“WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT - Sermon Outlines. …



“WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT?”

ACTS 4:32-33

INTRO: The Church at Jerusalem serves as a model for every Church on what

God expects His churches to look like. The Church at Jerusalem was

not seeking after greatness, but she attained it because each did what

God called them to do. A Church, or an individual, does not attain

greatness by seeking after it. True great comes as a result of what we

are, and doing what God calls for us to do. Someone said, “Greatness

is a matter, not of size, but of quality, and it is within the reach of

everyone of us. Greatness lies in the faithful performance of whatever

duties life places upon us and in the generous performance of the

small acts of kindness that God has made possible for us. There is

greatness in patient endurance; in unyielding loyalty to a goal; in

resistance to the temptation to betray the best we know; in speaking

up for the truth when it is assailed; in steadfast adherence to vows

given and promises made.” --Sidney Greenberg (Draper's Book of

Quotations for the Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by Edythe

Draper. QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005.

Findex Inc).

In the Bible we see two extremes: The Church at Jerusalem, and the

Church at Corinth. The Church at Jerusalem did things right while

the Church at Corinth did things wrong. Inside the Church at

Corinth there were always problems: contention, carnality, corruption,

and many other unchristian and unchristlike activities. In fact, Paul

wrote to them saying, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as

unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have

fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to

bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas

there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal,

and walk as men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

The Church at Jerusalem was very different: everybody was involved,

and interested. The members gave, prayed, witnessed, and worked.

Tonight, may we make the Church at Jerusalem our pattern, and

seek to be that kind of Church. Dr. Herschel Ford, long time Baptist

evangelist, once said that the Church in the book of Acts was the

Church of his dreams. Friends, may that become our dream also. I

want you to note several things as we consider this question, WHAT

MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT? Let us see that…

(1) THEY HAD A GREAT PURPOSE

ACTS 2:42—“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and

fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

*They did not see themselves there by accident, nor did they feel they were

there just to fill up space, and have a little cold service just for the sake of

having a service and call it “church”! What was their purpose? It was three-

fold:

A. THEY WERE THERE TO OBEY THE SAVIOUR. The resurrected Lord said

in Luke 24:49—“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you:

but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on

high.” Obedience is the mark of greatness in anyone. Obedience is better

than anything else we do. Someone said, “Obedience is the key that

unlocks the door to every profound spiritual experience.”—Dorothy Kerin

(Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by

Edythe Draper. QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005.

Findex Inc). Friends, if we don’t obey God nothing else really matters. We

read in 1 Samuel 15:22-23—“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great

delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?

Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and

idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also

rejected thee from being king.” We will never reach the heights of greatness

as a Church if we will not be obedient to our Saviour!

ILLUS: Obedience to Jesus Christ is essential, but not compulsory; he never

insists on being Master. We feel that if only he would insist, we should

obey him. But our Lord never enforces his “thou shalts” and “thou

shalt nots”; he never takes means to force us to do what he says. He

never coerces. In certain moods we wish he would make us do the

thing, but he will not; and in other moods we wish he would leave us

alone altogether, but he will not. If we do not keep his commandments,

he does not come and tell us we are wrong. We know it, we cannot get

away from it. –Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) (Draper's Book of

Quotations for the Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by Edythe

Draper. QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005.

Findex Inc).

In determining the will of God the determining factor should be, “Is this

what God wants me to do or us to do?” Friends, Jesus Christ is the head

of the Church and it we are going to achieve greatness we must follow HIM

in ALL! THEY WERE THERE TO OBEY THE SAVIOUR and…

B. THEY WERE THERE TO OBTAIN THE PROMISE. The Lord, after His

resurrection and just prior to His ascension, said in Acts 1:8—“But ye shall

receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be

witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and

unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The promise was that the Holy Spirit

would come upon them and give them the power needed to be witnesses to

the entire world. When the Spirit fell upon them on they were ready to do

the work God had called them to do. Without the Holy Spirit they would

never have attained unto the greatness they attained to.

ILLUS: POWER SOURCE

Jesus promised the disciples that they would receive power to witness

after they received the Holy Spirit. Notice the progression:

  (1) They would receive the Holy Spirit.

  (2) The Holy Spirit would give them power.

  (3) They would witness with extraordinary results.

Often we try to reverse the order and witness by our own power and

authority. Witnessing is not showing what we can do for God. It is

showing and telling others what God has done for us. When you tell

others about Christ, rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. You can be a

powerful witness. (Life Application Bible Commentary. WORDsearch

7.0. Copyright 2007. WORDsearch Corp. All Rights Reserved).

F. B. Meyer said, “God does not fill with his Holy Spirit those who believe in

the fullness of the Spirit, or those who desire him, but those who obey

him.” —F. B. Meyer (1847–1929) (Draper's Book of Quotations for the

Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by Edythe Draper. QuickVerse Sermon

Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005. Findex Inc). Friends, that is the

purpose of this promise. God desired that with the Holy Spirit’s power the

early Church would be obedient and be the “witnesses unto me” He had

called them to be. THEY WERE THERE TO OBEY THE SAVIOUR, THEY

WERE THERE TO OBTAIN THE PROMISE, and…

C. THEY WERE THERE TO OFFER THE GOSPEL. It tells us in Acts 4:33—

“And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the

Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” Someone has pointed out,

“Christianity spread rapidly during the first century because all Christians

saw themselves as responsible for disseminating the gospel.” —Erwin W.

Lutzer (1941– ) (Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.

Copyright © 1992 by Edythe Draper. QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version

4. Copyright 2005. Findex Inc). The power they received from the Holy

Spirit enabled them to give proof to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Friends, the GREATEST TASK is Church has is EVANGELISM. It is more

important than any other endeavor we pursue. We have a COMMISSION

from the Lord (Matthew 28:19-20). But to fulfill it we must have the

COMPASSION of the Lord (Matthew 9:36; Psalm 126:5-6).

WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT? : THEY HAD A GREAT PURPOSE but also…

(2) THEY HAD GREAT PREACHING

ACTS 4:33—“And with great power gave the apostles witness of the

resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

*What is great preaching? :

A. IT IS PREACHING THAT EXALTS CHRIST. The apostles declared the

doctrine of the resurrection. All true preaching exalts Christ. Why?

Because HE is the grand theme of Scripture! Someone has said, “No

sermon is of any value, or likely to be useful, which has not the three Rs in

it: ruin by the fall, redemption by Christ, and regeneration by the Holy

Spirit.” —John C. Ryland(1723–1792). Charles Spurgeon said, “Preach

nothing down but the devil, nothing up but the Christ.” (Draper's Book of

Quotations for the Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by Edythe Draper.

QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005. Findex Inc). John

the Baptist, the greatest preacher that ever lived, exalted Christ (John

1:29). Paul exalted Christ (Galatians 6:14).

ILLUS: As C. H. Spurgeon lay on his death-bed. Some of his final words were,

“My theology has become very simple, Jesus died for me.”

ILLUS: The Church of God apart from the Person of Christ is a useless

structure. However ornate it may be in its organization, however

perfect in all its arrangements, however rich and increased with goods,

if the Church is not revealing the Person, lifting Him to the height

where all men can see Him, then the Church becomes an impertinence

and a sham, a blasphemy and a fraud, and the sooner the world is rid

of it, the better. (G. Campbell Morgan in Giant Steps. Christianity

Today, Vol. 40, no. 6).

What is great preaching? IT IS PREACHING THAT EXALTS CHRIST and…

B. IT IS PREACHING THAT EDIFIES CHRISTIANS. The word edify means

“to enlighten and benefit.” (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary.

Volume 1, A-M. p. 202). Someone said, “Speaking the truth is important;

speaking the truth in love is all-important. Truth without love can become

a bludgeon to beat the heart out of a church.” —W. T. Purkiser (Draper's

Book of Quotations for the Christian World. Copyright © 1992 by Edythe

Draper. QuickVerse Sermon Builder. Version 4. Copyright 2005. Findex

Inc). The words of Ephesians 4:29—“Let no corrupt communication

proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that

it may minister grace unto the hearers” surely apply to preaching also. Any

thing that tears down instead of builds up should be avoided. Now let me

qualify that statement by saying that preaching against sin CANNOT be

avoided or else the man of God is not proclaiming the whole counsel of

God! Paul put it this way—“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of

season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2

Timothy 4:2). In other words, the preacher should not make the pulpit a

“bully” pulpit where he lambastes his rivals but where he speaks the truth

in love! What is great preaching? IT IS PREACHING THAT EXALTS

CHRIST, IT IS PREACHING THAT EDIFIES CHRISTIANS and…

C. IT IS PREACHING THAT EXPOSES SIN. The Church today must take a

strong stand against sin. The reason why sin is so rampant in our world

today not just in the world but also in the Church is because we have

allowed sin to go unchecked and unchallenged.

ILLUS: A little boy went to hear Moody preach. When he returned home one

of his little friends asked him what the great evangelist had preached

on. “Sin” was the reply. “Well” asked the friend, “what did he say

about it?” The boy said, “I can’t remember just what he said, but I

know one thing, he’s against it.”

Sin must be exposed and the preacher who will not or does not preach

against it is a shame to his calling!

WHAT MADE THEY EARLY CHURCH GREAT? : THEY HAD A GREAT PURPOSE, THEY HAD GREAT PREACHING and…

(3) THEY HAD GREAT POWER

ACTS 4:33a—“And with great power…”

A. THE SOURCE OF GREAT POWER. I want you to notice the words “great

power.” The word “power” here denotes “efficacy,” and means that they had

“ability” given them to bear witness of the resurrection of the Saviour.

(Albert Barnes. Albert Barnes’ Notes On The Bible. e-Sword. Version 7.8.5.

Copyright 2000-2007. Rick Meyers. All Rights Reserved Worldwide). The

Greek word is dunamis and from it we get our word dynamite. Where did

this great power come from? It came from the Lord (Acts 1:8). It was not

their power but God’s power!

B. THE SUSTAINING OF GREAT POWER. Those in the early Church were

filled with the Spirit and faithful in service. I want to notice Acts 4:31—

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were

assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they

spake the word of God with boldness.” This was not a "second Pentecost"

because there cannot be another Pentecost any more than there can be

another Calvary. It was a new filling of the Spirit to equip the believers to

serve the Lord and minister to the people. (Warren W. Wiersbe. Bible

Exposition Commentary - New Testament. WORDsearch 7.0. Copyright 2007.

WORDsearch Corp. All Rights Reserved). The power of God in the Church

is dependent upon four things:

• A CONVERTED MEMBERSHIP.

• A CLEAN MEMBERSHIP.

• A CONSISTENT WALK OR FAITHFULNESS.

• A CONTINUAL ASKING (Matthew 7:7-8).

Friends, to sustain the great power of God we must have these four things.

The question tonight then is, “do we have them? Can that be said of our

Church?”

WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT? : THEY HAD A GREAT PURPOSE, THEY HAD GREAT PREACHING, THEY HAD GREAT POWER and…

(4) THEY HAD GREAT PERSECUTION

ACTS 4:13-21—“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John,

and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.”

A. THEY WERE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH. Any Church or

individual that lives for Jesus and follows Him will face persecution (2

Timothy 2:12). I want you to notice what Acts 4:13 says—“Now when

they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were

unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of

them, that they had been with Jesus.” It was Peter and John’s faith that

moved them and manifested their love for Jesus in their lives. They

believed and their belief showed itself in their lives.

B. THEY WERE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THEIR FERVOR. Three times

in this chapter you will see the word boldness. It is found in vv. 13, 29,

and 31. The word means “frankness, assurance, confidence.” They had a

zeal for God. They were on fire for the Lord! Friends, that is what we need!

Bill Hybels said, “You can do more through a handful of totally devoted

believers than through a churchful of halfhearted ones.” (Bill Hybels

in Leadership, Vol. 10, no. 3. Today’s Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4.

Copyright (c) 1997 by Christianity Today, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files

Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved).

(5) THEY HAD GREAT PEOPLE

ACTS 4:32—“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart

and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.”

A. THEY HAD LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER. Jesus said in John 13:34-35—

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have

loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye

are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” V32 tells us—“And the

multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul…”. The

unity of these believers served as a powerful testimony. Someone has said,

“The height of our love for God will never exceed the depth of our love for

one another.” (Patrick Morley. Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 4. Today’s Best

Illustrations, Volumes 1-4. Copyright (c) 1997 by Christianity Today, Inc.

Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights

Reserved). One of the missing ingredients in many Churches today is real

love one for another. Many times we say the words but our actions do not

back up what we say. The members of the early Church truly loved one

another and it was evident in their care one for another. The multitude of

them that believed—The whole 5000, mentioned Acts 4:4, and probably

many others, who had been converted by the ministry of the other apostles

since that time. Were of one heart and of one soul—Were in a state of

the most perfect friendship and affection. In all the 5000 there appeared to

be but one heart and one soul; so perfectly did they agree in all their views,

religious opinions, and holy affections. (Adam Clarke. Adam Clarke's

Commentary. WORDsearch 7.0. Copyright 2007. WORDsearch Corp. All

Rights Reserved).

Wouldn’t it be great if that could be said of a Church today? Wouldn’t it be

great if that could be said of our Church?

B. THEY HAD SWEET FELLOWHIP. It tells us in Acts 2:42—“And they

continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in

breaking of bread, and in prayers.” In v46 of that same chapter we read—

“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking

bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness

of heart.” Even though the membership had grown to over 5000 the

fellowship among believers remained.

ILLUS: God does not want Christians to be nomads, hermits, or recluses …. In

the light of this truth it might be good if we gave up singing one of the

old spirituals:

On the Jericho Road,

There’s room for just two,

No more and no less,

Just Jesus and You.

Think about it. If that song is right, we had better get “off” the Jericho

Road. That is not the highway to glory because, as the New Testament

repeatedly discloses, the glory highway is broad enough to allow all of

God’s people to march along together. Side by side. (Vernon C.

Grounds in Radical Commitment. Christianity Today, Vol. 31, no. 17.

Today’s Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4. Copyright (c) 1997 by

Christianity Today, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright ©

2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved).

WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT? THEY HAD A GREAT PURPOSE, THEY HAD GREAT PREACHING, THEY HAD GREAT POWER, THEY HAD GREAT PERSECUTION, THEY HAD GREAT PEOPLE and…

(6) THEY HAD GREAT PRAISE

ACTS 2:47—“Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the

Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

A. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GREATNESS (Acts 4:23-29). I am

so happy tonight that we serve an awesome God. He is a God that can do

whatever He wants, whenever He want, Wherever He wants, and however

He wants. Romans 11:33-36 tells us—“O the depth of the riches both of

the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments,

and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or

who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be

recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are

all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

ILLUS: God is over all things, under all things, outside all; within but not

enclosed; without but not excluded; above but not raised up; below

but not depressed; wholly above, presiding; wholly beneath,

sustaining; wholly without, embracing; wholly within filling. (Hildebert

of Lavardin (11th century) in Epistles. Christianity Today, Vol. 35, no.

10. Today’s Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4. Copyright (c) 1997 by

Christianity Today, Inc. Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright ©

2005, QuickVerse. All rights reserved).

HE AND HE ALONE is worthy of praise!

B. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GRACE. It tells us in v33—“…

great grace was upon them all.” God’s grace had enabled them to become

the kind of Church which they had become. Friends, where would we be

without the grace of God? Revelation 5:12 says—“… Worthy is the Lamb

that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and

honor, and glory, and blessing.” Because of grace we who believe are saved

today. Because of grace we who believe can serve today. Because of grace

we who believe are satisfied today. And we praise Him tonight and say is,

“Thank you God for your grace!”

C. WE OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GOODNESS. God is so very good

to each and every one of us! And for that we ought to praise HIM!

Jeremiah 29:11 says—“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,

saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected

end.” God always has the best in mind for us in all things and He is

continually working to see His plans comes to pass. [God] is up to

something so big, so unimaginably good that your mind cannot contain it

…. What we see God doing is never as good as what we don’t see. (Ben

Patterson in Waiting. Christianity Today, Vol. 36, no. 11. Today’s Best

Illustrations, Volumes 1-4. Copyright (c) 1997 by Christianity Today, Inc.

Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 2005, QuickVerse. All rights

Reserved).

(7) THEY HAD GREAT PROMISES

LUKE 24:49—“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you:

but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

A. HOLY SPIRIT. They had waited in the upper room as the Lord commanded

and on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them. The

believers had prayed and God's Spirit had filled them and given them new

power. The church that depends on believing prayer will know the blessing

of the Holy Spirit in its ministry… The church is an organism that is held

together by life, and that life comes through the Holy Spirit... When the Holy

Spirit is at work, God's people will be united in their doctrinal beliefs, as

well as in fellowship, giving, and worship (Warren W. Wiersbe. Bible

Exposition Commentary - New Testament. WORDsearch 7.0. Copyright 2007.

WORDsearch Corp. All Rights Reserved).

B. HOPE. God has given to every believer “a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). This

cannot die, be destroyed, or defeated. It is the inheritance of every true

believer in Christ!

ILLUS: The Christian hope is the hope which has seen everything and endured

everything, and has still not despaired, because it believes in God. The

Christian hope is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in

human endurance, in human achievement; the Christian hope is hope

in the power of God. (William Barclay, The Letter to the Romans.

From Christianity Today, “Reflections” (10/25/99).

CLOSING: WHAT MADE THE EARLY CHURCH GREAT? THEY HAD A GREAT

PURPOSE, THEY HAD GREAT PREACHING, THEY HAD GREAT

POWER, THEY HAD GREAT PERSECUTION, THEY HAD GREAT

PEOPLE, THEY HAD GREAT PRAISE, and THEY HAD GREAT

PROMISES.

The question tonight is “Will we become a great Church?” We can!

When a Church is marked by loving unity and evangelistic zeal

then God’s blessings flow and that Church is on the road to

greatness!

Prepared by Brother Bryan L. Browning, Pastor of Beechmont Baptist Church, Beechmont, KY for Sunday Evening, August 12, 2007.

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