PRAISE

BLUEPRINT FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH

ACTS 2: 47

PRAISE

“Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”.

Acts 2:46 reiterates what we have already discussed in our study.  It again uses the words and phrases, “continue”, “one accord” and “breaking bread from house to house”.  But verse 47 includes an additional component to the mix.  Verse 47 tells us that what these people were doing was being done with “praise”. 

I want us to look at the word praise and the act of praise and see if we can get a handle on what it means and how to accomplish it so that it will help us become a more successful church.

DEFINITIONS:   Commendation, admiration, extol, approbation, exalt, acclaim, laud, approval, and esteem are all words that can be used in place of the word praise. 

So if we are praising someone we exhibiting “an act of ”______” any of the above. 

Praising is an act.  Praising is an action word.  It would be very difficult to sit quietly in a room by yourself, without any type of expression and to give praise.   Praising is “an act of commending”, “and act of admiration”, “an act of extolling”, “an act of _____” fill in the blank with any of the words in the definitions.  We can sit in a room and think about praising God.  We can feel God’s presence and desire to bless His name and praise Him but until we put those thoughts into action, they are nothing more than “thoughts”  not praise.   

Sometimes when we are defining a word it works better for me to give examples rather than synonyms.

For example, if I want to praise my wife for the wonderful meal that she has prepared.  (Why are you laughing?  Keva can cook.)  I would say something like “Wow that was a really great meal you cooked tonight.  You are a fantastic cook.”  By saying that, I am commending her on her cooking skills.  I am acclaiming to anyone listening (even if it is only her) that she is a good cook.

Or if I wanted to praise the pastor for a good message he brought I might shake his hand, pat him on the back and say something like, “Dr. Rick that was a wonderful message today.  You were really used by God to bring the truth into focus”.  I am putting my thoughts into action. 

These are acts of praising.

These acts can be elaborate or simple.  I was privileged to attend an Eagle Scout awards ceremony last Saturday.   One of my young students had completed the requirements for Eagle Scout along with the seven other members of his troop. (To our knowledge this is the first time the entire troop received Eagle Scott recognition at the same time). These young men were praised in several ways.  They were given certificates, badges, commendations from the state legislator and other items by state, county and local officials.  Several times during the ceremony the 200 or so people in attendance stood to their feet and applauded or praised these boys for what they had accomplished. 

My praise was just as sincere but in a much more common way.  I gave this young man a small gift and a card that said, “Good job, I’m so proud of you”.  No matter how large or small, each of us, by an act or action expressed our praise. 

TYPES OF PRAISE:

In doing this study this week I have come to realize something about praise that I had never seen before.  You may have already realized this but it jumped out at me.  There are at least two types of praise, there may be more but I think there are at least two. 

Spontaneous praise.  This is the kind of praise that you might see at an Alabama or Auburn football game.

You have seen it and experienced it and participated in it a thousand times without even realizing it.  The coach sends in the play.  The quarterback calls the play.  The linemen execute the correct blocking scheme, the running back breaks through the line and turns on the heat and outruns the defenders and streaks for a 99 yard touchdown.  The stands erupt with spontaneous praise.  Thousands of foam rubber fingers are raised in the air.  Cheerleaders jump up and down and turn flips on the sideline.  Drunks throw their beer on the people sitting in front of them.

No one orchestrated this.  No one passed out fliers at the beginning of the game that said “When the running back makes a 99 yard touchdown everyone should immediately stand to their feet, scream and yell to the top of their lungs, wave their hands in the air and yell “We’re number one”.   This is simply spontaneous praise.  It is an act of celebration for the benefits we think we have gained by our team scoring more points than the other team.

We see this kind of praise in church from time to time.  A singer presents a song that touches our hearts, the speaker makes a statement or point that means something to us, someone gives a testimony that particularly blesses us and without instructions, without forethought, without prompting from anyone else we spontaneously praise God.

“Amen, Praise the Lord, Bless His Holy name” might be heard from our lips.  Our hands may be lifted into the air as a sign of praise.  Tears might fill our eyes as we bless God and praise God for what He has done for us. 

In football games and basketball games and baseball games I have seen extreme praising.  I’ve seen people grab the school flag and run around the field.  I have seen people stand in their seats and wave towels, shirts and other items of clothing.  I have heard them scream to the top of their lungs.  I’ve seen them cry and shout and beat on the seats, walls and vehicles. 

I’ve even seen some pretty extreme praising going on in the church, although it’s been a long time ago.  I remember a very long time ago at Birmingham First Church, there was a little man who played the organ.  I had seen him there many times as we visited that church for revivals or special services.  He was a kind little man, a gentle man, a quiet man.  He sat on the organ seat and played the music beautifully but not much else.

One afternoon at a special service there, the Spirit of God moved among us.  Hands were raised; tears filled the eyes of many.  Suddenly, without script or prompting this little man got up from his organ seat and begin to run.  (I’ve always been scolded for running in the church but no one scolded him)  He ran down one side of the church, around the back of the church, down the other side of the church and across the front of the church.  He was whooping to the top of his lungs and waving his arms. He was running as fast as his little legs would carry him.  When he arrived back at the organ he quietly sat down and begin to play again. 

Spontaneous praise, it comes in different forms.  I remember an old farmer who attended our little church in Calera years ago. The pastor would give an opportunity for testimonies and people would stand and say whatever was on their minds.  This old man was a man of few words.  I honestly can’t think of any one thing that he ever said that I can remember.  But as he would stand to give his testimony, he would get out a few words, something like “Pastor I want to just praise the Lord for what He has done for me”.  Usually not even that much, sometimes he would only get out the word “Pastor” and then he would reach into the bib pocket of his old overalls and pull out a big ole red handkerchief, he’d begin to cry and wipe the tears from his eyes.  He’d do this for several minutes without saying another word.  God’s Spirit would fall on the service and people would be blessed.  After a while the old man would sit down. 

Each of these examples depicts spontaneous praise.  Neither of these men sat at home and thought about when and where they would praise God, it simply happened. 

But then there is INTENTIONAL PRAISE.  This is praise that we think about beforehand.  Max Lucado tells this story in one of his books.  Let me share it with you.     

Kris Hogan was the football coach of the Faith Christian High School in Grapevine, Texas. Kris had a very successful football program going there.  He had 70 players on his team.  He had 11 assistant coaches, he had just about any type of training equipment that a coach could want and he had the support of his administration and the parents of the community. 

Each year Faith Christian school played a football game against another school called the Gainsville State School.  This school was quite different from Faith school.  Gainsville was a state correctional school.  Each of the boys who attended that school were there because they had done something wrong, something that deserved punishment or correction. 

Instead of good equipment these boys wore pads that were seven years old.  They played with helmets that were 10 years old.   There were no cheerleaders for this team.  There were no followers of this team except the uniformed officers who followed them and surrounded them whenever they played.  The Gainsville “Tornados” didn’t even have a stadium in which to play their games. 

On this particular day Kris Hogan who was a Christian, decided that he would do something special for these boys.  He asked for volunteers to switch sides in the game.  He got 200 parents and supporters of the Faith Christian School to cross the field and sit in the stands on the Gainsville side.  They took the team roster and learned the names and numbers of the boys who played.  They learned the positions that each boy played and were prepared to cheer for these boys.

As the pre-game began, these people formed a 40 yard “spirit line” through which the young men would run onto the field.  That week they made a large banner that stretched across the goal post so the team could break through it.  As each boy did something on the field he would hear people calling out his name.  “Good job Matt”.  “Way to go Mike”.  And when the game was over, they gathered around as the boys were loaded back on the bus and presented each with burgers, fried and a drink, candy and gave each boy a small Bible.  As the bus drove away they cheered and waved the team colors in the air.

Intentional praise, praise that was planned, praise that took forethought and work but praise just the same. 

Praise can be and should be spontaneous.  Our hearts should be touched and we should act or respond to that unexpected time, there is nothing wrong with that. 

But I think we forget to praise in the intentional way.  And I think it is because we are just too busy and thinking about ourselves.

Often the examples I give you in Bible study are from my own experiences.  When I went to Fire/Ems instructor school they told us that we should never use “personal experiences” to teach a point.  They told us that we should simply teach the facts.  But I learn from my “war stories” and I think you can learn from them too.    Let me share an embarrassing one with you that I experienced on Monday.  I think it taught me intentional praise.

I took Monday off to go with my son Chris to Bessmer to get lumber from an old house I was given.  I am going to use the lumber in my barn and he is building a chicken house and needed some lumber. 

So I took the day off, got up early got my old truck ready, loaded the tools that I thought I needed and made plans to go and get the lumber.   I had no sooner left my driveway and gone about two miles when I saw a truck parked on the edge of the road and a man standing next to it “thumbing” a ride.  I pulled over and asked if I could help. 

“Yes sir, I’m out of gas.  Can you give me a ride to my house to get my other truck?”  I consented and he climbed in.  After introductions he preceded to tell me his troubles.  No money, no gas, no cell phone and no one to call if he had a cell phone.  My remarks were something like “Yeah, things are tough all over”. 

I took him to his trailer to get a set of keys and finding out that the truck he needed was another half mile down the road consented to take him there.  He then shared with me how that work had been slow, money was short and he had sat with a gun in his hands and considered “ending it all”.  I didn’t have time for all of this.  I needed to be in Bessmer as soon as I could.  It was getting hotter by the minute. 

I quoted a line of scripture and told him that God would not put more on him than he could handle, dropped him off at his destination and drove away. 

Oh what an opportunity to praise God, help this old boy and make a difference and I “drove right by it” because I didn’t plan.  I didn’t expect God to drop someone in my lap who needed help and I simply was not in the “mood” to be helpful.  I was thinking about “me” and my goals and objectives for that day.  I didn’t even get the guy’s name.  Because of lack of preparation I neglected the opportunity to serve God and my fellow man who was in need.   

I should have told him about Jesus and how much He loved him.  I should have prayed with him before he got out of my truck.  God gave me a captive audience and I missed it because I was too busy and did not prepare. 

I hope I will learn from this lesson.  I hope God will give me another chance.  I want to prepare for the time that is going to come when I can look into the eyes of a hurting person and tell them that God loves them.  I want to prepare for the time when I can praise God.  I want to learn the things to say and develop the boldness to say those things to whomever I happen to be speaking with. 

I want to learn that praise and service is more than just a spontaneous act but is a planned mission.

Nate Saint, one of the missionaries who was killed in South America while trying to evangelize the Anca Indians made a statement about obedience that I believe will fit here.  I’ve tried to commit it to memory.  Saint said “Obedience is more than a spontaneous act, it is a die-hard decision made beforehand”.

I believe that goes for obedience, service and praise. 

To be a successful church and successful Christians we need to think about it, plan on it and prepare for it.  God will honor our efforts to glorify His name.      

FELLOWSHIP / RELATIONSHIPS-MORE THAN HAVING A GOOD TIME

BLUEPRINT TO A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH

Acts 2:42

FELLOWSHIP-RELATIONSHIPS­­-MORE THAN HAVING A GOOD TIME

It is my sincere hope that by this time in the study of God’s Blueprint for a Successful Church that you have experienced and accepted that first work of grace we have discussed.

I also hope that you have seen the need and are being drawn by the Holy Spirit toward that second work of grace when His Spirit purifies you heart and gives you power for service. I trust that you have relinquished control of yourself into the hands of a loving God and can say to Him “God, you have the con of my life”. 

As you climb out of your bed in the morning and put your feet on the floor and walk from your home to work or play or where ever you go, I hope you have called out to God for His grace to keep you and “grow” you.  And that you will continue to do that until He calls you home.

I hope that we are coming to the point that our minds and intents are of one accord and that we are praying for our own selves and for each other. 

And if you have been paying attention, you understand that the things we have just mentioned are the first four steps in the blueprint. 

Tonight we will discuss a few more of the components of this blueprint.  They are found in our scripture for tonight Acts 2:42.  Let’s read it “And they continued (there is that word again) steadfastly in the apostles’ DOCTRINE and FELLOWSHIP, and in BREAKING OF BREAD, and in PRAYERS”. 

DOCTRINE: What is your definition of “doctrine”? Belief, creed, principles could all be used as synonyms for this word.

Many people today are turning from the church.  I suppose there are about as many reasons or should we say excuses as there are people but one of the excuses that we hear often is that the church is too “structured”.  “I don’t believe in doctrines, I just believe in the Bible.  I think denominations are ridiculous.  We should all simply be “Christians”. 

For example, as I was studying this week, I came across a statement in a book called the Baptist Faith and Message by Herschel H. Hobbs.  In the second sentence of the preface of his book he makes this statement, “Baptist…have no creed”.  To qualify that statement he goes on to say that people have “an inherent right to draw up for themselves and publish to the world a confession of their faith whenever they think it is advisable to do so”.  Although I agree with his statement that we all have a right to “draw up” for ourselves a confession of faith, that statement in itself proves that “we all have or possess a profession, a belief or a creed”

To say that you don’t believe in doctrines is not a true statement for a doctrine is your “belief, principles, what you teach (either by word of mouth or by your life).  And whether you intend to do it or not you share your beliefs with other. 

I believe it was St. Francis of Assisi who said something like this, “Share the gospel every day and if necessary, use your words”.

Your life will transfer to others that you believe in “something” and by your actions and words you will “share” that belief.

Do you know what you believe?  Some may say “Well, sure I do.  I just can’t explain it”.  If you can’t explain your beliefs then it MAY do you some good but it certainly does no one else any good.  In order to transfer the gospel that you believe you must be able to first, live it and secondly share it.  That is why we have Bible study, Sunday school, and preaching, so that you can learn, “nail down “and establish what you actually believe. 

And let me just insert here that you should not base your belief on what Mom or Dad said, what your pastor said, what your Sunday school teacher said.  You should base your belief on what God said.

I’ve shared this example with you before but when I was in the military I was asked once, “Why” I believed the way I do.  I explained that my belief was based on what I had been taught from a child.  And my friend asked, “What if that is wrong”?

That question caused me to go back and revisit the things that I had been taught.  I searched the scriptures to find out if the things that others had told me were actually what the Bible said. 

Folks you need to have a doctrine. If it is the “doctrine of the apostles” then it should burn in your heart, it should be the foundation for how you live your life, it should be the road map that leads you and the blueprint that teaches you how to build the “structure” that God wants.  But you also need to know your doctrine.  You need to be able to verbalize and explain your doctrine and you need to share your doctrine with others. 

The first century church “continued” in the doctrine that the apostles taught them and as they did that the church was successful.  They begin fulfilling the “great commission” that Jesus gave them.  They begin to go and accomplish “Command’s intent” to “go, teach and baptize all nations”.

Have you learned anything since you graduated from grammar school? Sure you did.  You went on to high school and some went to college and even if you didn’t continue you education by studying a structured curriculum or by attending an established place of higher education you have still continued to learn. 

The Word tells us to “Study to show thyself approved”.  Don’t get to the place where you think you know it all.  Don’t ever think you have read all the Bible has for you or heard enough messages or studied enough lessons.   We all need to learn each day and we need to teach each day.

My old neighbor and farming buddy Mr. James Thomas and I used to have this discussion about farming.  He had been farming a large portion of his life. I knew a little about farming but none of our children at that time had any interest in farming.  “James, when you and I die, who is going to grow the squash and corn and okra and peas” I asked. 

And as important as that might seem to me, the more important question we need to ask is, “When you and I die, who is going to teach our grandchildren and those who come along after us”? Where are the Sunday school teachers, the Bible study teachers, the preachers and ministers? We must understand our doctrine and we must teach our doctrine to those coming behind. 

Your grandkids and my grandkids and these little guys who come through our doors will one day be the teachers and preachers and if we don’t “continue” in the doctrine and share that doctrine with them, God help us all.

FELLOWSHIP:  Not only did that early church continue in doctrine but they also continued in “fellowship”.  I HATE FELLOWSHIP. 

I guess that’s a joke of sorts around here.  Laura loves fellowship.  But I have taken the position that “fellowship is a waste of time”.  BUT I AM WRONG.

When you teach you usually develop test for your students.  Those tests are to see if you are getting the information the concepts the theory and the skills across to them.  By giving test we try to see if they are “picking up what you are laying down”.  Are they retaining the materials you have shared with them? 

One thing that I have learned by teaching is that in order to get the correct response or the correct answer you must ask the correct question.  The reason that I have not liked fellowship and that I have the wrong idea about fellowship is that I have been asking the wrong question.

My question has always been, “What good do I get out of or through fellowship”?  “All we do is sit and eat and drink and talk and waste time that we could be working.  I have food at home.  I can relax more at home.  I can be more comfortable at home”.  But you see, I’m asking the WRONG QUESTION!

As a Christian, my question should be “What good can I GIVE through fellowship”? 

When we come together as we often do for our “eattin’ meetin’s there is something much more important going on than filling our bellies with the good cooking that has been prepared.  It has a much higher purpose than expanding our waist line.  IT IS FOR EXPANDING THE GOSPEL.

If when we gather, Robert and Gene and Buddy and I sit together and “talk shop”.  We have done no good for the church or for the cause of Christ.  We should find someone who is sitting alone, someone who needs to “connect” with the church and with Christian friends and sit with them and talk with them and FELLOWHIP with them.

I hope that I can ask the right question.  I hope that I am not so stuck in my ways that I see fellowship times as “just for me” or just a time to relax.  You can relax when you are lying around over at Martin’s (for those of you who ain’t from around here, that’s the funeral home). These times of fellowship for Christians should be a time of service.  Just like politicians working the crowd, we need to make sure we speak to the new folks or those who don’t seem to feel a part. 

“Oh but I’m just not that kind of person”.  Then work on it.  Paul said, “I am become all things to all men that by all means I might save some”. Can you imagine a new person coming into our services and when we come back to eat or as we do our little “shake and shout” that person is covered up with people who want to meet them and talk to them and get to know them?  Will that person come back?  Sure they will, they will feel loved, they will feel important and they will fill wanted because of the fellowship.  But if you offer a simple handshake and “good to have you” or even less, the chances of that person feeling wanted and the chances of that person coming back and being a part of our church family are very slim. 

Instead of me “preaching” about this, let’s talk about it. I want to hear what you have to say.  How can we better utilize our “fellowship” time to God’s advantage?  

In fellowship we develop friendships.  And if you will remember when we talked about this in “Dare to Care” it’s easy to leave a church but it’s really hard to leave friends. 

If you get nothing else out of this study tonight GET THIS, use our fellowship times as times where you can serve.   

My Son-in-law once told me that as churches today we are sending out people to share the gospel who can’t even share the time of day.  They have no people skills; they don’t know how to talk to people.  Times of fellowship are times when you can work on this.  Develop your conversational skills, develop your meet and greet skills, develop you getting to know you skills.  It is a time when one or two of us can team up and work on it together. 

If you don’t think the new person will be responsive to you or that you will have trouble talking to them, talk to a buddy. 

What about this scenario?  Let’s say a new young couple visits our church. We come back to eat and fellowship.  Now, let’s say that Dillon and Chelsey sit down at the same table and begin to talk to each other. 

Dillon says, “Wasn’t the service good this morning?  I really felt God moving in the service.”  And Chelsey could respond, “Yes, I am amazed that when we come to church with a desire to worship that God always meets us here.  I am so glad for Bro. Rick and Mrs. Deb’s ministry here.  I feel like we are just becoming a real body of believers”. 

Do you see what’s happening?  Instead of trying to witness to strangers or tell them about your church you are just talking among yourselves but the strangers are hearing the conversation and getting the benefits. 

The illustration given by another writer will fit well here. He told of the time when he went into the military and was in “A” school there. He was actually a Satan worshiper at that time but two of his roommates were Christians.  They wanted to share the gospel with him but he wanted no part of it.  He was pretty adamant about this fact and took it upon himself to beat the living tar out of them any time they tried to witness to him.  He told them not to ever try to talk to him about Jesus again.  So they didn’t.  Instead when they sat in a room with him they would talk to each other. 

“Tom, you know Jesus is so real to me.  I can just feel His presence even in this room”.  And Tom would say, “You are right.  I’m so glad that one day I felt the conviction from God and gave my life to Him.  You know, I’ve never been the same”. 

Do you see what they were doing?  They were simply talking to each other as Christian friends and their conversation was touching the lives of their lost friend. 

We can do that here in our “fellowships” or at the ball park or at Wal-Mart.  Wouldn’t it be great to have a Wal-Mart ministry where once a week you and a friend would push a buggy around Wal-Mart and talk about Jesus?  It will work folks and this will help you share the gospel with others.  This is service to God. 

I’m going to be watching you and I want you to be watching me.   If you see me sitting around eating and not sharing…call me out on it.  Let’s be accountable to each other.  If we have fellowship and leave with nothing but full bellies we HAVE wasted out time.  But if we leave with someone’s phone number, or email address or if we can learn their children’s names or their birthday, we have made progress. 

BREAKING BREAD: What do you see as the difference in “fellowship” and “breaking bread”?  This might not be the right answer but it’s the way I see it. When we have a fellowship we have several people meeting together, talking, doing stuff, playing games, etc.  But when I am “breaking bread” with you, I’ve come over to your house to eat or you have come to my house to eat or we have gone out somewhere to eat.  Sounds like a lot of eating to me but there is a method to this madness. 

You will have much greater success in sharing the gospel with someone you know and someone with whom you have developed a relationship than trying to share with someone on a “cold call”. 

There is a lot more “relationship” built at the supper table than at the Sunday school table.  There is much more trust and friendship built when you pass the corn bread than when you pass the offering plate. 

And when we move on over to the 46^th verse of this same chapter we read, “They continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart”

They continued in the temple and in the homes of their friends and their potential friends.  Wow, if I could simply see everyone I meet as a potential friend instead of a potential distraction from what I have on my agenda today how much more of a likable person I would be.  How much more opportunity I would have to accomplish “Command’s intent”.

So let’s work on this part of the blueprint.

·        Let’s study our doctrine and share it

·        Let’s fellowship with the purpose of serving

·        Let’s break bread with each other and develop relationships

I think someone called that “relational evangelism”.  It will work.

BLUEPRINT FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH-IN ONE ACCORD

BLUEPRINT FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH

ACTS 1:14

IN ONE ACCORD

You all know the story that I tell about my wife.  Perhaps I should call it a joke instead of a story.  But I always say that when God made the “triplets” He made one brain and divided it into three (perhaps not -so-equal) parts.  Could we say “the trips” are of one mind and one accord?  I doubt it.

The purpose of our study is to view the “blueprint” that Jesus left that would enable us to have a successful church.    We discussed last week how in order to have a successful church our first step must be to obtain the “promise” of the Father. (Acts 1:8) We can not expect to be the successful church or the successful Christian that God wants us to be without first receiving the Holy Spirit in our hearts.    

Let’s move on to the second step on the blueprint.  I believe this is found in Acts 1:14. 

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication….” 

We have discussed that when the 11 disciples returned from Bethany they went to the upper room and met with others.  Mary the Mother of Jesus was there.  Jesus’ brothers were also there.  Other unnamed women were there.  The total was about 120 people. 

In Luke’s account of this event several interesting words are used.  Let’s look at some of them.

1.  Continued:  This is a fairly familiar word to us.  It means to persist or remain over a long period of time.  The word is familiar but the concept is becoming more and more un-familiar in today’s society.  It’s hard to find people who will “continue” in anything.  It’s difficult to identify those who will “persist” for a short period of time, much less a “long” period of time, whether we are talking about a job, a hobby, a diet, a civic organization, a church or a relationship with God.

Oh, they have their reasons.  Usually they begin with “It’s not my fault”.  They will go on to tell you why they can’t “continue”.  Health reasons, family problems, jobs, children, spouses, you name it.  Are we so foolish to believe that the people of the first century church did not have these same types of problems? 

Do you think that the 120 in the upper room did not have health problems?  Do you believe they were all single, had no jobs and had no problems?  I’m sure if they chose to; those people could have presented many excuses as to why they just couldn’t “stay” in the upper room and wait.   

Back in John 21:3 Peter himself had already used one of those excuses.  He simply said, “I going fishing”.  That was his occupation.  That was what he knew.  Jesus was dead.  Jesus had been buried.  Now Jesus was gone and Peter was going back to what he knew best.  He was going fishing.  This stuff about following Jesus was great while it lasted but “a man has to make a living”.  Peter had an excuse and he simply couldn’t continue.

I wished that when we become Christians we would do what Hernando Cortez did back in February of 1519. Hernando Cortez was leading a group of over 600 men on 11 boats to the shores of Mexico.  It was there he would attempt to do what no one else had been successful in doing for many years.  He was intent on taking the gold, jewels and riches that were held by the people of that land. 

The ships landed off the coast.  Cortez prepared his men. He told them of the great things that lay ahead for them.  He didn’t lie to them.  There were riches there.  He told them also of the battles that they would have to fight to obtain these riches.  His men were committed, or so they said. 

But others had come before them and others had been defeated.  They had met opposition and hard times and either died there or returned to their own land without the riches they had come to secure.  So Cortez made a commitment for his men. He called them all together and lined them up to give them one last “pep talk” before they marched into battle. 

I guess they expected him to say something like, “Ok guys, I:’m sure we will kick butt here and come back with lots of gold and riches, BUT if we don’t , if things go wrong, if the enemy proves to be too strong for us, then everyone just meet back at the boats and we will head back home”.

That’s not what Cortez said.  He gave one final order before they started into battle.  It was a simple order but one that secured the commitment of his men.  Cortez turned to his men and said, “BURN THE BOATS”. 

“What!!!???  How will we get out of her if things go wrong?  What if things get too tough”?  Cortez did not leave “going back” as an option. It was win or die.  It was all or nothing.

They came there to win.  They came there to successfully complete the task.  If they quit, they die. 

What kind of Christians would we be if we took on that form of thinking?

We would not accept the thoughts that, “If things get tough for me, or if things don’t go my way, or if the temptations get too strong or the way gets to hard, then I’ll just go back to doing what I was doing before I became a Christian”. 

All across Chilton County I see buildings that once were “new churches”.  They started with a bang.  They put up signs, they put out fliers, and they filled the parking lots.  But in a few months or a few years, the parking lot is empty, the fliers are gone and only the sign is there to remind people of what once was.

In order to continue as a Christian, in order to persist as a church, in order to be successful in both, the idea that we can quit must be done away with, we must BURN THE BOATS.

2. In one accord:  This phrase “with one accord” is a phrase found 6 times in the book of Acts. 

Any time you get more than one person involved in a decision you have opportunity for division. 

Working with politicians, especially our county commission I often say that it would be difficult to get those seven men to agree to have Christmas on December 25^th. 

Can you imagine the opportunity for division that there was in the upper room back then?

·        Mary and Jesus’ brothers could have easily contended that they should get preferential treatment in this “church” because, after all they were Jesus’ “flesh and blood”.

·         Some could have been quick to blame Peter for his denial

·        John could have bragged about the fact that it was he and he alone who stood with Mary and the women at the cross.

I can just hear the conversation now. 

·        Matthew could have said, “Now Jesus told us to go and teach all nations.  So I believe our emphasis should be on teaching.  We need to establish Sunday schools and Bible studies.  That’s the only way this “church” thing is going to work”.

·        And Andrew, who was first a disciple of John the Baptist, might have said something like this: “It is my belief that we should put more emphasis on baptism.  After all John The Baptist started this baptizing business and I’m sure Jesus would have wanted us to keep it up”.

   

·        Someone else might have wanted to focus on God the Father

·        Another strictly on Jesus

·        And others, (probably Nazarenes, or Assembly of God folks) would have wanted to highlight the importance of the Holy Spirit.

Does that sound anything like the church today? 

·        “Well, music is so important in a church service.  I think we need to focus on more and better music”.

·        “It’s my belief that missions are the most important part of a church. That’s where we need to be centering our attention”.

·        “The teens and children are the church of tomorrow.  If we don’t put our time and energy into them we are doomed”. 

·        “Evangelize, evangelize, evangelize!  That is where the church will grow”.

Do you see what I mean?  We all have our “pet projects” our agendas, and to us, nothing else is as important.  And in many cases we are not willing to concede an inch.  It’s my way or the highway.;

I know this is nothing but speculation but listen to what might have been said: 

Then John stands up in the midst of the group of 120 and says,

“Men and brothers, our task is an immense one.   We have been given the assignment to share the gospel with a lost and dying world.  I don’t know how we are going to do it.  I don’t know where the emphasis should be, but one thing I do know.  It is not what I want or what you want or what Andrew or Peter or Mary feels is important but rather what Jesus Christ wants and feels is important. 

Although he later wrote these words in what we call the book of I John, I believe he might have said them here.

“This is how we know the love of God, Jesus laid down His life for us; and we should be willing to lay down our lives for each other. 

Let’s not love in word, or with just with our mouth but let our love be true love, expressed by our actions. 

This is His commandment that we should believe on the name of Jesus Christ and love each other.” (I John 3:16-23)

And as they thought on these things and as The Holy Spirit of God dealt with their attitudes and desires they begin laying down their own personal agendas and they developed an attitude of one accord and one mind. 

It was no longer “what I want” or “what I feel is important” but WHAT DOES GOD WANT. And that’s what the Word means when it says they were “in one accord”.  And without that spirit of accord in our church, plain and simple, there will be no success.

 3.  In prayer:  We could take hours, days, months and years and never effectively cover the topic of prayer.  It has been the topic of many of our Bible study conversations.  However; if we intend and expect to be a successful church WE MUST LEARN TO PRAY.

Jesus’ disciples understood the importance of learning to pray.  They asked Jesus to “teach” them to pray in Luke 11:1. 

I’ve taught for several years and in teaching people you understand that there are different types of “learners”.

·        Some students learn by listening.  These students can sit in a class and listen to a lecture and simply soak up what the instructor is trying to relate to them.

·        Other students learn by watching or seeing.  For these students the instructor will use visual aids.  Charts, maps, pictures, examples.

·        Still others will only learn when they actually put their hands on something and work with it.

***I guess the way most of us learned to pray was by listening to our parents.  I can still see our little family as Dad called us all around to have our evening devotions before bed.  Dad would take that big old family Bible which was lying on the coffee table and sit back in his chair and read a portion of scripture.  Then we would all kneel down and “say our prayers”. 

As a child I learned to pray by repeating “God is great, God is good” or “Now I lay me down to sleep” after my Mom and Dad.  I heard them pray.

Oh, folks, people need to hear you pray.  It doesn’t matter if all you can say is “Now I lay me down to sleep” your kids need to hear you pray and they need to hear you pray for them.  Your spouse needs to hear you pray and they need to hear you pray for them. Your co-workers and neighbors need to hear you pray.  YOUR CHURCH NEEDS TO HEAR YOU PRAY. It means so much to someone to hear someone else pray for them. 

My Dad is gone on to heaven and my Mom can’t pray out loud anymore but the memory of their prayers will always be with me.  When you and I are gone from this place may our fervent cries to God still echo off the walls of this building.  When we are gone from this community may those left behind still hear the prayers that we prayed for them.  May my children and grandchildren be able to say “I remember when Grump prayed”.  Others need to hear you call out to God.  

When people hear your honest and sincere prayer they get a glimpse of what’s in your heart.  Do you remember the story I told you about a man and his wife who were what was called “loyalist” in the War for Independence?  They felt that it was essential for them to be loyal to the British Government.  They were against the Revolutionist led by George Washington.  Even though they were neighbors of Washington, they had very different beliefs. They were sure that their side was right and would in the end win the war. 

But one day the man went for a walk in the woods behind his home.  He came upon George Washington kneeling there in the woods by an old fallen tree and stopped to listen to him pray.  He was amazed at the passion that came from this great leader. 

The man returned to his home and told his wife, “We must either change our minds in regards to the war or leave the country for no one can talk to God like this man does and be on the loosing side”.

   

We have let the government silence our prayers long enough.  We have let Satan silence our prayers long enough.  We have let intimidation or shyness or self-consciousness silence our prayers long enough.  We must cry out to God.  Teach others to pray by the prayers they hear from you.

***Another memory that stands out in my mind is the sight of the old saints of God gathered around an altar.  Whether it be in that little block building there at the old Calera Church of The Nazarene or at Birmingham First Church out there on Graymont avenue or at a Camp meeting, I can see them now as they draped themselves across the old wooden “mourners bench” and poured their hearts out to God. I learned to pray by watching and seeing those people pray.

I’ve told you how that in my “boot camp” experience I was determined to live a Christian life while in the military.  It was extremely hard that first night in the barracks.  Young men were gathered around talking, laughing, telling dirty stories and just before time for bed I moved to a corner seat, took my Bible, read some scripture and knelt down to pray.  I don’t know if I ever came right out and “witnessed” to any of those guys but before too long if a cuss word was spoke while I was standing with them, they would apologize. There is no better way to teach than by a good example. People will learn to pray as they watch you pray.

 ***But I believe the best method for a person to utilize in order to learn to pray is to pray.  When I’m teaching firefighting or EMS or Haz-mat I tell the students how to do it, then I show them how to do it, but the way that is most rewarding for them is when I set an old house on fire and give them an inch and ¾ hose and shove them in.  They learn to fight fire by fighting fire. 

I’m not sure if God doesn’t use the same technique sometimes.  We hear sermons on prayer.  We see other Christians pray but the best lessons in prayer are when God sets our house on fire and we have to go in and “pray”. 

When our kids are sick or we’ve lost a job or the bills are due or the doctor says the word “cancer” then all at once we are in the situation and the fire is all around us and the room is black with smoke and we don’t know what to do and guess what…WE PRAY. 

The early church prayed.  They prayed because Jesus had told them how to pray.  They prayed because they had watched Him pray.  But they prayed because they could do nothing that would bring about more power or results.  These 120 people were in the fire, the world was against them and they were in trouble, so they prayed. 

So now we have 4 items on our “blueprint” for a successful church.

1.  Be filled with God’s Spirit (First and foremost)

2.  Continue (Burn the boats)

3.  Be in one accord (Focus on what God wants not what pleases you)

4.  Pray (Walk into lives that are dark and burning and pray)

Next week we will turn another page on this set of blueprints and continue our study in Acts the second chapter and verse 46.

Can I challenge you to simply take a little piece of note paper and write down these points?  Think on them during the week.  Tape them to your mirror or your dashboard.  Put them where you can readily see them.  If you truly desire for our church to be a successful church these are points that we must learn and follow.