Midweek Review #5 (Acts 2:41-47)

Do you truly value what we actually have here? The Gulag Archipelago was a devastating place.

Did you know my grandfather was there for four years? Captured and held by the

Russians for four years. In the

Gulag Archipelago, they take your Bibles. Bibles are outlawed in communist Russia, the

Soviet Union at that time. And in fact, it's happened again that Vladimir Putin now has outlawed evangelization in their land.

But back then, my grandfather was held captive. Not many people survived the Gulag. So for me to be standing here is a miracle, because if he doesn't survive, my dad is not born, and neither am

I. But in the Gulag, they tried to take his Bible. He found a way to hide it in his water canteen.

What do you value so much that you would choose it over water in a

Gulag? We have that. We have the treasure, the word of God.

We have each other. We have the church. Don't take it for granted.

I know there's other things that can steal our interests and give us a sense of community, whether it's sports, whether it's online,

TV. All of these things offer a pseudo community, but what we have here is truly worthy.

Have you been undervaluing the church? If so, repent of that.

He's faithful and just to forgive and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

But we have true gospel -born community right here. And so let's stand, and we'll ask the worship team to come.

I'm gonna close in a word of prayer, and then let's sing like the saved. Let's be thankful for the community that we have.

Gospel -born community. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for your word to us this morning.

We thank you for Acts 2 and this incredible picture of what community is supposed to look like in the church.

Help us, Lord, to value these things, to value prayer together, to value communion and baptism and the promise of eternal life, to value your word and the exposition of your word that we could know you, to value one another, to value any who have need, the chance to meet those needs, the fellowship.

Thank you, Lord. And most of all, Lord, we say thank you for Jesus. We value the son of God.

We value his blood shed for us. It's our highest joy.

We are willing to devote ourselves to these things. Help us,

Lord, to be more devoted because our devotion is so fickle. We take these things for granted, but Lord, help us to be devoted to this gospel -born community.