Unified, Magnified, Multiplied

This week, I have been studying Acts 2:41-47. Here you will find a summary of the true church. Notice that I did not say a summary of the "early church". I believe we find in these few words the marks of the true church. We also see the result of the true church.

Luke tells us four things about the true church. The church is to preach the Gospel as handed down to the apostles, it is to uphold the sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper), it is to have a brotherly fellowship and to be devoted to prayer. I am going to preach on these marks this Sunday so I won't get into a whole exegesis now. Suffice it to say, where these marks are present, the church grows both spiritually and numerically.

This is not an argument for nickles and noses as I have heard some pastors put it. On my staff many of us call it concern with "dimes and derriers" or "bucks and butts". Isn't it funny how many smaller churches believe they are twice as righteous because they are half the size? But I digress.

The result of the true church is that the Lord's Bride is unified, magnified and multiplied. These early brothers and sisters had unity. Their unity was found in sound doctrine, the Lord's Supper, their fellowship and devotion to prayer. As a result, people took notice. They saw something different in these Christ followers. There was a difference in the way that they treated each other and others. There was a difference because of what Jesus Christ had done. As a result, Luke says that the Lord (notice it was the Lord and not some kind of program or person) brought people to the church.

The current church needs to learn a few things. Do we have unity? Are we really all that different from the world? Why aren't we multiplying on a grand scale? How do denominations gel with unity? They seem pretty foolish to the world. Why is that programs continually fizzle out whether purpose driven, promise driven, seeker friendly or community oriented? What does the world see when the church doors are open?

Now for fear of being classified as a post-modern who just asks questions but offers no solutions, I will offer some solution. Get back to the basics...sound doctrine, the sacraments, fellowship, and devotion to prayer. Why do we have to make things so stinkin' difficult?