Why Did Jesus Come To Earth ? - Part 3 - Pursuing Intimacy With God
Why Did Jesus Come ? – Part 3
Why Did Jesus Come To Earth ?
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
God wants all Christians and churches to be spirit filled, passionate, powerful, and fruitful. That is the type of Christian and church that brings a lot of glory to God.
John 15:8 – This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
The early church in Acts is an example of this type of church. A church filled with the presence and glory of God. Filled with spirit filled true disciples and followers of Jesus.
The early church in Acts is our example to follow.
A Spirit Filled, Passionate, Powerful, and Fruitful Church
What are the keys or vital things that we need to have in order to be like the believers in the early church in Acts ? What was their secret to being such a dynamic and powerful church ?
In Acts 2:42-47 we will discover the keys to being the type of Christian and church that God wants. Both are tied to the reasons why Jesus came to earth.
We will find the 1st key in Acts 2:42.
Acts 2:42 – They devoted themselves to 1) the apostles’ teaching 2) and to fellowship, 3) to the breaking of bread and 4) to prayer.
It appears that the 4 things listed in Acts 2:42 are the keys to being a spirit filled, passionate, powerful, and fruitful Christian and church. Though these 4 things are very important, they are not the keys to being all that God wants us to be.
If a church does all of these 4 things (Read & Study the Bible, Fellowship, Eat Food together, and Prayer) will it be the kind of church that God wants ? Not necessarily. Yes these 4 things are very important.
They are very important, but they are not the keys to being what God wants us to be. Just about every church today do these 4 things in one form or another. There are Bible studies, preaching the word (hopefully), prayer meetings & ministries, various fellowship opportunities, and plenty of food.
In our 18+ years of missions ministry, we have preached in &/or trained &/or helped more than 230 churches in 28 countries. And we have visited many many more churches. Even though all of them are doing these 4 things, many are dead or dying churches.
What Matters Most Is What Is In Our Hearts
Even though most churches do these 4 things one way or another, many churches are dead or dying. Why ?
You can do all of these things, and yet your heart can be far from God. The religious leaders when Jesus came to earth are a great example. They knew the Scriptures better than anyone. And they prayed and fasted. And they participated in fellowship events with food.
But their hearts were hard and far from God. These were the people that Jesus had the hardest time with. They were the people that had Jesus killed. They were religious zealots, but they did not even recognize the promised Messiah when they saw him face to face.
They were blinded by their hard and unbelieving, arrogant, and prideful hearts.
The First Key To Being All That God Wants & Having Close Fellowship With God
God does not want you to read and study His Word, and pray, and enjoy meals and fellowship together as a way to check off some sort of “What A Good Christian Should Do” checklist. Or as a part of some sort of religious routine or tradition.
And God does not want you to do them out of a sense of obligation or duty. Or because your pastor tells you that you should do them.
The 1st key to having close fellowship with God, and to being all that He wants you to be has to do with what is in your heart. We will find the 1st key in Acts 2:42.
Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves…” This is the first key. The Greek word for devoted “proskartereo” is the strongest word in the Greek language for COMMITMENT. It literally means “latch on and refuse to let go”.
The believers in the early church in Acts didn’t “latch on & refuse to let go” of doing religious things, or to a religious lifestyle. They didn’t have a “What A Good Christian Should Do” checklist. But they had something in their heart.
They “latched on to Jesus, and refused to let go. They were completely and passionately committed and devoted to Jesus. They passionately loved Jesus and followed Him. No matter what He led them to do. And no matter where He led them to go. And no matter the dangers or the cost.
Willing & Ready To Suffer And Sacrifice
The believers in the book of Acts lived in a very dangerous and difficult time for Christians. The same people that killed Jesus were still around. This was shortly after Jesus died on the cross and rose again to heaven.
But the believers, the ones that are our examples to follow, were passionately committed and devoted to Jesus. They were ready to sacrifice and pay the cost to follow Jesus. Because their hearts were filled with the same love, passion, and devotion that Jesus had for God.
All of Jesus’ disciples, except John, died for following & serving Jesus. As did Stephen (Acts 7), Paul, and others. The apostle John was tortured and sent in exile to the island of Patmos.
“The New Testament example of the Christian experience is that of a personal, passionate devotion to the Person of Jesus Christ.” – Oswald Chambers
The Results Of Being Passionately Committed & Devoted To Jesus
Because their hearts were filled with love, passion, and total devotion to Jesus, you can see the amazing ways God used them. And God can use you in the same way. To impact the world around you.
Acts 2:43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
– sign of God’s presence & glory: awe, wonders & signs, miracles (supernatural)
Acts 2:44 “All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
– sign of God’s presence & glory: love and unity (supernatural)
Acts 2:45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
– sign of God’s presence: great generosity, unselfishness, love/concern for others (supernatural)
Acts 2:46 “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
– sign of God’s presence: joy, gladness – contentment, sincerity (supernatural)
Acts 2:47a “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people (good reputation).”
– sign of God’s presence: sincere heart-felt worship, awe of God.
The 2nd Key To Close Fellowship With God & Being All That God Wants You To Be
The 2nd key is hidden in the 2nd part of Acts 2:47.
Acts 2:47b: “and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Notice that Acts 2:47b says that God added to their number, daily. Daily is a key word that we will look at. But first, notice who added to the church’s number. The Lord.
God was able to bless this church and He added to their number daily. People were being reached with the Gospel and being saved, daily.
How did this happen ? It could not have happened at all, if the people in the church were not doing their part.
Romans 10:13-14 “for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them ?”
The Lord could not have saved people daily if the believers in the church were not being what Jesus commanded them to be in Matthew 4:19. He called and commanded them to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
A “fisher of men” is a believer that, in their daily life, shares the Good News of Jesus with others. The people in the early church of Acts faithfully and passionately followed Jesus. And faithfully and passionately shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their daily life. They were passionately devoted to Jesus 2/7, and thus did everything He called and commanded them to do.
Success In A Church
How should we define what success is for a church ? Number of members ? Attendance ? How many programs we have ? How big the campus is ?
According to God’s Word, success is measured by God by the Spiritual & Eternal Fruit being produced. Essentially by the number of people being saved. And the amount of spiritual growth leading people to become true and devoted disciples and followers of Jesus.
Spiritual and eternal fruit and success can only be produced by God. Only God has the power to touch and save people. And only God, by His grace, can product transformation and spiritual growth in people. And this will only happen if His people are passionately devoted and committed to Him.
When we are passionately committed and devoted to Jesus, He can and will use us to further His kingdom work and mission. It all depends on what is in our hearts.
John 15:5 ““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“
You and I can do good things. But only God can do great and amazing things. Only God can produce eternal and spiritual fruit and success. Only God can touch and save. And only God can produce passionate and true disciples and followers of Jesus. We are the instruments and servants that God would like to use to produce the great spiritual and eternal fruit.
Doing Witnessing & Evangelism Is Not The Same As Being
In Acts 2:47b it says that God added to their number those that were being saved – daily. God was able to do great and mighty things through the early church in Acts because they were passionately devoted to Jesus. As a result they were consistently faithful and obedient to whatever Jesus called and commanded them to do.
And they were faithful witnesses in their daily life. They were obediently sharing the Gospel with others in their daily life. Because they were 24/7 passionately devoted to Jesus in their hearts. They didn’t just do witnessing and evangelism occasionally.
They were filled with the same love and passion for lost people that Jesus had. 24/7. And it showed in their daily lives. They were driven by the same love and passion for lost people that drove Jesus to the cross. They didn’t just do witnessing. They were passionate witnesses 24/7, in their daily lives. They had a lifestyle of passion and devotion for Jesus. And a love and passion for lost people.
Where did this love and passion come from ? Acts 1:8 tells us.
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will BE my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Not “you will do witnessing or evangelism once in awhile when the church has an outreach event. Or you will go on a mission trip and witness once in awhile. You will be filled with Jesus’ love & passion for the lost, and this will drive you to “seek and save the lost”. Like Jesus did.
You will be praying for and looking for opportunities to share Jesus and the Gospel with people wherever you go in your daily life.
One Of The Main Signs Of God’s Presence In A Spirit Filled Church
One of the main signs of God’s presence and glory in a spirit filled church is there will be an abundance of spiritual and eternal fruit and success. Mainly salvations. And transformations & spiritual growth in the believers. In others words, people being reached with the Gospel, and true disciples being made.
The 2nd Key To Being A Spirit Filled Christian & Church
In Acts 2:47b we find the 2nd key. It is to faithfully and passionately join God in His mission. We must be on mission with God in our daily lives in order to experience God’s presence and power and glory in our lives. And in our church. If not we will never see the great and mighty things that God wants to do in and through you. These are the same things that God was able to do in the early church in Acts. Because of their love and passionate devotion for Jesus.
When our hearts are filled with love and passionate devotion for Jesus, we will do whatever He calls and commands us to do. And we will be whatever He wants. And we will go wherever He wants.
So the 2nd reason that Jesus came to earth to save us is to continue His kingdom work and mission. For us to be on mission with God and join Him in what HE is doing. In your community. And in your region. nd in the world.
Next week we will continue to study God’s word and look into what exactly God’s mission is. And how we can join Him in it.
Pursuing Intimacy With God
Pursuing Intimacy With God is committed to helping you with the most important thing in your life… your intimacy with God , your fellowship with Him, and your partnership with God in His Kingdom work & mission.
There is much more information on Intimacy With God, Prayer, Praise & Worship, Hearing God’s Voice,… and hundreds of great Biblical truths and promises in the Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible studies.
** New Expanded Edition of Pursuing Intimacy With God Bible Studies Book – 40% more material
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Other Links
Religion vs Relationship With God
Faith Is Vital to Intimacy With God
Part 2 – Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God
Faith Is Vital To Intimacy With God Part 3
Praise God: To Place A High Value On Him
Hear God’s Voice: Vital To Have Intimacy With God
What Is God’s Call For Your Life ?
The Kind of Christian & Church God Wants
Paul’s Passion & Commitment To Jesus
Paul’s Passion to Preach The Gospel
Inspirational Bible Verses & Quotes
Inspirational Bible Verses & Quotes Part 2
The Lord’s Prayer – Prayer In The Bible
Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11
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