Acts 2 - The Church W2

Family living – Opener: Other than your spouse, who do you have the closest relationship with and why? Me- My son Tim. We have just wrapped up a remodeling project on his house and we spent a lot of time together working on the house. Along the way, we got to share our thoughts about all that is happening in his life, and his dreams and thoughts about the future. It has really been awesome.

Defining Characteristics of the Church – They operated like a family.

Acts 2: The first of the early church V37-47 

In V42 – What were the 4 activities they were doing?

o   Devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching

o   Fellowship

o   Breaking of bread

o   Prayer

We still do these today. Our’s is not exactly like their’s.

How is our teaching and learning different from what they did in Acts 2?

Do you think the sense of fellowship in the Act 2 church was stronger than it is in our church? Why?

V43 says that everyone kept feeling a sense of awe. Is there anything about Fellowship Bible Church that makes you feel a sense of awe?  

V 46 – talks about how they continued with one mind. How did they maintain this fantastic unity? Met day by day, had things in common, met each other’s needs, ate together, were sincere of heart, praised God.

Are those things that would help us maintain our unity? Why (each one)?

This passage sounds a lot like it is describing a family.

Challenge: This week – think of ways that you can treat your brothers and sisters in Christ as true family. Find ways to overcome the barriers that separate us, time, location, whatever, and act as though you are actually as close as a sister or brother or other family member to your fellow believers.

Matthew 16, 1 Peter 2 - The Church W1

Over the next few weeks we are going to take a look at the Church. I have selected some passages of scripture that talk about the early church and some of the defining characteristics of the church. 

Before we look at a few verses I’d like to know:

What comes to your mind when you hear “The Church”?

Greek Terms 1577 ekklēsía(from 1537 /ek, "out from and to" and 2564 /kaléō, "to call") , people called out from the world and to God - Ecclesiology – The Study of the Church

2 Key sections of scripture that describe the foundation of the Church.

Matthew 16:13-19 

Peter in his letter to various congregations, talks about this ROCK in some detail.

1 Peter 2:1-12 

(2-4 is a reference to Isaiah 28:16 – and refers to the messiah.)

Jesus, Peter, and Isaiah all used the image of a stone or rock in building the church. Do you think of a Rock when you think of church (Solid, strong, heavy – or something fragile and frail?)

We are going to talk more about the purpose of the church later, but I don’t want to overlook one of the key purposes of the church that Peter mentions in V9.

 What is the purpose he identifies? so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light

Many of the things that distinguish the church are things that will allow us to proclaim His excellencies.

One of the defining characteristics that allow us to Proclaim His excellencies is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The church began on the day of Pentecost, (which we will talk about later) when people repented and were baptized in Jesus name, and received the Holy Spirit. On that day, the thing that united believers was the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 

This passage talks about how all these different people all formed one body.

This application of this passage should not be restricted to the believers at Corinth, where they were dealing with Jews and Greeks. It can also equally apply to the Universal Church, meaning all believers from Pentecost to the Rapture. We can also apply it to Fellowship Bible Church.

What are some of the differences we see among people in our church?

How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in this church to unify us into one body?

Does having a church with so many different kinds of people “proclaim His excellencies”?

Challenge: Think about how the Holy Spirit gives us something in-common with each other and unites us in the purpose of “proclaiming His Excellencies” – Expand that out to believers who are in other churches/denominations and look for ways to “Proclaim His Excellencies” in concert with other Christians.

Nehemiah 13 - Remember Me

One prayer that is repeated throughout the book of Nehemiah is the prayer to “Remember Me”. Nehemiah usually prays this prayer after leading some important reform. The two examples we are going to look at today are in Chapter 13.

Tithes Restored 10-14

Sabbath Restored 15-22

Chapter 13 gives one more example of this same type of prayer and concludes with the same prayer in v31. At first glance these prayers may seem sort of self-serving. What do you make of this prayer?

·         They are personal Prayers that demonstrate a personal relationship between God and Nehemiah (my God).

·         V22 acknowledges that Nehemiah is relying on God’s love as He considers Nehemiah’s actions.

                

2 Quotes:

Carl Haak – Radio Preacher:

Nehemiah’s dependency upon God also meant that Nehemiah anticipated the day when the record of earth’s deeds would be publicly revealed.  “Remember me then.  Remember me when the books are opened and all the deeds of men are revealed; when the works of men (and the motives behind those works) are made plain; when all is opened for all to know; when my life and my work will publicly be reviewed in that day; when everything comes out (even that which was done in secret).  Lord, remember me then in Thy grace and love.”  Your days and my days must pass before the review of the Almighty.  Our work in the church, the home, in marriage, wherever we have been will be reviewed in that day.  It shall be revealed in that day before all.

David Fraser –Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

The average Hebrew wanted to be remembered for reputation, success in this life, and justice. To be remembered by the Lord was to have one's reputation favorably remembered by the community. Nehemiah was a eunuch with no children to carry on his name. When he died there was no one to continue his family. Isaiah 56:4-5 promised: "Thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which shall not be cut off."

Nehemiah wanted this promise to be fulfilled for him. To put it bluntly, he was praying for renown. In our status-seeking, fame-lusting generation, this kind of prayer has become almost the epitome of the anti-Christ. Yet here it is. And he could pray it because of what he stood for: the unadulterated worship of God. He knew the chief end of man was to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Strangely enough, that was the reason he could pray for his own repute.

Nehemiah knew that God would remember his life on earth. He knew that God would remember what he did for the Kingdom. His prayers seem to emphasize to God those times when he was faithful in doing what God led him to do. 

If you were to pray this prayer what would you be emphasizing to God? Your efforts in witnessing, teaching, leading, nurturing, praying, giving, What would you want to be remembered for?

Nehemiah 9

Nehemiah 9:1-38 the longest recorded prayer in the Bible

We are going to break it down and look at some of the parts.

9:1-4 Getting Ready

.

What did the sons of Israel do to get ready for this prayer?

o   Separated themselves

o   Fasted

o   Wore sackcloth and dirt

o   Stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers

o   Read from the book of the law

o   MORE confessed and worshipped the Lord

How do you get ready to pray?

How much of your preparation involves confession of sin? Do you avoid the issue?

Praising God       9:5-8

Look for phrases that describe God’s character and/or actions that demonstrate who He is.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah, said, “Arise, bless the Lord your God forever and ever! O may Your glorious name be blessed And exalted above all blessing and praise! ⁶ “You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. ⁷ “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram And brought him out from Ur of the Chaldees, And gave him the name Abraham. ⁸ “You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give him the land of the Canaanite, Of the Hittite and the Amorite, Of the Perizzite, the Jebusite and the Girgashite— To give it to his descendants. And You have fulfilled Your promise, For You are righteous.

What are some of the ways that God was praised in this prayer?

How does praising God in prayer impact you?

The outcome – Commitment

V9-37 is a narrative that recounts the history of what happened from the time Israel was liberated from slavery in Egypt to the time of Nehemiah. The prayer acknowledges that the exile and slavery was a result of their own sin. Then in V38 they decide to commit in writing to change their ways.

9:38 Now because of all this We are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our leaders, our Levites and our priests.”

Chapter 10:1-27 lists the leaders who signed the contract.

10:28-39 lists all the stuff that Israel is committing to do.

            Keep the law

            Observe the Sabbath

            Supply the money to support the temple

            Make the offerings for sin, peace, etc.

            Not neglect the house of God

This prayer is remarkable in several ways.

            It is long        

            It has a description of God’s actions

            It resulted in a written contract

            It impacted all of Israel

Have you ever heard the saying “Prayer changes things”?

Do your prayers result in any discernable change in you?

Our prayers often include a long list of stuff we are asking God to do, but how often do they include a list of what we will commit to do?

Would your prayers be different if for everything you asked God to do, you committed to do something too?

All of Israel promised to do a long list of things – In writing.

I hesitate to commit to do things because I know that I am weak and may not be able to keep my promise. What is better, promising to do or not do something, and failing, or not promising to do (or not do) something in the first place?

Nehemiah 6

Toll Booth – Have you been through a toll booth lately? I ran one in Wisconsin last month.

You zip in and zip out – Quick.

Today we are going to talk about another type of quick encounter – the one line prayer.

Nehemiah 2:4-5 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

Sanballat was giving Nehemiah all manner of grief.

Nehemiah 6:5-9  Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. ⁶ In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. ⁷ You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” ⁸ Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.” ⁹ For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

New Testament Reference if Needed

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ¹⁶ Rejoice always; ¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Under what kind of circumstances do you invoke the one-line prayer?

I usually pray for strength when I don’t know what to pray for. What are some other common short prayers? Be with me or someone else, Help me or someone else, ?

Nehemiah’s prayer in 6:9 asking for strength is in response to an attack from Sanballat et al. I think it is interesting that Nehemiah’s prayer in this passage is about his own strength, not about others.

What are some of the normal responses you see from people who are facing lies and false accusations? They lash out – they may fight back – they may challenge the liar – they may pray!

The short, one sentence prayer is used in a few other places in this book. 5:19, 13:14, and 13:30 are also short prayers. What are some examples of times when we should think, “Now is the time for a quick prayer”? When we realize that we should be thankful, When we see something that we clearly cannot fix, when we see God’s Glory (in nature or in circumstances).

Nehemiah 2

God’s answer to Nehemiah’s prayer:

Nehemiah had spent days (1:4) weeping, mourning, fasting, and praying. From the passage we will read this morning, he also spent some of that time planning. As we read Chapter 2, look for evidence that Nehemiah had a plan together before he ever had an opportunity to speak to the King.

Read Nehemiah 2:1-8  

Is there any evidence that Nehemiah had already thought through what he might need prior to his audience with the King? Letters, Timber.

Nehemiah prayed for success. God answered his prayer and granted him success before the King. What do you suppose might have happened if Nehemiah had prayed that God would miraculously restore the wall without any human hands touching it, so that God would receive all the glory?

READ Nehemiah 2:11-16   

In V12 Nehemiah says that God was putting into his mind what he should do for Jerusalem. How can you tell if something that comes to your mind is from God or from somewhere else? Scripture, wise council, circumstances.

Is there a way to know how much of a given task I should do with my hands and how much of it I should wait for God to do through whatever means He chooses?

Nehemiah prayed to God but he also listened. When God spoke, Nehemiah acted. This passage challenges me to be sure that God is with me, but to do my part in the work as well.

Nehemiah 1 Prayers of Nehemiah

Praise – V5 Great and Awesome God

No Thanksgiving.

Confession – V6 Confessing the sins of the sons of Israel (acted corruptly, not kept the commandments

Intercession – 9-11  Gather His people to the place where he had chosen to cause His name to dwell

Supplication – V6 Be attentive V11 make your servant successful

Look for these parts of prayer. As we read chapter 1.

READ the CHAPTER.

What turn of events caused Nehemiah to pray?

Do you ever go days or weeks without praying? Why do people sometimes view prayer as a last resort?

Let’s see if we can identify some prayer parts in this chapter –

                See list above.

Nehemiah was very specific in this prayer. 

What sins did he list in his confession? Who had sinned?

Nehemiah’s last request in this prayer was for success. Why do you think he was able to pray so boldly?

Do you pray for success in your endeavors or do you stop short?

 Is there a way to be confident that the success we are seeking is in harmony with God’s will?