ACTS POEMS: Small and Large Gatherings PART 2

ACTS POEMS
*Altar call
*Communion
*Talks from the pastor
*Small and Large Gatherings
*P
*O
*E
*M
*S

October 8, 2006
Make the LARGE GATHERING a priority.
Though Jesus tells us in John 4 that it doesn't matter whether we worship the Father on a mountain or at the temple in Jerusalem and tells us that He cares how we worship, he shows tremendous zeal for the Temple set apart as a place of worship. So much so, that it rubs off on his followers that they each made regular temple worship part of their routines.

v Jesus: Matthew 21:12-23 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus replied. "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, `You have taught children and infants to give you praise.' Then he returned to Bethany, where he stayed overnight….23 When Jesus returned to the Temple and began teaching, the leading priests and elders came up to him.

v The Twelve: Acts 2:44-3:12 And all the believers met together in one place … They worshiped together at the Temple … all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (3) Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service. As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. …He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd.

v Paul: Acts 14:1-7 The same thing happened in Iconium.* Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God's message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. But the people of the town were divided in their opinion about them. Some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. Then a mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled to the region of Lycaonia—to the towns of Lystra and Derbe and the surrounding area. And there they preached the Good News.

v The Church: Acts 5:12-14 And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon's Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.

v Heaven: Revelation 5:8-14 And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people. And they sang a new song… Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus… And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: …And the four living beings said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

v You: Philippians 4:9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Closing Challenge
Ø Commit to the large gathering!
Ø What are you committing to?
l John 2:13-19 “Jesus’ passion for his Father’s house.”
l “House/place of prayer” Matt 21, Mark 11, Luke 19