:58.983 Now, there's some words I'm going to throw out at you. 00:27:58.983 --> 00:27:59.795 You ready? 00:28:00.935 --> 00:28:04.279 Meeting together and walking together as the body of Christ requires 00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:09.471 surrender. Some of the harshest words that I've spoken from this pulpit 00:28:09.503 --> 00:28:11.483 are that it ain't about you. 00:28:12.375 --> 00:28:13.515 You know that. 00:28:14.455 --> 00:28:16.295 I know I'm not supposed to use ain't teachers, 00:28:16.295 --> 00:28:17.285 but I did. 00:28:18.015 --> 00:28:19.475 It's not about us. 00:28:20.655 --> 00:28:22.391 It's about surrender. 00:28:22.543 --> 00:28:28.395 It's about submission to God and His leadership in our lives. 00:28:29.615 --> 00:28:31.115 It's about obedience. 00:28:31.695 --> 00:28:38.583 And all three of those words actually are in direct opposition to the 00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:39.915 word selfishness, 00:28:41.735 --> 00:28:45.475 which is where a lot of people get caught. 00:28:46.815 --> 00:28:48.235 Well, what about me? 00:28:50.215 --> 00:28:51.903 And then y'all know me well enough to know, 00:28:51.903 --> 00:28:52.775 and I Go. 00:28:52.775 --> 00:28:53.875 What about you? 00:28:54.415 --> 00:28:55.735 Thank you very much, 00:28:56.575 --> 00:28:56.983 folks. 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:58.111 Loving God. 00:28:58.303 --> 00:29:00.231 This is an act of worship living. 00:29:00.231 --> 00:29:02.687 Jesus is loving those around us. 00:29:02.871 --> 00:29:05.383 Coming together as the body of Christ in unity. 00:29:05.383 --> 00:29:05.959 I mean, 00:29:05.959 --> 00:29:09.663 I go back and we'll talk about the folks in the New Testament who say, 00:29:09.663 --> 00:29:12.755 guess what a house divided against itself can't stand. 00:29:13.615 --> 00:29:16.255 We see that all around us right now. 00:29:16.495 --> 00:29:17.623 Gathering, folks. 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:19.455 I shared with the senior adults Friday, 00:29:19.455 --> 00:29:20.031 you know what? 00:29:20.031 --> 00:29:21.875 Gathering is a happy place. 00:29:22.255 --> 00:29:23.575 Come be happy with us, 00:29:23.575 --> 00:29:24.327 okay? 00:29:24.511 --> 00:29:28.903 Come be happy because God's blessed us and we're going to praise him for 00:29:28.903 --> 00:29:29.839 it. All right? 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.575 See this morning, 00:29:30.575 --> 00:29:31.799 if you don't know Jesus, 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:35.759 we want you to know Jesus because that's where it all starts. 00:29:37.135 --> 00:29:41.095 You have a relationship with God because Jesus died on the cross and 00:29:41.095 --> 00:29:42.115 provided it. 00:29:42.535 --> 00:29:43.391 If you don't know him, 00:29:43.391 --> 00:29:44.159 we want you to know him. 00:29:44.159 --> 00:29:46.551 I'd love to introduce you to him and there are others in the room that 00:29:46.551 --> 00:29:48.543 would love to introduce you to him. 00:29:48.543 --> 00:29:52.383 And then we get to enjoy what it means to be the family of God together. 00:29:52.383 --> 00:29:52.959 Right? 00:29:53.087 --> 00:29:54.915 We got brothers and sisters. 00:29:55.255 --> 00:29:55.807 You know, 00:29:55.807 --> 00:29:57.935 somebody in this room is your sister, 00:29:57.935 --> 00:29:59.543 somebody in this room is your brother. 00:29:59.543 --> 00:30:01.727 And there might not be blood relatives, 00:30:01.727 --> 00:30:05.305 but we are connected because God is our heavenly father. 00:30:05.845 --> 00:30:07.909 Alrighty. If you don't know Jesus, 00:30:07.957 --> 00:30:08.965 let us tell you about him. 00:30:08.901 --> 00:30:10.933 If you want to be a part of what God is doing here at the gathering, 00:30:10.933 --> 00:30:11.805 just come down and ask. 00:30:11.805 --> 00:30:14.829 We will tell you how to do the membership thing and all that sort of 00:30:14.829 --> 00:30:17.485 stuff. People have been asking me that again lately. 00:30:17.485 --> 00:30:20.829 I will tell you that given the weather situation, 00:30:20.917 --> 00:30:24.157 we probably won't baptize you in the ocean at this point, 00:30:24.157 --> 00:30:25.477 just so you know. 00:30:25.581 --> 00:30:26.241 All right, 00:30:26.333 --> 00:30:27.317 let's pray together. 00:30:27.197 --> 00:30:29.301 And the band is going to come up and we are going to sing and you do what 00:30:29.301 --> 00:30:30.293 God is telling you to do. 00:30:30.293 --> 00:30:30.597 All right, 00:30:30.597 --> 00:30:33.561 God we praise you and thank you again that God, 00:30:33.561 --> 00:30:36.225 you do have some things that are important to you. 00:30:36.225 --> 00:30:40.485 And God we see in scripture reported historically, 00:30:41.305 --> 00:30:45.105 acts is not necessarily instructional though we can receive instruction 00:30:45.145 --> 00:30:50.945 from it by seeing how you blessed your people in those days. 00:30:51.105 --> 00:30:56.257 And every day people were being added to their numbers who were being 00:30:56.321 --> 00:30:58.081 saved. God, 00:30:58.113 --> 00:31:00.093 we want people to know Jesus. 00:30:59.921 --> 00:31:02.905 We want people to be excited about knowing Jesus. 00:31:03.805 --> 00:31:07.825 We want to be excited about being the body of Christ. 00:31:08.205 --> 00:31:08.701 So God, 00:31:08.701 --> 00:31:12.509 we ask your blessing today and ask you to just speak to folks hearts and 00:31:12.509 --> 00:31:13.589 let them respond to you, 00:31:13.589 --> 00:31:14.069 not me. 00:31:14.069 --> 00:31:15.213 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:31:15.213 --> 00:31:15.365 Amen.