READ ACTS 2:42-47
1.Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles TEACHING..”
We see that the first sign that marked the early church was DEVOTION TO LEARNING AND OBEYING THE WORD OF GOD! The word for teaching in Acts 2:42 is the word DOCTRINE!
In Matthew 28:20, Jesus told the apostles to teach the world everything that He had commanded them! So the apostles teaching was equated with our saviour Jesus’ words!!
In 1 Timothy 4:16, Timothy as a pastor was told to take heed of himself and to persevere in sound DOCTRINE so that he could save both himself and his hearers!!
In Titus 2:1, Titus was told to speak SOUND DOCTRINE to the churches he was helping to set up!!
This is not only a call for Christian teachers to faithfully teach the word (2 Timothy 4:3), but also for Christian congregations to be hungry to learn and obey the word of God (James 1:22, Matthew 7:24) since the word devoted here in Acts 2:42 in the Greek can mean “to adhere to, persevere in, and be steadfastly attentive to.”
DO WE HAVE A DESIRE TO PERSEVERE IN LEARNING (being attentive to) AND OBEYING (adhering to) THE WORD OF GOD?
2.Acts 2:42 “.... and to the FELLOWSHIP...”
The second sign that characterised the early church was their desire for FELLOWSHIP! This word in the Greek is the word “koinonia”. This word can mean “partnership, joint participation, community, communion, social intercourse and intimacy.” Interestingly, here in Acts 2:42 is the first time this word is mentioned in the bible! And what event had just occurred? PENTECOST and the coming of The Holy Spirit!! This reminds us that we can only have true godly, intimate fellowship and communion in Jesus with each other by The Holy Spirit!!
2 Corinthians 13:14 tells us May the “...FELLOWSHIP of The Holy Spirit be with you all.” (See also Philippians 2:1)
3.Acts 2:42- “...to the BREAKING OF BREAD...” (See also Acts 20:7)
The phrase breaking of bread may not only mean to share a meal together, but could also refer to partaking of the LORD’S SUPPER/communion together! (1 Corinthians 11:20-34)
4.Acts 2:42- “...and to PRAYER.”
The fourth sign that marked the early church was their devotion to prayer! In Mark 11:17, Jesus said “MY HOUSE WILL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL NATIONS.” If the Lord’s house was meant to be a house of prayer, how much time do we actually spend praying to Jesus for each other in a service? In Ephesians 6:18, the apostle Paul told the church in Ephesus to “PRAY IN THE SPIRIT on all occasions with all KINDS OF PRAYERS and requests.” And to “..ALWAYS KEEP ON PRAYING for all the saints.”
May we learn to spend more time in prayer when we come together as a church! (James 5:16, Acts 1:14)
5.Acts 2:43- “...many WONDERS AND MIRACULOUS SIGNS were done by the apostles.”
Fifthly, we see that the early church was characterised by miracles that Jesus did among the church!! Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us that SIGNS, WONDERS and MIRACLES and GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT back up the gospel message that is preached!! (See also Mark 16:17-20) Q. ARE YOU SEEING JESUS DO SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES TO BACK UP HIS GOSPEL IN YOUR MEETINGS?
Jesus, please empower us by your Holy Spirit to see your supernatural miracles outflow through us, your servants so that your name may be glorified!!
6.Acts 2:44- “ALL THE BELIEVERS were together and had everything IN COMMON.”
The sixth sign that marked the early church was their UNITY! Imagine a church with no divisions and denominations, totally united by what we have in common in Jesus! This is what we were called to be by Jesus!! (Ephesians 4:3-6, Psalm 133, Philippians 2:2, John 17:21-23)
Notice also that this verse says that all the BELIEVERS were together? It didn’t say the believers and unbelievers were together (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)!! This reminds us that CHURCH IS MEANT FOR BELIEVERS, NOT UNBELIEVERS! In fact the definition of the word “church” (ekklesia in the Greek) as used in the bible (Eg. Philemon 1:2, Romans 16:5) means the GATHERING OF BELIEVERS! This shows us that church was never meant to attract the unbeliever but rather was meant to be for the spiritual growth of equipping of the believers in Jesus! (See Ephesians 4:11-15)
Q. As the church, are we focussed more on trying to attract unbelievers or instead focussed on spiritually growing the saints and equipping them for serving Jesus?
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