Acts 2:42-47, “What Should the Church Look Like?”

Text: Acts 2:42-247
Speaker: Brad Evangelista

Intro: In the final message of our series on the church, we see a snapshot of what the early church looked like in Acts 2:42-47. Times and cultures have obviously changed since that early church, but the biblical call to Christ-centered community stands. In this message we seek to answer the question of what a church community should look like as a group of pardoned rebels walking together in progressive sanctification.

Below are some selected passages from the New Testament that give us a glimpse of what messy, beautiful, roll-up-your-sleeves church life should look like. As we read these Scriptures, an obvious gap between the biblical picture of church community and our modern day church culture arises. So, what will we do about it? Will we be satisfied with a Christianity that is a mile wide and an inch deep? Or, will we choose to walk the dusty, dirty, beautiful road of redemptive Christ-centered community together?

Romans 12:9-21-out do one another in doing good.

Galatians 6:1-10-restore the sinning brother gently.

Ephesians 4:1-7-walk in a manner worthy of your calling.

Ephesians 5:15-33-be wise and disciplined. Let your marriages reflect God's design and glory.

Colossians 3:12-17-let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24-admonish the idle, encourage the weak.

1 Timothy 5:1-2-let the genders and generations interact in God honoring ways.

Hebrews 10:19-25-think about how you might make one another better Christians.

James 5:15-18-pray, confess, and believe God for great things!

1 John 3:11-16-love one another deeply.