For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about ‘how to be blessed’ as a church … and asking questions like:
What kind of a church will God bless?
What do we need to be about, as a church, in order to be recipients of God’s blessing?
Last week, one of the things we talked about needing to do was this: We need to be ‘devoted’ to God’s word. And God’s word is full of ways to receive God’s blessing. We can know how … and that’s what we’re going to continue investigating this week… Let me give you an example from God’s word:
PSALM 1 begins with the words “Blessed is the man.” As we look deeper into this psalm, we find the answer to the question, “What does it mean to be blessed?” We find, in fact, that there’s a deeper meaning than what we might first think; it’s not just being showered with wealth or good health and so on. Being blessed really has to do with a relationship…
The Hebrew word for “blessed” in Psalm 1:1 means “blessed” or “happy” (see also, Job 5:17, Psalm 2:12, 119:1) and it’s a relational word—the focus, of course, on a relationship with God rather than physical expressions of being blessed (i.e. wealth, good health, etc.). Being blessed involves blessings, but the true blessing is the “life-giving” relationship we can have with Jesus, the Christ…
It’s like this: If you love someone and give them a gift, the relationship is the primary motivation (or it should be). The gift is a physical expression of your love and appreciation. The gift will be used or enjoyed by the recipient and will be a reminder of the love relationship. Giving blesses the giver (“It is more blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35), but it also evokes a response of gratefulness and appreciation on the part of the recipient. Thus, the relational bond is strengthened…
So it is with our loving heavenly Father. He desires to bless us with gifts. In fact, Jesus said, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him (Matthew 7:11, NLT). God’s focus or motivation is not His gifts to us, but it is His relationship with us, his love for us! Each of us, however, must choose to direct our attention to God if we’re going to experience the relational blessing of God. And that’s what we’re going to do together right now; we’re going to direct our attention to God, as we look to the Early Church once again and see what they were up to, in receiving God’s blessing. Here’s what’s happening at the end of Acts, Chapter 2…
They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. … 46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, 47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. – Acts 2:42, 46-67 (MSG)
So, very simply today, here’s what we need to be about … if we want to be a church that God will bless: We need to learn how to…
LOVE EACH OTHER DEEPLY! Verse 42 again tells us, “They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together [fellowship], the common meal, and the prayers.” The early church practiced what is called … KOINONIA (fellowship). It means they were as committed to one another as they were to Jesus Christ! Remember the words of Jesus when he said (John 13:34-35, NLT): “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Let me talk about this KOINONIA for just a moment … and I need to, if this is what we’re to be about…
The word translated for us as “fellowship” in Acts 2:42 is the Greek word koinonia. “Fellowship” is an adequate translation, but potentially misleading, because koinonia meant far more than occasional friendliness, the sort of interaction that happens in a “fellowship hall” or a “passing of the peace” during worship. Koinonia was used to describe a business partnership, a situation in which two or more people were committed to sharing in some common venture. To experience koinonia meant to participate in something intentionally and energetically. The word also suggested emotional or even sexual intimacy, so it also means a very intimate, close relationship with others. So, you can see what I mean about koinonia not being the sort of behavior we associate with the Fellowship Hall, or at least I hope not! So when Acts 2 relates that the early Christians devoted themselves to fellowship, this doesn’t mean that they all shook hands and enjoyed a bagel after the Pentecost worship service was over. Rather, what happened on Pentecost was just the beginning of a deep, intentional investment in mutual relationship. The earliest believers didn’t just share coffee together; they shared life together … real life. That’s what koinonia is all about. And that’s one of the crucial elements of genuine healthy Christianity. And it’s absolutely essential to the church, if we want to experience God’s blessing on us…
The truth is … loving churches grow. Cold churches don’t. The Early Church was a loving church. They experienced true koinonia; in other words, they loved each other deeply! The Roman government hated Christians and persecuted them … but even the Romans acknowledged that early Christians loved one another. They protected one another, cared for one another, and helped one another like no one else! So, that’s another thing we need to do, if we want God’s blessing. Next, we need to…
WORSHIP WITH JOY! Verses 46-47 describe the daily activities of the Early Church: “They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, 47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.” God blesses a church that celebrates Him; did you know that? Don’t forget what the Psalmist said (Ps. 100:2, NLT): “Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.”
So often when we come to worship, we’re thinking to ourselves: “What am I going to get out of this today?” But, I wonder if we should be asking another question instead. And it may go like this: “What is God going to get out of this time of worship today?” And when it’s over: “God, were you pleased with what you got out of worship today … including my part?”
Folks, it’s when people focus on themselves that they get moody—sometimes sad, sometimes mad, but when it’s all about us … that’s what happens! If worship, on the other hand, is focused on God … instead of us, it will be an activity that is FULL OF JOY! You cannot focus on God and be any other way! That’s where the HOPE is, that’s where the LOVE is, and that’s where the JOY is…
People want to be where there is JOY! There’s enough BAD NEWS in the world; the Church should be a place where the GOSPEL (GOOD NEWS) is preached. Yes, we could stand in our pulpits week after week preaching about ‘the sin of the week,’ but what good would that do? Honestly, I think it should be fun to go to church! God wired us to express emotion; but too many have been taught NOT to do that in church! Folks, when we let go and worship joyfully, people will be drawn to our churches… (Keep an eye on Mary Ellen … and you’ll know what I mean!)
Folks, don’t ever forget that the greatest blessing of all … is not blessings—the physical manifestations of God’s blessing on us. The greatest blessing of all is THE RELATIONSHIP … with God, through faith in Christ. I want you to think, for just a moment, of a Bible character you all know—Mary Magdalene. I’m thinking of the story from John 20 (11-18) when Jesus appears to Mary after his resurrection. In this story, Jesus finds Mary weeping. Why was she weeping? Did she no longer believe in Jesus and his ways? No! What we believe about something is ‘doctrine’; doctrine meant no more to Mary than the grass under her feet. In fact, any Pharisee could have made a fool of Mary doctrinally, but the one thing they could never ridicule was the fact that Jesus had cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). Yet, his blessings (physical expressions) were nothing to her in comparison with knowing Jesus Himself. Here’s what scripture tells us: “. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. . . . Jesus said to her, ’Mary!’” (John 20:14, 16). Once He called Mary by her name, she immediately knew that she had a personal history with the One who spoke. “She turned and said to Him, ’Rabboni!’” (John 20:16). The greatest blessing we can have from God is knowing His Son, Jesus. And if we know him—truly know him, intimately, we won’t be able to help ourselves in LOVING OTHERS DEEPLY … or WORSHIPING GOD JOYFULLY! And, in that, we will know the blessing of God on our church! Turn with me to your ‘next steps,’ won’t you?
NEXT STEP #1 – God is calling us to be a church that LOVES GOD … and also LOVES PEOPLE. In light of that, ask yourself: Am I as committed to others in my church as I am to God? If so, do they know that? Think of one way you can take a step this week to love another in your church with the same intensity you love God … and then DO IT!
NEXT STEP #2 – When you come to church, what is your attitude like? Next week, as you’re getting ready to come to church, ask yourself the question: “What is God going to get out of this?” Then, think of ways you can turn your attention to him. How can you let God know it is a JOY (fun) to be here? Show him during worship…
So, how badly do we want to be a church that God blesses?