Printer Friendly VersionI remember a week when I was preaching in a revival in Battle
Creek, Michigan. The Pastor there suggested that he’d like to take me
on a tour of their major industry. So, after lunch we got in his little yellow
Toyota and drove over to the major industry in that town.
We parked in a massive parking lot and walked up the stairs
of the main entrance. An enthusiastic hostess and tour guide greeted us. She
grinned ear-to-ear and welcomed us to the plant. Then she opened her palm,
disclosed her “hidden treasure” and said: “Folks, this is how
it all begins.” And she showed us a kernel of corn. I tried to act impressed.
Then we began our tour of Kellogg’s in Battle Creek.
The tour guide cautioned us not to deviate from the canary-yellow
adhesive tape stripes that were secured to the tile hallway. So we followed
her for about an hour through the plant. Every once in a while she would halt
our procession, providing some heavy insight. The first time she stopped us
she said, “Folks, this is what it looks like when it’s cooked.”
And we all got to taste a sample. It reminded me of chewing on a rubber band.
The next time she stopped us she said, “Folks, this is what it looks
like when it goes through the rollers.” It was completely flat, and we
were all shocked! The last time she stopped our parade she said, “Folks,
look through this window! See that bunch of flakes?” They were predestined
for a unique anointing, called sugar-frosted, and were headed for “Tony’s
Box”. We all applauded enthusiastically.
At the end of the tour we got to choose a complimentary box
of cereal: Special K or Rice Krispies. I chose the Rice Krispies.
Later that afternoon I returned to my room, stuffed the cereal
box into my airport-abused Samsonite, and meditated on the insight of the
day. I concluded that Kellogg’s is in business to make cereal.
It got me thinking about the church, and wondering why are we
in business and what do we make? Then I remembered the Lord’s words,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20).
No different than Kellogg’s and a box of cereal is the church and a disciple.
When an employee at Kellogg’s gets in his pick-up and drives
home after work, he has a sense of fulfillment. He goes home feeling, “We
got the job done today.” Because as he leaves the parking lot at work,
across the street is a railroad track full of boxcars that they just finished
loading with hundreds of palates of freshly boxed cereal.
Well, how do we know in the church if we’re getting our job done? Jesus
said, “Go make disciples”. Well, how do you make a disciple?
The purpose of the church that Jesus gave us, “Go make
disciples,” stands on two legs. One is to reach the lost. The other is
to teach the believer. Reach them and teach them.
Obviously, we can’t teach them until first we reach them.
But after we reach the unsaved, we must teach them and help them grow.
I’ve seen some churches that had these two functions out
of balance. Some place all their emphasis on “reach them,” and very
little on teaching and helping the new believer grow. Other churches I’ve
observed place all their emphasis on “teach them”; with very little
effort given to outreach and evangelism of lost people. Happy is the church
that has “reach them and teach them” in a proper balance.
Then I got to wondering: “Well, who’s done the best
job of making disciples? Where’s the high-water-mark of effectiveness?”
The Lord took my attention to Acts 2:42. Here, Luke gives us
the characteristics and priorities of a group of believers, freshly filled
with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
At verse 42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’
teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Here “devoted” refers to a permanent adherence, welded or super-glued,
or riveted. It means a premeditated, prioritized commitment. The opposite
would be scotch-taped or thumbtacked.
It makes us ask the question, “How devoted are we?”
In a day when there is so much consumerism and spectator sport mentality in
the church. It’s good to review the question of devotion.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. When
teaching, training and equipping ministry was available, the folks showed
up. Subjecting themselves to the apostles’ ministry was a priority.
Next, they devoted themselves to the fellowship. There was inter-relatedness
and inter-dependence in their relationships.
Further, they devoted themselves to the breaking of bread, giving
attention and priority to the Lord’s Supper.
And they also devoted themselves to prayer. It stimulates a
question: “How much do we pray?” We all have twenty-four hours every
day, and we choose what we will do with our time. They devoted themselves
to prayer.
At verse 43, we learn that “everyone was filled with awe.”
Well, I’ve been in come churches that were filled with ahhh - the sound
of yawns from bored listeners. But here awe refers to “mind-blown-amazement,
shock, serendipity and unanticipated surprise!” The apostles did wonders
and miraculous signs.
It makes us ask the question: “What ever happened to the
wonder and miraculous signs?” Although in these days some preachers have
taken the wonder and miracles way out of bounds biblically, it does not mean
that we need to neglect the wonder and miracles altogether. I’ve often
wondered if there are answers to prayer and miracles sitting on Heaven’s
warehouse shelves with our name on them, just waiting for us to pray for in
faith, believing.
Verse 44 continues: “All the believers were together, and
had everything in common.” Well, it’s one thing for folks to leave
their house, get in the car, and drive to church and sit in their semi-reserved
upholstered pew and be “together” in the same sanctuary. But it’s
something significantly beyond that to be “together” in unity and
oneness, harmony and peace.
The plain truth is that we either add to church unity or we
subtract from church unity. We’re either a part of the answer or we’re
part of the problem.
At the end of verse 44 we learn they had everything in common.
They had a loose grip on their material possessions. They shared generously
with each other. This is a good lesson for us who live in a day where we see
so much materialism and aggressive pursuit of assets.
At verse 45 we’re told “selling their possessions
and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”
Have you ever had a garage sale? I don’t mean you sold
your garage; no, the stuff in your garage. Well, they had a garage sale, and
what did they do with the proceeds? They gave to anyone as he had need. The
only requirement for someone to be the recipient of their generosity was a
verifiable need.
In many of our churches today determining the needs of those
in our responsibility area could develop a significant ministry. There’s
someone within reach of our church that has a material need. Compassionate,
humanitarian benevolence is a wonderful ministry we can provide.
Notice next at verse 46: “Every day they continued to meet
together in the temple courts.” Well, what’s that all about? They
met for “daybreak devotions.” These newly Spirit-filled believers
gathered on the courtyard outside the temple to pray, read scripture, sing
a hymn, encourage each other and share information of mutual concern. Why
did they do that? You can trace it all the way back to verse 42: “They
devoted themselves.” Their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and
with each other became a life-changing priority.
So it makes us face the question: “How devoted are we?”
There is an ever-encroaching tendency to become apathetic, stagnant and mediocre
in our dedication.
The rest of verse 46 says, “They broke bread in their homes
and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Here’s one thing
we do very well in the church. We have the potlucks down perfect!
This passage concludes with verse 47: “Praising God and
enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily
those who were being saved.”
As Luke documented what was going on with these spirit-filled
believers, he noted that the Lord ‘s working in their lives resulted
in new believers being added daily.
In many churches today there is an absence of evangelism and
outreach. How long has it been since someone outside the constituency of your
local church was reached, saved, baptized and joined the church?
I remember a summer when my wife, daughter, and my wife’s
parents drove from southern California all the way to Huntington, West Virginia.
We went to attend my wife’s grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary.
On Sunday afternoon we returned to grandma and grandpa’s
house and enjoyed a chicken dinner.
After dinner the phone rang; and my mother-in-law answered the
phone. She said, “Norman, the phone’s for you.” And I replied,
“Who is calling me here in Huntington, West Virginia?”
It was my wife’s Uncle Don. He said, “Norman, I heard
you were in town. I thought you’d like to know about my neighbor, Belvie.
He’s got terminal heart disease, and he doesn’t know anything about
God or the church. I’ve tried to witness to him the best I could. I think
he’s about ready to listen to someone like you, if you wouldn’t
mind coming out for a while.” I said, “We’ll be right there.”
My wife, daughter, in-laws and I got in our car and drove out
the country road to the mobile home park where Uncle Don and Aunt Dorothy
lived.
He met me on the driveway. We walked across the street, through
the gate of a white picket fence, and up on the front porch of Belvie’s
mobile home.
I knocked on the screen door and Belvie answered. He was a really
tall man, about 6’4”, but really thin, only about 180 pounds. His
hair was all messed up (all seven of them). He hadn’t shaved that day,
or the day before.
In one corner of his mouth he had a cigarette with the ashes
about to fall off on the floor. He was wearing polyester pajamas, he was barefoot,
and his toenails were long overdue.
He said, “Howdy boys, come on in.” And when he spoke
it was obvious that he left his teeth on the sink.
We stepped inside and I was immediately attacked by a Doberman pinscher-poodle.
The room was full of Sunday afternoon visitors, tobacco smoke and beer cans.
I knew that I wouldn’t get anywhere in that situation,
so I suggested talk and we go out on the front porch where we could be alone.
We sat down on the front porch swing and got acquainted. Then, an inch at
a time, I bent the conversation to the Lord and the Gospel.
I said, “Belvie, God loves you, and even at this stage
in your life He has a plan for you.” He found that hard to believe. Then
I explained that we were all sinners, that “All have sinned and come
short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). He admitted that he’d
been “quite a sinner in his day.” I told him about Jesus, born of
the Virgin Mary, and about His life and ministry and miracles. I explained
how he was crucified, dead and buried, and raised on the third day.
Belvie stared at me like it was the first time he heard that
in his whole life.
Then I explained confession (admitting our sins to God) and
repentance (being sorry for our sins and turning from them). After about twenty
minutes of that kind of talk I asked him, “Belvie, can you give me a
good reason why you wouldn’t want to pray and receive Jesus right now?”
He broke eye contact with me, and for a long time he just stared at the green,
indoor-outdoor carpet on his front porch floor. Then, after a long silence,
he raised his head. I noticed a tear squeeze out of the corner of his eye
and slowly crawl through the stubble of his unshaven cheek before it disappeared
into his multiple facial wrinkles. His tear left a shiny trail in the afternoon
sun.
He said, “Nope”. I replied, “Would you like to
pray right now?” He responded, “Yep”.
So we bowed our heads to pray. Belvie repeated the “sinners
prayer” after me just as sincerely as anyone ever prayed at a church
altar. And he was saved just as genuinely as anyone had ever been saved.
Well, a few weeks later I was home at my desk reading the days
mail. And there was a letter from Huntington, West Virginia. Out of the pages
of the letter fell a newspaper clipping. It was from the Huntington Daily.
Belvie had moved from Huntington to Heaven, less than three weeks from when
we sat on his front porch. Then I heard the Lord whisper, “And the Lord
added to their number daily, those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
And He would like to do it again through you and through your church.
