Month: November 2012

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…
1 Peter 3:15

Our text above is an interesting one, especially in light of some of the modern “soul-winning” tactics.  A careful examination of this verse reveals several important points regarding being a witness of Jesus Christ.  These points might just challenge what we’ve been taught over the years concerning sharing the gospel.  It would be worth our time to see if our definition of “witnessing” agrees with the apostle’s instruction.

“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” – We cannot be an effective witness for Christ unless we see the Lord in His glory.  The word sanctify here means “to make holy”.  Of course, we can’t make God any more holy than He already is.  This phrase tells us rather that we must witness with a clear view of His holiness.  As the verse reads, He must be holy “in your hearts”!  How can we declare His greatness to others if we don’t stand in awe of His majesty ourselves?  If you ever see Jesus Christ in His glory, no one will have to teach you what to say as His witness.  You will confess His absolute holiness, His eternal righteousness, and His great power.  You will declare that He alone is mighty to save! (Is 63:1)

“always be ready” – Witnessing isn’t something that only happens one night a week with your church group or twice a year on a mission trip.  God provides opportunities for witnessing “always”!  So, how can we always be ready?  By practicing the other things the word of God instructs us to “always” do!  We should be ever watchful and prayerful. (Lk 21:36, Eph 6:18) We should live in constant thankfulness to God for all things, never complaining but ever rejoicing! (Eph 5:20, Ph 2:14, 4:4) We should be continually denying this flesh, dying to its lusts and appetites, that Christ might be manifested in us. (2 Cor 4:10) We should always meditate upon the word of God, walking in constant obedience to what He’s called us to do. (1 Tim 4:13-15, 1 Cro 15:58) In short, if we would “always” be ready, we should be “always” doing what we do for the glory of God! (Col 3:17, 1 Cor 10:31)

“to give a defense to everyone who asks” – Notice this witness is a “defense”, not an “offense”.  In football, the offense determines the play, while the job of the defense is to properly respond to it.  In other words, our defense is a response to questioning by others.  The way we live our lives should be such a strong testimony that it makes others ask, “Why do you live the way you do?”  When they see others crushed by the same experiences in which we triumph, it should prompt them to question, “Why are you so hopeful and not in despair like others would be in your situation?”  Like the godly wife that’s married to an unbelieving husband in 1 Pet 3:1, our manner of life should preach the gospel so strongly that lost souls, “without a word, may be one by the conduct” of the Christians they see living around them.  We can quote the Bible all day, but we destroy our witness if the things we do don’t back up the word we’re speaking.  It is by our “good works which they observe” that men will be affected for their eternal good so that they might “glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Pet 2:12, Mt 5:16)

“with meekness and fear” – We must not share the hope we have with others in a high-minded, I-know-more-than-you-do sort of way.  We are to deal with others in meekness.  “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth…” (2 Tim 2:24-25) How can we deal with all men in meekness?  By also maintaining a proper “fear” of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. (Ps 111:10) When we properly fear God, we won’t lose sight of who we were before God saved us.  If we always remember where we came from, we will be able to be a servant to all men and will never think of ourselves as better than anyone else.  “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Ph 2:3)

Jamie

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42

Last week, we considered the first two practices of which the early church “continued steadfastly”: 1) they were focused upon the apostles’ doctrine, i.e. they had a love and hunger for the word of God, and 2) they continued in fellowship, i.e. they loved one another’s company and were united as the body of Christ.  This week we want to consider the final two items, revealed in our text above, about which the early church busied themselves.

We see next that they continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread. I think a couple of things are referred to by this statement. First, it reveals the practical way in which they lived. Their lives were characterized by simplicity, contentment, and care for one another. They didn’t seek lives of extravagance, desiring the delicacies of this present world, but were satisfied with merely the breaking of bread. Even as we are instructed to be in 1 Tim 6:8, they were content with simply having food and clothing. They “ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart”. (v. 46) And their care for each other is revealed in this breaking of bread for no one did without according to Ac 4:34-35. There was not “anyone among them who lacked,” and “they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

The second conclusion we must draw from the declaration of their steadfastness in the breaking of bread is a spiritual one. We can’t consider the phrase “breaking of bread” without numerous passages coming to mind concerning the Lord Jesus being the spiritual bread that sustains every believer. As Jesus declared in Jn 6:51: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…” Christ was the bread that was broken and sustained the early church, even as every true believer is sustained today. He was their focus and desire. They hungered and thirsted after righteousness, and they were filled! (Mt 5:6)

Last of all, they were a praying people. This truth was the evidence that the Spirit of God had indeed fallen upon them because both Rom 8:15 and Gal 4:6 remind us that the one thing God’s Spirit within us will continually do is cry out “Abba, Father!” You don’t have to teach a child to cry out to his mother or father. It’s completely natural. It would be strange if he didn’t! Likewise, every true child of God cries out to his or her heavenly Father, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph 6:18) We have One who is our hope, and it’s not the person sitting in the White House (regardless of whether or not your candidate won this past Tuesday).  Our hope is in the Person sitting upon the throne of heaven, and to Him we must continually cry!

I want to us to notice one more important point at the end of our text. This church grew, but how did it grow? They didn’t form an outreach committee to determine the best way to reach the surrounding population. They didn’t take a poll to determine what would attract the most people. They were focused on God. They simply lived in obedience to Him, “continuing daily…praising God.” And what was the result? God gave them “favor with all the people,” and “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Such is the only way the true church can grow. Men can come up with creative ways to build assemblies, but only God can build His church. We must simply be faithful to do what God has called the church to do–preach the gospel!  Cast that precious seed, church!  God will see that it brings forth fruit to the praise of His glory.  We can water and plant, but only God gives the increase! (1 Co 3:6)

Jamie

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42

What is the purpose of the church? How should she spend her time? There are a lot of answers floating around to those questions, but what does Scripture teach? Our text reveals what the early church was like in its purity just after God gave His Spirit on Pentecost. These Christians are an example to us, and we should measure our assemblies today by their standard. We find there are four things here in which the early church “continued steadfastly.”  We want to consider the first two today.

First of all, there was a steadfast continuance in the “apostles’ doctrine,” i.e. the word of God. Many churches today have diminished their focus on faithfully teaching and preaching the word in favor of more entertaining forms of “worship”. Why? Because the people that gather have no heart for the truth! Paul warns of this day in 2 Tim 2:3 stating, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.” Brothers and sisters, the time is here! We would do well to encourage our pastors and teachers to faithfully do what Paul tells Timothy in v. 2: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

A brother told me recently that he was convicted many years ago at a conference when the speaker said the biggest issue in the modern church was spiritual illiteracy.  As the speaker expounded on that thought, my friend realized he was included in the spiritually illiterate.  He attended church regularly but couldn’t tell you what the word of God said!  Sure, he could quote the verses we’ve all heard repeatedly, but he had no deep understanding in the word.  If you ever get a taste of the richness of the word of God, you’ll seek it continually!  As 1 Pet 2:2-3 says, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

The second practice of the early church was that they were characterized by unity. They continued steadfastly in “fellowship.” They loved the brethren! Isn’t that how Jesus said everyone would know that we were His disciples? (Jn 13:35) Their unity is evident all throughout our portion of Scripture. V. 44 says “all who believed were together, and had all things in common.” V. 46 reveals they were in “one accord” and broke bread “from house to house.” In other words, the early Christians spent much time with each other, and enjoyed rich fellowship in the Lord. As Ac 4:32 further describes them, they “were of one heart and one soul”.

One of the issues in the modern church that greatly hinders her witness is division among the brethren!  We have been so divided by denominational and doctrinal lines that the church is weak and fragmented today.  Paul warned the Corinthian church against this division.  “Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor 1:12-13) He says plainly that such activity is fleshly and inordinate.  “…for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?” (1 Cor 3:3-4)

I understand that Christians sometimes have differences of opinions, but we should have a bond that unites us together that is far stronger than such disagreements.  If we both love the Lord Jesus above all else, why should our fellowship be hindered.  1 Cor 3 closes with “Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.  And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”  We ought to rejoice together in the Lord, exalting Christ with one accord!  May we be continually “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” remembering that there is only “one body” of believers. (Eph 4:3-4)

Jamie