The Book Of Acts | Pt. 11 - Boom Or Ghost Town | Pastor Jackson Lahmeyer

Acts 2:40-43
Notice that many signs and wonders were happening in the midst of this early group of believers who did not have a church building, or an organization but they flowed in the power of the Holy Spirit
These signs and wonders were God's signature
Jesus told them these things would happen right before He ascended
Mark 16:17

Acts 2:44-45
Now this sounds like socialism: AOC & Bernie quote this verse while ignoring the other 31,101 verses
Socialism is not in the Bible
What we read here was out of necessity
These believers were marginalized and in order to survive they pooled their resources together
That day may come to us: Christians are having bank accounts closed
The Bible does not teach socialism but a very strong work ethic
If you don't work, you don't eat; a man who doesn't provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever
Work = Worship
Acts 2:46-47
This Church was a thriving Church; an explosion of growth
I read a book not too long ago called Boom Town about OKC
Not all Boom Towns make it
Story of Boom Town In Enterprise, Alabama

Church in America is in decline
12 churches close per day
1972 = 92% of Americans identified as Christian
2020 = 64% of Americans identified as Christian
6% = Other religions
The growth = non-religious
We have seen the opposite here at Sheridan
Hence the parking lot
God gives the growth but why is our church growing when we shouldn't be?
I believe Acts 2:42 tells us why our church is growing and why the early church grew
4 Keys to a Thriving Church
Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Let me touch on these real quickly

Apostles Doctrine
Instruction from the Apostles out of the OT
We now have the entirety of the Apostles doctrine in the form of the New Testament
Apostles Doctrine = Bible
Centrality of the Bible
We are a Bible Church
Verse by verse sermons = Genesis, Revelation, Acts & Daniel
We do not amend the Bible like some Churches
We do not change the Bible to conform to our culture
We believe our culture should conform to the Bible
Bible touches every sin issue, social issue and cultural issue
I don't have to find a topic and then verses to support it; I preach the verses and they will cover the topics we face
I was always told this type of preaching would drive people away; my experience has been the opposite
Yes some don't like it and leave
But God grows the Church; for everyone 1 that leaves He sends 3
If Sheridan.Church ever abandons the Bible we will be no better off than Enterprise, Alabama
The crazier it gets around us, the more we need the Bible in us
Don't go through the Bible but let the Bible go through you

Fellowship
KOINONIA = Fellowship, Contribution, Sharing & Communion (On TV Screens)
20x in the NT
12 = Fellowship (close relationship)
Romans 15:26
Hebrews 13:16
Koinonia = closeness, sharing w/other people and communing together
Small Groups - Basketball, JOY, Home Group, Greek
Sunday = Monologue
Story of girl raising her hand in service = I ignored it
Reason I ignored was because of my 1st Sunday as Senior Pastor at Sheridan
Fellowship is important; how good and pleasant it is when God's people dwell together in unity
We are relational beings created in the image of a relational God
Relationships are the essence of life
Get relationships right = get life right
Right friends = joy, peace, and fulfillment
Get relationships wrong = get life wrong
Wrong friends = pain, heartache and destruction
Popular saying - "Show me your friends and I will show you your future."
Bible taught this concept thousands of years ago
Proverbs 13:20
Hang around people smoking & partying? You probably already do or soon will
Hang around people who are honest and successful? You probably already are or will be
Denzel Washington = Hang around 5 intelligent people & you'll be the 6th; hang around 5 millionaires & you'll be the 6th; hang around 5 idiots & you'll be the 6th
Who you fellowship with matters

Breaking Of Bread
Communion = Worship
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
early church took communion every week and used one loaf and one cup

Prayer
Prayer is a dialogue
Often we seek His hand instead of His face
We seek the miracles of God rather than the God of miracles
Prayer is personal but also corporate
Acts 2:42 is referring to corporate prayer
My house shall be a house of prayer
Personal prayer is necessary but the Lord’s Prayer doesn’t go “My Father”
You have siblings
Prayer Group on Monday
You can tell how popular a church is...
Prayer is not informing God but involving God