Week of Meetings 04 1 John 1:

The Book of Acts, chapter two, please. We should thank the Lord for this beautiful chapel. I'm just sitting, thinking here, too.

Men, God raised us up with all different abilities and gifts. You think of Brother Harvey, the ability and gift God has given him to plan such beautiful buildings around the state. Or Satellite Beach in Orlando, down in North Palm, Lake Howell in Gainesville.

Now here, thank the Lord a man has these abilities and will use them for him. Let's just read from Acts to just two or three verses at the beginning and then we'll jump down to the end of the chapter. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind. And it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them offerings. Verse fourteen, verse twelve, by the way, just the last little place in verse twelve. What meaneth this? Verse fourteen, but Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell in Judea, be this known unto you, and hearken unto my words.

Now verse forty-one, Peter in preaching. Now we see the effect of his preaching. They that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by them. And all that believed were together, and that all things common.

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

May the Lord bless to us the reading from his holy word. Now in these last verses we have what we might speak about the marks of a healthy church conditionally. The book of Acts is a transitional book, and you cannot really build doctrine, church doctrine, but you certainly can get what the spiritual tune of a spiritually conditioned church should be like from the book of Acts.

And that's what we have here. Imagine the Old Testament, the Spirit of God came, the glory of the Lord came and filled the tapernacle. Later on when King Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

Then because of Israel's unfaithfulness, the glory departed. Then we see in a sense where the glory turned and abode, came upon the Lord Jesus and abode. And then he promised when I, you wait, you'll tell me here, he told them before he went up.

Then you're going to be endued with power from on high. And here we read it in Acts chapter 2. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, the Spirit of God came as the mighty rushing wind. And he filled the house, and he filled the disciples collectively and individually.

Now we know that the real house of the Lord now is when they're gathered together collectively as a local expression of testimony. Ye are the temple of the Holy Spirit, says Paul to the Corinthians. We are the temple, we are the place where he truly abides.

But this afternoon we are also dedicating this building where the temple dwells, where they meet together as we're here for worship and fellowship, for the study of the word and expression. And I'd like to speak for a little while on the condition of the, what the condition of this church should be to really see the blessing of the Lord. The early church, you know, they enjoyed such blessing from the Lord.

And this is something that they'd like to touch about, to touch on. You know, Peter, mighty vessel of the Lord, I don't know how many of us would ever have thought of him. Because the Lord knew his heart, and the Lord used Peter.

After the Spirit of God came and filled these, and all these gathered there for the feast of Pentecost. Which, by the way, Pentecost means fifty. It took, say, fifty days after the resurrection, fulfillment of what you have in the biblical text there.

After the waving of the first sheep, then you have the feast of Pentecost. And here on that day of Pentecost, and now they're all gathered because here, in verse twelve, In contrast to the Old Testament. And thank God the eleven stood up with him.

That's a wonderful thing, brethren. I might say here's one. They were praying with him.

He had all their support. And he stood up, and then he lifted up his voice. System, but he had one building.

That's preaching in a power. Peter was preaching in a power. And if you look down to this, he preaches in fulfillment of these.

He preaches the word. He preaches the word with power. He's standing up, and he's preaching directly to this audience.

He says, Hear, O house of Israel. He was a direct herald of the cross. He didn't preach along with people, during the day, people.

He preached about the healing of people. And when Peter really preached that, he brought something. And then he preached straight down the line.

Then he told them to repent. He told them about forgiveness of sins through faith in the Lord Jesus. He spoke about them receiving the Holy Spirit.

He told them to be baptized. He really preached to them through the word of God. Thank God they received the message.

And the Lord added. No, it wasn't the Lord that added. It wasn't Peter.

The Lord added the souls. About 3,000. And what kind of people? I want to say one thing.

They were all saved. There were people that really, they were obedient to the word. They were baptized after they were saved.

And then it goes on. We want to just jump down to verse 42. And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine.

And you kind of think of breaking. And we really come and we break the loaf. The agony that he passed through.

You can pray, but you can't worship. That being taken up with them, they worshiped him. And I trust that you saints use this beautiful building here.

This place. The Father's looking for worshipers. And oh, so often we come home.

I say worship. They were worshiping too. They continued steadfastly.

They studied. They studied the word of God. And mark you well.

Any of us know that have watched Christians. It must be. They went into the book.

God has given us this wonderful book. What a treasure. We used to say that in Sunday school.

We will have something else. They will pray. They will pray.

Continued in the apostle's doctrine. And you trace it through the Acts here. You'll find all.

Then you humbly hold upon God. The greatest progress we can make. In reaching out.

And having fruit. To realize some of these things here. We'll be going ahead on the knees.

Satan, as the word trembles when he sees the weakest Satan at knees. More is accomplished than this world will ever know. Through the medium of prayer.

Prayer is the hand that moves the hand that moves the world. Whatsoever you should ask in my name, saith the Lord Jesus, shall be done unto you. If truly you should agree.

I have noticed in our own short experience. In Orlando, if we get a while when no one is getting saved. And if a few of us really get in earnest.

And you really get down in earnest. And that bed gets a little bit wet, you know, with a few. It's not long afterwards.

Souls getting saved. He that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seeds, shall doubt. Children are not bought in prayer.

Not saying prayer, but really praying. These were a prayer. Something else.

There was spirit filled the two. He just filled their hearts. The house was filled.

The believers were all filled. Oh, we trust that the believers meet together here. That each one of us.

Each one of you. In the days after this. After Thanksgiving conference.

That you make it your business. In his word. Let the word of the love be a thing upon earth.

The fruit of the spirit is love and gentleness. Faith and all these other things. Church here.

Their power. We see that. The next thing.

There's a gospel outreach. Verse 41. They that gladly received his word were baptized.

And the same day there were added unto them about 3,000. Verse 47. Praising God and having favored all the people.

They were an evangelist. They had a vision. And they went out with that vision.

I want to say dear friends. As much as we're in favor of a nicer church. If not the complete answer.

There's no substitute. There's no substitute. He that goeth to any place with fee.

He shall doubtless come. They don't flock to nice new buildings. Of course.

And we have that. The churches used to say. The home going pastor made a church.

That's true. Well if you get a whole group of people going. Here will be it.

Lord Jesus Christ. And then. They were.

A fellowship that enjoyed Christians. Those are close knitness there. And we have such a feeling of the spirit.

They feel it when they come in. When Christians are in this kind of condition. The atmosphere.

These people have something. They were a giving church. And they all.

They were a sacrifice in giving. As family of believers. If these things really mean something to our friends.

Then we're going to be willing to sacrifice. Christianity was born. To sacrifice.

It was continued to sacrifice. And it all. They gave.

They spent themselves. They spent what they. People that will give.

And give. And give. Never seen a cartoon one time.

Coming up to her. It was a purse with a head and feet and tails on it. A dog's head and tail and feet.

And the man says go home. This is no place for you. Everything was the Lord.

Everything the Lord. Not very long here when they. Ran into the fire.

I tell you what the Lord. Cast in prisons and other things. You'll see they were persecuted.

Remember the Lord Jesus said marvel not at the world. For these disciples they come. Received some retreat.

But the Lord Jesus received. They counted it a lot. And I suppose.

One of the reasons we're not. To you. They knew something about.

A couple more. Then I'm going to close. They continued.

Steps every verse. Six. And they're continuing.

Daily. They continued. Steps every.

They continued. Daily. We heard about that.

Brother Harvey gave that talk. These continued. Steps every.

Everything's against me like Jacob. Next time you meet them they'll. There's not the.

In the early chapter. They were together. Those unity.

I believe the. Is God. It only strengthens them.

When Satan gets in advance. Being filled with his spirit. Full of his heart.

So they enjoy. Unity of heart. And sincerity.

They did eat their meat. With the singleness. Things were very simple.

As you look around Christendom today. The early church was mocked. They were all.

And they were all mocked by Satan. This is I think. Two mocks.

That should mock. Believers of God. Jesus.

Sincerity. These are some of them. Forbid the Lord help.

Believers. Meeting together. This Bible center.

To be a worshiper. To be a studious church. To be those that will be praying together.

A spirit filled assembly. May you know something about person. And don't you God look.

And they were. A continuing group of believers. Step back.

They enjoyed unity. Implicit intimacy. Working in new groups.

Be known. The glory of God. And may the love of God our Father.

Who gave for us. Getting dark. We ought to try and get a conference.