Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro:

Last Sunday - spinner - so amazed- Imagine if I stretched out my hand - healed in Jesus name… But this Sunday as consider ideal situation of early church - perhapspurest time … perhaps the most ideal society world has ever seen!

Imagineif someonecaught intherisin - right here this morning as gathering - let's say duringoffering,huge gift honourwith plaque - wellknown liked mildmanner person - dropdead on the spot as their sin exposed!

This wasn't Peter magically prounouncig a curse, in fact someone withsimilar sin Simon Magnus - Peter knows|Godofgrace - givesoppruntiy to repent .

But this is God, as terrible ploy of Satan unleashed through aterrible sin that would cut thel legs right underneaththe early church - turn Powerful Work of Grace ,Superantural WHOLENESS - into a show of false religion - hypocrisy!

Not what most people call hypocrite - we're all sinners here this morning, none of us ever live up to evenour own standards allthe time - why we need grace - but so different than this sin of pretending on outside to live by grace,when inwardly don't believe it,don't believe in the power of the HolySpirit, the presnese of God!

Not doing it out of real love for Godo or neighbouur - but for a show - that's hypocrite in biblical sense.

That scenario happenedin the eraly church one day - and their response wasn't God punishment doesn't fit the crime, God you got a rage problem - understood the seriousness of this sin and how it can destroy a whole church, destroy the witness of the gospel in the world - God only a few time acts this decisively in the Bible - actually brings a sign of judgment day into this time and world now - strikes a man or woman dead.

Careful don't ultimately know eternal state,but God temporal judgment showing not acting like believers,and at this critical time of NTChurch’s infancy - critical to deal with that sin!

But this mornings sermon isnot about A&S or hypocrisy, it is about what God was protecting and building in a supernautural way - If you are part of the church it is what God in Christ,through the power of the Holy Spirit is still building - partofthe blueprint foryourlife - koinonia - communion of the saints,coommunity of the believers!

Mega community marked in this passage with three mega - mega grace, mega power, mega fear, !

Captured in the first words of our text:

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul,= community God's buildng , fellowship,

Brethren of the Common Life we become!

Deventer, - Geert Groote, Zwolle aKempis - tired of bishops corruption,\wealth, - authentic Christian community - inot the world!

It is what you experienced on Serve, intentional Xn community, Camp Shalom, retreat, What you experienced this week - if gave a glass water in Jesus name to least of these my brothers - visited a member.. Visted by someone - prayed in need!...

The first thing we must hear this morning is God's invitation into this remarkable new society!

Mega grace was upon them all, and that was only possible as we experrience the mega-power of the gopsel is what is uiting us!

But it is also applied - love in words, without action between yourself and someone else hear = void!

and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

Here this morning secondly understand how God is calling you to make this outwardly manifest in your life and in this ministry and fellowship here!

And lastly the third thing that markedthis community - mega fear of the LORD - gets deep down into the level of motivation - living with integrity pure heart to each other and the LORD - expectation of His nearness!

And Luke does this by giving us two illlustrations of how to do mega-community, one positive one negative - fill with awe your part and mine in this enterprise!

Members of God's Mega-Community: A. Receive the Power of the Gospel & much Grace with Others

Really Luke is showing us there are is an inward prequiste, requirement - to be part of this community!

Sure outwardly you could be a member signed up in this church, but won't be partaking of communion of saints - Paul later woud say - you could most giving person hear this morning - but without love - nothing not part of God's mega commuity!

1 Cor 13:

You could be most mild mannered person, do allthe rightoutsard - likeA7S respectableupstanding to people!

But missing the heart at the centre of this mega-coomunity!

You could be most mild manneredperson,do allthe rightoutsard - likeA7S respectableupstanding to people!

But missing the heart at the centre of this mega-coomunity!

What is the heart of it all?

The Person Jesus Christ!

In ch 3 this is what outsiders - had been with Jesus.

Cometo bleieve - words concerning Jesus, heal - name, power authority of this Person Jesus!

Before we can understand how some 30,000 people can be of one heart and soul - must understand v.33

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

In answer to prayer - Holy Spirit filled all to speak of Jesus, but especially Christ's delegates to build his church on their powerful teaching of His Word, Revelation - testimony to resurrection of the Lord (King) Jesus - almost electric - Fulfilled promise that Holy Spirit would for those 12 bring to remembrance everything - teach them all things concerning - open Scriptures daily- in temple courts - see people getting it - Like Revival times …

What is the result of a community getting the gospel - not just a bunch of like minded thinkers - agree on facts-

No great grace was upon them all.

Grace not a substance the church disperses - It is a covenant term, relationship term - unmerited favour of one person to another - ever fall out of favour with parent,spouse,girl firrend, bor/sister - like a party - feast, like a camp fire gather round - accept you compeltely - for you - World starting to experience that through Jesus with God! Growing in that.

But other way grace used - especially growing in grace - charis favour, new relationship with Lord inwardly starts to effect your outward relationships - live withgrace,favour,mercy,with love - with other - fruits of the spirit - are grace, gifts of the spirit they are graces - grow in them!

How Luke used this to describe how - Jesus grew up

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Are you growingin grace with God and with those around you - even Jesus had to - reality and substance ofcomunity in our life is rooted inthis!

Admit sometimes I 'm not - first to really know iit - not you - but those in my home,those I visit - ddn't visit - Sometmies fault maybe someone elses, often in my own heart - stop living by Grace - growing in grace - Need a Brethern of Common Life - Revival!

Overarching reality is in this image of many 30,000 different young old,rich poor, residents,migrants, Hellensits, Jewish patriots, even that much diversity in the 12 - wonder if 6 people get along - 6 churches have real fellowship - but 30, not talking about likemindeness, or band of bro/ssi we allng for - different quality different degree in thebody of Christ!

Resurrected Jesus, named as our head, head of new humanity - belief in Hm,following Himm,being united toHim His Spiriti truly animates us,coordinates us.

Actually showing fulfillment of - Love Lord with all heart and all your soul!

All your power…However, the words are used rather differently here than in Deuteronomy, where they express total self-giving in love to God; here they express more the oneness between believers and the effectiveness of the apostles’ preaching.but

this going to be uncomfortable He connects us - needs,gifts, afflictions - and as He does that going to see something amazing that in so many way we can say the world has never seen - come to learn from!

New community in dwelt by Holy Spirit - produces what commanded for Promised Land: =a community where no poor among them!

= no needy person among them - since no greedy person among them?

= until that time you shall open wide you hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor

Resurrected Jesus, named as our head, head of new humanity - belief in Hm,following Himm,being united toHim His Spiriti truly animates us,coordinates us.

Actually showing fulfillment of - Love Lord with all heart and all your soul!

All your power…However, the words are used rather differently here than in Deuteronomy, where they express total self-giving in love to God; here they express more the oneness between believers and the effectiveness of the apostles’ preaching.but

this going to be uncomfortable He connects us - needs,gifts, afflictions - and as He does that going to see something amazing that in so many way we can say the world has neverseen - cometo learn from!

New community in dwelt by Holy Spirit - produces what commanded for Promised Land: =a community where no poor among them!

= no needy person among them - since no greedy person among them?

= until that time open handed, and take care not greedy on 7th year take advantage of poor and grudge neighbour…

Resurrected Jesus, named as our head, head of new humanity - belief in Hm,following Himm,being united toHim His Spiriti truly animates us,coordinates us - but this going to be uncomfortable He connects us - needs,gifts, afflictions - and as He does that going to see something amazing that in so many way we can say the world has neverseen - cometo learn from!

Take care not greedy on 7th year take advantage of poor and grudge neighbour…

But this is going to be a bit scary and costly love.

Takes all these different members , as He is the head, each a different part, he puts you with your gifts right beside someone else in the body with neeeds!

A Community with the great power of the gospel & great grace among each other -

B. The Gospel & Grace Transform Us into a sharing community

Did you see the wonder that outwardly results in v.34.

Has it happened to you here yet?

There was not a needy person among them!

Israel, particularly Jerusalem at this time - draughts, already seen in this book beggars!

Lot of needy people!

Going to see in not a remedy that solved all the brokenness- Grecian widows neglected.

So much need going to need to delegate some leaders - apostles not administering all these gifts!

What I tell you next is not a guarantee that needs disappear when follow Jesus - that'd be health and wealth gospel - But what I tell you about how the gospel church work when living with great grace - is that needs are met by you and I sharing with each other in the body of Christ!

But remarkable statement - newly formed community - operating by grace, fueled by gospel and presence of Jesus through it - abide in my word, I will abide in you!

Real love for the Lord, produces real and active sharing love for His people!

How does it work?

How can you turn your love for the Lord into meeting the needs of his people around you?

How can you turn your love for the Lord into meeting theneeds of his peole around you?

That is stated at the end of

Now before you get all defensive and think I or our deacons are showing up at your house tomorrow to take your second car, and rental property, and food in your groceries, and collect our rsps into one fund!

Before you say - do we have to do commmuism here!

Now before you get all defensive and think I or our deacons are showing up at your house tomorrow to take your second car, and rental property, and food in your groceries, and collect our rsps into one fund!

Before you say - do we have to do commmuism here!

Understand first that Luke is first identifying a radical new approach to stuff in our lives.

Anew attitude of believers to possessions - because of new realities experienceing in this comuntiy!

You are not an owner, you are manager!

Stewardship!

All that you enjoy between birth and death is a gift.

It belongs to God but is assigned to your care.

The bank account may be in your name, but it’s not actually your money.