Greenhouse – The Power of New Community Part III Acts 2:1-45 Dave Chae May 3, 2015

Opener What’s been your experience with small groups? (Bible Study, support groups, learning communities, etc.) Joy, benefits, fears, uncertainties

Summary of New Community Part I 1.Regeneration (Wind) 1.Personal Relationship w/ God (Fire)

3. Mission – Reverse Eden & Babel

Summary of New Community Part II How to participate in New Community: 1.Take responsibility for sin 2.Believe in the Death & Resurrection of Jesus Christ 3.Repent & Be Baptized

Result New Community New World Order New Humanity

Acts 2: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and

miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 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,

47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the LORD added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Apostle’s Teaching 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and

LifeWay Research – Bible Engagement in North America 1,000 Protestant Pastors 4,000 Protestant Christians (English, Spanish, and French)

Bible engagement impacts one’s spiritual maturity more than every other discipleship attribute combined.

What Predicts Bible Engagement? 1.Confessing & Asking for Forgiveness. (1 Jn 1:9) 2.Walking w/ Jesus for a long period time. (Eph. 4:1) 3.Making a decision to obey God knowing that choosing God may be costly to you in some tangible way.

4. Pray for non-believing friends. (Rom. 10:1; 1 Timothy 2:1-6; Acts 26:18; 2 Peter 3:9) 5. Read books apart from the Bible (by believers) on spiritual growth.

6. Being discipled one on one by a more mature Christian. (Matt 28:19-20) 7. Memorizing Scripture. (Psalm 1:2)

8. Attend small groups or classes on the Bible and Community Life. (Hebrews 10:25) (4x a month enhances Bible engagement)

How many of these apply to you? Where are you showing growth and where do you need improvement?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 Training in Righteousness All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12-13 Accountability 12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Psalm 1:1-3 Fruitfulness & Prosperity 1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 19:7-11 Spiritual Growth 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right,

giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Matthew 7:24-27 Foundation for Life 24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

James 2:14 Faith and Deeds 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him,

“Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Genesis 1:26 Today’s Teaching 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

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Discussion Question What are some things that can potentially rule over you?