Living As The Early Disciples Did

August 17, 2014

Acts 2:42-47They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they

Acts 2:42-47continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Background• World feared the Church• Church hungry to be taught• Concerned for one another• Priority to worship God, edify each other• Very little if any disunity• Prayer & thanksgiving vital to their lives• Modeled the principle of living generously• Committed to reaching others

Healthy Expectations• They didn’t have a model, became the model• Had no roadmap, had to walk by faith• Diligent, constant in pursuit of God through the

word and prayer• Our trouble is we have expectations of what

church should look like.• What if we didn’t meet on a Sunday morning?• What if?...• GCF wants to be led by the Spirit

Chose to Live this Way• Weren’t under God’s command.• Their own property to do with what they wanted.

Acts 5:4• Surrender to live way God is leading us to live• We can choose to live in God’s grace or not.• GCF we want to be responsive to God’s grace

Greater Sacrifice = Greater Impact• We want a little prayer and a lot of power• We want a little study and a lot of knowledge• As you sow, you shall reap 2 Cor 9:6, Gal 6:7-8• Not talking about sacrifice that saves us, but the

sacrifice that grows us• GCF be a place where we sacrifice our rights to

lift others above ourselves

Faith That God Will Move• God did awesome wonders and signs• God added to the church daily• GCF be a place where we are coming together

with expectation God is going to move

Conclusion• Change expectations• Freedom to choose to obey• Greater sacrifice, more impact• Faith and confidence in God• If you could wipe the slate clean, what would you

want the church to look like?• What sacrifices would you make that might bring

some desired results?