Final Part (IV) - Marks of Those Who Bear the Good News
MARK 4 - THE GOOD NEWS AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. Acts 4:23
Passage: Acts 4:23-35
INTRODUCTION: The mark of a being a member of the Church is not a mean mark of one bearing the Gospel. Many people have gone out of the Church because the Church degenerated to the point where it had lost her submission to the Lordship of Jesus and become just a social club. Such well-meaning people went out after giving several warnings to the body of believers they belonged to. The Holy Spirit vindicated these people’s revival of the Church with ample demonstration of His presence, especially in the three areas we have already discussed: BOLDNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND DEMONSTRATION OF DEPENDENCE ON THE GRACE OF GOD. Meanwhile many others have left the church at the slightest provocation or no provocation at all. Many have become apostates, teaching their own doctrines, and sometimes starting religions that eventually turn out to be nothing that the Lord Jesus died for at all. Our warning this morning is that if you are looking for the Good News, do not follow anyone who claims that the whole Church of Jesus Christ is so bad that he or she alone is the appointed one, and he is starting a new one.
BACKGROUND: Shortly after the ascension of Jesus, the Apostles John and Peter (very key members of the 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus) had performed a miracle: a congenitally crippled man had been healed. They had taken opportunity of the attention drawn and preached that the power of the Name of Jesus had healed the cripple. Many people had come believe in the name of Jesus. The Jewish leaders who had rejected and killed Jesus arrested, and unsuccessfully threatened them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. As soon as they were released, these two key apostles head for the body of believers at their usual gathering place. This apparently routine move underlines the need for a bearer of the good news to be identified with the body of believers. Here are five key reasons:
The Need for Belonging to the Body of Believers
1. PRAYER SUPPORT: And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord.
The Lord instituted intercession as a source of divine intervention and strength for the believers.
a. He himself interceded for the Church and continues to do so on behalf of all people who come to Him
b. He interceded for Peter
c. Paul the Apostle asked for the believers to pray for him
d. Subsequently, when Peter was arrested again the Church interceded for him and God granted his release thereby.
This valuable source of strength was purposely instituted so that no single member of the church would be so puffed up to deny his need for the others. Therefore it is lost to those who go it alone and they soon wither and die. Beware of those who do not need anybody to support them in prayer!
2. COMMON CHALLENGE: And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word
It is within the body of believers that the main purpose of the Church is brought into focus, that is to bring all people to the saving knowledge if Jesus. The common challenge of the church is thereby identified – BOLDNESS AND STRENGTH TO CARRY ON THE GREAT COMMISSION! Once people begin to go solo they identify with and sometimes cook up a whole lot of other agenda. Some strange agenda have come up from those who went out to preach about Jesus but are not from the body of believers:
a. To become Jesus or special prophets to tribes and languages
b. To destroy and bring curses on all those who do not believe or follow them
c. To fight demons and witches
d. To set up parallel communities and political systems
e. To become healers and alternative medical and consultative centers.
They forget soon that none of the above was the priority agenda of Jesus, as pursuit of such agenda outside the church setting eventually turn people away from Jesus and therefore jeopardize their souls. Our warning this morning is beware of those who come in the name of the Lord, but walk alone or are their sole authority – the Lord has not sent them! The Apostle John sounds a very strong warning about such people, calling them antichrists in 1 John 2:18 and 19:
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
If you are thinking about leaving the church to start your own, ponder over this carefully.
Beware of those who consider other needs of higher value than the priority of preaching the Good News with Boldness!
3. LESS QUESTIONABLE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE COMMUNITY: 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.
The move of the Holy Spirit is extraordinary and has the potential to raise several questions in the minds of people who do not know Him. This may lead to their outright rejection for fear that evil spirits or tricks or some other foul means may be involved. Whenever His manifestation is in single individuals only, even as in the case of Jesus, it has provoked blasphemy! When he moves in a body of believers he brings wonder and acceptance. Time and again therefore, it is when the body of believers is together that the Holy Spirit prefers to move mightily. Many people experience the presence of the Lord together and go out testifying about Him. Loners, who may even truly have the Holy Spirit, risk provoking blasphemy against him that will condemn their hearers for eternity! Beware of those who claim unique supernatural powers and are alone! They might not have come from God!
4. MATERIAL SUPPORT AND COMFORT: And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold
It is not the design of Jesus that those that represent Him should go begging from unbelievers, yet He did not institute a manna system. Rather He taught His disciples to have full sustenance through sharing. Resources for ministry are therefore obtained through the common pool of believers’ offerings and sacrifices. Thus the body of Christ is catered for and grows. Loners soon find out that they risk bringing the name of the Lord into disrepute by falling on hard times, and needing to resort to shameful soliciting and fraudulent dealings. Beware of those who come begging in the name of the Lord! The body of believers is willing to support their own to propagate the gospel any day. Apostates they will not support! We do not need to beg from those who do not have the same faith as ourselves. It is a very wrong signal that tells them that we are not catered for by the one who sent us!
5. AUTHORITY SYSTEM THAT BRINGS CHECKS: And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Among the body of believers is an authority system that helps the called to stay on course. There is a reverence for those who were called first. When there is a disagreement that does not bother on the core of the ministry of Christ, they are deferred to. Paul, though an apostle to the gentiles, was in the habit of referring practical issues to the first apostles of Jesus, the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem. They managed to harmonize Christian practice among Jewish and Gentile believers, as difficult as those cultural issues were, and therefore remained in fellowship for life, keeping the church together! Peter himself deferred to the presbyter at Jerusalem, which appears to have been headed by James. Such adherence to the authority system tin the Church in no small way contributed to the harmony of the Scriptures that we now have as the New Testament. If the called were in the habit of abandoning apostolic authority at the slightest point of disagreement, where would the church be today? Beware of those who come without any authority from those appointed ahead of them by the Lord! Beware of those whom no one can call to account!
Call
Beloved, this ends our series on We Have The Good News, that the Lord has led us through for the past four weeks. We have explained that it is not all those who come in the name of Jesus that you should receive as coming from Him. You should check them out, as He Himself said by their fruit you shall know them. We used the fruit exhibited by the apostles Peter and John that the Holy Spirit vindicated in every way to point out that you should look out for these qualities in the true followers of Jesus, the Lord of the Good News:
• The Boldness of their declaration of the Good News that only Jesus Saves
• Their Blameless lifestyles
• Their Demonstration of Absolute Dependence on the Grace of God
• Their Fellowship with the body of Believers
This discussion has been a two-edged one:
1. One to those who want more than a positive change in your lives. For those looking for eternal life, do not settle for anything less accepting Jesus Christ, who alone makes living the life we have outlined above possible. He will give you rest indeed.
2. For those who live to serve Christ, do not compromise on any of the four Scriptural marks of the bearers of the good news, otherwise you will not be effective. Moreover, avoid moves and practices that will cause you to lead people away from Jesus: Be willing to preach the Word with boldness. Allow your lifestyle to be cleansed by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Rely completely on the Grace of God and Remain the Christian Fellowship.
The Lord will bless you for hearing His Word. Amen
And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. Acts 4:23
Passage: Acts 4:23-35
INTRODUCTION: The mark of a being a member of the Church is not a mean mark of one bearing the Gospel. Many people have gone out of the Church because the Church degenerated to the point where it had lost her submission to the Lordship of Jesus and become just a social club. Such well-meaning people went out after giving several warnings to the body of believers they belonged to. The Holy Spirit vindicated these people’s revival of the Church with ample demonstration of His presence, especially in the three areas we have already discussed: BOLDNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND DEMONSTRATION OF DEPENDENCE ON THE GRACE OF GOD. Meanwhile many others have left the church at the slightest provocation or no provocation at all. Many have become apostates, teaching their own doctrines, and sometimes starting religions that eventually turn out to be nothing that the Lord Jesus died for at all. Our warning this morning is that if you are looking for the Good News, do not follow anyone who claims that the whole Church of Jesus Christ is so bad that he or she alone is the appointed one, and he is starting a new one.
BACKGROUND: Shortly after the ascension of Jesus, the Apostles John and Peter (very key members of the 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus) had performed a miracle: a congenitally crippled man had been healed. They had taken opportunity of the attention drawn and preached that the power of the Name of Jesus had healed the cripple. Many people had come believe in the name of Jesus. The Jewish leaders who had rejected and killed Jesus arrested, and unsuccessfully threatened them to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. As soon as they were released, these two key apostles head for the body of believers at their usual gathering place. This apparently routine move underlines the need for a bearer of the good news to be identified with the body of believers. Here are five key reasons:
The Need for Belonging to the Body of Believers
1. PRAYER SUPPORT: And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord.
The Lord instituted intercession as a source of divine intervention and strength for the believers.
a. He himself interceded for the Church and continues to do so on behalf of all people who come to Him
b. He interceded for Peter
c. Paul the Apostle asked for the believers to pray for him
d. Subsequently, when Peter was arrested again the Church interceded for him and God granted his release thereby.
This valuable source of strength was purposely instituted so that no single member of the church would be so puffed up to deny his need for the others. Therefore it is lost to those who go it alone and they soon wither and die. Beware of those who do not need anybody to support them in prayer!
2. COMMON CHALLENGE: And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word
It is within the body of believers that the main purpose of the Church is brought into focus, that is to bring all people to the saving knowledge if Jesus. The common challenge of the church is thereby identified – BOLDNESS AND STRENGTH TO CARRY ON THE GREAT COMMISSION! Once people begin to go solo they identify with and sometimes cook up a whole lot of other agenda. Some strange agenda have come up from those who went out to preach about Jesus but are not from the body of believers:
a. To become Jesus or special prophets to tribes and languages
b. To destroy and bring curses on all those who do not believe or follow them
c. To fight demons and witches
d. To set up parallel communities and political systems
e. To become healers and alternative medical and consultative centers.
They forget soon that none of the above was the priority agenda of Jesus, as pursuit of such agenda outside the church setting eventually turn people away from Jesus and therefore jeopardize their souls. Our warning this morning is beware of those who come in the name of the Lord, but walk alone or are their sole authority – the Lord has not sent them! The Apostle John sounds a very strong warning about such people, calling them antichrists in 1 John 2:18 and 19:
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
If you are thinking about leaving the church to start your own, ponder over this carefully.
Beware of those who consider other needs of higher value than the priority of preaching the Good News with Boldness!
3. LESS QUESTIONABLE MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE COMMUNITY: 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.
The move of the Holy Spirit is extraordinary and has the potential to raise several questions in the minds of people who do not know Him. This may lead to their outright rejection for fear that evil spirits or tricks or some other foul means may be involved. Whenever His manifestation is in single individuals only, even as in the case of Jesus, it has provoked blasphemy! When he moves in a body of believers he brings wonder and acceptance. Time and again therefore, it is when the body of believers is together that the Holy Spirit prefers to move mightily. Many people experience the presence of the Lord together and go out testifying about Him. Loners, who may even truly have the Holy Spirit, risk provoking blasphemy against him that will condemn their hearers for eternity! Beware of those who claim unique supernatural powers and are alone! They might not have come from God!
4. MATERIAL SUPPORT AND COMFORT: And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold
It is not the design of Jesus that those that represent Him should go begging from unbelievers, yet He did not institute a manna system. Rather He taught His disciples to have full sustenance through sharing. Resources for ministry are therefore obtained through the common pool of believers’ offerings and sacrifices. Thus the body of Christ is catered for and grows. Loners soon find out that they risk bringing the name of the Lord into disrepute by falling on hard times, and needing to resort to shameful soliciting and fraudulent dealings. Beware of those who come begging in the name of the Lord! The body of believers is willing to support their own to propagate the gospel any day. Apostates they will not support! We do not need to beg from those who do not have the same faith as ourselves. It is a very wrong signal that tells them that we are not catered for by the one who sent us!
5. AUTHORITY SYSTEM THAT BRINGS CHECKS: And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Among the body of believers is an authority system that helps the called to stay on course. There is a reverence for those who were called first. When there is a disagreement that does not bother on the core of the ministry of Christ, they are deferred to. Paul, though an apostle to the gentiles, was in the habit of referring practical issues to the first apostles of Jesus, the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem. They managed to harmonize Christian practice among Jewish and Gentile believers, as difficult as those cultural issues were, and therefore remained in fellowship for life, keeping the church together! Peter himself deferred to the presbyter at Jerusalem, which appears to have been headed by James. Such adherence to the authority system tin the Church in no small way contributed to the harmony of the Scriptures that we now have as the New Testament. If the called were in the habit of abandoning apostolic authority at the slightest point of disagreement, where would the church be today? Beware of those who come without any authority from those appointed ahead of them by the Lord! Beware of those whom no one can call to account!
Call
Beloved, this ends our series on We Have The Good News, that the Lord has led us through for the past four weeks. We have explained that it is not all those who come in the name of Jesus that you should receive as coming from Him. You should check them out, as He Himself said by their fruit you shall know them. We used the fruit exhibited by the apostles Peter and John that the Holy Spirit vindicated in every way to point out that you should look out for these qualities in the true followers of Jesus, the Lord of the Good News:
• The Boldness of their declaration of the Good News that only Jesus Saves
• Their Blameless lifestyles
• Their Demonstration of Absolute Dependence on the Grace of God
• Their Fellowship with the body of Believers
This discussion has been a two-edged one:
1. One to those who want more than a positive change in your lives. For those looking for eternal life, do not settle for anything less accepting Jesus Christ, who alone makes living the life we have outlined above possible. He will give you rest indeed.
2. For those who live to serve Christ, do not compromise on any of the four Scriptural marks of the bearers of the good news, otherwise you will not be effective. Moreover, avoid moves and practices that will cause you to lead people away from Jesus: Be willing to preach the Word with boldness. Allow your lifestyle to be cleansed by the Word and the Holy Spirit. Rely completely on the Grace of God and Remain the Christian Fellowship.
The Lord will bless you for hearing His Word. Amen
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