Mark 12:29-31 NLT

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

• A Healthy church is a healthy body of believers doing what God has called them to do. Love God & Love People. AND this love is action.

Matthew 16:18 NLT

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

church = ekklesia = a calling out; an out-calling

• The church is the congregation, or assembly, of all the people who have been called out of the world by God.

Matthew 16:19 NLT

And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

• The Church is God’s instrument in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.

Acts 2:42-47 ESV

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.

A Healthy church is a unified body of believers that #1) Loves God & #2) Loves People.

#1) LOVE GOD

A) WORD (v42a— And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…)

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

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.

• If you love God with all that’s within you, His Word is essential to your life.

B) PRAYER (v42c— And they devoted themselves to… the prayers.)

• Prayer is person-to-Person communication—a combination of worship, fellowship, and intercession.

Matthew 6:9-13 ESV

Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

• If you love God with all that’s within you, you would regularly communicate with Him.

C) FEAR (v43a— And awe came upon every soul…)

• What is the fear of the Lord?
  • It is to be terrified of being away from God!
  • It is to be in awe of Him.
  • It is to love what He loves & and hate what He hates… (God loves the sinner and hates sin)
  • It is to tremble at His Presence & at His Word.

Psalm 19:9a NKJV

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

• When you stop fearing Him, your heart gets dirtier.

Proverbs 16:6 NKJV

In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.

Hebrews 12:28 NKJV

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Psalm 89:7 NKJV

God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.

• If you love God with all that’s within you, you would want nothing more than to be with Him at all times.

D) OBEDIENCE (v44— And all who believed…)

Believed = Committed; trust

John 14:15 NLT

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

• If you love God with all that’s within you, you would obey Him no matter what.

E) WORSHIP (v47a— praising God…)

Worship = devotion; expressed love; serve God; minister to God

Psalm 103:1-5 Passion

With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God! Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me? You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease. You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy. You satisfy my every desire with good things. You’ve supercharged my life so that I soar again like a flying eagle in the sky!

• A worshipper acknowledges the importance of…
  • Loving… (God loves you)
  • Serving… (God’s acts of kindness)
  • Forgiveness… (God’s kisses of forgiveness)
  • Sacrificing… (God’s rescue and saving us from death by dying on the cross)

• If you love God with all that’s within you, you would express it.

#2) LOVE PEOPLE

A) FELLOWSHIP (v42b— And they devoted themselves to the… fellowship) (v46— And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,)

Fellowship = koinonia = community; to communicate; joint participation; communion; the share which one has in anything.

• Fellowship is a relationship of inner unity among believers that expresses itself in outer co-participation with Christ and one another in accomplishing God’s will on earth.
• Fellowship is sharing your life with other believers for the fulfilling of God’s purpose.

Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

• If you love people, you will share your life by participating in other believers’ lives.

B) WORKS (v43b— …and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.)

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Romans 15:1-3 NLT

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”

• If you love people, you will share your life by using your gifts to build each other and not yourself.

C) UNITY (v44b— …together and had all things in common.)

Ephesians 4:3-6 ESV

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

• If you love people, you will desire & protect unity.

D) GENEROSITY (v45— And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.)

GENEROSITY (Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 9:8-14)

We believe that generosity is a value and a personality trait characterized in helping and serving others in an honest way without expecting or getting anything in return but to give glory to God. In this way, we carry the image of a generous God.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

• A healthy church is generous and helps meet the needs of the poor and those in need in our community.

Luke 14:21-23 NLT

“The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.

• If you love people, you will help meet their needs.

E) GRACE (v47b— …having favor with all the people.)

Ephesians 4:2 ESV

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Grace = God’s unmerited favor/divine gift that (1) saves us (Ephesians 2:8), (2) fills us with His unconditional love, (3) gives us victory over sin (James 4:6), (4) gives us hope (2 Thessalonians 2:16) to live the abundant life.

• Grace is to give favor to others.

2 Timothy 1:9 NLT

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

• If you love people, you will extend grace to them with the same measurement in which Jesus extends grace to you.

F) SALVATION (v47c— …And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.)

Luke 15:10 ESV

“Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

• If you love people, you will partake in helping people find Jesus.

CONCLUSION

• A Healthy church is a healthy body of believers doing what God has called them to do. Love God & Love People. AND love is action.

Mark 12:32-33 NLT

The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

Mark 12:34 NLT

Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

• Question: How close are you to the Kingdom of God?