A SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH What would it be like to be part of a church where each leader and every member is filled with the Spirit of God? Here in these few verses we have some wonderful glimpses of such a church. We have seen something of what happened on the Day of Pentecost. We have seen the experience of it, the explanation of it and the expansion that followed. Now we see it being lived out in daily life. The church had about 3120 members- a very large church. But the picture given to us in these verses shows remarkable fellowship within the body of Christ. The members spent most of their time listening as the apostles taught. They had received new life, now they had to learn how to live it. The need is still the same today. We need to know the Word of God but we also need to obey what that Word says to us. To obey means to acknowledge what God says and to carry out his instructions. Are we honestly doing that? There was not only a love for the Word of God. They loved each other and shared in wonderful fellowship. This sharing spoke to the outside world and was a tremendous witness for Christ. People from all walks of life cared for each other, prayed for each other, even served one another. They were truly all one in Christ. Is your church anything like that? That early church also knew how to pray. The power of a praying church is tremendous. In those early days it moved men, it opened prison doors and made missionaries out of members. If we prayed more we would have more. 'You have not because you ask not.' Can our church be more like God's plan for the church? What can YOU do about it? |
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