In this sermon for the Watford church of Christ we examine the healthy practices of the early church.
What does it mean to be devoted to the apostles teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers?
I include here some of the quotes used in the sermon:
“It was a small group…whom Jesus commissioned to carry on his work, and bring the gospel to the whole world. They were not distinguished; they were not well educated; they had no influential backers. In their own nation they...
In this sermon for the Watford church of Christ we examine the healthy practices of the early church.
What does it mean to be devoted to the apostles teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers?
I include here some of the quotes used in the sermon:
“It was a small group…whom Jesus commissioned to carry on his work, and bring the gospel to the whole world. They were not distinguished; they were not well educated; they had no influential backers. In their own nation they were nobodies and, in any case, their own nation was a mere second-class province on the eastern extremity of the Roman map. If they had stopped to weigh up the probabilities of succeeding in their mission, even granted their conviction that Jesus was alive and that his Spirit went with them to equip them for the task, that hearts must surely have sunk, so heavily were they weighted against them. How could they possibly succeed? And yet they did.” Evangelism in the early church, Michael Green.
Chrysostom [347-407; Constantinople]
‘This was an angelic commonwealth, not to call anything of theirs their own. Forthwith the root of evils was cut out.… None reproached, none envied, none grudged; no pride, no contempt was there.… The poor man knew no shame, the rich no haughtiness.’
The Methodist Covenant Prayer
I am no longer my own but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
exalted for you, or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing:
I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.
And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine and I am yours. So be it.
And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.'
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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)
God bless, Malcolm
