WE ARE THE CHURCH: Where Growth is Visible (Acts 2, 4, and 9) Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on August 23, 2020)

 WE ARE THE CHURCH: Where Growth is Visible (Acts 2:40-41, 46-47; 4:4, and 9:31) - August 23, 2020

INTRODUCTION‬

We are the church where growth is visible.

According to Barna Research Group, only 35% of Americans attend church weekly. This is further supported by a statistic from The Malphurs Group, that states 84% of churches are declining or plateauing.

“With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

‭‭ Acts‬ ‭2:40-41‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:46-47‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:28-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. THE DECISION IS VISIBLE - (Acts 2)

The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done, and begged the king's forgiveness. Why did you suffer this pain in silence, the Saint wanted to know. The king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual."

Source Unknown

    A. Baptism

        1. Response to accepting the message.

        2. Public visibility

    B. Community

        1. Met in temple courts

        2. Met in homes

        3. Enjoyed the favor of all the people

    C. Increase in numbers

II. THE FAITH IS VISIBLE - (Acts 4)

Britain's King George V was to give the opening address at a special disarmament conference, with the speech relayed by radio to the U.S. As the broadcast was about to begin, a cable broke in the New York radio station, and more than a million listeners were left without sound. A junior mechanic in the station, Harold Vivien, solved the problem by picking up both ends of the cable and allowing 250 volts of electricity to pass through him.  He was the living link that allowed the king's message to get through.

Warren Wiersbe, Prokope, July-August, 1988, p. 3

    A. Faith in light of fear

    B. Growth in the midst of persecution

        1. Belief

        2. Decisions in light of arrests

    C. Increase in numbers

III. THE CHANGE IS VISIBLE - (Acts 9)

    A. Peace

    B. Greater strength

    C. Increase in numbers

        1. Living in the fear of the Lord

        2. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are read by more than a few, 

but the one that is most read and commented on is the gospel according to you.

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day by the things that you do

and the words that you say, men read what you write, whether faithless or true, 

Say, what is the gospel according to you?

Do men read His truth and His love in your life, 

Or has yours been too full of malice and strife?

Does your life speak of evil, or does it ring true?

Say, what is the gospel according to you?

Arthur McPhee

CHALLENGE

Write down 3 ways to make your faith visible. Choose one way this week to demonstrate to your “community” that you are a follower of Jesus.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I would be honored to speak with you in the upper parking lot following the service about what God is doing in your life.