Healthy Footing for the New Christian Community

PRAY

INTRO: What do we do with an imperfect church?

Most of you have probably heard it said: If you find a perfect church, don’t join it because you’ll mess it up. … What is really meant in that statement is that there are no perfect local churches because Christ’s Church is made up of saved sinners. It’s the second part of ‘saved sinners’ which causes us problems. The Spirit indwelling us is still at war with our flesh. That’s the reality we face until our salvation is made complete at our final glorification. But God can be trusted that this too is part of his perfect plan, and that our Lord desires for us to draw near to him and to depend on him to keep shaping us into the pure Bride that he is preparing for himself.

So we do not lose heart that we have difficult experiences within local churches and between individuals in local churches. If you’re not old enough to have yet experienced the reality of really hard growing pains in the Lord’s Church, stick around.

And because we know the Lord is at work in us, and that we are still not as pure as we can be, we are constantly seeking ways to be more like Jesus and be more faithful to his calling on our lives. We aim to repent before God and seek forgiveness from one another for any sins committed against God that necessarily impact one another. And we never stop reforming, envisioning a version of our local body that is still more pleasing to God.

Guess what that requires? Change—change individually and change corporately. Some of us wrongly think we hate change, but that’s just erroneous thinking, being too comfortable with our norms. Change might be necessary because we need to repent (which obviously requires a change to turn from sin back to God and his character), and change can also be helpful and necessary simply because there’s a better way to do something at a given time and place in the life of a church or community.

So as we look in Acts at the summary of characteristics (both activities and attitudes) that set the first Christian church off on a healthy footing, we should rightly be asking ourselves how the Lord might want to reform us, both individually and corporately.

Acts 2:41–47 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Once more we must say this about our study of Acts: It is right that we should be mindful of the transitional nature of this early church (still attending regular prayer times at the temple there in Jerusalem), and recognize some unique characteristics of this beginning that can’t persist forever (meeting daily would become meeting weekly) and the unique teaching and power of the Spirit through the Apostles. We therefore find ourselves again looking for underlying principles and practices that can apply to us even while knowing that what Luke writes is descriptive more than prescriptive.

Furthermore, Luke will not pretend this early church is perfect (5:1-11, Where this generosity didn’t always play out perfectly, and two people end up dead for trying to deceive not only the church but also the Holy Spirit, and in 6:1 we see factions arising between the Hebrews and the Hellenists [Gk-speaking Jews] over distribution of help to the widows in need). But the first church in Jerusalem was pursuing the right things. It is at this point where we will find connection with the kinds of activities and attitudes ((especially concerning relationships with others) of the new Christian community, that we should seek to emulate.

We should not forget that it is the work of the Holy Spirit among them which is starting them off on healthy footing to establish the new Christian community in Christ. ?We can’t ignore that it was the gift of the indwelling Spirit that brought about this kind of community among the first Christians. ?

Healthy Activities to Which the New Community Devoted Themselves

Sometimes we take this verse, v. 42, as a description of the things they did in regular gatherings together, almost like the beginnings of a liturgical sequence for a worship service. But a more fair view in the context (with what continues to be described) is that Luke summarizes a description of their ministry with and toward one another in a variety of ways and in a variety of situations (not just in a large gathering, which we today tend to call ‘church’). Some of it can apply to those situations as well, but it appears to primarily be more general than that.

Luke doesn’t force himself to slavishly follow his summary in verse 42, but as you look closely at the explanations that follow, they do seem to fall loosely under these categories, though not in perfect tidiness.

[show examples in the text]

Four activities to which the church was devoting themselves: (These early church characteristics could also be compared to healthy church behavior, or marks of a healthy local church… if we are careful to note that Luke doesn’t seem to be aiming for prescribing that specifically. He’s describing more their activity in community together than he is trying to prescribe what should take place at a worship service, for example. What I mean by this should become more evident as we continue.)

They were devoting themselves (persevere devotedly) first of all…

To the Apostles’ Teaching

We now are richly blessed to have the teaching of the Apostles laid out for us in the New Testament Scriptures (under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit). The Bible literally becomes the handbook for knowing God and relating rightly to him. How to know God through Jesus Christ. How to follow Jesus.

But for this fledgling church, they had to rely heavily on the Apostles themselves, who had been with Jesus day and night during his public ministry and were chosen expressly by him for this purpose. It appears that although they (the other disciples, now numbering more than 3,000 souls) participated by throwing their support behind the evangelism taking place (by being present with the Apostles in the temple day by day), the proclamation seems to have largely been done by the Apostles at this point. Furthermore, they needed instruction from the Apostles for understanding the place of Jesus in the plan of God, and for comprehending how the gospel of God’s central promise in Jesus was to play out in their ethics and daily practice. - What does it mean for our religion now that we know Jesus is the Messiah and Lord? How do we live in light of this new calling in Christ Jesus? (Settle in. This may take a while.)

Just as it was for them, so it is for us. We have the presence of the Holy Spirit among us, but we know that the Holy Spirit uses the Scripture he has inspired (the teaching of the Apostles) to ground us and nourish us so that Christ can produce fruit in us as we yield to his work.

Secondly, the were devoting themselves...

To the Fellowship

This means sharing in common - participation together, sharing in the activities of the group (beyond just the association or relationship itself) - This sharing was largely displaying itself in sharing financial resources, in the act of generous giving that shared what some had with those among them who had less. So the material support in common is part of the sense, but not the whole, since this fellowship clearly plays out in the broader spirit of unity as well—hospitality in their homes, sharing meals together, and praying and praising God together.

That brings us to the next two: The were devoting themselves to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

To the Breaking of Bread

The context really seems to indicate this to be a reference to the general sense, rather than specifically intended as a reference to the Lord’s Supper. David Peterson explains, “To ‘break bread’ was to eat together. The adoption of this term as a title for the Lord’s Supper is not formally attested until the second century AD.” - David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009), 161.

However, these corporate meals might likely have included a reference to the Lord’s Table at them, perhaps at some or perhaps at all of them. We do well to admit, though, that this doesn’t appear to be the emphasis Luke is making, but rather the sharing of meals. (see v. 46b&c)

These meals and fellowship together would likely have been more intentional in teaching, prayer, and praise associated with them than what we sometimes allow to pass for “fellowship.”

Along with this, Luke tell us that they were devoting themselves…

To the Prayers

It’s interesting to note that the most literal translation here is “the prayers,” and a bit surprising that some of our translations appear to have broken away from this. (NASB, NET, NKJV) The more literal reading makes sense with the parallels including the definite article, the fact that the noun is plural, and that there is mention in the context of attending the temple. V. 46 tells us that they were attending the temple day by day chapter 3v.1 says more specifically that Peter and John were going up to the temple at one of the hours of prayer. It is also possible that they had some set prayers that they prayer together, including and similar to the fixed prayer that Jesus had taught them to pray in Luke 11:2-4 (cf. Mt 6:9-13).

So the emphasis here is likely daily prayers at the temple, but does not disqualify the possibility of referring also to prayers together in their homes, an important part of their community life. Not only did we see this practice among the group prior to the Spirit’s coming, but we see it emphasized again in chapter 4, vv. 23-31, where the group prays together for boldness after Peter and John were threatened by the Sanhedrin to stop preaching Christ. (to which they respectfully declined ;-)) At 6:4 we find the Apostles designating deacons to help with serving the needs of the people so that they can devote themselves “to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

As we consider these four activities of devotion, couldn’t we maybe call them activities of a healthy church? Sure, if we do so without getting carried away like this is a to do list and forget that these represent the attitudes and relationships among the first believers, where the Holy Spirit is at work to set the first church on healthy footing. Luke’s emphasis seems to be not simply that they are pursuing the right things, but how they are doing so… what marks their attitudes and relationships.

Healthy Attitudes Accompanying These Activities

Just as the Holy Spirit was producing the miraculous transformation of individuals to respond to Christ, and the Spirit performing the mighty works done by the Apostles, so too it was the work of the Holy Spirit to give the members of the early church in Jerusalem the right spirit in all this participation together.

As they were learning from the apostles teaching in the power of the Spirit, seeing the Lord adding to their number day by those who were being saved (v. 47), and experiencing the Holy Spirit’s power in many signs and wonders being done by the Apostles (back at v. 43), “fear came upon every soul.” This word fear in a context like this means reverence or awe. I’d like to call this being…

Overcome with awe at the majesty and mighty work of God

If we are not overcome with awe and reverence when we teach about the character of God and the perfect plan of God, then one of two things must be happening: 1. Our teaching is weak (man-centered, shallow, lazy) or 2. The listeners are unengaged (unregenerate, or immature, lazy, distracted).

There’s no way that an honest presentation of the magnificent God of the Bible, doing the hard work to let the text speak, to let God say what he wants to say, that we walk away with anything less than increased awe of God. If teaching the Bible doesn’t have that impact on us, then either the teaching is lazy and misguided, or the listener is lazy and misguided.

Similarly, when we rightly understand the miraculous work that God is doing when he takes unregenerate souls and makes them alive to him, even miracles of healing pale by comparison. When we grasp even just the beginning of the unfathomable love and wisdom in God’s perfect plan for His Son to be the means to justify and restore wayward sinners, we are astounded by this miracle. No other miracle will ever compare to the self-sacrificing love of God, and the perfect plan of God to remain just and yet be the justifier of the unrighteous.

If I don’t deliberately work to move on here, I will just stay here and marinate in the majesty of God in his character and mighty works, saying it again and again in different ways. The one source of fulfillment, and joy, and excitement for which we can never plumb to its depths is God himself. The deeper we go, the sweeter he grows. The more that we serve him, the more love he bestows.

Now, there is another set of attitudes that jumps out at us in this text, and it greatly impacts or relationships. There is indeed a…

Radical generosity and hospitality

seen here.

When we read vv. 44-45, what we are meant to see is radical generosity. It’s true that we should note the author Luke knows the difference between the people essentially just selling everything and pooling all their resources to go create an isolated commune somewhere, like the Jewish sect that formed the societies at Qumran. So we can tell that’s not what they’re doing. People still can have their houses and properties, and so on.

But we could undoubtedly emphasize this point to our detriment by neglecting still to recognize the radical generosity of selling off property to help support the needs of the movement and those among them with less. They are in the world but not of it, which also means that they can enjoy some of God’s provision in this world without loving and idolizing and worshipping their stuff.

Similarly, they don’t appear to worship their own comfort but rather to have a sincere spirit of hospitality that brings them joy and gladness rather than being a burden or a drudgery. Hospitality is right because it springs from the very heart of God. After all, he created this world for us to live in and exercise dominion over; and not only this, but he is preparing a permanent dwelling to host us for all eternity. God is a God of hospitality.

Going hand in hand with this spirit of sincere generosity and hospitality, they experience a deep...

Unity of joy in God and praise to God

(Not unlike what we said about awe…) The more we know about the character of God (from the teaching of the Apostles), and the more we experience the work of God in us and through us (from obeying Christ’s commands—namely, to love one another and to make disciples), we are filled with joy (with glad hearts of gratitude toward God and our fellow believers) and we overflow with praise to God.

In Luke’s summary, he includes in the same breath that they enjoyed favor with all the people. This isn’t as much of an attitude as it is a posture they take in their behavior that impacts their relationship toward those outside the new family in Christ.

Good Testimony/Reputation

There’s something about this sincerity of love and generosity, of hospitality and friendliness, of joy and praise to God, that is attractive and breeds favor (good will) even with those who are as yet outside the covenant community in Christ. The sincerity of Christ’s love in us by the work of the Spirit is desirable. Period. They may reject the gospel with its requirement that they submit to God’s authority, and the consequences of their sin, and to Christ as Lord… but they can’t legitimately deny the true attractiveness of the Bride of Christ. And this is not our doing, it is the mighty work of God by his grace and for his glory.

1 Peter 2:12 ESV

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

The final point we will make only briefly, because we have endless opportunities to emphasize this in Acts, but the new community is clearly marked by…

Evangelistic Zeal

“In Acts we never see a community turned so inward that taking the message to those outside and engaging with those outside is forgotten or ignored.” - Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 149.

Evangelistic zeal arises from 1. a heart for the lost and 2. a commitment to obeying the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we bring this to a conclusion for today, how should we summarize what to walk away with? We see an example here in the fledgling church some that is simple but profound, and that is that we must be…

Conclusion: Pursuing Healthy Activities and Attitudes for the Glory of God in the Church of Jesus Christ

Let us never sit on our laurels and allow ourselves to stagnate in our pursuit of Christ. Stagnant water just sits and begins to stink. Flowing water is being purified as to presses onward. Our church must be a place where the stream of the work of Christ is flowing into us and out of us by the Holy Spirit he has given. That may mean at times that the stream will begin redirected in some way as we are pursuing greater faithfulness to Christ.

Do you guys know what an oxbow lake is? We cannot fear to let God redirect us as he chooses; you don’t want to be left behind in the oxbow lake insisting that this place is too comfortable for you to move.

You also don’t want to be this guy. [show image of church member who complains and then the Pastor suggests that it’s a good point and asks if they are offering to help resolve the issue, and they disappear]

Let us be people who realize that we have never received sufficient teaching from God’s word, never reached the depths of our awe and reverence for the awesome working of God.

May we recognize that the frequency and fervency of our prayer reflects our dependency on God and impacts what God is pleased to do through us.

Let us be people who realize that genuine fellowship in Christ will result in an astonishing unity of joy and praise to God, but not without us increasing in radical generosity and hospitality.

And may we fan into flame the zeal that Christ himself showed for coming to seek and save the lost.