Gods Community

"The early believers were a Community. Close-knit. Joined Together.

And all that believed were together and had all things common… The church showed their faith - in love and action… meeting practical needs.

God’s Church is a gathering of believers. Are we this kind of caring community? How can we meet the need of our brother – our sister?

And they, continuing daily WITH ONE ACCORD in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

There was devotion, not a casual Christianity. They took every opportunity to meet together. There was a constant fellowship.

When we’re born again we become part of a family. We have brothers and sisters in Christ. God joins us together. He knits us together in love. We belong with each other.

They shared a common purpose. They were bonded together… In their uniting there was a joy… There was a gladness in their fellowship. A singleness of heart.

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!… There the Lord commanded the blessing…

They were… Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. God brought favour. God brought people to salvation. God blesses the gathering together of His people. God brought this community together and added to it. God was glorified.

Let us be a Christ-centred church. Unto Him be glory in the church. A church that functions because everybody has their part and participation.

We see a Body… Alive, Active, Functioning, Useful… Ephesians 4:15-16 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Every part plays its part. Christ is the head. He is its source, its strength, its sustainer. He is its leader, its direction, its authority. God gives the increase. God gets the glory. God gets the credit.

Let us strive to be such a fellowship. The fellowship of God’s people is a place of…
Praise
Grace
Salvation
Conversions

God brings us together to rejoice and sing His praises. They …were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God (Luke 24:53).

Ephesians 5 (18) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (21) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Colossians 3:15-16 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

He puts a song of praise on our lips.

Let’s be the Church in Action. A Church marked by…
CARING
UNITING
BLESSING.

A living organism, not merely an organisation. Millions of living cells. Co-operation. Different Functions. Dependence. Interdependent. There’s harmony. As we are Knit together by the Spirit. Full Participation: 1 Co. 14:26 ""each of you"" Involved.

A coach defined a game of football: ""22 men on the field in desperate need of rest, surrounded by 50,000 spectators in desperate need of exercise.""

A body can get sick. We’re meant to be a living, working, productive organism, sustained by the life of its living Head.

Sadly, with the modern church we have gone from being A Crusade to being A Club. Pleasures are more of a problem for the church than Persecution.

There’s "A famine in the land", yet much recreation, amusement, entertainment. Church is meant to be militant and victorious — not “holding the fort”, but ""storming the forts"" of darkness; ""gates"" (Mt. 16:15-20)

It's time to Mobilise the church! The church shall prevail.