The Early Church, part 1 of 3

The Early Church, Part 1 of 3

Larry Glander

When you think of the early church, you probably think of Paul, Peter, Matthew, and John. But the church existed before then; Jesus said "I came not to destroy the church, but to establish it." The early church started, in fact, with Abraham.

What if I told you that Abraham was a squatter? In Haiti, they build walls around their land before they build a house on it.

Stewardship Is Lordship

Philippians 2:5

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Every Need Is Met

Larry Glander

Philippians 4:19

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

How many of you have needs? How many don't? (That was a trick question.)

I looked up the four basic needs of a living organism:

Food
Air
Water
Shelter

So who is the living water?

John 4:10

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Acts 17:25

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

God gives you breath.

John 6:51

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Sometimes we don't think about the air we breathe. My Dad does; he has emphysema. But he still says that any day above-ground is a good day.

Did everyone eat today?

A Christian Testimony

Larry Glander

Being "instant in season and out of season" doesn't always mean picking up a Bible and teaching a study.

We were all born human, and had to learn to feed and dress ourselves, but most of us were adults by the time we learned the gospel.

This study is about how we should behave as Christian adults.

Philippians 2:15-16

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Do you think that was just talking about 2,000 years ago? It sounds pretty modern-day to me. If somebody lays blame on you as a Christian, then rejoice!

Godhead

Does it affect you that the Christmas decorations are right next to the Halloween decorations? For most people, the answer is "no," because it's all about commercialism anyway. I went to another church before I came to this one, but they didn't teach me the gospel. They taught me to show up every Sunday and shake everyone's hand and so-forth. But in this church, one of the first things I heard was "Don't believe anything I tell you; look it up for yourself."

2 Timothy 3:16

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

All scripture. That's what we're going to study tonight. I didn't bring any other books with me; we're going to study the Bible.

Only The Strong Survive

Nehemiah 8:10

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Being strong in the Lord doesn't come overnight; it comes from practice. It comes from being faithful in the big things and in the little things.

Haitian Service

When was the last time that anything happened in your ministry? When was the last time you saw a miracle take place? When was the last time you saw someone cry out and you helped them through difficult times? Ask yourself, "Why has it been so long?" And then go to God and say, "Lord, revive, refresh, renew my ministry."

The Pillars