Several weeks ago, back in the
office, one of the men read Acts, the second chapter, to us. When
he got through reading the last paragraph, I thought to myself,
there's a message there for us. And just briefly asked God to
give it to me. About that time that Larry Brown
spoke up and said, I sure would like to hear You preached from
that last paragraph, those last verses of Acts 2. And I've been
studying and trying to find God's message. I believe I have it.
Let's read beginning at verse 41. Acts 2, verse 41. God has poured out the Holy Spirit
on the day of Pentecost. Men from all different places
and different regions speaking different languages Heard the
apostles speak, every one of them, in their own language.
And I didn't have this silly, git-gat, put-on, fake, demonic
gibberish that goes on in the name of God in churches all around
us. Oh, Brother Don, you ought not
be so plain spoken. I want folks to understand what
I said. It's demonic. It's hellish. God's not within
a thousand miles of it. There's nothing about God honored
about it. These fellows spoke. And the folks who heard each
one heard them speak the gospel in their own language. And Peter
proclaimed Christ the exalted Lord and said to those men who
had crucified the Lord, who had stood at his cross and cried,
crucify him, crucify him, let his blood be on us and upon our
children. He said, you killed him, but it was God's work. It
was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God that
it might be as it has come to pass this day. God has made that
same Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ, and they
were pricked in their hearts. And they cried, men and brethren,
what shall we do? And Peter said, repent and be
baptized every one of you because of the remission of sins. And
the Lord God added that day by the stretched out arm of his
mighty power, Just as he brought out thousands from Egypt in one
day, that day he added 3,000 souls to the church. Acts 2.41. Then, they that gladly received
Peter's word were baptized, and the same day there were added
unto them about 3,000 souls. And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. and in breaking of
bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul,
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all
that believed were together and had all things common, and sold
their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as
every man had need, and they continuing daily with one accord
in the temple. and breaking bread from house
to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness
of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And
the Lord added to the church daily such as should be said."
What a blessed, instructive description the Holy Spirit here gives us
of this early church, the church that our Lord Jesus Christ established
himself. How sweet are those words. All
that believed were together and had all things common. This early church truly was a
habitation of God through the Spirit. Now, insofar as the record
of Holy Scripture is concerned, I read in this book that God
has established two things, two institutions. Two things in this
world God has established for the welfare of his people, for
the glory of his name, as we make our pilgrimage through this
world. In Genesis chapter 2, after God had created Adam in
his own image and his own likeness, he saw that it was not good for
Adam to be alone. And it caused a deep sleep to
fall upon Adam. And he took a rib from him. And
out of the rib, he made a woman and brought her to Adam. And
Adam called her name Woman, for she's taken out of man. And he
said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother,
and shall be joined to his wife, and they too shall be one flesh. Because Eve was made to be a
help meat for Adam. Now, it doesn't matter how that
sounds in this politically correct generation. I'll leave that alone. That's
what a woman is. She is a help meet for a man. God told Eve that you're going
to find your satisfaction in him. A woman finds her completion
in the man God has made for her. And the two together are walking
together for the glory of God. And as they walk together for
the glory of God, serving the interest of his kingdom, they
find happiness, delight, satisfaction. Blessed indeed is the man who
finds a good wife. I know. Whoso findeth a wife
findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord. A virtuous
woman is a crown to her husband. Blessed indeed is that woman
who finds a good husband, a husband who loves her and cares for her,
protects her and provides for her. One of the greatest blessings
God can bestow upon you in this world is the joy of a peaceful,
happy home. When Faith was a little girl,
just a little shaver, she'd come home from school sometimes, she'd
say, Daddy, why does so-and-so act this way? Why do they behave
like that? And I'd say to her, honey, try
to be patient. You don't have any idea what
that girl has to face every day at home. There are few people
in this world who know what it is to live in a happy, peaceful
home where God is worshiped. Few people in this world, nothing,
nothing can be compared to it except this next thing. In Matthew
16, our Lord Jesus said, I will build my church and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. The church of Christ he has
established as well for the glory of his own great name. The church
of Christ is my spiritual family. The people of God are my brothers
and sisters. And the greatest privilege that
I enjoy, the greatest earthly blessing God has bestowed upon
me, is the privilege of being part of this local church family,
the greatest privilege I have ever known in my life as a man. Happy is that man or woman. who
is blessed of God to be a part of a peaceful, joyful church
family. How God has honored us, favored
us, and blessed us in this place with sweet fellowship in Christ
Jesus. These two institutions, my family
and this assembly, meet all my needs in this world, physical
and spiritual. No other institutions can serve
their purpose The family and the church, these are God's institutions. They can't be improved upon.
And I don't care what goes on in the political civil world
around us, they can't be destroyed. I wouldn't give up my family
for anything in this world. I mean for nothing, for nothing. I'm not, I know I look like it,
but I'm not a naturally violent fellow. Just don't bother my
family. Not if you're smart. If I can't
handle you, I'll hire somebody to handle you. I'm not going
to let anything happen to my family. But I can't give up God's
church either. Not going to. Not for anything. Not for anyone in the world.
Because nothing can replace either. And yet of these two, the church
is indescribably more important. indescribably more important.
Anytime folks have church squabbles, horrible as they are, you know
how they line up? 9,999 times out of a million. 900,999 times. They line up by
blood. Blood's thicker than water. Got
to stick with family. That's exactly where the phrase
comes from. That blood is thicker than that water. Not thicker
than God's grace, it's not. Not thicker than God's grace.
You see, the church belongs to Christ. He loved the church and
gave himself for it. He chose the church as his bride.
He redeemed the church with his precious blood. He calls his
elect into the church. He adds to the church such as
he will, day by day, exactly as he will. And the church is
built upon Christ. built upon the foundation Christ
crucified. No other foundation can be laid.
Turn to Ephesians chapter 2. Let me show you something. Ephesians
2. Ephesians 2 verse 20. Paul speaks of us being built
upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. That is built on
the same foundation they're built on. Jesus Christ himself being
the chief cornerstone. in whom all the building fitly
framed together, every piece in the superstructure tempered
by the hand of God, groweth into an holy temple unto the Lord,
in whom ye also are built together, look at this now, for an habitation
of God through the Spirit. You remember David wanted to
build that temple? And the Lord said, I don't need
a temple. And he let Solomon build the temple, but it was
only to be a picture. of this temple, this spiritual
temple, which is the habitation of God through the spirit. Not
only is the church built on Christ, he's the head of the church.
God's put all things in subjection under his feet and given him
to be head over all things to the church. Now, what does that
mean? That means that Christ has given certain established
order in his church. It's not a kingdom of confusion,
but a kingdom of order. He's given pastors and deacons
and teachers and gifted men and women and placed them in his
body exactly as he will. Our head over all things is he
to whom we must be subject in all things. Christ alone, not
this preacher. Not these deacons, not you men,
not you men and women, not a voice of a majority. Christ alone determines
how we function as a local church. His word alone is the rule of
authority. And it is the same in the 1st
century, in the 5th century, in the 15th century, and it will
be in the 50th century. It doesn't change. Our ordinances,
our doctrine, our practices come from him. And as our head, Christ
has left his church with a distinct and specific mission. He said,
go ye, therefore, into all the world and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you. And while you're making your
trip, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. We must
go about the business of serving our Lord's calls, his interest
in this world. And as we do, we must not expect
to be treated any differently than he was treated while he
was here. Our master said, you shall be hated of all men for
my namesake. And as we serve him together,
That's going to be the result among folks who do not believe
him. There's no way under the shining sun you can serve the
cause of Christ. and the glory of God, preaching
the gospel of his free grace. Tell men and women that there's
nothing good in them, and the only goodness there is is that
which God Almighty gives. Telling men and women salvation
is something that God must do for them and in them. You're
not going to win friends and influence people. It's not going
to happen. Rather, slander, abuse, and persecution are things to
be reasonably expected, and the church The more important than
family, because this is my immortal, everlasting family. Did you hear me? One day folks
came to our master and said, your mother wants to see you.
And he was busy taking care of business in the house of God.
And he said, my mother, my mother. Look here. See my brother, my
sister, my mother, my father? This is my family. This is my
family. Well, you mean he wasn't related
to Mary? Of course he was. Of course he was, for just a
little while as his mother. You see, my family in time, and
yours too, in God's good providence will be diminished, broken up,
brought low, die and bury. That dear lady over there who
dotes on me all the time and has for 35 years, who lights
my life every day, one of these days, one of us is going to leave
the other one. We're going to the ground. These bodies will die and she
will no longer ever be my wife. or I her husband. You reckon
we won't know one another as husband and wife in heaven? We'll
know things better then than we know them now. I expect I'll
know she was my wife, but it won't matter. It won't matter. Charlotte Hart back there will
be just as much united to me in eternity as my wife is. Because our union is an endless,
everlasting union of grace and life in Jesus Christ. You understand
that? These earthly families are temporary. Temporary. Like everything else
here. This family. Or this family. This is forever. Now, I want
us to look at these verses here at the last part of Matthew chapter
2. And I want to speak to you plainly about this, the most
important of all earthly relationships, the local church. It is a fellowship
of believers in Christ, no more and no less. It is a fellowship. of believers in Christ, no more
and no less. And the fellowship as it's set
forth here is a fourfold fellowship. First, it is a doctrinal fellowship,
doctrinal. We're told here they continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine. Nothing is of greater
importance in the church than our doctrinal foundation. What
we do, what we are, is determined by what we believe. If our fellowship
is not built upon the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of the
apostles, then we have no real fellowship at all, just a religious
country club. It is impossible to have fellowship
with Christ and deny his doctrine. It is impossible to have fellowship
with God and deny that which God reveals in his word. Our
fellowship as a church must be built upon the apostles' doctrine. The reason you see all around
you such tomfoolery, such insane idiocy going on in the name of
religion, and men and women calling it worship, is because they know
nothing of the apostles' doctrine. Those who know the apostles'
doctrine All that's done by them is determined by the doctrine.
Our music is determined by the doctrine. Our methods are determined
by the doctrine. Our message reflects the doctrine. Our manners in the house of God
are determined by the doctrine. And the apostles' doctrine is
plainly that body of revealed truth given to us by God through
the apostles in his word, particularly in the New Testament, as the
New Testament is but the fulfilling of the old. The apostles' doctrine
is the gospel of God's free, sovereign, saving grace in Jesus
Christ the Lord. Fellowship involves communion,
agreement of heart, and unity of spirit. And where there is
no agreement upon gospel truths, there is not and cannot be fellowship. Now, let me be crystal clear,
specific. I could name other things, but
here are seven areas of gospel truth vital to our fellowship. We cannot have fellowship with
one another if these things are not embraced among us. We cannot
have fellowship with one another if these things do not find a
constant unity and accord in our hearts, knitting us together.
That which binds us together is that to which our hearts are
attached. First, we recognize, rejoice
in, and declare that God Almighty, the triune God of heaven and
earth, is absolutely suffering. What does that mean? That means
God's the boss all the time. That means God rules all the
time, everywhere. That means God has his way all
the time with everybody, everywhere. And any other God is nothing
but what the scriptures describe as a dung God. Just a worthless
manure God. Doesn't matter what name he wears.
And we have no fellowship with anyone who denies God's sovereignty. Can't have. Now, we've got blood
kin and we have a nice dinner together. We can't have any fellowship
with them. We have friends and we may go play golf with them
or may go out and have lunch with them, but we can't have
any fellowship with them because they don't know God. And there's
no fellowship where there's no unity of heart. We believe, according
to this book, that this book and this book alone is the word
of God. That is to say, it is by this
book alone that God reveals himself, makes known his will, guides
his people, and teaches us the way in which we should go. And
this book stands here. Everything else, every other
opinion, every other thought bows to this book. not the other
way around. We do not endeavor to find out
the truth of God by the opinions of men. We don't endeavor to
find out the truth of God by the common accepted notions of
men. And we don't endeavor to find
it out by the brilliant scholarly works of men. But rather, we
judge the works of men, the opinions of men, and the doctrines of
men by what God says in this book. If this book's not our
authority, we don't have any. Just that simple. Just that simple.
And when you recognize what God teaches in this book, and you
recognize this is indeed God's Word, the Word of Him who rules
everywhere, you don't have to back up for anything. You don't
have to even think about compromising anything. Why? Well, this is
God's Word. This is what God says, and the
God who said it rules everywhere. I believe He'll take care of
it. Thirdly, We recognize and declare plainly that man by nature
is totally depraved, utterly corrupt at heart. No goodness in him, just corruption. Vain, wicked are the thoughts
and the imaginations of his heart continually. His heart's deceitful
above all things and desperately wicked. Brother Mayhem, one time
up in Prestonburg, Kentucky, preaching on man's depravity,
and some woman met him after the service at that door. She
said, I always knew men were that way. I'm talking about men, mankind,
husbands and wives and sons and daughters, nothing but corruption. And we recognize and rejoice
in the fact that God Almighty has chosen a people out of Adam's
fallen sons and daughters whom He's determined to save. And
He made the world, and rules the world, and disposes of the
world to do it. Brother Rex read back in the
office tonight about Radshika and the Assyrians coming against
Hezekiah and the children of Israel. And Hezekiah spread his
prayer before God. And this was God's answer. He
said, I'll put a hook in his nose. I love it. He's got his hook
in everybody's nose. And he guides them. Doesn't matter
how they snort and bellow and holler. He guides them as he
will to accomplish the saving of his people. Sometimes I ask, well, why do
you talk so much about election? I don't talk enough about it.
I don't talk near enough about it. We rejoice in it because,
Bobby, if God hadn't chosen you, you wouldn't be here. If God
hadn't chosen you, you wouldn't believe on his son. If God hadn't
chosen you, you'd never come to Christ. If God hadn't chosen
you, you'd wind up in hell because man's depraved. And we recognize,
according to the teaching of Holy Scripture, that God's darling
Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has redeemed His people from their
sins. He didn't try to do it. Blessed
be His name. He has, by the sacrifice of Himself,
put away our sins. And we understand that in the
appointed time of mercy, In the appointed time of love, God the
Holy Spirit comes to every chosen blood-bought sinner in omnipotent,
irresistible grace, in immaculate mercy, in the mysterious wonder
of His goodness, and does for man what no man can do for himself,
and no preacher can do for any man, and no church can do for
any man. He takes the Word of God. And by the Word preached,
gives dead sinners life and faith. And I'm about convinced that
when He does so, He puts faith in your heart,
and first thing you know, it's just there. You just all of a
sudden believe. How can that be? No effort on
your part? You try and try and try and try,
and all of a sudden, you believe. How come? God Almighty opened
the windows of heaven and dropped down the pail of His grace and
poured His grace into you by irresistible power. And first
thing you know, you want Christ more than anything in this world.
And we recognize that those sinners loved and chosen of God, redeemed
by Christ's precious blood, saved by His omnipotent grace, shall
most certainly persevere to the end, being preserved by that
same omnipotent mercy. Now, this is what I'm saying.
We believe, according to this book, that salvation is entirely,
entirely by God's free grace through faith in Jesus Christ,
in Christ alone. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast." Now, those are the important
things. We are told here that God so worked His grace in these
people that the people, all of them, received the apostle's
doctrine gladly. Gladly. Well, boy, that would kindly
imply that folks who don't receive the apostle's doctrine haven't
been born of God. It would, wouldn't it? It sure
would. God's people don't argue and
fuss with the Word of God. Most people don't kick up a fuss
against God's truth. They gladly receive it. This
is what God says. All right, second, this fellowship
is a fraternal fellowship, a fellowship of brethren. Now, when I speak
of fellowship, if it wasn't for the foolish abuse of scripture
language, there wouldn't be any need to explain it, but there's
much abuse. I'm not talking about our social gatherings. I enjoy
our times of social gatherings we call church fellowships, but
that's not what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about church
dinners. We enjoy those. That's not what I'm talking about.
Fellowship is a real unity of heart and purpose. All that believe,
Luke tells us, were together and had all things common. is a genuine oneness of heart.
Believers are men and women united in Christ. They truly have all
things common. Each uses what he has, whether
it be his time or his possessions, each uses what he has for the
good of all. They are of one accord, built
up in love, with singleness of heart, seeking the glory of God. What is this fellowship? It is
the love of God's saints for one another. It is the sympathy
of God's people for one another. Sympathizing with one another's
weaknesses. Sympathizing with one another's
trials. Sympathizing with one another's sorrows. Sympathizing
with one another's needs. It is a fellow feeling with one
another. It shouldn't need explaining.
It's what you feel when Ricky Dale's in pain. It's what you
feel when he's elated. It's what you feel when you see
your grandson, the first time he makes a score on the football
field. That's my boy. It's what you feel when he breaks
his arm trying. That's my boy. Fellowship. It is a unity of heart, sympathy,
and it's care. the care of God's saints for
one another. You've often heard the expression,
we care for our own. In the family of God, we care
for our own. Blessed be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds
is Like to that above, we share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens
bear, and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear. This loving care of God's people
basically involves three things, patience or forbearance, forgiveness. When you care for people, when
you care for anybody, You're patient with them, forbearing. Oh, you may fly off the handle
and there's no excuse for it, but you care. And caring, you're
forbearing and patient. That dear lady married to me,
she puts up with things in me she wouldn't put up with anybody
else. And I wish it weren't so, but she does because this is
what I am. You see, the church is made up
of men and women. Many women, like David Coleman
and Don Fortner, and that ain't much, sinful, fickle, faltering, failing
men and women. But men and women who are one
in Christ and in Christ redeemed and righteous and justified and
accepted and so in love They're patient, forbear with one another,
forgive one another's offenses, and they take care of each other,
do what they can to provide for one another. Let me show you
an example. Turn to Acts 4. Acts 4. Verse 32. The multitude of them
that believed were of one heart. And of one soul, neither said
any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was
his own. But they had all things common,
and with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Neither
was there any among them that lacked. for as many as were possessors
of lands. Now, here's the reason nobody
liked anything. Everybody had enough to eat. Everybody had
clothes to wear. Everybody had a place to sleep. For as many
as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and bought the
prices of these things that were sold and laid them down at the
apostles' feet. And the distribution was made
unto every man according as he had need. Well, I don't see anywhere where
anybody told them to do that. I don't see any regulations stipulating
that. I don't see anything telling
folks they had to go sell their property. As a matter of fact,
the selling of their property probably was not wise. Well,
let's back up a little bit. Oh, being gracious is always
wise. Always wise. Why did they do
that? Got a hungry brother over here. hungry sister over here,
got a preacher here that needs to be taken care of, this needs
to be taken care of, and I got all this land out here. Shoot,
all I'm doing is saving it up to die on it and be buried on
it and leave off selling. Take this and take care of things.
Take this and take care of things. You see, faith in Christ lives
not for material gain, but spiritual good. Faith seeks not temporal
riches, but spiritual. Faith loves not the world nor
the things of the world passing away, but the world to come,
which is eternal. Faith seeks the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, not the mammon of unrighteousness. Faith
in Christ produces an attitude of grace in the heart. And those
who truly experience God's grace are gracious. Do you reckon that's what this
passage is written to teach us? I believe it is. Faith unites
the people of God. Luke tells us the multitude of
them that believe were of one accord, one family, loving one
person supremely, the Lord Jesus, devoted to one cause, the kingdom
of God, seeking one thing above all others, the will of God,
devoted and governed and motivated by one thing, the glory of God,
which is the ultimate end of us all. These things are true
of all believers. true of all believers. Faith
makes men and women generous, gracious. Neither said any of
them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had all things in common. They placed no value, no value. on personal property, personal
wealth, or personal advantages. They were totally indifferent
to such foolishness. Oh, God, give me such grace. No value. These men and women
learn what every child of God in this world must learn, all
that we are and all that we have, we are and we have as stewards
under God things in our hands or things with which God has
entrusted us to serve him and the interest of his kingdom.
All right, let me move on. This fellowship is a doctrinal
fellowship and it is a fraternal fellowship and this fellowship
is fellowship with Christ. Our Lord promised where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst
of them. Here the master comes and reveals himself in our songs. I appreciate so much most of
you ladies who sing, men as well, songs I pick out. I know folks
think, well, that's just entertainment. If you look at it that way, I
pity you. No. As me in reading the Scriptures,
leading us in prayer, is but a preparation for worship. Those
songs, man, what they just sang, songs we sing as a congregation,
how often the Lord Jesus comes. and walks in the midst of the
candlesticks and through the songs of his people makes himself
known. Through the preaching of the
word, he comes and shows himself. He said, I'll come to you. One
of his disciples said, how can you come, does not come to the
world? He said, hang on, I'll show you. I didn't. You sit here and hear the gospel,
worship Christ. Some of you here tonight. Have
you seen the Master Manifest? Somebody sit beside you? I didn't
see anything so wonderful about that. Well, come tomorrow, maybe
He'll show Himself to you. He comes and speaks through His
Word. We take the bread and wine in remembrance of Him and He
speaks to us. And then, fourthly, it is fellowship
with the Father. Fellowship with the Triune God. through faith in Jesus Christ. Turn to 1 John for a minute.
I'll wrap this up. I acknowledge that it is not
easy to do because our minds are so prone to evil, so prone
to habit I hear folks that got out of the habit of going to
church, oh my soul, what a horrible thing. Habit. And yet, so many times we do
so because it's habit or duty. I'll tell you how I try to prepare
for each message, each service. here and wherever I go. It doesn't
matter whether I'm meeting in somebody's living room with two or three
people or whether I'm preaching to a congregation where every
seat's packed and folks standing around, won't hear what's going
on. This is how I try to prepare. I try to seek a word from God
for you and try to come to the house of God, listen to every
word these men read out back there and in here as they pray,
every word that's sought. Listen to just the general comments. And my anticipation is, maybe,
just maybe, the Lord will one more time reveal Himself to me
and speak to me, make Himself known to me in the sweet fellowship
of His people, in fellowship with the triune God. That which
was from the beginning, John writes, which we've heard, which
we've seen with our eyes, which we've looked upon, and our hands
have handled of the word of life. For the life was manifested,
we've seen it, bear witness, and show unto you that eternal
life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. That
which we've seen and heard declare we unto you that you may have
fellowship with us and truly Truth, our fellowship is with
the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. That's fellowship. And that's fellowship that is
not going to be broken ever by anyone under any circumstances. I quoted a portion of a hymn
written by John Fawcett. John Fawcett was contemporary
with John Gill. After Gill died, Gill was pastor
of a large Baptist church in the heart of London, and a man
of great reputation around the world. He'd written, the only
man ever in history to write a commentary dealing with every
verse in the Bible. He wrote of body divinities spread
around the world in the English language. Brilliant man, pastor
of a large congregation. John Fawcett pastored a little
group of folks out in the country. And the huge church down at Carter
Lane called John Fawcett to be their pastor. Man, what a chance. What an opportunity. And he accepted
the call. And his wife and he packed their
goods up and just about ready to move. Folks from the church
came over. Weeping eyes, you can imagine,
been a pastor for a long time. And he went back to get the last
box. And he sat down with his wife,
and he said, I can't leave these people. This is not of God. And he wrote these words. Blessed
be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. Oh, thank God for binding our
hearts together in the sweet fellowship of Christ our Redeemer
in this place.