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Thank you for listening to the 
river. 

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Bend Church podcast Riverbend 
Church exists, Elite all people 

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to know love and live New Life 
in Jesus Christ. 

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We hope that you enjoy this 
message. 

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My name is Jared, if I don't 
know you. 

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I'm going to be here for the 
next several weeks and opening 

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the word of God with you. 
I'm so grateful for this 

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opportunity and I'm honored to 
be here. 

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I'm honored to get to walk 
alongside so many, great leaders

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that are already here. 
God has established this place, 

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and I was just talking to many 
in the hall and again, decades 

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and Decades of service and in 
faithfulness to this place and 

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how God is building his church 
here. 

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He's Still building his church 
here. 

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Amen. 
Do we believe that he's not 

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finished, Ministry has not 
paused. 

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We're still after the same 
mission that we've always been 

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after to take the Gospel of 
Jesus, to the world around us 

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and to glorify Christ above all 
else. 

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That's that hasn't changed. 
We're still doing it and you are

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the body that he has placed here
for such a time as this and what

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an honor, what an honor to be 
together, what an honor to be 

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able to worship God. 
Alien this place to sing his 

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Praises with our hands lifted if
you want or not, if you're not 

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about that life, you know, you 
could still lift your praise in 

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your song to him freely here. 
And that's not able, that's not 

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a an option in other parts of 
the world. 

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So we don't take that for 
granted. 

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On this Lord's day, I'm grateful
and honored like I said, and, 

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and I'm excited to jump into the
word today. 

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We've been in this series and we
will be in this series called 

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when the dust settles for the 
next several weeks. 

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And we're Just walking through 
the early church and looking at 

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what? 
What the apostles and the early 

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Christians did. 
After Jesus died rose again on 

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the third day and then ascended 
to the father. 

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What did they do when the dust 
settled? 

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What do we do when the dust 
settles? 

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And I'm excited today to look at
what we see in the early church 

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as a healthy church. 
We get to look at what are the 

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marks of a healthy Church? 
And this isn't going to be 

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comprehensive today and there's 
other marks of a healthy church,

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but in our text today in Acts 
chapter 2, we're going to see a 

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few distinct principal 
foundational marks of a healthy 

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church. 
And I want you to think about 

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the body of Christ in the in a 
similar way as our physical 

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bodies, right? 
The the Bible teaches us that 

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the church is the body of Christ
and in Ephesians and we know 

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that a body Coming together has 
many different parts and when 

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those parts are working 
properly, it's a healthy body. 

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Its operating in health. 
And I want you to think about 

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that in terms of your physical 
body, if someone was in here 

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today in this room and and was 
unhealthy or maybe even passed 

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out and and was in the floor, 
what would we do? 

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We we would we would not freaked
out and I especially me and we 

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would ask for a doctor or we 
would ask for a paramedic or 

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anybody that knew what to do 
with this situation and the 

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first thing that the person the 
doctor or the paramedic would do

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when they got to the body is 
what check the vitals, right? 

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I heard it. 
I think, I think I heard it or 

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maybe I just wanted to hear it 
and it got in there, you know, 

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how you do that with your wives?
Husbands, anybody know. 

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Okay. 
Here, what you want to hear? 

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Check the vitals. 
What are the vitals? 

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We look at the blood pressure, 
heart rate, the rate of 

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breathing. 
If we have some other 

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instruments, we could check the 
body temperature, right? 

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Or at least put our hand over 
the head and see, and we're 

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measuring these vital signs to 
see how healthy or unhealthy the

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body is and to know what to do 
next to bring about hell. 

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With to the body and in a 
similar way, we need to be aware

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of the vitals in the church as 
the body of Christ. 

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So how do we know what to look 
for? 

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That's kind of the question. 
We're talking about a healthy 

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Church. 
How do we know what to look for?

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I'm submitting to you today the 
in Acts chapter 2 at the end of 

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the chapter, we're going to see 
some vital signs to look for, 

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and we're going to see that 
those basic fundamental marks of

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a healthy. 
Church are applicable for us 

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today as well. 
But Before we get there, I want 

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to set the scene a little more 
from Acts chapter 2. 

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There's an unbelievable 
miraculous scene. 

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Happening at the beginning of 
Acts chapter 2 where there's 

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people from all across the Roman
world coming together, and they 

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spoke different languages. 
But the Christians, there the 

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apostles in the Christians 
there, that their early church 

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at the time, was 120 people, and
they began because they were 

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filled with the Holy Spirit. 
They began speaking in other 

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tongues which meant their other 
languages. 

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So the people that were there 
from all around the Roman world 

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were able to understand them 
because they were speaking in 

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their language. 
We see this hear how God was on 

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the scene in a miraculous and 
Powerful way to open up the ears

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in the mines, to the people, to 
be able to hear about who God is

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and what he had done. 
It's unbelievable. 

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And so the naysayers or the 
mockers were in the around this 

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scene, and We're saying, well, 
these guys must be drunk. 

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The these people must be drunk. 
There's no way like they're 

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going crazy. 
What's this? 

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All about and, and Peter steps 
up. 

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He stands before the people. 
And he says, listen men of 

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Galilee. 
He begins to preach the first 

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sermon of the early church and 
this is a, an amazing sermon. 

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He goes through Joel chapter 2, 
psalm 16 and Psalm 119, he's 

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bringing in Old Testament 
prophecies and he's preaching, 

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NG to the people about what the 
prophets had spoken and how it 

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is coming to pass before their 
eyes in the person and work of 

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Jesus. 
He says, this is who Jesus is, 

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this is who he says he is, this 
is who he said, this is what he 

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said. 
He was going to do and God has 

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made him both Lord and Christ. 
So when you call upon the name 

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of the Lord to be saved, you're 
calling upon the name of Jesus. 

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That's what Peter was saying. 
And the Bible says that in that,

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In This Moment In Time, the 
people that were there, 

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listening to Peter's words, were
cut to the heart. 

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The word literally says, they 
were cut to the heart. because 

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the word of God is living and 
active and sharper than any 

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two-edged sword, and it pierces 
through the bone and the marrow 

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and the joints and it and it 
cuts through to the heart, And 

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in this moment as they were cut 
to the heart as they heard the 

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gospel and they heard what Jesus
had done and they heard that 

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that he had come to save that, 
which was lost. 

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They asked a simple question in 
that moment. 

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What must we do? 
Brothers, Peter, John Brothers, 

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what? 
What must we do? 

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And Peter responded with great 
Simplicity right here. 

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He said, repent number one, 
repent. 

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We know that means turn from 
your sin, change your mind, 

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change your way, turn towards 
Jesus, turned to follow him. 

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Repent, admit that you are a 
sinner in need of a savior and 

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turn to that. 
Savior receive him by grace 

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through faith, repent, and be 
baptized, he said, two things he

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told him to do repent. 
And be baptized, be baptized not

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because baptism. 
Saves you, but because baptism 

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proclaims to the world. 
What has happened on the inside 

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of you that you've been buried 
with Christ and your old life is

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gone and your new life is now 
here, you've been resurrected to

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walk in newness of life with 
him. 

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So repent and be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ. 

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Peter said for the Forgiveness 
of your sins, This Promise is 

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for all who the Lord calls to 
himself and Peter preaches this 

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and And it says there, that 
3,000 people 3,000 Souls were 

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added to their Fellowship that 
day. 

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Three thousand Souls were saved 
in that moment, they came 

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forward to be saved. 
And I want you to know before we

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go any further. 
I just want to just want to make

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it really clear. 
You don't have to wait for the 

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end of this time to respond in 
faith to be saved if you're here

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in this room. 
And that Synopsis of the Gospel,

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cut you to the heart, maybe you 
have questions about that but 

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you're feeling that cutting to 
the heart, you don't have to 

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wait to respond. 
In fact, if you ran up here and 

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interrupted me, I'd be just fine
and everybody else would be to I

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promise you will be alright. 
In all seriousness. 

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Don't leave this place today. 
If you've never responded in 

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faith to the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ, don't leave this place 

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today. 
If you have questions, ask them.

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We have people here, pastors 
here that are ready to walk with

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you, and show you from 
scripture. 

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What it means to be a follower 
of Jesus. 

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And to be forgiven of your sins,
you know, that you need nothing 

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more than that, the Forgiveness 
of sins. 

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But imagine imagine that morning
when they woke up, their church 

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was 120 people. 
And then later that evening when

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they went to bed their church 
was now 3120 people and 

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everybody was there. 
They want they want to know more

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they want to learn. 
They want to they've never 

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experienced this before that for
the first time that they've been

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made alive in there. 
The lights have been turned on 

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and and they need think they 
need more of it. 

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They don't know what to do. 
So they're not leaving, they 

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didn't like have a Revival and 
then send them home, you know, 

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they went to bed as a church of 
3120, they Woke up as a decent 

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sized Church. 
The first church actually and 

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they were probably feeling 
overwhelmed by the fact that 

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there were 120 of them and then 
they were going to bed now. 

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As a megachurch 3120, how do you
what do you do? 

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How do you organize that there 
were the apostles Worried about 

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how to strategically disciple. 
These people probably what were 

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they thinking, how could they, 
how could they organized this 

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group of people, especially when
the New Testament had not been 

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written yet. 
It was dependent on what they 

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were teaching them as 
eyewitnesses to what Jesus had 

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done. 
What did they do when the dust 

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settled? 
Let's look at Acts. 

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Chapter 2 verses 42 to 47. 
If you have your Bible, open it 

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with us. 
If it's on your phone, pull it 

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up. 
And don't look at Instagram, you

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know what I'm saying? 
Just stay with us right there in

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the Bible app, if you don't have
any of that, that's okay, it's 

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on the screen. 
But can I encourage you to have 

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a Bible because it's living an 
active. 

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And and I also want you to check
and make sure that I'm teaching 

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it. 
Cuz it's not my words that are 

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going to do anything for you. 
I can promise you that it's his 

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word. 
Look at Acts 2 verses. 42 to 47.

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Are we ready? 
It's all right. 

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We got some time if you want. 
I mean coach. 

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Chris Guthrie in the back? 
Don't think so. 

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But I think we got some time so 
you can you can have a little 

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more time getting there. 
Yeah, if you could give me my 

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clock, that'd be. 
I'm just playing. 

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I'm just playing. 
Are we ready? 

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Acts chapter 2, 42. 
All right. 

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And they devoted themselves to 
the apostles teaching They 

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devoted themselves to the 
fellowship and they devoted 

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themselves to the breaking of 
bread and the prayers. 

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And all came upon every soul and
Many Wonders and signs were 

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being done through the apostles.
All, this is a reverent fear, 

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that came upon every soul. 
This is beautiful and all who 

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believed were together and had 
all things in common, all things

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in common with coming back to 
that. 

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And they were selling their 
possessions and belongings and 

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distributing the proceeds to all
as any had need And day by day 

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attending the temple together 
and breaking bread in their 

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homes. 
They received their food with 

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glad and generous Hearts. 
Praising God and having favor 

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with all the people and the Lord
added to their number day by 

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day. 
Those who were being saved day 

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by day, they were attending the 
temple. 

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They were doing all the things 
that they do praising God having

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favor with all the people and 
day by day. 

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The Lord added to those who were
being saved. 

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I want you to notice here, these
basic, the basic things that 

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they were focused on. 
They paid attention to that they

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practice, they even in the 
middle of the supernatural 

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things that were happening 
around them, they focused and 

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devoted themselves to ordinary 
things. 

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Verse 42 is where we're going to
kind of break out our outline 

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for our time together today. 
Day, if you put verse 42 back on

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the screen and they devoted 
themselves to the apostles, 

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teaching number one, and the 
fellowship. 

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Number two, they were devoting 
themselves to these things. 

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And then number three, we're 
going to put these two together 

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and you'll see why in a minute, 
the breaking of bread and the 

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prayers, these are Vital signs 
if you will for a healthy 

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Church. 
These are it's not comprehensive

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remember I told you but it is 
vital to healthy Church in the 

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first one. 
The first question that we're 

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going to ask today, as we look 
at what a healthy Church looks 

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00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,300
like, is how's the teaching? 
How's the teaching? 

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Let's look at the teaching and 
see if it's healthy. 

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00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,200
I want you to notice Peters 
first word after he calls them 

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00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,200
to listen, he steps up and 
delivers his first sermon and 

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the first, Teaching, if you 
will. 

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And he says, listen. 
Jesus. 

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He didn't roll out a big 
introduction. 

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Like I did a while ago, you 
know, he didn't work to try to 

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connect, he didn't develop a 
felt need and, and talk to the 

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people about what he was going 
to tell them. 

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He said, listen, men of Galilee,
give me your ears and then his 

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first word is Jesus, of 
Nazareth. 

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Jesus. 
He simplifies and clarifies In 

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This Moment. 
The point. 

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And the priority. 
He was obedient to proclaim the 

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truth about Jesus. 
He says, this is who Jesus is, 

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this is who he said he was, and 
they lined up and this is what 

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he did and this is what he said 
he was going to do. 

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00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,600
And this is what all the 
prophets said that he was going 

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to do and it lined up. 
And this is why that matters to 

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everything about your life, 
Peter delivers, the sermon 

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faithfully, and then they were 
cut to the heart. 

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That was the result of biblical 
truth being proclaimed. 

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They were cut to the heart. 
Can I tell you the content of 

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00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:11,700
the church is biblical truth. 
The revealed word of God. 

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It must be. 
We must be faithful to teach the

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Bible. 
There is no word of man. 

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That is going to do anything of 
Eternal significance in your 

269
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heart. 
We are, we are instruments in 

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the hands of An Almighty God, as
he breathes his word, through 

271
00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:39,800
our mouths, The church has 
always been and still must be 

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00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,900
built on teaching the Bible. 
Can I go a step further than 

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that? 
And say that I would be wasting 

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your time today. 
If I didn't bring the very word 

275
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of God before you to enrich your
soul and we would be missing it 

276
00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:59,800
entirely. 
If we didn't teach the Bible, we

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00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,900
can't teach it from cover to 
cover every week, but we can 

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00:17:02,900 --> 00:17:06,300
take parts of it and we can 
encourage you to go and see. 

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00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,599
Study it for yourself through 
the week. 

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We must be faithful to teach it 
Peter. 

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The same one who preached the 
sermon is the same one who said 

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in his letter he said it's like 
spiritual food. 

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Look at First Peter 2:2, like 
newborn infants. 

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It's just like newborn infants. 
He's not calling you baby but he

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00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:32,600
says like newborn infants long 
for the pure spiritual milk long

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00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:38,900
like they do that, do that. 
That by it, you may grow up into

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00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:42,600
salvation. 
Aviation, wow, this pure 

288
00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:48,400
spiritual milk, that that by it.
You may grow up into salvation 

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00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:52,600
and like a fountain spring, 
you'll be able to overflow with 

290
00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:57,800
what you've consumed. 
Teaching those around you as 

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00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,000
well because we can't miss the 
point of teaching. 

292
00:18:00,300 --> 00:18:04,600
We can't miss the point. 
It's not just for in here. 

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00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:08,600
The purpose of teaching, is not 
just an internal practice so 

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that we can be built up. 
Look at Ephesians 4:11, one of 

295
00:18:12,500 --> 00:18:15,700
my favorite parts of scripture 
and God gave the apostles, the 

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00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:18,700
prophets, the evangelists, the 
Shepherds, and the teachers, why

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00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:23,700
to equip the Saints, who are the
Saints, Christian's. 

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00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,100
You're like, I ain't no saint. 
You're Christian. 

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00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:29,600
That's who Paul's talking about,
right here, to equip the Saints 

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00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,500
for the work of Ministry, for 
building up of the body of 

301
00:18:32,500 --> 00:18:35,500
Christ, the Saints to come 
together and be built up as the 

302
00:18:35,500 --> 00:18:38,600
body of Christ until we all 
attain to the unity of the faith

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00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,900
and the knowledge of the Son of 
God to mature, manhood to the 

304
00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:48,500
measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ so that we 

305
00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:50,800
may no longer here you go. 
Here's another reason. 

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00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:57,400
Why so that we may no longer be 
children who are tossed to and 

307
00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:03,500
fro by the waves, the waves of 
life that toss and and carried 

308
00:19:03,500 --> 00:19:07,800
about by every wind of Doctrine,
every wind of teaching and and 

309
00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,100
thought process in philosophy 
that surround us in the world 

310
00:19:11,100 --> 00:19:14,200
that we may not be tossed by 
them, because we know the truth 

311
00:19:14,900 --> 00:19:19,400
that we may not be tossed by 
human cunning by craftiness in 

312
00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:24,600
deceitful schemes. 
But rather we'd be speaking, the

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00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,700
truth in love but I'm I'm doing 
my best to speak the truth in 

314
00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,900
love and it's the purpose of it 
is not so that you would just 

315
00:19:32,900 --> 00:19:34,800
receive it and say, wow, that 
was great. 

316
00:19:34,900 --> 00:19:36,900
Purpose of it is so that you 
would have it to then. 

317
00:19:36,900 --> 00:19:43,000
Speak again speak the truth in 
love, we are to grow up in every

318
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,400
way into him. 
Who is the head into Christ? 

319
00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:48,500
So this speaking has something 
to do with our growing. 

320
00:19:48,500 --> 00:19:55,100
You see that from whom from Um 
Christ, the whole body joined 

321
00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,400
and held together by every joint
with which it is equipped. 

322
00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:01,600
When each part is working 
properly. 

323
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:02,800
I wish I had more time to 
preach. 

324
00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,300
This makes the body grow so that
it is built. 

325
00:20:06,300 --> 00:20:11,600
This builds itself up in loved 
it, when every part of the body 

326
00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:17,300
is working, properly us growing 
together is dependent on us. 

327
00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:21,300
Growing individually. 
Yes, but also working together, 

328
00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,100
Other properly. 
Let me say it this way. 

329
00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:31,600
Our growth as a church is 
dependent on you growing. 

330
00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:32,600
Number one. 
Yes. 

331
00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:38,200
But it's also dependent on you 
bringing others into the church 

332
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,800
to grow as well. 
It's not just about you and me 

333
00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,100
and us, and let's just come 
together. 

334
00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:51,100
It's about taking this truth, in
this love and disgrace to the 

335
00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:55,700
world around us. 
How's the teaching may be? 

336
00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:59,300
One of the best ways to measure 
how the teaching is. 

337
00:21:01,100 --> 00:21:05,100
If the people the Saints are 
teaching as well. 

338
00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,900
Number two, Vital Signs. 
How's the fellowship? 

339
00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:19,600
Look at the fellowship. 
The early church was devoted to 

340
00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,800
the fellowship. 
This word in the Greek means to 

341
00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:28,900
share their very lives together.
The essence of this Fellowship 

342
00:21:28,900 --> 00:21:33,300
was sharing To share with one 
another. 

343
00:21:33,300 --> 00:21:37,000
Look at Acts 2, verses 44 
through 47. 

344
00:21:38,100 --> 00:21:40,100
I hope you with us so quick 
because I'm acting like you're 

345
00:21:40,100 --> 00:21:42,700
not even there but I do love 
you, I promise and I'm coming to

346
00:21:42,700 --> 00:21:44,600
you a little bit. 
Just want you to know, I know 

347
00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,800
you're there took me a while to 
catch up to that we love you in 

348
00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:52,300
Oakwood. 
Acts chapter 2, verse 44, look 

349
00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:54,900
at that again and all who 
believed were together and had 

350
00:21:54,900 --> 00:21:57,200
all things in common with the 
world. 

351
00:21:57,500 --> 00:22:01,700
They had all things in common. 
Did they like the music? 

352
00:22:01,700 --> 00:22:05,800
Did they like the the small 
group model? 

353
00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,300
Did they like the carpet color? 
That's a typical preacher joke. 

354
00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:12,700
Sorry about that one. 
What do they like about it? 

355
00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:14,400
That made them have all things 
in common. 

356
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:15,900
Is that what we're talking 
about? 

357
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,900
Probably not. 
They were selling their 

358
00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:21,600
possessions, and their 
belongings and they were 

359
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,800
Distributing. 
The proceeds to all as any had 

360
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:27,700
need. 
It was just bubbling up out of 

361
00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:32,500
them and they, by day attending 
the temple together breaking 

362
00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:35,200
bread in their homes. 
They were coming together all 

363
00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:37,700
the time, every day, it couldn't
help it. 

364
00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:41,500
They received their food with 
glad and Generous Heart. 

365
00:22:41,500 --> 00:22:42,900
Some of you are like, oh, that's
not new. 

366
00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:45,500
I do that all the time. 
Maybe glad generous about that 

367
00:22:45,700 --> 00:22:49,500
food on my table. 
Praising God and having favor 

368
00:22:49,500 --> 00:22:53,800
with all the people and the Lord
added to their number day by 

369
00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,800
day. 
Those who were being saved, what

370
00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,100
does it mean to have all things 
in common? 

371
00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,800
That's where he started that 
whole discourse. 

372
00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,000
They had all things in common. 
What does that mean? 

373
00:23:09,900 --> 00:23:14,300
What binds us together. 
In Fellowship, were Above All 

374
00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:18,400
Else, above all the preferences,
and what you see on the surface.

375
00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,900
What is it that binds us 
together in Fellowship? 

376
00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:30,700
At the end of the day. 
What's going to bind us together

377
00:23:30,700 --> 00:23:33,100
the way that the early church 
was bound together? 

378
00:23:33,100 --> 00:23:36,600
Is not preferences is not 
obligation. 

379
00:23:39,900 --> 00:23:45,300
It's experiencing the grace of 
God through Jesus Christ. 

380
00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:49,700
It's the presence of God which 
is only possible because Jesus 

381
00:23:49,700 --> 00:23:54,000
has paid the ultimate price and 
by the Holy Spirit now we come 

382
00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,700
together as one like this is 
what binds us together. 

383
00:23:59,300 --> 00:24:02,100
There may be some other things 
that we align on, but at the end

384
00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:06,700
of the day what's going to take 
us beyond all of that? 

385
00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:15,300
Is our experience with God. 
These early Christians were 

386
00:24:15,300 --> 00:24:19,200
United by the presence of God 
Fellowship. 

387
00:24:20,300 --> 00:24:24,300
Must not be a product of 
preference or experience. 

388
00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:32,000
Fellowship must be. 
Product of the unmistakable 

389
00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,200
presence of all Mighty God In 
This Place. 

390
00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,700
Jesus was praying to the father 
in his high Priestly prayer on 

391
00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:43,100
the night that he was betrayed 
in John chapter 17. 

392
00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:44,700
I want you to look at these 
words. 

393
00:24:45,100 --> 00:24:48,800
Unbelievable that, that Jesus, 
our savior was praying this on 

394
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,800
the night that he was betrayed 
of all the things that he could 

395
00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:56,600
have, prioritized. 
The glory that you have given 

396
00:24:56,600 --> 00:25:01,300
me, father, I have given to them
that they may be one. 

397
00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:06,800
Even as we are one i in them and
you in me that they may become 

398
00:25:06,900 --> 00:25:13,000
perfectly 11 unified. 
That their Fellowship would be 

399
00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,500
perfect in its Oneness. 
That was his prayer for you for 

400
00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:19,800
me for the church. 
On the night that he was 

401
00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,300
betrayed. 
So that y so that the world may 

402
00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:30,900
know that you sent me and loved 
them even as you loved me do you

403
00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,500
you see this family connection 
here? 

404
00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:39,400
That Jesus the son of God is 
praying to his father about his 

405
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,800
father's children. 
That we would be one and even 

406
00:25:45,300 --> 00:25:48,200
perfectly one. 
It's a family kind of 

407
00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,700
Fellowship. 
I find it interesting that Luke 

408
00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:57,800
in his gospel account. 
And in the book of Acts, he uses

409
00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:03,200
the word Brothers more often 
than any other term for 

410
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,600
Christian. 
In the book of Acts alone, he 

411
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,900
uses that word for brothers, 25 
times, that's more than 

412
00:26:10,900 --> 00:26:14,400
disciple, that's more than 
church, that's more than 

413
00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:19,100
Believers. 
That's more than Saints because 

414
00:26:19,100 --> 00:26:22,800
it's a family thing. 
First, John 3:1 see what kind of

415
00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,600
love the father has given to us.
That we should be called 

416
00:26:25,700 --> 00:26:29,300
children of God. 
And so we are. 

417
00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:37,500
It's a family thing. 
If it's truly a family thing, if

418
00:26:37,500 --> 00:26:41,900
our fellowship is family, can I 
ask you a challenging question? 

419
00:26:42,900 --> 00:26:45,900
Shouldn't we be able to kind of 
let our guard down a little bit?

420
00:26:48,300 --> 00:26:51,500
I remember growing up in church 
and coming to church ready like 

421
00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,700
equipped with my answer to the 
question that I was always going

422
00:26:54,700 --> 00:26:59,300
to get asked, how you doing, you
know, how's your week? 

423
00:26:59,500 --> 00:27:02,500
And when I was at, when I was 
young, I would come ready with 

424
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,400
just a prepared answer because I
really didn't want to get to the

425
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,100
real stuff. 
I wanted to be prepared and know

426
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:12,400
how to give them enough of an 
answer that would satisfy them 

427
00:27:12,500 --> 00:27:14,400
to where they wouldn't get all 
up in my business. 

428
00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,700
After that, that was just the 
way my My mind worked. 

429
00:27:17,700 --> 00:27:22,700
I knew the game. 
Sometimes, I think that we know 

430
00:27:22,700 --> 00:27:26,300
the game a little too. 
Well, when we come into this 

431
00:27:26,300 --> 00:27:31,000
place, and we've kind of we 
prepared our mask fine. 

432
00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:34,700
Yeah, yeah, fine. 
Good real good, it's all good. 

433
00:27:35,700 --> 00:27:39,200
Killing it over here. 
Like we have no problems, I 

434
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,600
didn't have to spank my kids at 
all this week. 

435
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:44,800
They're just perfect. 
There's no nothing wrong in my 

436
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,800
house. 
I am really pleased with 

437
00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,100
everything that's happening at 
home. 

438
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,400
My heart is at peace. 
We're good. 

439
00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,800
We're all good. 
Praise God! 

440
00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:00,000
Glory be to God, he's the great 
day. 

441
00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,900
This is the day. 
The Lord has made let us rejoice

442
00:28:04,900 --> 00:28:10,900
and be glad Maybe some of you 
have mastered that art, you 

443
00:28:10,900 --> 00:28:12,600
know, the art of the work 
around. 

444
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,000
How you doing? 
Can't complain, or even if I 

445
00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,700
could Wouldn't make any 
difference. 

446
00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,100
Nobody care, you know. 
Okay, good play. 

447
00:28:26,300 --> 00:28:29,000
What about this one? 
It's good to see you today. 

448
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,400
Well, it's better to be seen 
than viewed. 

449
00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:34,100
You heard that one before? 
No. 

450
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:38,000
Okay. 
Imagine what it would be like if

451
00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:43,000
we didn't have this mask on. 
And we were truly just open and 

452
00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,000
honest and and transparent, I 
want to encourage you today that

453
00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:53,300
transparency among family as the
body of Christ is an important 

454
00:28:53,300 --> 00:28:57,700
step to Freedom. 
It is an important step that 

455
00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:00,000
this confession and 
transparency. 

456
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:04,600
Why should we be free in that? 
Look at first, John 17, but if 

457
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,700
we walk in the light, that's 
kind of what that means. 

458
00:29:06,700 --> 00:29:09,300
Like, transparent open, I'm 
walking in the line. 

459
00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:13,700
I'm not hiding. 
As he is in the light, we have 

460
00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,400
woo, same word. 
Yeah, I love it. 

461
00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:18,700
The Bible does that all the 
time. 

462
00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:23,600
You gotta see it fellowship with
one another and the blood of 

463
00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,100
Jesus, his son cleanses us from 
all sin. 

464
00:29:27,100 --> 00:29:30,200
Why am I confident to be 
transparent and honest? 

465
00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:35,700
Because I know that the blood of
Jesus cleanses me from all sin. 

466
00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:41,000
I don't have to hide anymore. 
I can walk in the light, we can 

467
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:46,900
be family. 
How's the fellowship? 

468
00:29:46,900 --> 00:29:49,000
We've looked at Biblical 
teaching, we've looked at 

469
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,200
Christian fellowship and now our
third Vital sign that we're 

470
00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,800
going to look at today. 
How's the worship? 

471
00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:00,300
How's the worship? 
This may not be what you're 

472
00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:03,600
thinking, because I go to other 
churches, and I hear the 

473
00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,600
conversations, like, we 
typically put worship up here 

474
00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:11,000
and we talk about it as like a 
really important thing to our 

475
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,900
church services, which it is. 
But the problem is we're 

476
00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:18,400
thinking about it in terms of 
music and singing, Only, that's 

477
00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,800
not all that worship is. 
It's not all about whether or 

478
00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,800
not the song is banging, you 
know, and hitting you in the 

479
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,100
chest. 
That's not All that worship is 

480
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,200
worship is a way of Life Worship
is about submitting to the 

481
00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:38,100
lordship of Christ in, and 
giving him a duration, giving 

482
00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:42,000
him praise giving him 
Thanksgiving, paying attention 

483
00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:47,500
to him. 
Worship is about where we put 

484
00:30:47,500 --> 00:30:51,400
our attention and so a better 
question as we consider all of 

485
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:57,900
the ways that we worship as the 
church is, who's Lord. 

486
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:03,000
Who's Lord? 
Who are we lifting up? 

487
00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,600
Who are we crowning who we 
putting in the highest Place? 

488
00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:11,800
Who's Lord? 
That's what worship is about the

489
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:13,800
last two things in our verse 
today. 

490
00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:19,300
Acts 2:42 are both regarding 
acts of worship that they 

491
00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,800
devoted themselves to the 
breaking of bread and the 

492
00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,400
prayers. 
These two are both acts of 

493
00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:29,000
worship the first one. 
The breaking of bread is a 

494
00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,900
reference to the Lord's. 
Supper, some of you might know 

495
00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:35,700
that as communion where we take 
the bread and we take the wine 

496
00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:39,400
or the grape juice or Depending 
on what denomination you're from

497
00:31:39,500 --> 00:31:43,700
and we remember that Jesus body 
was broken. 

498
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,100
And that his blood was poured 
out for the Forgiveness of our 

499
00:31:49,100 --> 00:31:51,500
sins. 
And we do this, we take 

500
00:31:51,500 --> 00:31:55,400
communion as a sacrament of the 
church that the Lord Jesus 

501
00:31:55,400 --> 00:32:01,600
himself instituted. 
And we remember what he's done 

502
00:32:01,900 --> 00:32:05,000
and we remember what that means 
for us and we come before him 

503
00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:10,500
confessing sin remembering that 
he has atoned, his blood has a 

504
00:32:10,508 --> 00:32:16,100
tone and his sacrifice was 
enough for us to be forgiven. 

505
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:20,500
This is an act of worship. 
This is an act of putting him in

506
00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:24,200
the highest place and giving our
attention and our Focus to him. 

507
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:30,000
His life. 
Jesus is life, death, and 

508
00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:35,600
Resurrection will be Central in 
a healthy churches worship. 

509
00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,700
It will be Central. 
That's why taking the Lord's 

510
00:32:39,700 --> 00:32:44,200
supper together is such a 
beautiful act of worship for us 

511
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:49,100
to do because it focuses us on 
what Jesus did and what that 

512
00:32:49,100 --> 00:32:54,300
means for us. 
So question is, is Jesus the 

513
00:32:54,300 --> 00:33:00,300
center of our worship? 
Who are we crowning? 

514
00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:07,100
Who are we submitting to? 
when we sing, when we take the 

515
00:33:07,100 --> 00:33:11,200
Lord's, Supper when we, when we 
give bring praise to him, when 

516
00:33:11,700 --> 00:33:19,200
we come to his word, and when we
pray, Who are we crowning with 

517
00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,500
our worship? 
That brings us to prayer and in 

518
00:33:23,500 --> 00:33:26,900
this text Peter I'm sorry. 
Luke writes that they were 

519
00:33:26,900 --> 00:33:33,000
devoting to the prayers. 
You see that the prayers that's 

520
00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:38,600
a definite article. 
V. 

521
00:33:38,700 --> 00:33:43,400
So it implies that there were 
certain types of prayers 

522
00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,800
happening. 
It leads us to a clear point 

523
00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:51,200
that prayer was a mark of their 
corporate Gatherings. 

524
00:33:51,500 --> 00:33:56,300
They did this specifically and 
intentionally that they worship 

525
00:33:56,300 --> 00:34:00,300
God through the prayers. 
When they came together. 

526
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:04,700
This was a significant part of 
their worship and it should be 

527
00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:10,300
for us today as well. 
No matter what you're going 

528
00:34:10,300 --> 00:34:14,600
through turning your attention, 
heavenward will change 

529
00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:20,500
everything about it. 
Every time it may not fix the 

530
00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:23,600
problem immediately, but it's 
going to change you. 

531
00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,600
As you turn your attention to 
him, it's going to change you. 

532
00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,800
And your perspective on what 
you're going through. 

533
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000
Remember these early Christians,
they were surrounded by 

534
00:34:35,100 --> 00:34:38,900
persecution and fear and 
obstacles. 

535
00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:45,800
And they joined the strategy of 
the psalmist and they worship 

536
00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,600
God through the prayers. 
Maybe they lift it up. 

537
00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,199
Psalm 121 1 through to. 
I lift my eyes to the hills 

538
00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:53,500
from. 
Where does my help? 

539
00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:58,900
Come my help comes from the 
Lord, the maker of heaven and 

540
00:34:58,900 --> 00:35:02,100
Earth. 
These see, they turn their 

541
00:35:02,100 --> 00:35:06,000
attention heavenward and in 
Psalm 16 1, keep me safe. 

542
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,900
My God. 
For in you, I take refuge Psalm 

543
00:35:08,900 --> 00:35:12,700
119 133, guide, my steps by Your
Word. 

544
00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:15,600
So I will not be overcome by 
evil. 

545
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,100
Looking to Him to guide us 
through, looking to him for our 

546
00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:24,100
refuge, looking to him, for our 
help and giving him the 

547
00:35:24,100 --> 00:35:28,300
attention. 
Rather than focusing on 

548
00:35:28,300 --> 00:35:31,400
ourselves. 
I'm sure that they remembered 

549
00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:35,900
the words of Jesus in John 14, 
when Jesus said, whatever you 

550
00:35:35,900 --> 00:35:41,400
ask in my name, this, I will do 
that. 

551
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:45,800
The father may be glorified in 
the son, if he ask anything, in 

552
00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,500
my name, I will do it. 
I used to hear that scripture 

553
00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:52,000
Easter read it. 
And think that feels like 

554
00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:56,200
Aladdin, you know, like Genie 
type of stuff, like, what do you

555
00:35:56,207 --> 00:35:59,100
mean that the anything? 
So all I have to do is say Jesus

556
00:35:59,100 --> 00:36:01,700
and you're gonna do it. 
No, that's not what that says. 

557
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:07,000
he's saying, if you ask 
anything, according to my will, 

558
00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:13,300
And and that glorifies me the 
sun. 

559
00:36:14,300 --> 00:36:17,500
If you ask anything, that's 
glorifying to me and is in 

560
00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:21,800
accordance with my will, in my 
name, I will do it. 

561
00:36:24,700 --> 00:36:31,100
The question is, do we trust the
author of life that much to so, 

562
00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:35,900
immerse ourselves with his will 
and Trust his will enough to ask

563
00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:44,900
for it. 
Do we turn to him before? 

564
00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:48,200
We turn to man-made strategies 
and plans? 

565
00:36:50,500 --> 00:36:54,000
Do we lift our eyes to the hills
from where our help comes from? 

566
00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:59,200
Knowing that he's the one who 
made Heaven and Earth and he's 

567
00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:01,400
in control of our little 
details, too. 

568
00:37:05,500 --> 00:37:08,100
Healthy worship is all about 
turning your attention 

569
00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:12,900
heavenward and all came upon 
every soul who have that 

570
00:37:12,900 --> 00:37:16,400
response. 
All came upon every soul, verse 

571
00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:20,700
43 says, and many signs and 
wonders were being done through 

572
00:37:20,700 --> 00:37:23,900
the apostles. 
Every Soul had this sense of 

573
00:37:23,900 --> 00:37:29,800
awe, Every Soul inside and 
outside the fellowship, had this

574
00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,100
sense of all. 
I wonder. 

575
00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:36,100
I wonder. 
What does the ow Outside world. 

576
00:37:36,100 --> 00:37:41,200
Think when they look at our 
fellowship when they look at our

577
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,100
worship, when they look at our 
teaching, what do they think? 

578
00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:46,800
What do they do? 
They have a sense of all 

579
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:49,800
reverent fear is what that 
means. 

580
00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:56,200
Like do they do they see God and
respond with all? 

581
00:37:57,600 --> 00:38:00,000
I can tell you that they're not 
going to have all if we don't 

582
00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:15,700
have all 
none of this is meant to keep 

583
00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:20,100
our Focus inward. 
I want to remind you of that. 

584
00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:25,500
None of this house, the house, 
the teaching house. 

585
00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:27,500
The fellowship? 
How's the worship? 

586
00:38:27,500 --> 00:38:30,800
If we're not careful, we can 
think about all of those things.

587
00:38:30,800 --> 00:38:34,400
As inward, Focus things inside 
of these walls. 

588
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,200
But everything we do here is for
the purpose of spreading. 

589
00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,900
The gospel and glorifying Christ
in the world. 

590
00:38:41,900 --> 00:38:45,900
That is the purpose, it stated. 
I hope it's clear. 

591
00:38:46,500 --> 00:38:49,500
That's the purpose. 
It's not to stay, it's to be 

592
00:38:49,700 --> 00:38:52,700
taught through your mouths and, 
and through your lives, 

593
00:38:57,700 --> 00:39:03,100
Throughout the second century. 
The Roman government was so 

594
00:39:03,100 --> 00:39:07,800
confused in like the early 100s 
ad. 

595
00:39:08,300 --> 00:39:11,600
They were so confused about how 
the church could still be 

596
00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,100
growing. 
And they would send spies into 

597
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,200
these Christian fellowships in 
these homes. 

598
00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:20,100
And, and they would, they would 
even act like they were becoming

599
00:39:20,100 --> 00:39:21,500
Christians. 
Literally, like they would be 

600
00:39:21,500 --> 00:39:24,400
paid to go be baptized, so that 
they would be considered 

601
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,500
Christians so that they could 
spy on the Christians and bring 

602
00:39:27,500 --> 00:39:29,800
back details of what the 
Christians were. 

603
00:39:29,900 --> 00:39:35,500
Doing to the Roman government. 
And around 125 ad the Caesar at 

604
00:39:35,500 --> 00:39:39,600
the time was Hadrian and Hadrian
was his mind was blown. 

605
00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:43,300
He didn't understand, how can we
be persecuting them this hard 

606
00:39:43,300 --> 00:39:49,300
and they're still growing. 
And so he sent a man by the name

607
00:39:49,300 --> 00:39:53,800
of Arista D's. 
If you knew how that was 

608
00:39:53,808 --> 00:39:56,000
spelled, you be more proud of me
than you just wear that. 

609
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,800
I said that in like somewhat 
clarity. 

610
00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,800
He was a philosopher arrested. 
He's a really smart, man, and 

611
00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:09,000
Caesar Hadrian sent him. 
In said, I want you to observe 

612
00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:11,300
what's happening on. 
I want you to come back with 

613
00:40:12,700 --> 00:40:16,400
What they're doing and who they 
are, and find some dirt, you 

614
00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:20,600
know, find some things we can 
really bury them for and Arista 

615
00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:28,100
tease came back, having written 
an apology about the Christian 

616
00:40:28,100 --> 00:40:30,100
faith. 
Which doesn't mean like oh, I'm 

617
00:40:30,100 --> 00:40:35,300
sorry, it means making a case. 
Making an argument for the 

618
00:40:35,300 --> 00:40:39,400
Christian faith. 
And he wrote this whole book, 

619
00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:43,200
this whole on this called the 
apology of Arrested. 

620
00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:45,900
He's from what he observed 
there. 

621
00:40:45,900 --> 00:40:48,700
And I just took an excerpt from 
it and I want to read it for us 

622
00:40:48,700 --> 00:40:50,500
as we close out our time 
together. 

623
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:52,700
But this is from the philosopher
arrested. 

624
00:40:52,700 --> 00:40:57,500
He's to Caesar Hadrian in 125 
ad. 

625
00:40:57,500 --> 00:41:00,900
I know I'm going way back in 
history, but just bear with me. 

626
00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:03,200
This is challenging me this 
week. 

627
00:41:04,900 --> 00:41:10,700
Now the Christians O King, by 
going about seeking have found 

628
00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:16,900
the truth. 
He they, they found I think they

629
00:41:16,900 --> 00:41:22,400
found the truth. 
For they know and trust in God, 

630
00:41:22,500 --> 00:41:30,100
the maker of heaven and Earth. 
Who has no fellow, who has 

631
00:41:30,100 --> 00:41:34,100
nobody beside him that can stand
with him or be compared to him? 

632
00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:38,400
He has no fellow from him. 
They received those Commandments

633
00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:43,900
in the hope and expectation of 
the world to come of the Kingdom

634
00:41:43,900 --> 00:41:46,900
that's coming. 
And for this reason, they do not

635
00:41:46,900 --> 00:41:50,400
commit adultery or immorality. 
They do not bear false witness 

636
00:41:50,400 --> 00:41:53,300
or embezzle, nor do they covet, 
what is not theirs. 

637
00:41:53,300 --> 00:41:55,700
They honor their father and 
their mother, they do good. 

638
00:41:55,800 --> 00:41:57,500
To those who are their 
neighbors. 

639
00:41:57,500 --> 00:42:00,900
And whenever they are Judges, 
they judge uprightly. 

640
00:42:01,900 --> 00:42:04,700
They do not worship idols made 
in the image of man. 

641
00:42:06,300 --> 00:42:09,500
Whatever they do not wish that 
others should do to them, they 

642
00:42:09,500 --> 00:42:14,000
do not do. 
They refused to worship strange 

643
00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:15,700
gods. 
And they go their way in all 

644
00:42:15,700 --> 00:42:20,400
humility and cheerfulness 
falsehood is not found among 

645
00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:23,100
them. 
They love one. 

646
00:42:23,100 --> 00:42:25,900
Another, the Widow's needs are 
not ignorant and they rescue the

647
00:42:25,900 --> 00:42:30,500
orphan from the from the person 
who does him violence. and he 

648
00:42:30,500 --> 00:42:36,000
who has gives to him who has not
ungrudgingly and without 

649
00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:41,200
boasting, When the Christians 
find a stranger, they bring him 

650
00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,300
to their homes and rejoice over 
him as a true brother. 

651
00:42:45,700 --> 00:42:50,900
Every morning and every hour, 
they praise and thank God for 

652
00:42:50,900 --> 00:42:54,700
his goodness to them every 
morning. 

653
00:42:55,100 --> 00:43:00,400
Every hour I've observed. 
They praise and thank God for 

654
00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:05,900
his goodness to them, even in 
the hours, where it didn't seem 

655
00:43:05,900 --> 00:43:10,100
like, he was good to them. 
They praised and gave glory and 

656
00:43:10,100 --> 00:43:13,100
thanks to God because of his 
goodness to them. 

657
00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:18,400
And for their food and drink 
they offer Thanksgiving such O. 

658
00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:21,500
King is the Commandment given to
the Christians. 

659
00:43:21,500 --> 00:43:28,500
This is what they were commanded
and such is their conduct This 

660
00:43:28,500 --> 00:43:32,000
is what they were commanded to 
do and this is what they did. 

661
00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:37,800
Their words match their lives, 
their they're teaching matched, 

662
00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:40,000
they're talking and they're 
walking. 

663
00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:44,400
Their words match their deeds. 
They were, they are, who they 

664
00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:50,800
say they are, they're doing what
they were asked to do. and then 

665
00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:55,000
he said this, which blew me 
away, I've witnessed them O King

666
00:43:56,400 --> 00:44:01,300
And certainly assuredly, this is
a new people. 

667
00:44:02,300 --> 00:44:05,000
And there is something Divine in
the midst of them. 

668
00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:11,700
Certainly. 
I've seen this is a new, a new 

669
00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:17,600
people for everyone who is in 
Christ, is a new creation, the 

670
00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:25,800
old has gone and the new has 
come Something Divine, in the 

671
00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:29,900
midst of them, because he, who 
knew no sin became sin, that, 

672
00:44:29,900 --> 00:44:35,000
that in him, they might become 
the righteousness of God. 

673
00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:38,200
They might become the 
righteousness of there's 

674
00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:42,900
something divine. 
I've seen it. 

675
00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:48,100
I don't understand it, Caesar 
fully yet, although he had 

676
00:44:48,100 --> 00:44:51,900
pretty good idea. 
But I can tell something 

677
00:44:51,900 --> 00:44:55,200
different, something, new, 
something Divine going on here. 

678
00:45:03,300 --> 00:45:09,200
What will be said of us. 
What will be said of us? 

679
00:45:09,300 --> 00:45:19,000
Oakwood Gainesville River, Bend 
If somebody came in here and and

680
00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:22,400
viewed this place and viewed our
fellowship and viewed our 

681
00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:25,000
teaching and viewed, our worship
week in and week out, what would

682
00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:34,900
they say? 
Will they see that we're taking 

683
00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:38,100
what we did and learned and how 
we grew? 

684
00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,400
Out to the people that needed 
it. 

685
00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:44,000
Will they see that what we're 
talking about? 

686
00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:47,400
So vibrantly, in here, what we 
believe so strongly in here 

687
00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,200
actually made it out of these 
doors because we believe it's 

688
00:45:50,200 --> 00:45:52,800
that good. 
What will they say? 

689
00:45:58,300 --> 00:46:02,300
Oakwood Preston's there. 
He's going to come up right now 

690
00:46:02,300 --> 00:46:04,400
and he's going to lead us 
through the rest of this time. 

691
00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:08,000
We love you so much and we're 
grateful that Pastor Preston's 

692
00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:13,300
there to help us take it to the 
next to the next part of our 

693
00:46:13,300 --> 00:46:14,600
day. 
We love you and we'll see you 

694
00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:19,200
soon. 
I wonder. 

695
00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:24,000
As we consider these things and 
we consider our witness to the 

696
00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:26,100
world and we consider what God's
doing here. 

697
00:46:26,100 --> 00:46:30,600
I wonder, what's your next step 
is? 

698
00:46:33,700 --> 00:46:36,100
Maybe, maybe you're in here and 
nobody interrupted me in the 

699
00:46:36,100 --> 00:46:37,700
middle of that. 
Like I told you you could so 

700
00:46:37,700 --> 00:46:41,900
maybe but maybe you're in here 
and you're still trying to back 

701
00:46:41,900 --> 00:46:46,300
in the courage to respond and to
step out in faith and ask a 

702
00:46:46,308 --> 00:46:49,900
question about who Jesus is and 
how to be saved. 

703
00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:53,300
Don't leave this place without 
grabbing me or somebody else 

704
00:46:56,300 --> 00:46:58,800
talking about putting your faith
in Jesus. 

705
00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:01,400
Maybe you're in here at your 
kind of on the edge and you 

706
00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:03,300
haven't become a member yet and 
you're not. 

707
00:47:03,500 --> 00:47:06,400
Not sure and we're in this 
Middle season and we don't 

708
00:47:06,400 --> 00:47:09,300
really know, and I want to 
encourage you Ministries. 

709
00:47:09,300 --> 00:47:13,200
Not stopped here and there's an 
opportunity for you to get 

710
00:47:13,200 --> 00:47:16,700
plugged in. 
Maybe the next step for you is 

711
00:47:16,700 --> 00:47:20,100
to ask for more information 
about our membership class. 

712
00:47:21,700 --> 00:47:24,700
It's a great place to start to 
learn more about who we are and 

713
00:47:24,700 --> 00:47:28,200
how you can get plugged in and 
how you can be a part of that. 

714
00:47:28,900 --> 00:47:31,800
Maybe you've been on the edge of
serving, for a long time, and 

715
00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,400
you haven't taken that step yet.
I can promise you. 

716
00:47:34,408 --> 00:47:37,800
There's a lot of opportunities 
and never seems to me Volunteers

717
00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:39,600
in my life, especially in the 
parking lot. 

718
00:47:39,700 --> 00:47:44,100
Praise God, it's good, its place
here for you. 

719
00:47:44,900 --> 00:47:50,600
Take a step today, don't wait. 
To do what God has called you to

720
00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:52,600
do. 
Don't wait to act on what he's 

721
00:47:52,600 --> 00:48:00,100
doing in your heart. 
Let's pray together. 

722
00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:05,300
Father God in heaven, we're here
for you. 

723
00:48:08,400 --> 00:48:12,700
And God, we know that. 
We wouldn't be here apart from 

724
00:48:12,700 --> 00:48:16,800
your love and your grace. 
But I thank you today. 

725
00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:21,000
That your grace is enough. 
That your mercy is more. 

726
00:48:22,300 --> 00:48:25,700
And it's your kindness leads us 
to repentance and that as we 

727
00:48:25,700 --> 00:48:31,200
repent, you cleanse us of all 
unrighteousness. 

728
00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:34,800
So that we may walk in the light
as you are in the light. 

729
00:48:34,800 --> 00:48:38,900
God would you come now as we 
finish our time together this 

730
00:48:38,900 --> 00:48:41,600
morning and do what only you can
do continue to move on our 

731
00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:46,900
hearts and and Propel us forward
in Your Love by your Holy Spirit

732
00:48:47,300 --> 00:48:50,000
since Jesus name we pray. 
Amen. 

733
00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:53,700
Thank you for listening to the 
river. 

734
00:48:53,700 --> 00:48:56,500
Bend Church podcast. 
Learn more about who we are as a

735
00:48:56,500 --> 00:48:59,400
church and how to connect you 
can head over to our website 

736
00:48:59,500 --> 00:49:01,000
Riverbend church. 
That life