Saturday, May 30, 2015
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
PETER'S PENTECOST SERMON: STEADFAST IN THE WORD
There's so much anxiety about the Church today. Recent statistics show that Christianity is declining in America. So many believers worry about what's going to happen. How much worse will it get before the end? Will my church be around in 20, 10, or even 5 years?
After Peter's sermon, 3,000 people were added to the Church. Has that ever happened in modern Christianity? Usually, most churches are impressed when one visitor shows up on Sunday. Why don't we see the same results? Are we doing something wrong? Do we need to change something? Many and varied are the answers to these questions. Without a doubt, we should continually examine our faith and the ministry of our congregations. Calls for a revival of some sort are abundant in our day and many ask who the next great "reformer" will be.
Maybe there won't be a revival in America. Maybe the last great leader has come and gone. It doesn't matter. When we get caught up in numbers and statistics, we lose the right focus and we start worrying too much. Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34).
We'll always have problems and concerns in this world, especially about the future. But why worry? Rather, we should study, test ourselves, and refine the great gift of faith that is ours through repentance and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit doesn't work through worry; He works through the Word. That's how He has worked since the beginning of the Church and He isn't changing His approach because of our spiritual insecurities. If we want to be like the early Church -- even the Church on Pentecost -- it doesn't come by numbers or worldly prestige. It comes by continuing "steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship," continuing in the good news of the forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus.
Let the world worry, you stay strong in the Lord.
