New Reality/New Rhythm - 4/27/25

Game Changer - both initial change and progressive change for the church and the individual

Jesus changed the game - no more animal sacrifices, believers in Christ would be called Christians, Christians would gather together and form churches. Churches would preach the gospel message. The message of the gospel would be preached to all people. People would be transformed both initially and progressively until being made perfect with him in eternity.  

Acts 2:36-47
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. The Fellowship of the Believers 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. 

Summary: Jesus resurrected / appeared to disciples / promised the Holy Spirit / Pentecost  

What does new life in Christ look like? 
It’s a whole thing (a new identity): new life, born again (the old is gone), wardrobe change, heart change, positional change, mentality change, attitude change, behavioral change.

Believing on Jesus for forgiveness of sins changes a person's reality and rhythm. 
NEW REALITY (was dead in sin, now alive in Christ, was alienated from God, now co-heirs with Christ)
NEW RHYTHM (used to live life aimlessly, now you have direction and purpose, used to not like people, now is part of a new family)

The Early Church (Acts 2:42-47) a timeless example for NEW REALITY & NEW RHYTHM
Devoted to Scripture 
Devoted to Each Other
Devoted to Prayer  

Being a believer is a lot like playing sports…
SCRIPTURE- Learning the fundamentals (lots to learn, put on learning hat)
EACH OTHER- Playing well with others (the sum is greater than its parts, team player)
PRAYER- Putting in the work (effectiveness in the game is linked to practice at home)  

DEVOTED TO SCRIPTURE (Learning the Fundamentals)
Just like playing sports, you have to learn to do new things.

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching  

New Reality - The word of God is now going to instruct how you live your life.

When someone is devoted to the teaching of scripture, it speaks to the reality of their conversion, and that they were not only for the present affected with what they had heard and seen. 

Matthew 4:4 - But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 

New Rhythm - Eager to Hear, Eager to Do

Eager to hear the word -important to be under the teaching of scripture.  Be cautious of who you are under; there are a lot of false teachers. False teachers 1000 years ago didn’t have youtube or social media.  You can be led astray from your couch.

Eager to do the word - “Brothers, what shall we do?”

The early church was devoted to scripture.  They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching.  The fundamentals are necessary training both initially and progressively.
“Go back to the things you used to do at first, you have grown lukewarm…"

DEVOTED TO EACH OTHER (Playing Well With Others)

 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

New Reality - You are now part of a team. The family, the body of Christ   

After submitting to the the teaching of the word, you have to be willing to be in community and devoted to each other.  Can you be a team player?

Radical generosity defined the early Church; they were taking care of each other.  People skills matter, communication skills matter, kindness matters, correction matters, conflict matters. The sum is greater than its parts.  There are many parts but one body.  Being a Christian is not a solo sport.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 ESV 
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

New Rhythm - Church, groups, generosity, taking care of each other

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 

The early Church had rhythms that set itself apart from the rest of the culture. If the Church doesn’t look like a highly effective team, then something is wrong.

Community is part of your identity in Christ.  The believer cannot effectively isolate themselves from the church.

DEVOTED TO PRAYER (Putting in the Work)   

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

New Reality - In Christ, you now have direct access to God the Father.

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:18) 

He (God) has infinite attention to spare for each one of us. He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created. - C.S. Lewis 

Jesus modeled this for the disciples.

But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luke 5:16)

At least 9 times in the new testament Jesus retreated to be alone with God.  Effectiveness in the game is always determined by practice at home.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:12-14) 

New Rhythm - Build prayer habits into your life. Be with God while you wait.

Prayer is what we do while we wait on him.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)