LEARNING DAILY

Acts 2:42, And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.

Pastor Hutch Kufahl filled the pulpit over the weekend at Community Bible Church; his message was about the Church (capital C) meaning the Church built upon Jesus Christ. He said in the first Church, mentioned in Acts 2:42-47, that there were no denominations, no buildings, were unified in their beliefs and met together to receive teaching from the apostles.

 A.W. Tozer wrote this about the Church. “The true Church is a spiritual phenomenon appearing in human society and intermingling with it to some degree but differing from it sharply in certain vital characteristics. It is composed of regenerated persons who differ from other human beings in that they have a superior kind of life imparted to them at the time of their inward renewal. They are children of God in a sense not true of any other created beings. Their origin is divine and their citizenship is in heaven. They worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh. They constitute a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.”

Do you look at yourself as a Believer in this way? The true Church is made up of those who “desire to grow, are committed, and are all in” (Pastor Kufahl) in their walk with Jesus Christ on the narrow way. The early Church spent time together. The people shared meals together. They were united in their prayers before God as they worshipped and presented their needs to Him. As Believers they came together to be devout followers of the one who saved them from their sinful way of life. The result was being changed in the way they lived their lives. They lived lives in obedience to the teachings of the Lord as taught by the apostles. They were taught to live triumphant lives in the face of being rejected by their society who did not understand them. Because of their faithful living, “God added to the Church daily those who were being saved” (verse 47).

There is the True Church that is made up of those committed to walking the narrow way, to growing in their faith and facing the challenges of daily life by choosing to do God’s way. The True Church knows they do not have to face life alone; they gather together sharing their needs and the provisions God has given them to help others. Pastor Kufahl stated, “When you surround yourself with devoted followers of Jesus Christ, your life will change”. If you have done this, I believe you can testify to the change you have seen in your life.

However, there is also another group that calls themselves the church. They are those who show up to church in order to be seen, believing their business will flourish because they will be seen as honest and good. The church is made up of those who do not look different from any other worldly person who is prideful, self-centered, more concerned about being seen than worshipping the Lord and receiving from the Word of God. You know the church I am writing about!

People are drawn to the light of Jesus in you as you are part of the True Church. It is called to have the same heart as the early Church described by Paul in the book of Acts. The Church today needs to be where the gospel of Jesus Christ is lived and equipped to do what He desires to accomplish. The Church must be where this gospel is the center of all it does for without this gospel there is only a church. The Church must be where the true followers of Jesus Christ gather to worship Him and His Word as it is explained. It is then that the power of God will begin to show up!