WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:03.359 We're in part three of a series that we started 2 00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:05.240 a couple weeks ago on what does it mean to 3 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:09.320 really follow Jesus? And we're looking at words that describe 4 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:12.640 what it means to be a follower. The first word 5 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.759 we looked at as the word disciple. If you miss 6 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:17.960 that message, I want you to go online and listen 7 00:00:18.039 --> 00:00:20.800 to it. It is a very important message on the 8 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:25.079 five definitions of what it means to be a disciple 9 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:28.120 of Jesus Christ. Then last week we looked at another 10 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:30.120 word that defines what it means to be a follower, 11 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:34.399 the word ambassador. The Bible says we are ambassadors for Christ. 12 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:36.560 The third word that I want us to look at 13 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:40.920 this weekend is the word member. The word member. The 14 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:44.840 Bible says that to be a follower of Christ means 15 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:49.399 to be a member of his family and a member 16 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:54.799 of his body. Following Jesus is far more than just believing. 17 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.200 It's not enough just to believe in Jesus. The Bible says, 18 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:03.840 we're not just believers. We're belongers. We are to belong 19 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.519 in the family of God, which is called the Church. 20 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:11.560 And once we belong, then we become so we believe, 21 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:15.079 then we belong and then we become all that God 22 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:18.040 wants for us to be in the first place. Now, 23 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:20.840 the Bible says this there on your outline, Romans, Chapter twelve, 24 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:24.760 verse five. Let's read it aloud together. In Christ, we 25 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:29.959 who are many, form one body, and each member belongs 26 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:33.120 to all the others. Now circle the word belong. The 27 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:35.480 Bible says that if you're a follower of Jesus, you 28 00:01:35.519 --> 00:01:39.000 don't just belong to God. You don't just belong to Jesus. 29 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:42.359 You belong to me, and I belong to you, and 30 00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:45.560 we belong to each other, and you belong to every 31 00:01:45.640 --> 00:01:51.120 other believer. You're in the family. Now, You're in God's family. Now. 32 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:54.840 It's interesting that in the Bible, two of the descriptions 33 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:56.920 of the church are the church is a body and 34 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.120 the church is a family. The church is the body 35 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.400 of Christ and the church is the family of God. 36 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:08.000 And in both of those cases, membership means something. In fact, 37 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.000 the word English word member that we use for membership 38 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:15.599 actually comes from the Bible, and the word membership has 39 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.120 far more to do with life than simply like a 40 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:21.439 you know, wear a hat or secret signal, or say 41 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:24.639 the password or handshake. Membership means far more than you 42 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:26.759 just put your name on a roll. It means you're 43 00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:31.039 vitally connected. The Bible says your hand is a member 44 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.199 of your body. If it's disconnected, it shrivels and die. 45 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.719 The Bible says your ears are members of your body. 46 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.919 They're members. If you cut off your ears, they're worthless. 47 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:44.199 They have no value at all if they're detached from 48 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:47.080 the body. If you cut off your legs, your knees, 49 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:50.599 your feet, they are members of your body. And if 50 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:54.039 you cut it off, a disconnected foot is worthless, it 51 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:57.680 has no value. It shrivels and die. You will shrivel 52 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:01.680 and die spiritually if you're not connected to the body 53 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.199 of Christ. And in the same way, you're a part 54 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.360 of a family, and the Bible says that we have 55 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:10.400 family responsibilities to each other. In fact, look at the 56 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:12.840 next verse, they're on your outline. The Bible says in 57 00:03:12.840 --> 00:03:16.360 Galatians chapter six, let us do good to all people, 58 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:22.840 especially those who belong in the family of believers. Now 59 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.159 notice it says we're to do good to everybody. You 60 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:28.919 can't mistreat anybody, you can't hate anybody, you can't show 61 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:32.599 disrespect for anybody, not be a follower of Jesus. The 62 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:35.319 Bible says, as the follower of Jesus, I am commanded 63 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:40.719 to love everyone, to respect everyone, and to be kind 64 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:44.280 and loving to all people, regardless of who they are, 65 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:46.680 what they believe, their lifestyle, what they do to me, 66 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:49.520 I am to return love for them. So let us 67 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.039 do good to all people. But he says, especially those 68 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.759 who belong to the family a believer in us. Again, 69 00:03:55.840 --> 00:03:58.919 circle the word belong. In both cases, you belong. You 70 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:01.199 belong as a member of the body of Christ, and 71 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.319 you belong as a member of the family of God. 72 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:07.919 Now this is a very different understanding of a church 73 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:10.599 than most people have. If you ask most people what 74 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:12.719 do you think of when you say church, they think 75 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:17.480 of a building a building, or they think of it 76 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:21.040 as an event and church is something you see on 77 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.759 a corner or church is something you go to to attend. 78 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:27.639 The Bible says that's not a church at all. Church 79 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:32.040 is neither an event nor a building. Church is a relationship. 80 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.160 It is a family. It is the family of God. 81 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:38.160 In fact, it's going to outlast your physical family. In fact, 82 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.839 it's going to outlast everything on earth. The Bible says, 83 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:44.120 God created the entire world because he wanted in the universe, 84 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.000 because he wanted a family, and that family is the 85 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:48.639 only thing that is last. One day, there isn't going 86 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:52.439 to be an IBM, a Microsoft, Eulett Packard, a Dell 87 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:54.839 computer or anything else. There an't going to be any businesses. 88 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:56.680 One day, there isn't going to be any nations. There 89 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:00.279 won't be a Russian, America, China. But there I will 90 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:02.360 be a family of God because it's going to last forever. 91 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:05.360 It's the only thing on earth that has permanent value. 92 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:10.240 God's family. Now, the Bible tells us that you cannot 93 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:15.000 be a follower of Christ unless you're a part of 94 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:17.639 being tied in to a church family. I mean, I 95 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.480 hear people all the times said, well, I love Jesus, 96 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:21.040 I just don't want to be a part of any church. 97 00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:23.480 Then you don't really love Jesus. Let me just be 98 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:26.079 around honest. You don't love him because the body of 99 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:30.759 Christ is his church. You can't say I love Jesus 100 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:32.399 but I hate your body, or I love Jesus but 101 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.319 I hate your bride, or I love Jesus but I 102 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:39.279 hate your family. No, no, it's all together. It's like 103 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:42.040 trying to say I want to be I want to 104 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.879 play football in the NFL, but I don't want to 105 00:05:44.879 --> 00:05:48.000 be a part of any particular team. Sorry, ain't gonna happen. 106 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.920 You can't do it. It's impossible. You cannot play in the 107 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:55.759 NFL without being a part of a specific team. It's 108 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:58.079 like saying I want to be in the United States Army, 109 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:01.720 but I want to be connected to any specific class platoon. Sorry, 110 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.759 it ain't going to happen. You can't do it. You 111 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:07.959 have to be tied to a specific platoon in the Army. 112 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:10.319 It's like saying I want to play the tuba but 113 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:12.079 not be a part of an orchestra. Well, good luck. 114 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:15.360 Not many people like to hear a tuba or solos. 115 00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:20.199 You sound a whole lot better when you're playing with 116 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.800 a bunch of other people, a whole lot better. Just 117 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:27.839 as a bee needs a hive, you need a church family. 118 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:31.160 It's like an explorer needs a base camp. It's like 119 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:35.399 a sailor needs a ship. You cannot be what God 120 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:39.199 wants you to be. You cannot follow Jesus. You cannot 121 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:41.959 follow Jesus without being connected to his family. And the 122 00:06:41.959 --> 00:06:45.920 Bible calls this membership. Being a member In fact, if 123 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.360 you say, well, I believe in Jesus, but I don't belong, 124 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:52.000 then there's a word for you. You're a spiritual orphan. You 125 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:56.160 don't have a family, you are a spiritual orphan. Now, 126 00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.920 once a year, the Constitution of the United States requires 127 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.560 that the President of the United States give a report 128 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:06.639 to the nation called the State of the Union. Here 129 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.439 at Saddleback Church, we've had a similar tradition for thirty 130 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.199 years that every year, in the month that the President 131 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:15.240 gives a State of the Union message, I give what 132 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:18.680 we call a State of the Church message, in which 133 00:07:18.759 --> 00:07:22.720 we take a different section of Saddleback Church, a different 134 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.519 part of our strategy, and I explain it to everybody 135 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:28.680 in detail. It's kind of an inside scoop. We only 136 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:30.720 do it once a year, but I want to do 137 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:33.439 that this morning, where I explain to you why we 138 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:37.360 believe in small groups and how they are designed to 139 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:41.439 help you develop your spiritual maturity. There are about ten 140 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:45.839 thousand quote megachurches in the United States. A mega church 141 00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:48.519 is any church that has over two thousand people coming 142 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:50.639 on a weekly basis. There are now about ten thousand 143 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.600 of those. In America. There are probably five or six 144 00:07:53.720 --> 00:07:58.040 churches about the size of Saddleback that run over twenty 145 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:01.240 thousand in attendance on a typical week. In the media 146 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:05.240 typically treats churches like this as saying these megachurches as 147 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:09.519 if there's some new phenomena, like there's some modern result 148 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:13.279 of marketing or something like that. Well, it just shows 149 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:17.079 a lack of knowledge of history, because Christianity has a 150 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:22.279 two thousand year history of extremely large churches, dating all 151 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:24.519 the way back to two thousand years ago. The very 152 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:28.360 first church that started in Jerusalem, the very first church, 153 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.799 was five times the size of Saddleback Church. Most people 154 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:35.720 don't know that. But the idea of a mega church 155 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:40.320 is not a new idea. Jerusalem was an enormous church. 156 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:43.159 And before we look at the strategy, I want you 157 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.840 to just see this, to notice the growth, because the 158 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.960 Bible is very specific about it. Now, the book that 159 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.600 tells us the history of the Church is called the 160 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:54.639 Book of Acts. It's the Acts of the Apostles, and 161 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.240 it's actually the acts of the early Church. And it 162 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:00.559 was written by Luke, the same guy who wrote Gospel 163 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:03.480 of Luke. Luke was a doctor, a physical doctor, a 164 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:08.159 medical doctor, and in the Acts he gives us a 165 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:15.080 running progress report of the growth a saddle backed church. 166 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:19.000 He tells of the Jerusalem Church, he tells, yeah, I 167 00:09:19.080 --> 00:09:25.639 wish we're actually Acts chapter twenty nine. So but Ax 168 00:09:25.720 --> 00:09:29.639 records the exponential growth of the church, and he gives 169 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:32.919 us very detailed progress reports. So let me just quickly 170 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:34.559 take you on a little survey here through the book 171 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:38.240 of Acts. When Jesus Christ died and then rose again, 172 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.080 he told his followers, I want you to wait here 173 00:09:42.159 --> 00:09:45.000 in Jerusalem until I send my spirit, and that will 174 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.519 be the beginning of the church. And he goes back 175 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:50.320 to heaven. And the Bible tells us in Acts chapter one, 176 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:54.279 verse fifteen, that there were about one hundred and twenty believers. 177 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.080 You and see that there on your outline. One hundred 178 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:59.080 and twenty believers. We're meeting waiting in the upper room 179 00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:03.799 for God to send his spirit before Pentecost. Then in 180 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:07.039 Acts chapter two, we have the story of the first 181 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:09.879 day of the Church. It's called the Day of Pentecost, 182 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:13.200 and it says on that day Peter preached and three 183 00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:16.679 thousand people were added to the church that day, the 184 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.039 very first day of the church, three thousand people. It says, 185 00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:21.639 we're baptized and added to the church, So they were 186 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.759 a megachurch on the first day. I would say, you're 187 00:10:24.799 --> 00:10:26.519 not really a New Testament church till you have at 188 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:30.200 least three thousand people, because that's what they add on 189 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.480 the very first day of their church. Then down in 190 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.960 verse forty seven in Acts chapter two, as we go 191 00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:39.399 through the book, it says the Lord added daily circle 192 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.080 daily those who were being saved. So the church is 193 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.960 growing on a daily basis. Now, how many days in 194 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.080 a year three hundred and sixty five, which means at 195 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:51.159 least three hundred and sixty five people are being added 196 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:54.279 to this church at a minimum every year at least 197 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.720 three hundred and sixty five people. So it's growing at 198 00:10:56.840 --> 00:10:59.600 least that much. Every single day. People are being added 199 00:10:59.639 --> 00:11:01.320 to the church. Now, by the time we get to 200 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:04.519 Asks chapter four, it says that in the church at Jerusalem, 201 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:08.000 Jerusalem Community Church, more and more people believe. Now it 202 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:12.120 says the number of men grew to five thousand. Now, 203 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:16.200 notice that says, men, everywhere, you've got five thousand men. 204 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.440 How many women and children have you got at least 205 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:23.200 ten or fifteen thousand? So by this time, by Acts 206 00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:26.320 chapter four, the Jerusalem church is already at twenty thousand people. 207 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:29.840 That's about the size of Saddleback on a weekend. So 208 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:32.960 by chapter four they've already got twenty thousand people coming 209 00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.440 to the church at Jerusalem. Then you get to Asks 210 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:38.759 chapter five and it says, more and more, excuse me, 211 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:41.720 Asks four, the number of men grew, and Acts five 212 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:44.919 more and more believed that a multitude was added. Now 213 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:46.960 there's so many people they're not even counting anymore. It 214 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:50.360 says the multitude was added. It's just an in numerous amount. 215 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.720 Then you get to Acts chapter five twenty eight and 216 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:58.240 the critics come to Peter and John, who are leaders 217 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:01.639 of the Jerusalem Church church, and they say, you have 218 00:12:01.840 --> 00:12:06.000 filled Jerusalem with your teaching. Well, yeah, I guess so, 219 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:10.000 because this church is growing and it's exploding and everybody 220 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:13.399 is hearing the news, and this mega church is having 221 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:18.200 a mega impact on a megacity. Then in Acts chapter six, 222 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:24.399 it says the number of disciples rapidly multiplied. Notice we've 223 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:27.840 moved from addition the added daily three thousand added. Now 224 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:31.840 we're going to multiplication, and they are rapidly multiplying. This 225 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:34.879 is what's called exponential growth. The church is growing so 226 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.960 fast they can't even keep up with it. This is 227 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:40.960 God's will for the church. God wants his church to grow, 228 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.440 and God wants his church to grow fast. The number 229 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:49.399 of disciples rapidly multiplied. That's New Testament growth. In verse seven, 230 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:54.519 it says the number of believers increased rapidly again, rapid 231 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:56.960 exponential growth. Now I could take you through the whole 232 00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.120 Book of Acts, but let me take you over to 233 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:04.080 Acts Chapter Acts twenty one is approximately twenty five years 234 00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:08.120 after the church has started in Jerusalem. How many people 235 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:10.039 have they grown to in twenty five years? Saddleback's going 236 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:14.320 to be thirty years old on April fourth the Jerusalem Church. 237 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.720 And twenty five years later, Paul comes back to Jerusalem 238 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:24.840 and he is told noticed tens of thousands have become believers. Tens. 239 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:27.799 It literally is tens of tens of tens of thousands. 240 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:33.240 The word there in Greek is the word murias. Murias 241 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:36.360 literally means tens and tens of thousands. We get the 242 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.639 word myriad from it. Do you know what myriad means? 243 00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:44.840 Too numerous? Account, the church was so big it couldn't 244 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:49.159 even count them all. Bible scholars believe that by this year, 245 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:53.279 the twenty fifth year, the Jerusalem Church had grown to 246 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.159 over one hundred thousand members. He said, well, how big 247 00:13:57.240 --> 00:14:00.279 was the city of Jerusalem? Will archaeologists tell us the 248 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:03.240 Jerusalem is a city of about two hundred thousand people. 249 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:05.919 So you have a city of two hundred thousand people 250 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:10.240 and one hundred thousand members of one church. That's what 251 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:19.279 you call church growth. You know. 252 00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:22.879 This Christmas, you can enjoy the beauty of God's word 253 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.679 with a brand new set of fifty two stunning scripture cards, 254 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:30.480 each featuring verses about the birth of Christ and adorned 255 00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:35.240 with elegant Christmas artwork. These are perfect for memorizing scripture, 256 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.679 tucking into gifts, or placing on your holiday table. These 257 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.440 cards are a simple way to bring meaning to the 258 00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.960 season and share God's love with those around you. So 259 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.600 whether you're starting a new tradition or looking for a 260 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:53.320 unique way to share the Gospel with friends and family, well, 261 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:57.000 these cards are a perfect fit. Today. When you give 262 00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:59.840 a gift to help daily hope take the certain hope 263 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:03.559 of of Jesus to people worldwide, be sure to request 264 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:08.159 this very special collection of Christmas scripture cards. It's our 265 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.200 way of saying thanks for supporting daily hope. 266 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:16.519 The church at Jerusalem grew to one hundred thousand people 267 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:18.759 in about twenty five years. Where in the world did 268 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.120 they put all those people? I mean, you think we 269 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:25.000 got a parking problem, Think about one hundred thousand people 270 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:28.360 trying to get together for one church service every week 271 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:31.600 and then going out. Well, the Bible tells us the 272 00:15:32.200 --> 00:15:34.840 strategy that they used. And it's very important for you 273 00:15:34.879 --> 00:15:37.039 to know the strategy of the Jerusalem Church because it's 274 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.759 the exact same one we've used here at Saddleback for 275 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:42.720 thirty years. It's there on your outline. The Bible tells 276 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:46.399 us in one simple sentence the church strategy at Jerusalem, 277 00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.759 Acts Chapter five, verse forty two. They met day after 278 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:55.679 day in the temple courts and from house to house. 279 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:58.720 And I want you to circle temple courts and circle 280 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:03.480 house to house, because these are the two different structures 281 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.759 of a biblical church, temple courts and house to house. 282 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:10.360 What are we talking about here, Well, you might write 283 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:16.360 this down. It's large group worship and it's small group fellowship. 284 00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:23.559 Large group worship and small group fellowship. First, it says 285 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:27.080 they met in the temple courts. Now I want you 286 00:16:27.159 --> 00:16:29.080 to this is maybe seem picky, but I need to 287 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:32.399 explain it to you. Circle the s on courts. Notice 288 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:36.000 it's plural. They didn't meet at the temple court. They 289 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:39.080 met at the temple courts. What does that mean? One 290 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:43.600 church meeting in many locations. Now, Notice it doesn't say 291 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:46.519 that the Jerusalem Church met in the temple. They didn't. 292 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:49.840 They did not meet in the temple. It said they 293 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:52.799 met in the temple courts, which are around the temple. 294 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:55.960 Why didn't they meet in the temple Two reasons. Number one, 295 00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:58.919 it wouldn't hold everybody. The temple certainly wouldn't hold one 296 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:02.919 hundred thousand people. But number two, they were forbidden to 297 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:07.440 go into the temple. Jewish law kept people out of 298 00:17:07.480 --> 00:17:10.839 the temple. In other words, people couldn't just go into 299 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:14.680 the temple. Only the priest could go into the inner court, 300 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.680 and nobody could go into the Holy of Holies except 301 00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:20.200 the priest once a year on the day of Atonement. 302 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:23.079 So the temple wasn't like we built the day church 303 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:27.640 or auditoriums where everybody gets together sings Kumbayah. Nobody went 304 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:30.400 in the temple. They went up to the temple, and 305 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.200 the priest went in the temple so they didn't meet 306 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:34.880 in the temple because they weren't allowed to it, and 307 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.759 it wouldn't have held them anyway if they good. But 308 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:39.559 they met in the temple courts, and all around this 309 00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:44.519 temple were these courtyards outside. Now I've been to Jerusalem, 310 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:47.759 and if you've ever seen Solomon's temple and the courts 311 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:50.519 and what the remains of it, it's very obvious that 312 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:54.519 the temple courts could have held maybe fifty thousand people easily. 313 00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:58.839 And so if they had two services on a weekend, 314 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:02.559 they could easily have of one hundred thousand people at service. 315 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:05.160 Because in those days you didn't sit to worship, you 316 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:08.480 stood through the worship. And so they could have fifty 317 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:11.559 thousand people in temple courts. But noticed they didn't try 318 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:14.759 to all meet in the same court. Here's a giant 319 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:19.839 church meeting in many different locations. Now, why do we 320 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:23.400 believe in small groups. The reason we do it is 321 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:27.559 because Jesus told us to do it, and it's a 322 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:32.319 biblical model. When Jesus started his ministry public ministry, he 323 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:37.039 was thirty years old. The first thing Jesus did was 324 00:18:37.079 --> 00:18:40.640 he was baptized as an adult. If you haven't been 325 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:45.200 baptized as your personal confession of faith. Because of your decision, 326 00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:48.400 you need to be baptized. Now, Jesus was dedicated as 327 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:51.720 a baby. Did that invalidate his dedication? No, But at 328 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:54.079 thirty years of age he went down the Jordan River 329 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:57.480 and John baptized him. There's a difference between a baptism 330 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:02.039 of confirmation, which was your parents' commitment. Yeah, I mean, 331 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:04.240 you had nothing to do with it. I don't even remember. 332 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:08.440 But there's the baptism of confession, which is your decision 333 00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:11.559 as an adult. And we baptize people as adults in 334 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:15.200 this church. Why because Jesus set the model, and if 335 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:17.400 he did it, we're going to do it his way. 336 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:21.599 Evidently his dedication as a baby was not enough. He 337 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.920 was taken to the temple at day seven and dedicated 338 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:27.680 by his parents. But when he got thirty years of age, 339 00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:30.559 he said, now this is my decision. It's now my faith. 340 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.039 If you haven't been baptized, you need to be baptized 341 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:36.400 the way Jesus was. Then the second thing Jesus did 342 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:40.440 is he started a small group. He went out and 343 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.839 he gathered twelve guys and he said, you're going to 344 00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:46.559 be my small group. And for the next three years 345 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:51.960 he traveled with his small group. Even Jesus needed a 346 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.200 small group, and he was perfect. You need one even 347 00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:00.079 more than he does to make it in life. There 348 00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:03.400 are four advantages of a small group. Would you write 349 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:08.480 these down? Number one? Small groups are relational. Small groups 350 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.680 are relational. Now why is that important? Because life is 351 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.799 all about learning how to love, and you can't love 352 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:19.799 unless you build relationships. You have to learn to love, 353 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:22.880 and you can't. Small groups are the laboratory for learning 354 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:26.000 relational skills. They're the laboratory for learning how to love. 355 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:30.480 You can't have a conversation with a crowd. I mean, 356 00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:34.839 we can't have a conversation right now, you're just listening. 357 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:39.000 This is called sit still while I instill. It's one 358 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:42.680 way conversation. And you can't say, hey, Rick, what about 359 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:45.599 and did this mean? And what about that? But in 360 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:48.000 a small group, you can ask questions. In a small group, 361 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:51.119 you can pray specifically for each other. In a small group, 362 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:54.720 you can get support, you can share, and you can 363 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:58.680 build relationships in a way that you can't do it 364 00:20:58.720 --> 00:21:00.759 in other ways. See one of the problems of our 365 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:06.519 culture today is that we live among strangers and people 366 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:11.000 aren't learning relational skills anymore. They're not very good at 367 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:15.160 relationships today. Why because we don't have porches. People don't 368 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:17.440 sit outside and talk to their neighbors. You know, one 369 00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:21.680 of the worst things that created a nation of strangers 370 00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:27.599 electric garage doors. Because you click the electric garage door, 371 00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:30.160 get in your car, drive out, go to work. When 372 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:32.880 you come home, click the electric gage door, go on 373 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:34.880 in and close it. You don't ever have to meet 374 00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:37.480 your neighbors. And my guess is you probably live on 375 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.799 a street that you don't know people who've lived there 376 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:43.039 for years. And one of the reasons why we're not 377 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:45.400 very good at relational skills is we don't have a 378 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:48.400 laboratory to learn them. And the evidence of that is 379 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:51.240 a divorce rate in America. People get married and because 380 00:21:51.240 --> 00:21:54.799 they don't have relational skills, they don't know how to 381 00:21:54.799 --> 00:21:56.880 solve their problems and have to solve the conflict and 382 00:21:56.920 --> 00:22:02.039 the relationship dissolves. If Gezus said the most important thing 383 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:04.240 in life is learning how to love, and he did. 384 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:06.680 It's called the Great commandment. Love God with all your heart, 385 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:09.319 love your neighbors, yourself. Then the most important thing for 386 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:13.839 you to do is to learn relational skills, loving God, 387 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.759 loving other people, and you do that. You can't do 388 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.599 that with a crowd. Now, you don't have to know 389 00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:21.680 everybody in a church for it to be your church, 390 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.559 but you do have to know somebody. You don't know 391 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:29.119 everybody on your row right now, that's okay, but you 392 00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:33.200 do have to know somebody two, three, four, people who 393 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:35.720 when you get sick, they know you're sick. When you 394 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:38.640 get laid off, they know you're laid off, whet, when 395 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:41.039 you're in the hospital, they know you're in the hospital. 396 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:43.960 When you need a babysitter, they know you need a babysitter. 397 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:47.880 And somebody knows your needs and they help you. They 398 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:51.240 show up when you need them. You don't need one 399 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:53.599 hundred friends in life, but you do need three or 400 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:56.759 four really good ones, and small groups are a great 401 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.640