Sermon Tone Analysis

| \\ February 8-9, 2003 \\ \\ *"One Heart & Soul - Authentic Community"* | \\ *Mike Slaughter* |

*Acts 4:32-34* \\ *32:* All the believers were one in heart and mind.

No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

\\ *33:* With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

\\ *34:* There were no needy persons among them.

For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales \\ \\ One of the words that I really like, even though some people would say that it's of my generation, is radical.

Can you tell that's my byline?

As a matter of fact, you will find on my web site that one of the things in my description is "Jesus radical."

I can't stand the consumer mentality that has infiltrated the church - that people in the church think this is all about us.

When we make a commitment to Jesus Christ, we exist for one purpose and that is the purpose of God's mission.

\\ The first purpose of the church is worship.

This is reflected in the first line of our mission statement, to bring seeking people into a life celebration of Jesus.

Seeking people are those who are asking the real God questions.

I'm not interested in convincing the unconvinced, but people who are really seeking God.

\\ The second purpose of the church of Jesus is to be the authentic community that demonstrates the love of God in the world.

That is why the second part of our mission statement is to grow as disciples in cell community.

We are the body of Christ and the life of the body is in the cell.

Not in a big anonymous group, but in cell community.

\\ \\ *Acts 4:32-34* \\ *32:* All the believers were one in heart and mind.

No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

\\ *33:* With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

\\ *34:* There were no needy persons among them.

For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales \\ \\ *I.

One Heart - Unity Factor* \\ Open your Bibles to Acts 4:32.

"The whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul."

So if you believe, you are part of a group that is of one heart and soul.

"And no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common."

This was not playing - this was radical.

"With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

There was not a needy person among them.

For as many as owned land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds for what was sold."

\\ When we look at what it means to be community, the first thing we're told is that everyone who believes is of one heart.

Unity is the pre-requisite for the outpouring of the Spirit.

You cannot experience the fullness of the Spirit in your life or through your life outside of community.

Let me show you what I mean.

\\ \\ *Acts 1:14* \\ *14:* They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

\\ \\ *Acts 2:1* \\ *1:* When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.

\\ \\ *Acts 2:5,9* \\ *5:* Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

\\ *9:* Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, \\ \\ *Acts 2:11* \\ *11:* (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" \\ \\ Go back to Acts 1:14.

This takes place after Jesus ascended into heaven following the resurrection.

The church, at that point made up of 120 people, went back to the upper room.

Look at verse 14. "All of these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer together."

Unity is the pre-requisite for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit.

It says they prayed together with the women.

There are four great divisions - gender, race, geography and theology - but now men and women were together.

Go to Acts 2:1, "When the day of Pentecost did come . .

."

Pentecost was the day that God gave his Spirit ". . .

They were all together in one place."

Unity makes the way for the out-pouring of Pentecost.

In verses five and nine, there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven, showing diversity of people.

Look at verse 11, there were even Jews and Arabs.

\\ \\ *Matthew 18:20* \\ *20:* For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

\\ \\ *Matthew 18:18* \\ *18:* "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

\\ \\ The Greek word for church is ekklesia.

It means "to be called out."

We are called out from every nation in the world.

Not only are we called out, we are called together.

The full benefit and blessing of God comes through community.

Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in your midst . . .

whatever you agree upon shall be done through my name.

Whatever you bind together on earth, shall be bound in heaven.

Whatever you set loose together on earth will be loosed in heaven."

\\ The church in America is no longer dangerous.

It's impotent.

It's been influenced more by our culture than by God's word.

Our culture promotes individualism and independence.

During the last century, there has been a movement away from communities and neighborhoods to suburbs.

Even if you lived in big cities like New York City, your identity was not the city but the boroughs within the city.

Your identity went with the neighborhood.

\\ I grew up in Cincinnati, but my identity was North College Hill, not Cincinnati.

When we went to a convenience store, we didn't go to a chain convenience store.

We went to something called a pony keg.

George's Pony Keg was closest to my house.

When you went there guess who you saw? George!

There was also Bud's Pony Keg and Farley's Pony Keg.

Farley sold us cigarettes when we were twelve.

When you stole from George, George knew who you were and George called your daddy.

Your dad grounded you for a month and George grounded you for a month.

You weren't allowed in the store for a month, but then you could come back and everything was okay.

And when we shopped for our meat, we did not get our meat at a super store.

We went to Ralph's Meat Market and Ralph knew our name.

When I was in high school, you could go across the street for lunch, and for 25 cents Ralph would cut meat, cut bread, and make a sandwich for you.

\\ Today we don't go to stores owned by individual people.

We go to super chains, like Meijer or Super America and who even knows who the owners are.

We don't live in communities and neighborhoods.

Many of us live in suburbs.

I am embarrassed to say I only know the name of one next-door neighbor and I have lived in that house for nine years.

We get into superficial relationships, and end up not knowing anyone below a superficial level.

Our generation has come up with this phenomenon called cocooning, where we live tethered to our home entertainment systems and barricade ourselves behind our electronic alarms.

Transformation only happens through community.

The danger with super churches is that we reflect the values of America - we can hide and be anonymous.

But the outpouring of the Spirit only happens through the intimacy of community.

\\ \\ *Acts 22:6-11* \\ *6:* "About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. \\ *7:* I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul!

Saul!

Why do you persecute me?' \\ *8:* " 'Who are you, Lord?' I asked.

\\ *9:* " 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied.

My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

\\ *10:* " 'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked.

\\ *11:* " 'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus.

There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.' My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.