God continues to amaze me! What incredible services we had this past Sunday on "The Hill." The Spirit of God had free reign in both our AM and PM worship services. As the invitation was given Sunday morning, the altars were flooded. The leadership came and prayed for our church. The men came and prayed for their families. Others came and laid their burdens before the Lord. We had one come on profession of faith Sunday morning and one Sunday night. In our 11AM worship service, we had another sweet couple come and make BRVBC their church home. Welcome Jesse Evatt and Moriah Hughes... And congratulations on your upcoming wedding!
We continued our Sunday morning series on "The Church Ablaze" in the book of Acts, and our Sunday evening series, "Deeper." There is a sense of excitement and expectation in the air at BRV. With each passing Sunday, we are seeing God do incredible things and move in different ways! I can't wait to baptize 8 or 9 more this coming Sunday night!
Let me give you our AM and PM outlines for you to reflect upon this week:
AM Service
Series: "The Church Ablaze"
Subject: Early Church in Acts
Sermon: "Fire Power!" (3/7)
Scripture: Acts 4. 1-33
INTRODUCTION
*One of the most incredible passages in all of the Word of God on praying: Acts 4.31
I. WHERE THEY PRAYED (18,23)
A. In the Midst of Tribulation (18)
*There is something wrong with Christianity when Christians do not suffer tribulation in some form or another.
John 16.33
B. In the Midst of Persecution (23)
*Many times where TRIBULATION and PERSECUTION exist, revival also breaks out.
*Our Christian life will either attract or antagonize a watching world.
John 15.20
Matt. 5.12
II. HOW THEY PRAYED (24-25, 28-30)
$$ Statement: There is no greater force on earth than a praying church.
*3 aspects of their praying:
A. Unity (24)
*One church in one accord!!
B. Their View of God was Clear (24-25)
*They had a Biblical View of God!!
1. God of Sovereignty- "Lord, you are God..."
2. God of Prophecy- "who by the mouth of your servant David said..."
*quote Psalm 2 in their prayer
3. God of History (28)
C. They Prayed Big (29-30)
- They did not pray for little things. They desired revival. They desired for God to shake their world. And they did not compromise their message despite their circumstances!
III. WHAT HAPPENED IN RESPONSE TO THEIR PRAYING (31-33)
*2 things happened as a result of their praying:
A. The Church was Empowered to Minister (33)
*Could it be that the church today has no great power because we have no great prayer meetings?
*Thousands were saved and ministered to because they were operating in the power of the Holy Spirit!
B. The Church was Filled with Grace (33, 35)
"grace"- the love of God in action
*There was a conscious spirit of community- a caring and sharing that was extraordinary.
CONCLUSION
*God does not work in spite of us- He works through us, and He works in answer to prayer.
*The church's strength is not revealed in it's business meetings. It is revealed in it's prayer meetings.
*The early church's prayer meetings were demonstrations of how God's people should always pray.
PM Service
Series: "Deeper"
Subject: Deepening our Spiritual Roots
Sermon: "I Am a Church Member" (#2)
Scripture: Colossians 2.6-7; Hebrews 10.25
INTRODUCTION
QUESTION: After salvation, where do we start to deepen our spiritual roots?
ANSWER: In a local fellowship called the church. The church is essential to a deepening Christian life.
QUESTION: What is a church?
ANSWER: A group of saved, scripturally baptized followers of Christ
*What does it involve?
I. MEMBERSHIP
*There are no such things as spiritual gypsies. God wants His people deeply rooted in a fellowship of believers.
*You can be a christian without being a member of a church, but you cannot be an obedient one.
QUESTION: What kind of church should I join?
A. A Bible Preaching Church!
1. It Ought to be Preached Consistently (2Tim. 4.2)
2. It Ought to be Preached Courageously (2Tim. 4.2)
B. Where Jesus is the Main Attraction! (Eph. 5.23)
*Worship is not about me and it's not about you. It's about Jesus only.
"Just give me Jesus when I come to church!"
C. Where God's Spirit is Present! (Acts 2)
*There is nothing more sad and CONTRADICTORY than a dead church.
*The church you join should be alive with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
D. Where God's People are Passionate about His Work and Will (Acts 2.41-47)
II. COMPANIONSHIP (Hebrews 10.25)
*Church is a place of Christian fellowship.
A. The Assembling of the Fellowship (25)
*Christian are to attend faithfully the church to which they belong.
B. The Expectancy of the Fellowship (25)
*As we approach the coming of the Lord, assembling together as fellow believers becomes even more important ("so much more...")
C. The Encouragement from the Fellowship (25)
"exhort"- has the idea of comforting and encouraging one another (I Thes. 4)
*Assembling together as believers is important because we draw strength from the companionship and fellowship that we have with other christians!
III. STEWARDSHIP (Titus 1.7)
*The church is a place to serve. It is a place to be a good steward of our spiritual gifts.
*The Bible speaks of every Christian as being gifted to serve, therefore you need to:
A. Discover your Gift (1st Cor. 12.4)
*Spiritual gift is how God has equipped a believer to serve. You were not saved to sit. You were saved to serve.
B. Employ your Gift- Put it to work!!!
*The church needs your service, but greater than that. you need to be serving.
AGAIN: You were not saved to sit. You were saved to serve.
CONCLUSION
*In order to deepen our spiritual roots, we need to be a part of a church. Our Membership, Companionship and Stewardship are all part of our spiritual growth.
Until Next Time,
Bro. Pastor
Eph. 3.20
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