Three attitudes - persevere, share and pray

Acts Chapter 2, I want to start at verse 42. Let's remember that we are studying the book of Acts and that it is not just one book that we are studying, we are using the book of Acts to study many texts, many topics of the Bible, many spiritual principles that are part of our life. The Book of Acts is simply a springboard, a starting point for the other teachings. So don't feel like we're too limited because we're just studying the book of Acts. Rather, this is part of knowing things well and getting the most out of Scripture. So let's take, I think that actually, although there is a division, I don't know if it is in your Bible, beginning in verse 43 to 47, actually verse 42 should also be inserted there along with the other final verses because they are part of a totality, of an idea that the writer wants to project. Verse 42 says:

“…And they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine, in fellowship one with another, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers…”

Four things that he says the early Christians emphasized and kept to that as a central, fundamental part of their life as a church, as a community. The Apostles' doctrine, fellowship with one another, the breaking of bread and prayers. So verse 43 says:

"... and fear came upon everyone and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles..."

Remember, he is giving us a report, a summary of what life was like about the things that characterized that community of faith, and by extension, we believe that it should also characterize our life as a church. These are the elements that should characterize the life of León de Judá as well and the life of each person who is integrated into this church.

“…fear overcame everyone and many wonders and signs were done by the Apostles. All those who had believed were together and had all things in common and sold their properties and goods and distributed them to all according to each one's need. And persevering with one accord every day in the temple, and breaking bread in the houses, they ate together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the end of all that life and all that way of living, he says, and the Lord added to the church every day those who were to be saved..."

May the Lord bless his holy word. As you see, brothers, here we have a portrait of the life of the first believers. Last Sunday we saw Pedro taking advantage of an opportunity to preach a sermon that moved the people who heard it. As a result of that sermon, 3,000 people converted to the Lord. Peter called them to repent, that is, change their way of living, change their way of thinking, recognize that they had sinned, crucifying the Son of God who now, through his resurrection, God had shown that he was indeed the Messiah of whom the prophets spoke, encouraged them to be baptized as a sign of repentance, and also encouraged them to open their lives and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

And we said that these are three things that are important, in any conversion experience of a man or a woman who enters the Gospel: repentance, change of heart and mind, being baptized, because it is an act of obedience to the Lord and we see that the The early Christians gave great importance to baptism and that in fact they baptized people immediately after they converted, since they could pass them through the waters of baptism.

Baptism does not save, remember that, baptism does not save but it is an expression of something very powerful that occurs in our lives and it is one of those sacraments, it is one of those ordinances that we do very well to obey. And also, not just stay with those two things, but go on to ask the Holy Spirit to activate within them, to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit, receive the presence of the spirit, the baptism of the spirit, the gifts of the spirit, to be able to live a truly supernatural life.

We have been emphasizing through all these teachings that the Holy Spirit is tremendously important to the believer's life, that we have to live a spirit-filled life, a vital life, a joyful life, a life of power, we cannot live a life just at the mercy of circumstances, coming to church as if it were a routine, it's a vital life, it's a life full of strength and power. We have to farm.

Paul tells Timothy, "I advise you to fan the fire of the gift of God...". The same word, the gift of the Holy Spirit, “…the gift of God who is in you…” We can't just settle, ok, well I already have the gift of the spirit and now live a routine life. No, you always have to be stoking the fire, you have to always be making sure that the fire has fuel to be able to do what has to be done.

So, those three elements and exhorted the person to convert to the Gospel. And then, the result of all that sermon says that about 3000 people were converted and one wonders, well, what happened to those people? Because the preaching of the Gospel is just beginning, it is just a virgin church, a baby church, it is the first time that it has actually been preached in a massive way after Christ ascends, a sermon that begins the evangelistic life of the church in the world , in the history.

What happened to those 3,000 people plus the few disciples who already knew Jesus during the time of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry? Well, it says that these people had a certain lifestyle, and how was that lifestyle characterized? Well, firstly they persevered in the Apostles' doctrine. Two very important words here, persevered. That means they stayed focused. The word proscareontes in Greek, which is translated persevered, means like they were seriously focused, they were dedicated to, they gave a lot of attention and energy to what they were doing. And to what did they persevere? It says, in the Apostles' doctrine. The word didache is the word that is translated doctrine in Spanish. What did they persevere in? In the Apostles' doctrine.

What does the Apostles' doctrine refer to? It refers to the teaching of the Apostles. And what was that teaching? Well, the principles that Christ instructed them when he was on earth about him as Lord, his atoning death on the cross, his ascent to heaven, his coming someday, a God who loved them, about the Holy Spirit. It was the elements of the Christian faith that the Apostles were the ones who, when the Christian faith began, were the ones who were disseminating it.

Always remember, Bible teaching is not something you make up. The biblical teaching that is part of our faith comes to us through this Scripture. The books that were written by the Apostles, the prophets of God, the writers of God, is not a doctrine made by us, it is a doctrine that we have received and that we have no right to change.

There are things in the Bible that I don't like. I confess it. There are things that if I could control, I would have written it differently. I would have done it differently and it would have made life easier for me as a pastor and as a preacher, but you know what? I don't have the right to change a single letter of that word. I have to hold on to her. I have to live for her. I have to dedicate myself to knowing it, investigating it, learning it and then obeying it, because I know that it comes from God through his Apostles and prophets, it comes from God through those chosen beings that he left to record it in his word. And what I have to do is persevere in it, in the doctrine.

And you know what, Lion of Judah? we have to do the same as a church. We have to persevere in the doctrine. We have to dedicate ourselves to knowing it. Why do we have discipleship classes? Why do we instruct children in their classes right now, for example, up there? Why are you listening to this sermon? Why are we choosing a passage from the Bible to expound it the way we are doing? Why do I take work to elucidate and extract these principles and teach them in a practical way and apply them to life? Because we have to persevere in the doctrine.

We want a church instructed in the word. We don't want a church based only on emotions, you know? We cannot dedicate ourselves only to being given chills and supposed miraculous acts and only that, and words. No, you have to dedicate time to know the word, teach the doctrine. Do you know the biblical doctrine? If someone asks you why you believe in God? Why do you believe that Christ is the Son of God? Who was Avraham? Why did Christ have to die on the cross of Calvary? Baptism saves or else why is it important? Why do you have to repent? What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Why is the Holy Spirit important? Why is Christ God and not just another creation of God? Questions that are part of the doctrine of the Bible. And you and I must learn it in order to live proper lives, effective lives.

That is why I encourage you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, learn from the Bible, study the word and persevere in it. Don't get out of it. Don't try to play with her. No, persevere in the teaching of the word of God. So, these people persevered in the doctrine they had received from the Apostles, who were the ones who were the shepherds, who were the indoctrinators of that new community. But they didn't just stay there. There are churches that are only word, word, word, Bible, Bible, Bible, and you know what? When people come to church they want fellowship, they want friendship, they want a sense of family.

What a discouraging thing that you come to a church, first time to visit, nobody looks at you, nobody greets you, you sit next to it and you are totally invisible. The person on your right, on your left, doesn't even realize you've arrived. If you are preaching, don't they bring you a little tea to soothe your throat… thank you, sister. How many times have you gone to a church and feel like wow, I would have just stayed home. Nobody cares that you arrive, they do not welcome you, they do not make you feel welcome, there is no smile, there is no joy, there is no greeting at the end of the service. Everyone begins to greet each other and they look for each other over there and you there as if completely lost, it doesn't matter and you go home all sad, crestfallen because nobody loved you. And you come week after week and you feel… and unfortunately we must say it has probably happened and will happen here in our church, thank God many people tell me, this is a loving church. I give glory to the Lord for that. We can do a better job, you know?

Where do I get that from? They say they were in communion with each other. Communion, the word coinonia. Have you heard the word coinony? How many have ever heard that word? Coinony means fellowship, communion, family, community, sharing together, coinony. A very biblical word. And I have to ask the Lord every day, Father, make us more and more a loving church.

Hey, how nice it would be if the City of Boston knew León de Judá as a loving church, nobody feels strange. Like the name of the series “Where everybody knows your name” from that bar here in Boston. What is the bar called? Shear. Where everyone knows your name, that series, do you remember it?

And how good is a church where everyone knows your name. We have to push ourselves. We are a large, diverse community, there are two services, for even more fragmentation, a group in English, we could be an anonymous church, where no one knows your name. But God save us from that.

Brethren, let me make a pastoral appeal this morning. We are going to make efforts to be a church of love. And you are part of that miracle. Maybe you feel like you don't, it's the ushers and the pastors who have to greet the people, I'm just a member. Greetings to me. Gentlemen, if you have someone there, you sat next to them, you came in the morning, say hello to that person. If you don't know him, introduce yourself. If he looks like he's a little lost, he's a visitor, all the more reason to make sure you greet him. When we welcome visitors, identify them and at the end of the service go and say hello, especially if they are close to you, so that no one leaves without receiving a warm greeting. And we are going to strive to have a family life as well. Let's invite each other to our homes, let's call each other on the phone. All that it does, that communion, that possible co-mony. Let's not settle.

How beautiful it is when we look, if we could see an x-ray of the social life of León de Judá, we would see how a well-tangled network of relationships where everyone is related to each other, we love each other, we know each other, we treat each other, we support each other . When I went to visit Sister Maria this week with Gregory who was sick at Mass General Hospital, at that moment when we were getting out of the elevator, who did I meet? With Maira Rodríguez who was going to enter the elevator that had been visiting Sister María. And Sister Dilma and Marvin told us, several brothers, we feel so supported because many brothers have prayed for us and have been visiting my mom. How cute. Communion, we are going to strive to be a community, not just people of the word, that's very nice, but the word is... the Christian church has to be a whole church of love, a church of affection, let's help each other, let's support each other each other and express love to each other.

They persevered in doctrine, in communion with one another, in the breaking of bread. That's weird, in the breaking of bread. It's an expression, it's not that they only ate bread, I think the writer means sharing food together, eating together. It is a somewhat elusive expression and difficult to understand, what did Lucas mean with that expression? Some think that it means the agape of which First Corinthians speaks, Chapter 11, the one that I read when I am celebrating the sacrament. The Lord Jesus Christ said, every time you come together do this in memory of me, every time you eat bread do this in memory of me.

We see here, perhaps, the beginning of a tradition, which later became the Eucharist, or the holy supper of the church, where Christians met to eat together and to remember the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and which came to Being a very beautiful rite that was a celebration of Easter, in which the paschal lamb, Jesus Christ, had given himself his blood for the salvation of humanity. We are not sure, it seems that it refers here, it was a social occasion with certain spiritual connotations.

But I extract something very important from here and that is: how beautiful it is when, yes, we eat together and share together. Sometimes we have these fundraisers down there, praise God for the financial aspect, but I also love the idea that my brothers are down there eating together. They know that when you eat with someone it is like you are giving something very important, it is a greater degree of intimacy, when you share food together.

And I encourage you, in the name of the Lord, to invite each other too, in our countries before... I don't know how many of you, but people ate and reserved a plate for the neighbor. I know from his laugh that many understand what I mean, right? And there was the plate, the neighbor with the plate to cross the alley, or whatever, neighbor, here I bring you a plate of food, a little bit of rice, beans, a little piece of meat, if you could.

But the idea was to express affection. There was poverty, many times, and how many times a plate of food that a neighbor brought saved us, perhaps it was the only food she had. How nice those experiences, right? That has been lost in anonymous cities and in large churches, that sense of fellowship is lost, but sharing bread together is very important. Invite someone to your house. Your house does not have to be a palace, nor does everything have to be absolutely perfect. The Bible says not to forget about hospitality. remember? It is a very solid Christian value: hospitality. There are people whose house is their castle and they close it with about 40 padlocks so that no one enters. And when they get home from work, they take refuge, run, turn on the television and sit there to worship him with a plate of food and that no one comes to their house, because it is their refuge, right?

Brothers, our house must also be places of hospitality. We have to practice hospitality as a Christian value, you know? Invite someone to your house. There are lonely people, there are people who have their families in their countries, they need people to invite them. Share, invite each other, share bread and do it as a show of Christian love. You don't have to get very religious there and look like you're celebrating the Eucharist. No, eat together, pray together, worship the Lord, and celebrate Christian love. What a beautiful thing that is. And I believe that the Lord receives that and is pleased, right? Amen. That's part of being a vital community, so visit brothers especially those who may not be able to reciprocate as well with an invitation to their home later. And spread Christian love in this way.

Doctrine, communion, and that communion was practically expressed in sharing hospitality with one another, and finally in prayers. Another thing that sounds strange, they participated in prayers together, what do you mean? Well, I imagine you're talking about worship times together. The Jews, and remember that this is a community that is coming out of Judaism. They still consider themselves Jews with the additional very important element that they already believe the Messiah, they know who the Messiah is, that Jesus is, but they are Jews.

Still, what today is the evangelical church or the Catholic Christian church or whatever, has not reached its full expression. These people are still as half Jewish and half Christian but are still assuming a Christian identity. So, probably these prayers were made in the Jewish temple, they met, some believe that in a place there in the temple that was called Solomon's Porch, one of those spaces, because the temple was huge, and those first few met there. Christians to talk about the Bible together, to pray together, and arrived at the temple at the time of the formal temple prayers. But there we see something, which is the beginning of the life of worship of the people of God that today is coming on Sunday, for example, to church to worship the Lord, coming on Wednesday, going to a house for one of these cell groups, men meet Tuesday nights to worship together, Saturday mornings to pray like we were here yesterday morning. They persevered in prayers with each other.

How nice it is, brothers, that we understand something that it is good to come to the house of the Lord and adore together, pray together. Not only pray but persevered in prayer that included prayer. When we come to the temple of God, we come to sing, pray, read the word, give our tithes, meditate on the word of God, all these things characterize a rounded time of worship. It is important to come to the house of the Lord. Many people say, I can worship God anywhere because he is everywhere. That is true, but how good it is when the people of God, just like we, are in communion with one another. Read this moment, don't come like this… read this moment, understand what we are doing. How weird is this?

If you were a Martian coming from Pluto, from one of those planets and you see this, wouldn't it seem strange? What happens is that we do it so much that it is normal. But what a strange thing. People from all over the city get together to come to a place, sit down and do a lot of shrewd things and weird things together. That is beautiful, that is something wonderful, extraordinary, never lose the sense of mystery of what you are doing, never think that the same thing is sitting at home with a bowl of cereal watching TV, a preacher in a 700 tie dollars, and what do you think that substitutes for coming to the house of God, for being an effort, for dressing the best you can, coming to church, worshiping with your brothers, enjoying fellowship together, and presenting our worship live to the Lord, that is important. Never lose that aspect of your life, my brother, my sister.

The Apostle Paul warns believers, he says, "not failing to gather together as some have out of habit...", some stay at home over there. I'm too tired, too depressed, too upset. Come to the house of the Lord and worship the Lord. Persevere in prayer, together with each other. That is part of a balanced Christian life. I believe that one cannot truly be a bona fide Christian without enjoying the communion of saints. That's essential, there are no lone ranger Christians, there aren't. Christians are a community by definition and we have to be part of that community wherever we go we have to look for a community of believers.

I'm done with this. What you see here in the rest is rather an elaboration of all this that I have just said. The end result of all this, thanks Enrique, what happens in verse 43? It says, “…fear came upon every person…”

The word for fear in the original Greek is phobos, from which the word phobia or fear comes. It's not that fear came from these people, it was like an astonishment what happened in the whole community, it was like a sense of wow, something important is happening among these people. Seeing these thousands of people, in Peter's second sermon, 5,000 were converted. Imagine in a small, relatively small city of just a few tens of thousands of Jerusalem, 3,000 being converted and then 5,000, and speaking of a man who he died and rose again and that now his people, his people are preaching the word and that they see these people living an exemplary life, worshiping together, eating together, loving one another, supporting one another, a fear came over. The newspapers began to write, something strange is happening in Jerusalem. The report, yes, I converted and met Christ and my life changed. Another one over there, yes, I was sick and God healed me. Another over there, so-and-so sold her house and distributed money to all the poor. Wow! People are amazed, they don't know what to say. A healthy sense like wow, God is in town, something weird is happening, God is moving in the midst God of his people, wow! Perhaps many who have recovered a sense of the sacred, said, well, I have to examine my life too, will I be living a life as God wants? Fear ensued.

What happens when a church lives the Christian life in an exemplary way, like these people? You know what? The world notices. I believe that, further on, in verse 47 at the end it says:

"... and the Lord added to the church daily those who were to be saved..."

Look how interesting. The result was, first, astonishment in the people; healthy fear of God. I think why don't people respect the things of the Gospel more? I believe that the fault lies mainly with the church, it is not with the people, it is that Christians are not living the life that God calls us to live.

When the church stands up, it begins to live as God commands, we love each other, we repent of our sins, we change our lives, we pray to the Lord, we adore the Lord, the grace of the Lord is manifested. God does miracles and signs and wonders, as we see here. We are together, we share things, the Holy Spirit is manifested, we live with joy and simplicity of heart, as that passage says, look, you know what? People begin to come alone, uninvited and give their lives to the Lord.

Why is society not experiencing a greater effect of the Gospel? It is that we lack authenticity, we are not living the Christian life as God wants. Or as a church, let us assume the responsibility of being a vital church, a church filled with the Holy Spirit, a generous church, a church of love for one another. And I believe I know that many people in this Latino community already know that there is a church called Congregación León de Judá, for the glory of the Lord, for the exclusive glory of God.

Gregory and I went to an appointment with a church member who is taking counseling with a psychologist, a Hispanic psychiatrist, here in the community, we were on Thursday, Friday, Thursday. This man is a professional, an excellent psychologist, by the way, and I believe he is a God-fearing man. You know what? That's when I realized, he knows our church, he knows our ministry and he has a lot of respect for our church. Glory to God for that, because we can give a good witness and people know that there are people who love God and who are serving God as God wants. And these are evangelistic works, what happens is that little by little he comes to the Gospel.

Right there when we entered the clinic a lady was sitting there in a waiting chair, when she saw us, she got up with a big smile: I recently attended your church, pastor, we listened to your program on the radio and I am attending your church. How cute. How beautiful when a community makes itself known for the genuineness of its life and generates a good testimony in the community and how the Lord is bringing people.

I believe that there is no need to twist so that people know Jesus Christ, what you have to do is live the Christian life daily, maintain good spiritual hygiene and when a church lives the Christian life as it is supposed to live it, every day , from day to day, gently without much agony, or anything, God adds those who are to be saved, they come by themselves. And also one makes his efforts, as we have done this week, glory to God.

But God is adding life, and if León de Judá joins the church that is three blocks away, and that church joins the church that is five blocks away, and those three churches join another that is over there, on the other side of Roxbury and that one joins three or four who are in Southend, and others join those who are in Randolph, or in Queency or in Brighton or in Cambridge, listen to me, what would happen, brothers if this city Will it be filled with churches, with communities authentically living the Christian life as described here? It would be the glory of God on earth, the demons would have to flee and scream, they would come out howling, they would be heard as they went into the hole from which they came. Because the life of God is manifested in the midst of his people, our community.

So I ask you, Lord, help us to be an authentic church, a wow life! Today's points: who did this? Tremendous. Thank you. Is that the beginning of a betrayal? I wish it were so.

They persevered in doctrine, effort to make a church of love, sharing bread, hospitality and prayers, communion, community, fellowship among brothers, authenticity, living an authentic Christian life.

Brothers, if the Lion of Judah does that, if you and I do it, there is no possible failure. God is going to do extraordinary things in our midst. Amen. How nice it is to know that right now there are brothers in English receiving their sermon, here in Spanish, who knows if one day we will have it in Chinese and in Creole, in Portuguese. Glory to God, that will be the glory of God on earth. Amen.

Glory to the Lord. Excellent. Harmony, community, sharing with each other, loving each other, supporting each other despite our differences. If there is a need, everyone go there to the meeting place to fill that need. I thank the Lord.

Get up for a moment and receive a little piece of this teaching, something that touches you, something that touches your heart this morning, receive it in the name of Jesus. I know that there are things that I have to receive. Where is the part that God is calling me to play on this day in my life? I ask that the Lord Jesus Christ make this life of the spirit real in León de Judá, in this community, a church of love, a church of forgiveness, compassion, mercy, brotherly affection, dedication to the values of the Kingdom of God, all those things hello good.