Part 21: UNASHAMED, UNDAUNTED and UNSTOPPABLE!

Transcription

1 Part 21: UNASHAMED, UNDAUNTED and UNSTOPPABLE! Texts: Acts 2:42 (NLT) - All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord s Supper), and to prayer. Acts 27:13-14 (NKJV) - When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. [14] But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. Acts 27:29-31 (NKJV) - Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. [30] And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, [31] Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. Part 4 Living in the Dimension Beyond Average A. Even a causal reading of the history of the New Testament church reveals that the early disciples were so blessed and fulfilled, they became the envy of the Jewish community. 1. By crucifying Jesus, the devil's plan was to destroy the early church before it even got off the ground. Instead, the church exploded with exponential growth, like pouring gasoline on a fire. 2. Because the new believers were living under an open heaven and enjoying the incredible favor of God, their opponents began to flock into the church. Multitudes were being saved daily. Great numbers of

2 Pharisees and Sadducees began to follow Christ as they observed the lives of the believers. 3. Why did the disciples live in this Dimension Above Average that most believers today never experience? Let's be truthful. Many of these unhappy, unfulfilled believers remind me of. 4. Joke: Best Friends Thibodeaux was passing by the bar on the way home from work when he saw his good friend Boudreaux gulping down one shot after another. Wondering what was happening, Thib confronted Boudreaux. Hey Boud, what s going on? You drinking like you either had some'ting bad happen or you celebratin. Boudreaux answered. It s my wife Clotille. She done ran off with my best fran! Hey, wait a second!" said Thib. I thought I was your best fran? Not any more, Boudreaux said with a happy smile. He is! B. God blessed the early Christians with an open heaven for several reasons: 1. First, the disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. They remained loyal to the teaching of God's Word rather than the current beliefs of society, as many do today. 2. According to Acts, chapter 2, great grace was upon them. Not only were they empowered by the Holy Spirit, believers enjoyed an amazing unity. 3. In the next phrase of this same verse: "ALL the believers devoted themselves...to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord's Supper)." 4. Today, I would like to speak from this subject: Needed: Fellows in the Ship! C. Except in the vocabulary of the church, the word fellowship is rarely used today.

3 1. Never would you hear an unbeliever say, I'm going down to the bar for some fellowship. A group of teenagers wouldn't think of going to McDonald's for fellowship. They may go to hang out, chill, floss or decompress, but never to fellowship. 2. Though the word is seldom used, the need for fellowship still exists. a. Every human being was created with a profound need for deep, meaningful relationships. b. When God declared that it was not good for man to be alone, He wasn't just referring to marriage. To have a life that's worth living, we need meaningful relationships. 3. 'Fellowship' is belonging to a group who is committed to traveling this journey of life with you...and you with them. More than a social group, you won't have to face life alone because someone is there for you. 4. This term can be traced back to the 12th century. a. Fellowship gives us a word picture of sailors joining with other seamen to face unchartered, dangerous oceans to reach a desired destination without sonar, radar or ocean maps. b. Long before North America had been discovered and centuries before satellite weather imaging had been invented, courageous men would set out on an unpredictable mission. c. No one knew where a dangerous reef may be lurking that would rip open the bottom of their ship or where a howling storm may be gathering that would send them spiraling to the ocean floor. c. Sailing was such a risky business, it would be impossible to closely observe the ocean waters if you were alone. 5. Have you ever wondered why a lectern is known as a pulpit? a. 'Pulpit' was also a nautical term. Because there were few maps and dangerous waters, a walkway was built on the bow of the ship. b. Someone had to walk along the deck and take hold of the handrail to search the waters for a dangerous reef ahead.

4 c. To avoid the reefs, someone had to direct the steer. So, the walkway that extended in front of the boat was called a pulpit. d....and that's what a pastor still does today. 6. Fellowship literally means: other fellows are also in the ship; you're not all by yourself on life's lonely, uncertain seas. Having no fellowship would be a very frightening way to live. 7. Possessions offer no meaning in life; we need relationships first with God, then with family, and with friends. D. The Book of Acts clearly describes one of those ferocious storms. 1. While sailing to Rome as a prisoner, Paul's crew encountered a vicious storm known as Euroclydon. As the winds drove the ship in a deadly path toward submerged reefs, the men knew that it could easily rip open the belly of the ship and dump its cargo and human lives into the ocean. a. Under the guise of setting anchors to protect the ship from striking huge boulders, some of the sailors wanted to abandon the ship and its passengers and seek safety on the island. b. Since the vessel was too large to cross the reefs, they lowered a small boat with a shallow draft, hoping to cross over the reefs without damage. c. Paul boldly informed the captain that if anyone abandoned the ship, they would lose their lives. But if they stayed on board, they would survive the storm. His goal was to keep the fellows in the ship. d. I've often thought about that passage. In the course of life, marriages and even churches are sure to endure rough winds and storms. But don't abandon your marriage or the church because of the wind and waves. Just remember: the ship may be in a storm, but don't allow the storm to come inside your ship. 2. To survive the storms of life, we all need other fellows in our ship!

5 E. Fellowship, or meaningful relationships, are more important than we may realize. 1. Years ago, Andy Warhol, the famous artist, spoke of each person's 15 minutes of fame. However, the goals of this younger generation are quite different. a. When 'millennials' were questioned about their number one goal in life, 80% responded: to be famous. b. When asked about their second major goal, 50% wanted to be wealthy. 2. There are many reasons for this change in thinking. a. Reality TV shows have made a huge impact on our goals and dreams. b. Millennials have no plans for actually doing anything to become famous or make money. Like the Kardashians, they plan to become rich or famous just because that's what other people are doing. c. But does wealth and fame really make people happy? Wouldn't it be interesting to watch the entire course of a person's life to learn what it takes to really be fulfilled and complete! 3. Harvard University performed just such an amazing research and named it, The Study for Adult Development. a. In this ongoing study that began in 1938, they tracked the lives of 724 men about work, home life, and health as well as what brought them happiness and what caused pain. b. Only 59 of the original 724 men, now in their 90's, are still alive. c. The results have been eye-opening! Many of these men had the same desires to be rich and famous. Some made it; some didn't. d. But the study found that it wasn't wealth, fame, or the lack thereof that determined whether the men were happy and fulfilled. e. Without exception, what brought them the most joy was maintaining healthy and meaningful relationships with both family

6 and friends. Those with painful relationships suffered more hurt and dissatisfaction than the others. f. The greatest single predictor of good health was not their cholesterol levels; it was the quality of their relationships. g. Those with meaningful relationships were healthier and lived longer; those who were lonely and had stressful or fractured relationships died at a younger age. What the research discovered was that loneliness kills. h. Equally fascinating was the fact that those who began the study as a train wreck of addictions and other problems often enjoyed a life that was fulfilled, happy, and free from problems if they later chose to develop rich and satisfying relationships. i. Sadly, those who started well often ended life as a train wreck if they were void of close relationships, family, and friends. 5. This study confirmed why early believers were happy. The Bible reveals that as they went beyond church membership and attendance, they not only grew strong relationships with one another, they continued to have true fellowship. They were not in the boat alone. F. Several observations about fellowship: 1. We need fellowship. a. Vance Packard calls America "a nation of strangers." Studies show that 4 of 10 people experience feelings of intense loneliness. b. Our American culture is now producing people who can more easily identify with the characters on TV programs than their next door neighbors. c. People consider Facebook friends to be their relationships. Everywhere you look, people hunger for someone to take an interest in them and to gain a sense of 'family.' d. Every week this sweet little old lady waited in line at the post office to buy two stamps. One day as she approached the counter, the

7 postal worker said, "You know, you don't have to wait in line to buy stamps. You can get them from the machine over there in books of twenty. The little old lady responded, "Yes, but the machine doesn't ask me about my arthritis." e. It's possible to be alone, even in a church or a huge crowd. f. I'm reminded of Luke 9:18 (KJV) "And it came to pass, as he (Jesus) was alone praying, his disciples were with him." Jesus had a group of 12 men around Him at the time, but scripture says He was alone. Life is like that for many people, even in the church. 2. Fellowship gives strength. a. Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NKJV) - Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. b. In an old Peanuts cartoon, Lucy walked into the room and demanded that her brother change the TV channel. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asked Linus. "These five fingers," said Lucy. "Individually they are nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they are a force to be reckoned with." "What channel do you want?" sighed Linus. Turning away, he looked at his fingers and said, "Why can't you guys ever get organized like that?" c. That's the power of teamwork! Together we are a force to be reckoned with; alone we are capable of very little. 3. Fellowship provides support. a. Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NKJV) - If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. b. Do you know what it's like to get knocked down? Of course you do. How about a really serious storm? Been there and done that, right? Just having someone with you in these difficult times can help more than you'd ever know!

8 4. Fellowship provides warmth. a. Ecclesiastes 4:11 (NKJV) - Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? b. When one of God's children is separated from the family of believers, our fire begins to go out and our hearts grow cold. c. Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. d. One of the most important reasons for a weekly church meeting is to stir the fire within us. e. When I was just a little guy, I remember hearing the story of a pastor visiting a member who had begun to miss church regularly. It was winter when the pastor arrived and he found the man enjoying the warmth of his fireplace. The wayward parishioner expected his pastor to talk about his absence from the house of God, but instead the pastor took the tongs from beside the fireplace and reached into the bed of red hot coals. Quietly, he extracted one coal and set it on the hearth. The pastor continued to talk about other things while occasionally glancing at the coal sitting by itself. As they watched, it flickered and soon turned dark. In just a few moments it became cold. The man looked at his pastor and said, "I'll be back in my place this Sunday." Without a word spoken, he received the message about missing church. f. Fellowship provides warmth and helps us keep our own flame burning brightly. Alone, our fire quickly goes out. 5. Fellowship provides defense and success. a. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NKJV) - A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

9 b. Among law enforcement officers and the military, very dangerous situations can arise. A common expression they often use is: I've got your six, which means, I've got your back. When two men stand back-to-back, watching out for each other, they become a very powerful force. c. What's even more powerful is being part of a team that's watching out for each other. Do you remember the movie Troy with Brad Pitt? In one scene, as the Myrmidons are fighting on the beach at Troy, they assemble in battle formation with each man's shield protecting both himself and the soldier fighting beside him. That's what fellowship does. It protects you from attack. d. (Troy Beach Battle - G. The early church grew because of their continual fellowship. 1. Fellowship is so important to a person's spiritual growth, I've tasked our staff with the responsibility of creating opportunities for great fellowship. One of those is the 30 Day Legacy Challenge designed to grow strong families. I've asked Steve Miller to lead that effort. 2. The strength of a large congregation rests in its numbers. The more people who attend, the greater the impact upon the community. a. Members of a large congregation can provide more services to the community. b. A large congregation can accumulate more funds to benefit children and world missions than the limited contributions of a small church. c. Having a greater pool of talent from which to draw, a large church can minister with more excellence, while a small congregation must work with what they have. d. A large church can fund orphanages and build more churches in impoverished areas of the world, such as Africa and India. e. Praise and worship can be more uplifting when many believers assemble together.

10 3. The weaknesses of attending a large church is to become lost in the crowd or to feel disconnected from others. 4. A variety of programs have been launched at C.T. to correct this problem. a. Cell groups that are so effective in Korea have been introduced to our members, even inviting Caesar Castellanos, pastor of a congregation in Colombia with over 200,000 members and author of the G12 movement, to explain this program. b. The strategy for the G12 movement is to follow Jesus' example of mentoring 12 and those 12 doing the same. While this plan has been successful in Columbia, few of these programs have been successful in the U.S. c. I believe they have a poor success rate in America because the people of our nation are too individualistic for a one size fits all approach. 5. What we believe will work best in our congregation is tribes, a concept developed in the business world. a. In the past, churches have formed small groups and then asked their members to come and join us and become interested in what we're doing. That plan has not worked well. b. A better way is to form a small group or tribe of individuals who are passionate about doing the same things. c. A tribe is composed of three parts: a shared passion; regular communication; and an inspiring, visionary leader. d. For example, Apple has its own tribe. People will sleep on the sidewalk to be first in line to buy the latest Apple phone or computer. You won't have to ask them to become interested; they're already so passionate about Apple, they can't wait for the CEO to introduce their newest product. e. Hunters are a tribe; gun enthusiasts are a tribe. So are followers of music groups, such as: The Rolling Stones. People who love

11 bowling, fishing, books, prayer, or music can easily form a tribe. Ladies who enjoy cooking or shopping can become a tribe. f. A ministry can become a tribe; our ushers, greeters, and children's ministry have their own tribes. 6. Churches can recreate the same strategy that has worked for Apple to strengthen the fellowship factor. a. Each Sunday morning, our congregation has hundreds of people who are not yet connected, but who love and are passionate about something. b. We must find what each person loves to do. As I've just said, some love to golf, to fish, go to the movies, watch a game, bowl, play music, try a new restaurant, sew, read, invest, work out and 10,000 other things. c. The trick is to connect them with those who have the same passion so that together, they can do what they already enjoy instead of something they don't enjoy. 7. Within the context of these groups, we can follow the early church's example by building community, fellowshipping, and strengthening one another's faith. a. Why couldn't we share communion (the Lord's Supper) or talk about the Bible? That's what the early church did! b. Within each of these groups, the five-fold ministry will begin to function: teaching...prophecy.edification.encouragement. c. Expect evangelism and discipleship to occur as you invite others to do what you love doing...bowling, fishing, sewing, going to a movie. 8. Becoming a pastor or shepherd will happen as well. As people lower their guard, you will discover the problems they're facing and where they need help. We'll explain more about that later. H. In conclusion, you'll soon be hearing more about these events:

12 1. C.T. is opening our arms to embrace our unchurched neighbors and friends and encourage them to join our church family. This is also how we can grow spiritually. 2. Joining the Thirty Day Legacy Challenge is an excellent way to strengthen the spiritual growth of your family. 3. The Man-Up Men's Conference is coming on October 6, 7, and 8. I'm expecting this meeting to become the most transforming experience the men of our church and community have ever known!