When the Church Doesn't Work, Acts 2:42-47,
Rickey Primrose, 2/15/15
The church only works when the people of
Christ continue the work of Christ by the power of Christ. As you look at this
passage you see that it becomes an unstoppable force when it works properly.
External forces begin to come against the church here but the church grows even
more. The only thing that can stop the church is the church itself. There are
three internal diseases that harm the church.
The church will not work when hypocrisy replaces
humility – Acts 5:1-6
We see at the end of Acts 4 that no one is
commanding them to support the church. No one is forcing them to sell their
property. Their sin was pretending to be someone they were not. They were
frightened that others would think they were less spiritual so they told the
church they were giving more. The response was dramatic to show that the church
wouldn’t grow with hypocrisy in its midst. This is often manifested when we
refuse to share our struggles and put on a mask so that we won’t feel shame. We
are all broken yet we act as if we are unbroken. The solution is humility and
confession.
The church will not work when self-centeredness
replaces Christ-centeredness – Acts 6:1
“…the disciples were increasing in number…”
Change is a natural result of growth. Selfishness often follows change because
many times our expectations and preferences may not change with the growth. “We
were here first and our widows needs should be met first.” Two options in
regards to the complaints here: they could be seeing controversy where there is
none or, it could be, that there is actual favoritism taking place. Either way
the disease is the same – self-centeredness. There is only one cure – Christ-centeredness.
The answer is not horizontal, focusing on others needs, but vertical, focusing
on Christ. The key to unity is focusing on Jesus. We don’t come as consumers of
church but “consumers” of God.
The church will not work when apathy
replaces passion – Acts 2:42
This may be the most dangerous of all.
Everything in these verses, and throughout, talks of their passion. You could
call them a lot of things but never apathetic. They “devoted themselves” – they
weren't complacent. To them, church was not a “category” of life that occurred
on Sundays. It was the organizing piece of their lives. They didn't make it fit
with their lives. They made their life fit with the ministry of the church.
They waged war on the disease of apathy.
Is there any attitude in my heart that can
potentially keep this church from working?