Podcast
[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's Word. May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.
[0:14] The apostles' teaching is focused on our affection being set on Christ. That's why in 1 Corinthians 16, Paul had the audacity to say that if anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.
[0:26] Because their teaching is to produce the love for Christ. In 1 Peter 1, verse 8, it says, Whom having no sin, ye love. So the apostles' doctrine is to generate, inspire, build, develop our affection towards Christ.
[0:42] So the more you're exposed to apostles' doctrine, the more you love Jesus. The more you become Christ-centered. The more Christ becomes your focus. The more you engage in the apostles' fellowship, the more you are part of this thing that it didn't start with man, but starts with God.
[0:57] A mystical and a supernatural relationship. Fellowship. Now, so those were the two categories that must be of the apostles. The other category is not necessarily something that must be generated by the apostles.
[1:14] That is, in breaking of bread and in prayer. That was a practice they had to engage in. So they practiced breaking of bread and they practiced fellowshipping.
[1:25] They are activities which was built upon their doctrine, the apostles' doctrine, and built upon their apostles' fellowship. So what's breaking of bread?
[1:35] It's another word for communion or the Lord's table. Some theologians believe that it's just sharing food or eating. Yes, it is. So it's a metaphor that is expressed or is used to express sharing food together.
[1:52] So, or eating, breaking bread. Eating. Because if it was like Jesus Christ had been a Japanese, maybe to be distribution of noodles or something.
[2:04] Sushi. Sushi, right? Or Chinese noodles, you know. But bread was the staple diet in those days. So when they used bread, man must not live by bread alone.
[2:16] It doesn't. Some people don't even eat bread. So it doesn't mean, bread means bread as in brood. The Germans call it brood. As in brood. Gege bread.
[2:28] But it's food. Natural food. Okay. Natural food. So breaking of bread then starts to imply sharing their food together.
[2:40] Or having some meals. So in the same chapter, in the verse 46, they continue daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house.
[2:51] Okay. So sharing food from house to house. Now, you have to understand this within the context of what has happened in the early church. You remember the day of Pentacles? One unique thing about the day of Pentacles, the Jewish day of Pentacles.
[3:04] I don't mean Pentacles-style church. Right. The Jewish day of Pentacles. If you remember, Jews travel from the diaspora everywhere in the world. And they assemble in Jerusalem for that feast.
[3:17] They had three key major feasts. Right. One of them is the feast of tabernacles or the feast of harvest, which is the Pentacles. It's the feast of Pentacles or first fruits or gatherings.
[3:29] And they travel from everywhere and they come and assemble together, sometimes for a week or for days, purposely for the feast. Now, so, and Bible says that in Acts chapter 2, what got the attention of the people was the noise.
[3:44] But when they came, what marveled them was not the noise. It was the fact that people who were Galileans were speaking language from outside of the Galilean territory.
[3:57] Like the Elimites, Phrygians, people from Cappadocia, Egypt, Cyprus. They all had their own languages being spoken.
[4:07] So what does that mean? Most of the people who were hearing these things were not domiciled in Jerusalem. They were not residents in Jerusalem. They are sojourners. They've traveled for in gathering.
[4:18] They've traveled from their places of abode. And they've come to Jerusalem because they are Jews. They've come back to their motherland to come and celebrate their feasts. And so after their feasts, they were supposed to leave, which everybody, some of you went for holidays a few weeks ago.
[4:35] But did you stay there? Yeah, you come back. Or you travel for a function somewhere, a wedding somewhere. And when you finish there, I think I like it. And I stay there. That's a very complicated situation.
[4:47] Because you have to find accommodation. And not only accommodation. Earnings. A job. That can be a bit. And even if your mother has a house there, it's not the same.
[4:58] So these are people who have traveled. And now they've become part of the church. And they decided that I'm not going anywhere because I want to be part of the fellowship. That's going to pose a problem.
[5:09] An economic problem. That's going to pose a social situation for them. Because that's not where they lived. Not all of them, but most of them. Because Bible says that.
[5:21] When you look at the context. When the people who were drawn in Acts chapter 2, verse 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. They were drawn because they heard them speaking their own language.
[5:32] So these people who heard them speaking their own languages were from somewhere. They are foreigners. Even though Jews. And Peter spoke to them and said that they are not drunk as you suppose.
[5:44] So he spoke to these people who were amazed by the languages they were hearing. And in verse 33, he said, having received the Holy Spirit, he has poured upon us which you now see and hear.
[5:55] So he was talking to people who were seeing and hearing this phenomenon. Do you understand what I'm talking about? And so definitely a chunk of them, a greater percentage, quite a few of them, might not be coming from Jerusalem.
[6:08] Remember, 3,000 souls. That's a lot. And suddenly they have all gathered together and be part of. They got born again. And they were added to their numbers. Bible says in verse 41 that they were baptized and were added to them.
[6:23] Who were the them? These Galileans who were praying and the Holy Ghost came. Now they are 120. Now 3,000 were added. And I can, I submit to you, many of the 3,000 people will be from different places.
[6:37] They were not living in Jerusalem. So now how are we going to cater for them? Some have decided that for the sake of the apostles' fellowship, I'm not going anywhere. Now, just to draw your attention to something else.
[6:48] You know, the persecution that arose because of Stephen's death. Bible says that it's scattered. Acts chapter 8 verse 1. When Stephen died, the church was scattered.
[6:59] Because persecution was coming after the church. Acts 8 verse 1. So they were scattered. And Bible says that now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time, a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem.
[7:11] And they were all, apart from the apostles. So all these 3,000 and more who had been added, because this is Acts chapter 8 verse 1. In Acts chapter 4 verse 2, about 4,000 people were added to this 3,000 already.
[7:27] And then Acts chapter 6 verse 1, it said they were multiplying. So it wasn't static. It was growing because Acts chapter 2 verse 47, Bible says God added to the church daily.
[7:39] So you can imagine every day more people were being added. More people were being, and the church was just growing out of proportion. It was spreading. And in chapter 8, they were scattered. Because they had been persecuted, people went back.
[7:52] How do you know people went back to where they originally came from? Not everybody might have gone there, because those days, I believe they didn't really need visas and stuff like that. So it was quite easy to move around.
[8:04] Like if you live in America, you don't need visas to move from one state to another state. You understand that? So they scattered. Look at chapter 11, I think verse 20. Acts chapter 11 verse 20.
[8:15] But now, those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over the days of, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch, preaching the word of God only to Jews.
[8:28] Because they're actually Jews who have spread. But now look at the next verse. The next verse says that, But some of them were men from Cyprus, Cyrene, who when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, spoke to those who were also Jews.
[8:42] So some of them were already not just Jews. They lived in Cyprus. So people who were in the early church at the time in Acts chapter 2, most of them, it was the persecution that scattered them.
[8:56] But they didn't plan to go anywhere. It's just like an African man has come to the UK, he says, you are going on a mission to Africa. For what? You are a mission to America, that's fine.
[9:15] Canada, that's good. Germany is not that bad. So it's like they didn't plan to go anywhere. They're planning to establish themselves and their grandchildren. So when this happened, now, they had to find a way, a system in place to make sure everybody is catered for.
[9:35] Now, that necessitated provision of food, shelter, and so many things. I'm going to explain that in a minute. Why it says that they sold their stuff and all that.
[9:48] Because people were in need. Joining the church can put you in need. Some of you don't know that. You can easily lose your job because you have become a Christian. Maybe not in the UK.
[9:59] But in a place where the church is frowned upon. You know what I mean? In fact, people are losing their job in the West because they are Christian stands. People are losing their political seat because they are Christians.
[10:12] It's happening. Yeah, it is what it is. I know one or two people have lost your job before because you are a Christian. You are not joining them to smoke and to go for the Friday socials.
[10:28] They call it socials. Yes. The socials. They say you are antisocial. And what they call social is hedonism. I'm not saying everywhere, depending on where you find yourself.
[10:40] Sometimes what they call social is not for you. It's just not for you. So, you are a happily married man. You can't do these kind of socials. And you are Christian as well.
[10:52] So, they begin to exclude you. Sometimes they even make decisions, bought decisions at the socials. And when jobs are going, they put you first.
[11:03] You should go first because they don't like you. All those who live godly shall suffer persecution, according to 2 Timothy chapter 3. So, now, breaking of bread is sharing food.
[11:17] But particularly, I believe it has to do with communion. The Lord's supper. The Bible says Jesus took bread and he broke it. So, every time they gathered, breaking of bread was essential.
[11:29] Now, why was it essential? Because when we talk about fellowship, the essence of Christian fellowship is to move focus from self onto others. You can't be...
[11:41] Most people who don't like fellowship is because of selfishness. Most people who don't like fellowship is because of selfishness. Most people who don't like, oh, I mean, I don't belong to a group.
[11:53] I don't belong to... It's selfishness because of selfishness. But one of the things I found out is when you get born again, there's something, a desire in your heart, which you love to be aware that people of God gather.
[12:05] One of the signs that God has worked in your heart is there's a desire to be part of God's people when they gather. That's one of the early signs of genuine and true regeneration.
[12:17] And fellowship is just Christianity. A finger cannot decide to leave the body.
[12:29] It dries up. No aspect of the body that wants to share in the life can leave the body. Once it leaves the body, it ceases to be part of the life.
[12:41] Bible calls the church the body of Christ. So fellowship means that focus means move from self. One of the reasons why you don't feel comfortable serving is because you have not overcome your selfishness.
[12:55] Sorry, mate. It's a bit strong. But I think you needed it this morning. Service. You can only serve others in Christ when there's nothing in it for you.
[13:06] It must be in Christ. When people are giving you, sometimes people, I think Proverbs talks about when you sit before a king or a noble and you are eating. He said, be very careful. Put a knife to your throat.
[13:17] In other words, control your appetite. And don't be eating everything they offer you because he's doing it for political reasons. There's nothing like free lunch. He might be generous, but there's a reason attached to it.
[13:31] And it says, it's only in genuine Christian fellowship that you can be generous without anything attached to it. And one of the things about Christian fellowship is also that we don't say you don't fit in.
[13:45] True fellowship does not exclude others as long as they are in Christ. They don't say, no, this is not my type. If, watch this, it's not Christian fellowship. If the people you hang around are the people you would have hanged around when you were in the world.
[13:58] Or outside of Christ, you still hang around. It's not true Christian fellowship. True Christian fellowship is flowing and getting on and hanging around, interacting with people who, under normal circumstances, outside of church, there was no way your path would cross.
[14:12] They are not your type. They are not in your race. They are not in your class. They are not in your background. True Christian fellowship. And Bible says in Romans chapter 12 verse 10, Romans chapter 13 verse 8, Romans chapter 15 verse 5, Ephesians chapter 4 verse 2, Ephesians chapter 4 verse 25.
[14:37] You are writing it. Colossians chapter, I said we are trying to. Let me see it again so you write them, we cover it. Romans chapter 12 verse 10, chapter 13 verse 8, chapter 15 verse 5.
[14:54] And then we go to Galatians chapter 5 verse 13. Then Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 2, chapter 4 verse 25. And then Colossians chapter 3 verse 9.
[15:06] 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 9. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 9. Hebrews chapter 3 verse 13. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24, 25.
[15:20] These are all, you know, one of the purpose of our fellowship is to stimulate one another unto righteousness and unto obedience. When you study the scriptures, New Testament very carefully.
[15:31] One of the phrases you find is one another, one another. Because New Testament is built around fellowship. The very moment you exclude yourself from fellowship, you start to dry up. But then Romans chapter 12 verse 10.
[15:43] What does it say? It says that be kindly affectionate to one another with a brotherly love. That's the Christian life. That's the Christian life. You can't live the Christian life outside of fellowship.
[15:56] You can't. You can't. I explained that every godly thing is born on earth out of fellowship. There's no godly birth outside of fellowship.
[16:08] Anything God will do. The Bible says whatsoever is born of God. 1 John chapter 5 verse 4. Whatsoever is born of God. It didn't say whoever. It said whatsoever. So anything that God is doing is always born out of fellowship.
[16:22] And that's what overcomes the world. When it's born. So fellowship is so crucial. And it's so essential. Romans chapter 13 verse 8. What does it say? It says that, Oh no one anything.
[16:34] Hey, this is a serious one. Wow. It's in your Bible. I'm just reading the Bible. I'm just reading the Bible. It's self-explanatory, isn't it? Except to love one another.
[16:47] For he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Oh no one anything. But to love one another. There's no way the Bible says that you must be loved.
[16:57] It said you, even if you're a believer, it instructs you to love. It didn't say go and be loved. People were running around and say, there's no love yet. It didn't say anyone should love. It said you should love. That's a believer.
[17:09] Stop demanding love and start producing love. Give love. Then Romans chapter 15 verse 5. Romans chapter 15 verse 5 says that, Now, may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be loved one another.
[17:26] How can this happen outside of fellowship? Where? Galatians chapter 5 verse 13. Then Ephesians. I like the Ephesians bit. But Galatians 5 verse 13. For you, brethren, have been called to liberty.
[17:38] Only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh. But through love. Service is Christian.
[17:50] Service is Christian. My friend, Pastor David Leipo, made a statement. I've made it over here. The problem of the lockdown was one, fellowshiping was under attack.
[18:01] However, we managed to get around it by online fellowshiping and all that. But one of the things that I denied people was ability to serve one another.
[18:12] Because online, you sit in your house. Who are you serving? It's only those who are online who are serving. So, it's the pastor and the singers who were delivering themselves.
[18:23] The rest were. Because you don't need an usher online. You don't. Or do you? You don't need a welcome team online. You don't need a lot of staff.
[18:34] If you need a sound team, just one or two people, they will be okay. Video team. And the lockdown, everybody had to be in their homes. So, it denied people. Bible says that you serve the Lord and he blesses your food and your drink.
[18:46] Serve within the context of fellowship. It's very important to serve one another. Ephesians chapter 4 verse 2 and verse 25. It says that with all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing.
[19:00] You see why these things are important? Because we are family and we are body. If we are family and we are body, then we have to. Fellowship must go on. But fellowship cannot go on in the absence of loving one another.
[19:14] And that long suffering means suffering for a long time. That's it. What else do you think it means? Long suffering. Suffering for a long time. It's not like suffering for joblessness or some problems.
[19:27] So, accommodating somebody and it's, the way this guy does this, I don't like it. So, you have to bear with one another.
[19:37] Don't say, this is not my type. Whose type are you? And as a pastor, sometimes I realize that sometimes you can be in church and your human nature is getting in the way of true fellowship.
[19:53] There are people who only migrate towards people of a certain type. If you have deport kits, they will befriend you before you realize you are their close friend. They are drawn to certain people of a certain skin color.
[20:06] Even the children they play with is children of a certain skin color. And when you're a pastor, you will notice some of these things because everybody matters to you.
[20:18] And you cringe over people who you can tell they are not interested in this type, this type, and they only have a category of people they relate with. They never were nice to you until they saw your car.
[20:30] Suddenly, hey, hello, brother. Hello. Thank God, account of where we meet, you hardly see people's car. But some people intentionally walk you to your car. Yes. But when they saw your shoe, they feel like, okay, let me, let me walk.
[20:44] And since that has ever walked you again, they saw that their car was not anything unique. They didn't walk you down again. Now they are walking somebody who is a Range Rover driver.
[20:54] Oh, it's silly. Which direction are you going? Because of them, they didn't drive. They want to sit in their car. So, it's important that we bear with one another. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 25.
[21:07] Therefore, put away lying. Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor. Now this is talking about the context of fellowship. Midgets.
[21:18] Okay. With his neighbor. For we... Why? We are members one of another. Fellowship. You lie to everybody. No, I know you were born with the gift of lying.
[21:33] However. However. We must overcome our carnal instincts and carnal inclinations.
[21:46] It comes naturally. That's why I have to bear with you. Bear with one another. It's sometimes... It's... You have to bear for a long time. You bear with people for a long time.
[21:57] You have to learn how to bear with your leader. Because you can tell he's not smart. Sometimes you feel that this person is doing... But bear with them. Bear with them.
[22:08] That's fellowship. And what is Christianity outside of fellowship? Some people are so... Prius in themselves. And they are not realizing that they are not living a Christian life.
[22:19] How good you are. How nice you are. You tick all the boxes. And I... So fellowship is important. It will make you go to a place you don't want to go. Sit near people who are not taking...
[22:31] What did he say? Yes. Yes. It's called koinonia. Koinonia.
[22:44] Koinos. Come on. The New Testament... Scholars will tell you the New Testament was written in a certain type of Greek. And that Greek is not scholarly or scholastic Greek.
[22:55] It's called... It's the common Greek. So koine Greek. Koine Greek. So if you go to theological... That's one of the things you learn very early. That the New Testament was written in koine Greek. Common streets language Greek.
[23:06] Common. Koine is Greek word. Koine. Koinonia. It's called koinonia. Everybody have... We share one thing in common. And it's not our bank accounts.
[23:17] It's not like because we are all of a certain class. That's... Christian fellowship. They broke bread together. And so... Koinonia then leads into the breaking of bread together.
[23:28] So you don't struggle. Those days, they all drank from one cup. Yeah. Drink and then pass the rest. Usually you want to be the first, isn't it? Drink and pass the rest.
[23:43] Or they broke the bread. And then you hand it. You hand it. Take your own. Hand it. Some of you... Oh, no, no. Somebody has handled this. No, no, no, no. I can understand. Please. I can understand. I'm not saying you are doing something wrong.
[23:55] But that's the way they were together. You can read the rest of the references I gave you. But they broke bread. Breaking bread. In 1 Corinthians 10, verse 16, it says, The bread that we break, is it not the body of Christ?
[24:11] The cup. You know, the cup which we bless. Is it not that? See that word communion. Communion is koinonia. But koinonia can be translated in different partnership, sharing, communion, and fellowship.
[24:23] It's the same thing. So, isn't it not the fellowship koinonia? Oh, I changed the way. Okay, NIV is a partner. Please, thank you. Let's go back to... Yeah. Isn't it not communion of the body of Christ?
[24:34] So, the bread we are breaking. Now, this is why I spoke a lot about the nature of koinonia, taking focus from yourself. But not necessarily to others. It takes focus from you to Christ.
[24:46] So, when they meet, their focus must be Christ, who has died for us, resurrected for us. That is why breaking of bread was so essential in their fellowshipping. Because it takes focus from everybody.
[24:56] It's not about us. It's not about you. It's not about the pastor. It's not about this. It's not even the servant. You are serving, but it's not about the one you are serving. This whole thing is about Christ. So, it helps Christ. It helps us to redirect our focus and allegiance to the right person.
[25:11] Our allegiance in our fellowship is to Christ. That is why you can forbear with somebody. Because if you don't look at Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, how can you run the race? You can't run the race looking on the track.
[25:25] This Christian race, you can't run it looking on the track. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2. You can run it looking on to Jesus. Looking on to Jesus. So, we all have fellowship with one another looking on to Jesus.
[25:38] A couple who have been married for over 50 years, they are preachers. Traveled from England. Traveled to Australia for missions work. And they were preaching. And they did some conference.
[25:49] And afterwards, somebody asked them a question. They said, you guys have been married for so long, over 50 years. What would you say has kept you together like that? And the wife said, oh, that's easy.
[26:00] We are both in love with one man. I'm in love with one man. My husband is in love with the same man, Jesus. We love Jesus so much that our love for Jesus keeps us together. Our love for Jesus.
[26:13] The strength of our fellowship is Christ-centeredness. You can easily forgive somebody in a fellowship if you are in love with Jesus and the person is also in love with Jesus.
[26:25] This thing is a Jesus thing. He's the center of our worship. The center of our focus. The center of our gathering. He's the focus of everything we do. And so that is why breaking of bread becomes an essential aspect of the Christian life.
[26:40] It helps all of us. Come on, you know what, everything. Let's realign. Let's realign. Our focus and our allegiance is to Christ. Who died on the cross and he didn't stay in the grave and resurrected? They broke bread.
[26:52] In verse 46, as I said, the Bible said that they broke bread from house to house. Wow. They broke bread. Praise God. And then in prayer. I like the prayer bit.
[27:03] Do you know something? Prayer is so essential for a spiritual life that if you toy with it, you are toying with your blessings and toying with your safe travel. Prayer. Both corporate prayer and private prayers.
[27:17] So they prayed corporately and they prayed privately. Corporate prayers and private prayers. Now, Bible says in Acts chapter 1 verse 14 that Jesus left and they went.
[27:29] When Jesus left, brothers and sisters, one major thing they had to learn to do was to pray. Because Jesus has left. Watch this. Jesus has left. The Holy Ghost hasn't come. What's going to keep them?
[27:41] Prayer. Prayer. They had 10-day prayer meeting. A 10-day prayer meeting to keep them going. Because Jesus has left them.
[27:53] The Holy Ghost hasn't come. How many of you know they are very vulnerable? But you cannot be vulnerable when you are prayerful. We cannot be praying together and be vulnerable. Praise God. So they stayed in prayer.
[28:05] To the extent that when it was time for them to make a very important decision as to who replaces Judas. They had to pray. Verse 24. 23 and 24.
[28:15] Acts chapter 1 verse 20-20. They had to pray. They engaged in prayer again to choose. They are not taking it lightly. When they were whipped. In fact, before the Holy Ghost came.
[28:26] They were in prayer when the Holy Ghost came. Because the Holy Ghost needed the prayer at environment. In John chapter 14 verse 13 and 14. Jesus said that whatever you shall ask my father in my name.
[28:37] That's how I will do. So they knew that even as he goes. Prayer will be the main thing. Because Jesus is gone. We got to pray. We got to pray to have what needs to be done.
[28:47] Because Jesus has gone waiting for the prayer to work with the prayer. Wow. Why won't you pray? When Jesus is waiting for your prayer to work with your prayer. So to speak.
[28:58] Praise God. And the Bible says they continued in prayers. So breaking of bread and in prayers. Colossians chapter 4 verse 2. It says that continue in prayer.
[29:10] Amen. Let's not read the other. Please. Let's go. Be vigilant in prayer.
[29:22] You won't see much if you are not praying. They continued in prayer. Because there are things the enemy is doing which are not noticeable or perceptible to the natural mind.
[29:35] The natural eye. You will notice it. The enemy is smart. He's smart. He's very clever. Okay. But God is wise. There's a difference. There are people who are very clever but they are not wise.
[29:48] The devil is clever. God is wise. The Bible calls him. The Bible says that the multifarious or the manifold wisdom of God. Wow. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 10.
[29:58] The manifold. The many sided. Multifaceted. Multifarious wisdom of God. So because the devil is clever. There are things you won't know. You can play into his hands without prayer.
[30:11] Jesus puts it this way. Matthew chapter 26 verse 40, 41. It says. Watch and pray. So you don't fall into temptation. Because escaping. Fall into temptation is not based on personal discipline.
[30:23] Alone. Your personal discipline should make you pray. So that you can escape falling into temptation. You got to watch and pray. Got to watch and pray. We got to pray just to make it a day.
[30:35] That's why we pray. Are you being troubled by temptation? Jesus said when you pray. Pray in that part of your prayer. The prayer God ourselves is asking him to deliver us from temptation.
[30:50] He said. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Our father. Our father. It means you pray it. Listen. If you don't pray. You fall into temptation. When you see a Christian brother.
[31:02] A Christian star. Who has fallen into temptation. Temptation of whatever sort. That they didn't intend to. That they intended to. I mean. But temptation.
[31:14] Don't be quick and say. I taught you a Christian. I taught you. No, no, no, no. Remember. The person didn't pray. Because you can fall prayerfully. When you see you are getting weaker.
[31:26] Towards the things that you have gone away from. I had a meeting with a group of people from across the branches. And I was telling them. It was a physical meeting. I was telling them. That some of you.
[31:38] Don't forget. Being a Christian. What it has saved you from. Not just the hell bit. But an addiction that you've been able to overcome. Be careful you don't drift back.
[31:49] Because it's. It's going. That addiction is going to come back with vengeance. When we pull backslide. Let us not be upset with them. Let us be merciful. Because. Things are going to come back.
[32:00] Devils don't live permanently. When they go. Every now and then. They come and check. Is anyone here? Can I come in? Oh, I'm coming to this. Give you milk. No, no, no.
[32:10] I don't need milk. There you go. Next time you come with jewelry. The next time you come with shoes. The next time you come with hair. The next time you come with comb. The next time you come with. Something. Because he has to find a way to come in.
[32:26] Listen. Are you struggling with some temptation? Pray. All right. Pray. Stop beating yourself about. How can you be falling to this? What did you expect? I mean.
[32:37] Do you think you are a superwoman or a superman? You are no cat woman. If you don't. If you don't pray. You won't sit through either. You'll be sleeping when I'm preaching. Okay.
[32:48] I keep saying this and I will say it again. Every one of us is but clay feet. I mean, you are not iron.
[33:00] You are not metallic. You are soft somewhere. You can break. No human being is unbreakable. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, he that thinks his stance, let him be careful.
[33:12] Oh. Like this. This can never happen to me. Shh. Shh. just thank God and ask him for grace pray for grace pray for strength to continue pray and prayer must not be once in a while prayer must be without season 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 17 Ephesians chapter 6 verse 18 pray without season continue in prayer pray constantly so they continued in the apostles prayer because prayer must be without season prayer must be constant when they threatened them and they let them go actually after 4 verse 23 the Bible said they returned to their own company and when they told them all this that was happening verse 24 they lifted up their voice in prayer and prayed to God verse 31 and when they had prayed there was a reaction from heaven that was showing on earth so we cannot do without prayer an effective church must be a praying church it's not that shibri shibri shibri shibri shibri shibri shibri we must gather to pray and prayer must be part of our gathering is someone receiving something they continued in the apostles teachings and fellowship and then breaking of bread and in prayers breaking of bread and in prayer and Bible says that it granted God the chance to do some things verse 43 talks about how and fear can you imagine phobos is the Greek word phobos is the word that we get phobia from and this one is strong fear fell upon everybody both those in the church and outside the church that was not the first time something happened fear came upon people in the days of Ananias in Acts chapter 5 verse 7 fear came on all
[34:59] Acts chapter 5 verse 8 fear came on all Acts chapter 19 verse 17 after the demons whack the seven sons of Sceva Bible says that fear came on all fear people were very much afraid that is a reverentia all all to God people worship God with not with a nonchalant cavalier latitude they worship God with respect and value and those outside were quite afraid these guys are quite interesting if you are going around them you have to be careful you better sort out yourself properly fear came upon all why because of what they continued in doctrine fellowship breaking of birth and prayer and Bible says let's pause the 3 again the Bible says that then you see there when this happened then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs oh my goodness wonders and signs are not essential aspects of God's economy or God's program and let me explain it
[36:01] God doesn't need to do wonders and signs in order to accomplish full salvation no no full salvation is not repository or dependent on signs and wonders people can see signs and wonders and still not be saved people in John chapter 6 Jesus gave them ten five loaves of bread and two fish to feed thousands of people and when he finished there was twelve baskets left over how did that happen in fact verse 24-25 Bible says they all came to make him a king they wanted to make him politics they wanted to make because if our king doesn't we don't have to work he just command and food will come bread will come he will command money will come he will command so we want such a person as king Jesus moved away from the territory because he's not there for any man to crown him king he moved away from that territory and Bible says that he rather taught them about his mission how without him you don't have life in verse 61 62-63
[37:13] Bible says that many of his disciples know the people see there's a difference between actual when we say we follow Jesus you are a follower of Jesus it's not the fake Facebook following type we are talking about it's different from Instagram following many people are in church and they are followers of Jesus and it's like they are Instagram type of followers of Jesus they just keep watching what the next thing Jesus is putting up the next picture Jesus is trying the next thing Jesus ah that's why I like Jesus and then what happened and they ran a bit of comments on Jesus' post no no no no what we talk about following is devotion they devoted themselves is someone learning something at all they devoted themselves and so Bible says that and fear came upon everybody and God did signs and wonders now as I was saying signs and wonders are not essential for salvation
[38:15] Bible says that when Jesus taught them all these things from that time many of verse 61 John chapter 6 verse 61 when he says he said okay let's go to verse 66 from that time many of who many of who these are disciples these are not so Jesus didn't have 12 disciples he had more than 12 Bible says he called the 12 they were specially chosen and he had more disciples from many from that many of his disciples went back after all the miracles they saw after all the miracles they saw they went back didn't follow they went back and walked with him no no they unfriended him they unfriended him because he was teaching them things they didn't like he was teaching them things they didn't like so they unfriended and he asked the 12 look at the next verse quickly the next verse please
[39:18] Jesus said to the 12 you see the 12 so there there was the 12 and the many disciples he asked the 12 now it's not all disciples who left the 12 there were other disciples who also stayed because you know that from Acts chapter 1 when they were choosing a replacement for Judas they brought Matthias and Bathabas and they said that we want people who have been around from verse 22 all the time Jesus went in and out from the time of John the Baptist ministry so these people after Jesus they were still there but they were not part of the 12 did you understand that so Jesus had some others who were still there from the beginning who were always following but the point here is that miracles and signs are not essential for salvation they are not essential aspects of God's eternal program on earth but they come to endorse what God is doing hello they come to endorse
[40:20] God so in Mark chapter 16 verse 17 it says that these signs shall follow those in my name they shall cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall pick deadly things if they pick deadly things they shall not help them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall these signs okay let's go to the verse 17 that's all I'm looking for these signs say signs say signs God did signs and wonders signs were following them these signs look at verse 20 Mark 16 20 and they went everywhere preaching God was working with them God was working with them confirming the word through accompanying what signs to just let people listen I'm with them I'm working in Hebrew it talks about how with the Holy Ghost sent from heaven God gave them his backing with the Holy Spirit Hebrews chapter 2 verse 3 and 4 chapter 2 verse 3 and 4 says that God also bearing witness did you see that so he bears witness with signs and wonders and various miracles he bears witness that listen
[41:23] I'm here I'm working here so I still struggle to understand why some people say God has stopped working miracles I still struggle to people I respect theologians God has stopped working miracles because the miracles were only to produce the Bible now the Bible is produced it doesn't work any miracle everything is the Bible is the miracle you know it did a miracle to show that I am working here but God is the work I have seen God healing and God doing amazing things in my life in the lives of people praise the Lord so God what signs in Acts chapter 6 God did some amazing verse 8 did amazing signs through Stephen 5 I like the chapter 5 look at Acts chapter and Stephen full of the faithful did great wonders and signs among the people but 5 12 when fear came upon everybody Bible says and God did did you see that fear came upon everybody and through the hands of the apostle many signs and wonders were done after fear came upon people
[42:29] God said I am still with you I am working so that's what we saw in Acts chapter 2 right from the beginning Bible didn't tell us the kind of signs but signs were common placed as they were working with God it was common placed so it says that fear came upon all the people and God did many signs and wonders and let me add verse 44 and all who believed were together and had all things in common brings me back to the communion they were together they are all things in common does that make sense when people in fact verse 45 I think it will make sense let me just and sold their possessions why would you sell your possessions because somebody is in need somebody who was born and raised and grew up in Cappadocia is now living in Jerusalem they've left their job they've left their homes and they are in need so people were looking out they sold their possessions to meet needs to meet needs that's part of the sense of fellowship to meet needs hallelujah it's not communism neither was it socialism communism is the leadership forcing it on you fellowship is willingly you that's why they didn't have to do it they didn't
[43:53] Peter said once it was in your hand was it not yours nobody asked you to do it it's not by force but it was a culture in the early church they were so together they were so one they look out for needs to meet instead of what to get you are not in active Christian fellowship if you are not looking out for how you can be a blessing instead of how can this bless me how can this bless me but when you have church community we have loving people who are not around just to exploit but around to stand with you because your pain is their pain and your testimony is their testimony it makes it bearable it is a travesty of destiny to exclude yourself from Christian fellowship it's very dangerous the devil will convince you that you don't need it the devil that's his job his job is to convince you keep talking you don't need it you need to be by yourself you don't hold anybody anything alarm bells nobody was created to be alone you were not born to be alone that's why you came from a mother your father gave a donation of a seed your mother also and then they left it somewhere it's snakes that do that even snakes the egg they come together and then egg is produced from the female and it's left when it hatches the baby snake is on its own that's why
[45:29] Jesus said the nature of snakes the devil is a snake so people who don't like fellowship it's a manifestation of something snaky you do a research and see baby snakes as soon as it's born it's off it's gone it comes to church it's born again it's on I'm living my own Christian life baby snakes do that snakes said you brood of vipers because when they obeyed the devil the serpentine nature entered humanity so all of us have that proclivity but when you become born again you become a partaker of the divine nature and the divine nature is a colonial nature it's a colonial nature maybe I'm wrong you chat jip jip jip jip jip jip jip jip snake baby snake you don't stay with the mother no they are gone soon I come out of the heck bye mom mame mame the reptile family let's leave it but mammalian family they stay they stay they stay with man some of them don't even live after they are grown some of the lions their father has to kick their mouth go out of here their father has to kick them out you can't stay here because this is my pride they want to belong they are part of family it is not enough to believe it is necessary to belong after you believe they have all things in common and when you belong that means that you are looking out for what need
[47:10] I can meet in the name of Jesus did you receive something let's give Jesus praise hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah thank you for listening to this message by David Entry we pray you have been revived towards God you can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn you can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Carish Church app don't forget to like and share the message be blessed