The First Assembly

Ecclesia

February 7, 2021 • Jonathan Pokluda • Acts 2:42–47

We all have different preferences when it comes to what church should be like. However, more importantly, how close are we to being the church God had in mind? As we continue our series, Ecclesia, JP gives us a peek into the window of a church that met 2,000 years ago.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-God’s church is marked by devotion.

-What are you willing to miss life group for?

-God’s church is marked by biblical teaching.

-We are going to teach from the Bible every week, and we expect you to be reading the Bible every day.

-When you gather as a life group, do you talk about and counsel each other from the Bible?

-God’s church is marked by fellowship.

-Does your group have a “fun guy”? Do you have fun together?

-God’s church is marked by communion.

-When you are with your life group you can take communion together.

-God’s church is marked by prayer.

-Do you pray when your life group gathers? Never come together without spending time in prayer. Pray big!

-God’s church is marked by awe.

-Our issue is not our knowledge of the gospel, but rather, our application of the gospel.

-Every time you meet as a life group celebrate what God is doing.

-God’s church is marked by generosity.

-When you are with your life group, talk about finances and where your money is going. Nothing should be off limits to talk about.

-God’s church is marked by worship.

-Worship is not just singing songs...it’s everything we do and how we live.

-God’s church is marked by joy.

-Joy in relationships isn’t found, it’s forged.

-God’s church is marked by conversions.

-If someone were to look through the window of your life group gathering, what would they see?

MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

-Suggested Scripture Study: Acts 2:42-47; Acts 1:32-33; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 12:1-2

-Resource: www.biblereadingplan.org

-Resource: www.gotquestions.org

Ministry Starts Today

February 21, 2021 • Nate Hilgenkamp • Galatians 6:1–5

What does it mean to be in ministry? Do you know someone in ministry? As we continue our series, Ecclesia, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches through Galatians 6:1-5, teaching us that all Christians are in ministry. KEY TAKEAWAYS -There is only one quality needed to be in ministry: the Holy Spirit. If you are a Christian, you are in ministry! -If someone in your life group talks to a “pastor” before you, that should bother you. -As ministers, we restore sinners. -Confessing your sin should be a regular part of your life group meetings. -Make no mistake, sin will destroy your life. -Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. -When Christians confess sin, we should remind them of their identity in Christ and that He died for their sins. -As ministers, we carry burdens. -We generally don’t like asking for help; however, that runs completely contrary to the gospel and to living life alongside other Christians. -When you help carry someone’s burden you are living out the Great Commandment: love God and love others. -As ministers, we carry our own load. -Different seasons call for different tasks, but each season calls us to prioritize our faith and to focus on what God has given us (not what He gave someone else). -In order for the church to advance, everyone has to be in the game. Christianity is not a spectator sport. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Galatians 6:1-5; 2 Peter 2:9; Exodus 18:13-27; Proverbs 28:13; Mark 12:30-31 -Sermon: The Gift that Keeps on Giving

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

February 14, 2021 • Jonathan Pokluda • Romans 12:1–8

Have you ever received a gift that you didn’t use? What about given someone a gift that they didn’t use? As we continue our series, Ecclesia, JP teaches through Romans 12:1-8, teaching us about spiritual gifts and how we can use them faithfully and to the glory of God. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Nothing lacks appreciation like not opening or using a gift from someone. -Spiritual gifts are gifts (talents) the Holy Spirit gives you to build up God’s church and glorify Him. -The church is a people given gifts from and for God. -100% of Christians are given spiritual gifts from God. Only 45% of people in the church are serving (national average). As of today, 35% of people at Harris Creek are serving. -There are four ways to misuse your spiritual gift(s): use the gift for selfish gain, neglect the gift, resent the gift, & covet other gifts. -You have met very few people who have given themselves as a living sacrifice to God. -A surrendered Christian is focused on serving others. -When you say someone is “gifted” you are really saying they have been given something. It’s no different with spiritual http://gifts...they are given by God (not something you work for). -Your gifts are hidden by pride and used with faith. -Your giftedness will not develop godliness. -If you think the church exists to serve you, then you have never seen or been part of a biblical church. -There are a diversity of gifts among the church. -You need to grow in appreciation for other people’s gifts. You want a church to have a diversity of gifts, not a bunch of people that all have the same gift. -You being a right member of the local church will be sanctifying. It will be hard at http://times...which means you are doing it right! -Identify your gifts and use them. -One way to find out what your spiritual gift is is to ask the people closest to you what they think it is. -You will only be held accountable for what you did with the gift(s) you were given, not what you were not given. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 25:28-30 -Resource: Bible Knowledge Commentary

What is the church?

January 31, 2021 • Jonathan Pokluda • Matthew 16:13–27

When you think of a church, what comes to mind? What makes a good church? What is the church? As we start our new series, Ecclesia: A People Not a Place, JP teaches us that when we think about the church, a lot of us think something that Jesus never meant. KEY TAKEAWAYS -It’s easy to take a new convert to Christianity and tell them what the Christian life is all about. It’s very, very difficult to take someone who has been “in the church” for a long time and teach them a different way. -The biggest problem in Waco, in the Bible Belt, is cultural Christianity. -Cultural Christianity is when you think Christianity is for and about you. It’s about your preferences and making sure you are comfortable and like how things are. -Jesus is the one who started the church, and because of that, He gets to determine what the church is, not us. -When Jesus first talked about and used the word “church,” he would’ve been using it more like an http://army...the idea of “calling out His people;” assembling His people. -The church is: People who belong to Jesus. -You can’t go to church and you can’t watch church. “Going to” or “watching church” would be like watching AT&T Stadium play the Philadelphia http://eagles...it’s a categorical mistake. -When the disciples heard Jesus talk about the church they would’ve thought about the equivalent of Seal Team 6, not potlucks and Sunday school. -To “bind” on earth means to forbid and to “loose” on earth means to allow. -Again, the greatest evil in Waco is cultural Christianity. It doesn’t care about the things of God. -The church cares about what God cares about. -The very first spiritual force to oppose the church happened immediately after Jesus talks about the church for the first time: selfishness (or said differently, personal preferences). -Do not let your preferences rob you of paradise. -Holding the line for Christianity is no longer good enough. If you aren’t up for a battle, just fold. The church does win and it will prevail, but not in America based on the direction our country has been going. -The church is always marked by people making sacrifices. -What does it look like for you to give your http://life...your entire life, every single area of http://it...to Jesus? -We gather so that we can go. -Being enlisted in the military is extremely similar to how it should be in the church: “Here I am. How can I be deployed? How can I be of service?” -The solution to all the problems in our land is the very thing Jesus started on a hillside 2,000 years ago. -There is a war going on and we, Christians, are the soldiers Christ assembled to fight it with Him. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Matthew 16:13-26; Romans 12:1-2 -Sermon Series: Fresh Start