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From Rows to Circles | Ps. Jeffrey Rachmat
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"Shalom" is a word with a very deep meaning.
And I'd like for you to understand this word before I share what I'm going to share to you today.
So that when you say it with understanding, something happens.
In its original language, 'shalom' means 'to be complete, to be whole',
'to restore'.
'Shalom' is not the absence of conflict or crisis.
Instead, 'shalom' is the presence of wholeness in the midst of conflict, difficulties, or crisis.
'Shalom' speaks of peace, harmony, inner peace, the peace of God, and also peace among the people.
'Shalom' also speaks of wholeness or completeness—
harmony between the physical and the spiritual.
'Shalom' also speaks of prosperity or welfare.
'Shalom' speaks of safety or security.
'Shalom' also speaks of restoration.
'Shalom' restores what has been damaged, and makes whole what has been lacking,
and brings harmony to what hasn't been harmonious.
That's why we call our God "Jehovah Shalom"— God who brings peace,
God who is present in the midst of conflict or crisis,
God who gives security, God who bring peace, harmony,
God who brings restoration.
Which is why last week I said this word a lot, "Shalom" for this city and nation.
This isn't just a word with which to greet each other,
it's so much more than that, if we say it with understanding,
then there's power that goes with it. And I want you to understand this: "Shalom".
It's important for us to understand. Tomorrow when you go to work, where ever you go,
say this word, but with understanding—
that the God whom we serve is the God of peace, "Jehovah Shalom".
Let's say it together with understanding, "Shalom!"
We hope for peace, prosperity, restoration and wholeness to take place
upon our city and our nation.
We pray that God restores everything.
Today we enter into 'cheerful September', so they say.
We'll talk about 'We Are the Church', and the title of my sermon today is
"From Rows to Circle".
We live in the most connected generation in all of history.
Via the internet and social media, within seconds we can easily meet
others across different continents.
However, ironically this most-connected generation is also the most lonely generation.
They are surrounded by online friends, but they don't have real friendships in the real world.
The real world often offers crowds, but not community.
Nowadays, many people say, "Why should I come to church? We can do it online."
The virtual world gives us followers, but it doesn't give us family.
The virtual world gives us 'likes', how many 'likes' did you get?
However, 'likes' is not real love.
We are connected online, but disconnected in real life.
According to a research done by the United States Surgeon General Advisory in 2023,
loneliness, or the lack of social connection, is as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
Pretty dangerous.
According to their research, loneliness increases the risk of premature death by 25-30%.
So, it's no mistake that since the beginning, in the Book of Genesis,
God already said, "It is not good for man to be alone."
If God already said, "It is not good", don't dispute it.
Because in order to grow both physically and spiritually, we need others.
To be able to explore one's potential and to discover one's talents,
we need other people.
For us to be able to walk in our life's purpose and experience fulfillment in life,
we need others, and moreover, we need to serve the needs of others.
That's why you need to understand.
Moreover, I've often said that it's impossible to fulfill the purpose of God in our life
if we are unwilling to bear a burden.
So, get used to bearing some burden.
The phrase that we use is "to live a fruitful life".
If you were a tree and you bear a lot of fruits on your branches,
would your life be 'heavy' or 'light'? The more fruitful, the heavier your life would be—
but the funny thing is, your life would also be more fulfilling.
If the chair you're sitting on could be interviewed, it would say that its life is fulfilling,
because that's the reason a chair was created: to be sat upon.
It's different with an empty chair. An empty chair is merely existing,
but it doesn't understand why it exists—
even though it doesn't bear any burden. It merely exists.
While the chair you're sitting on, if it was interviewed, it would say, "This is why I exist in the world."
"This is why I was created"— even though it has to struggle to bear your weight.
So, if you want to fulfill God's plan and purposes, if you want your life to be full,
you need to serve the needs of others.
You may be an incredibly talented singer, but what if there's no one who'd listen to you?
You may be a very funny comedian, but what if there's nobody who wants to watch you tell jokes?
So, our gifts, talents and ability are always tied to serving others.
That is when we experience fulfillment in life.
We are not designed to be alone. The Bible clearly states
that man is created in the image of God.
And a part of the image of God is relational in nature:
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit exist in a perfect and eternal communion.
So we also express God's image when we live in communion with each other and in unity.
In Matthew 22:36-39, Jesus was asked,
[36] “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
[37] Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
[38] This is the first and greatest commandment.
[39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus' answer to this questions has two aspects:
the first is vertical, then the horizontal, which is as important.
However, He said that the first and greatest, the vertical, has to take place first.
Because the more we know God and the more we love God,
the result is the more we know and love ourselves.
The more we know and love ourselves, the easier it is for us to know and love our fellow men.
It is the love of God that compels and empowers us to love others.
Without God's love it is difficult for us to love our fellow men.
The first and foremost is the vertical aspect.
Then this vertical aspect empowers us to do the horizontal.
How many of you did the horizontal without doing the vertical.
It resulted in you getting disappointed—
in the person you once had helped.
So, what's the application for believers today when carrying out the first and greatest commandment?
As well as the second commandment, which is not less important than the first.
That's why there's a slogan: "Love God, love people."
It's not vice-versa: "Love people, love God"— but it's "Love God" and then "love pepole".
Let's look at how the early church lived as a community,
what was their lifestyle after the Holy Spirit came and filled those believers,
as Jesus had promised before He ascended to heaven.
Acts 2:41-47 is the passage that we'll cover today:
[41] Those who accepted His message were baptized,
[41] and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
[42] They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
[42] to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
[43] Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
[44] All the believers were together and had everything in common.
[45] They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
[46] Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
[46] They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
[47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
[47] And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
First of all, their lifestyle included devoting themselves to teaching and learning.
These believers were carrying out the first and greatest commandment,
which is to love and to know God first.
There was a hunger and thirst in them to learn to know God, to know righteousness,
to hear from the apostles what Jesus had taught them.
While they also 'broke bread', meaning doing communion and prayer.
It goes on to say "Everyone was filled with awe–
"at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles."
Signs and wonders shouldn't be a rarity for us believers.
I want to say to you that for us believers, signs and wonders should not be a rarity in our lives.
What often happens is we are not accustomed to see it.
We're not used to paying attention to signs and wonders that are happening around us.
We always think of 'signs and wonders' as something profound and spectacular.
We're not used to noticing small things that seem insignificant—
but if it's not there, you'll be distraught.
Make it a habit to notice small things that seem insignificant—
but if they're not there, you'll be at lost.
Start to give thanks for those things.
How many of us aren't grateful for the fact that we are able to gather and worship in this place.
Don't wait until we are not able to, then give thanks.
How many of us never give thanks that there's a new day that God makes for us.
The fact is this morning you are able to wake up and breathe.
Or, we often look to what God has already done and we hope that He will do the same thing.
Or, often we focus on the wrong thing.
We focus on what we want God to do for us, so that we fail to see what God has done for us.
Let me give you an example. Isaiah 43:18-19, where the Lord says,
[43] “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past."
This is God Himself speaking. If you look at the context,
He's saying "don't dwell on the past things I have done".
Because at the time, Israel was fixated on how amazing God was
when He delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
Then God rescued them when they were faced with the Red Sea, chased by Pharaoh's army,
and the sea was split for them. Can you imagine that?
That was an awesome and miraculous work, and they were able to cross the sea
with the waters held back on the left and right like massive walls, and they walked across.
When they reached the other side, Pharaoh's army was still chasing them,
the water closed in and thus drowned those who were chasing them.
That was amazing and spectacular, and their eyes were fixed on that—
to the point that God who performed that miracle had to tell them: "don't dwell on that".
Amazing, isn't it? God Himself who had performed it,
had to tell them, "Don't be fixated on that."
Verse 19 says,
[19] See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up;
Because their eyes were fixated on what God had done in the past,
they lost the opportunity to recognize what God had brought forth for them,
what He had done in their lives.
[19] do you not perceive it?
[19] I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
It's something different than what I had done in the past.
Let's take Samsung, Sony, Apple, BYD, Toyota, all of those—
no matter how state-of-the-art their newly released products are,
you don't expect that next time they would make the same products.
None of you here expect for those big brands to release the same products.
How can you trust those brands so much, that they would be able to release
something more advanced than the current products?
If you can trust that they can do that, why can't you trust that God is also able?
Why are we so fixated with what we had received—
so we fail to recognize that God has brought forth something new,
that has never occurred in your mind.
Oftentimes, our eyes are only fixated on what God has done,
or we're waiting on a miracle according to what we want.
Are we playing God?
Then, in addition to their devotion to the teaching,
they cared and were willing to share.
[44] All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Staying united is a miracle in itself.
Do you realize how difficult it was when 3000 people were added to them
and they stayed unified. That's a miracle!
This is what I have realized, but many of you don't realize it.
JPCC is over 26 years old, and all of us in the pastoral team are still unified.
That's a miracle in itself.
How many others can do the same thing?
There are many who hadn't been together for 5-10 years — they already split and separated.
This isn't just about being unified, but about supporting and exhorting one another,
loving one another. That's a miracle in itself—
because it's not by the strength of man, but because of God's wondrous working power.
But often we don't see that as something to be grateful for.
That's why you need to start to be grateful, just as we are grateful.
Earlier this morning, Pastor Irwan was here and I noticed he looked like he just woke up.
It's logical, they have twins who are only 1 year old.
He didn't have enough sleep because yesterday his wife went to Treasures Women's Conference.
He was overwhelmed with taking care of their twins.
I asked him, "Why are you here now?" – because in the schedule I saw he was on duty in the 4th service.
He responded, "Last night I was called by Pastor Erwin.–
"Pastor Erwin said he had to preach in the Youth service this morning–"
"and I didn't realize that I had to be in the 1st service."
"So, can you help cover for me in the first service?"
Irwan said, "Of course."
As simple as that. Help each other, care for each other.
When I heard that, I said, "Wow!" That's a sign for me.
Maybe not for you, but for me, it's a sign. A sign of what? A sign that there's love.
If there is love, then who is present? God, because God is love.
For me, that's a sign. Maybe not for you, but for me that's a sign.
Yesterday I saw Hanna did an amazing job preaching at Treasures Women's Conference.
I've known Hannah since she came for the first time more than 25 years ago,
she hadn't yet met Jose. She came in for counseling.
And now to see her preaching the Word confidently and excellently.
For me, that's a sign of how God is working in her life.
It doesn't need to be something spectacular.
This passage points out that they were together. No one thought they were better or smarter,
no one felt more entitled or more worthy. And they had a sense of ownership.
That's what it means: they had a sense of ownership,
They had everything in common. It doesn't mean you can say, "I'm going to sell your car."
No! "They had everything in common" means they had a sense of ownership.
It doesn't mean they could sell someone else's property without permission.
It doesn't mean they could just seize something. That's called 'looting'.
A sense of ownership means looking out for each other,
taking care of one another, rejoicing with one another.
because, if that's lacking, then I also cannot enjoy the benefit.
I would also suffer loss if a brother lost something.
Having a sense of ownership means no one is taking advantage of the situation.
There would always be someone who was willing to sell their property.
What does it mean? The property owner is the one who sells it,
not just any person.
"to give to anyone who had need".
What does it mean? It means they were not only devoted to know God (vertically),
but as the result of the vertical they were able to do the horizontal.
There was real love in action.
That is why love cannot be carried out in solitude.
In genuine love, there's a desire to share—
it's not because of coercion, but out of generosity from one's own will.
It's also because of empathy.
Empathy is the ability to enter into another person's world
to understand their thoughts, feel their emotions, respond with concern to them.
If there's something we should express these days, it's empathy.
Last week when I was on the road, I was sad to see so many street vendors
with no customers — so sad. I went to the mall, it was so empty.
I imagined if I were the shop owner, or the vendor, and there's no customer—
so sad.
Empathy. Our God is a God with empathy.
Therefore as God's children we also need to express empathy.
Exodus 3:7-8 says,
[7] The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt.
[7] I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
[8] So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians
[8] and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,
[8] a land flowing with milk and honey
[8] —the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
Our God is a God with empathy. That empathy compels Him to do something.
Hebrews 2:18 says,
[18] Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Empathy is part of God's love in our lives.
If a person no longer has empathy, then they will stop caring about someone else's feelings.
As a result, they will look out more for their own interest, instead of the common interest.
It's the "I don't care" attitude — as long as I make a profit, and become successful.
Not caring about others. What's the result?
The result is the widening gap between the 'haves' and 'have-nots'.
And the love of many will grow cold.
That's why, don't ever lose love, and in it there's empathy.
Galatian 6:2 says,
[2] Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Don't overthink this. Start with the people around you.
Pay attention to the people around you, those who work with you,
your driver, your domestic helper, pay attention to them.
When you order through GoFood or Grab, or ride with Grab etc.—
give them a tip, be generous, give them something. Don't be stingy.
When you go to the mall and see the parking attendant, the janitor, etc.
we can empathize with them and give them tips.
That's something that I often do and almost always do.
However, don't let this action that's motivated by love be misunderstood and becomes a demand.
Or becomes an obligation to help. That's no longer empathy, but a demand.
That's the case if you go to America. A tip should be a part our appreciation
for the good service by the server. So we give them a tip.
However, nowadays it's not like that. It becomes a requirement. You must give—
even the percentages have been set.
And if you don't give, they'll chase after you.
It has become an imposition, no longer something that comes out of generosity.
It shouldn't be like that.
3. Fellowship and Worship
Acts 2:46: Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
[46] They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
[47] praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
In Acts 2, the lifestyle of the early church showed that the believers formed a fellowship,
there was a togetherness in building a community that strengthened and protected each other.
I like the slogan that I recently read:
"Citizens taking care of citizens." That's how it supposed to be.
'Fellowship' is often illustrated as 'fellow' passegers in the 'ship'.
Why? Because they have the same destination and direction,
they're in the same vessel, and they have the same challenges.
4. Growing
[47] And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
You see that growth is the result of a healthy community,
that has two aspects: vertical and horizontal.
It's the Lord who added. Why? Because God trusted this community.
So, the question of why a church isn't growing is:
have we become a community in whom God can trust to add the people being saved?
And if you examine it, these are the characters of the early church community:
diligent, of one heart, joyful, and sincere.
It doesn't mean they didn't have problems. It doesn't mean they never faced conflicts or issues.
However, they were always diligent in learning, they were of one heart,
because their unity brought strength and blessings. And they were joyful and sincere.
Acts 2 reminds us that the church is not a building or a service on Sunday.
Instead, it's a community, a family — whether large or small,
that devotes themselves to the teaching of truth, praying together,
sitting and breaking bread, partaking in holy communion,
sharing meals, and helping one another.
So, don't just sit in rows, but be transformed.
Don't just be a visitor or a consumer, don't just be someone who simply takes or seeks blessing—
but we need to transform from rows to circle—
become people who have sense of ownership, who love one another, who care for one another.
This is the blueprint that was modeled by the early church,
and which we need to keep building. It's a spiritual family—
not merely followers, but real friendships. Not 'likes', but real love.
We are reminded to build a church, yes, but a church that's also a family.
This can only be done not in a facility like this, but we also need to join small groups or communities,
where the name of Jesus is exalted and worshiped, and we can interact with one another.
Yes, we need to meet like this in order to celebrate God together.
But it's no less important for us to gather in smaller groups,
because what the virtual world cannot offer, we can create it in a real community—
where's it's face-to-face, heart-to-heart.
That's why we need to continue to look after and build our small groups -DATE-
so that we can help and take care of one another.
And this is how the love of God is manifested among us.
And from here we can go outside, because it starts from Jerusalem,
then it extends to Judea, then to Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
How can you transform the world if you can't empathize with those closest to you?
So, we live life from the inside out.
Heavenly Father, we thank You for what we have learned this morning.
Holy Spirit, work in us. Lead us to have the thirst and hunger to know You, the source of life.
To know You as our Creator, our Savior, our Father.
So that we can love others, can empathize with others, and be a blessing to others,
so we can help one another, because that's how we carry out Your commandment.
In the name of the Lord Jesus we pray and give thanks. Amen.
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