The Beginnings of the Christian Chruch

Sunday AM                                                                                                February 18, 2007

Memory Verses

Announce about Pastor Fay coming

Unspoken Prayer for Walt

Worship

Offering

Children’s Church

The Beginnings of the Christian Church

Acts 2:41-47

Opening Prayer

Peter’s Sermon convicted the ones listening.

If the Jews had crucified their Messiah and He was now exalted, what was left for them?

What could and must they do?

Peter told them to REPENT of your sins,

          TURN from your sins,

                   and be BAPTIZED.

They were also to ask for the Holy Spirit.

There were about 3000 souls added to the Kingdom that day.

The activity of the early church was twofold.

1.                 They listened to the Apostles teaching.

2.                 There was fellowship,

this was the braking of bread and praying together.

They saw miraculous signs and works of power.

They praised God,

the word praising is used only 9 times in the New Testament,

                    7 of those times Luke uses here in Acts.

They went and sold their property and possessions,

          the proceeds went to meet needs as they arose.

There were more believers added every day.

The young Church had a few peculiar ways in its outward form,

          or in its doctrine.

The single discriminating principle of its few members

 was that they all recognized the crucified Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah.

This confession would have been a thing of no importance,

          if it had only presented itself as a exposed declaration,

                   and would never in such a case have been able to form

a community that would spread itself over the whole Roman empire.

It acquired its value only through the power of the Holy Spirit,

          passing from the apostles as they preached to the hearers.

                   I Corinthians 12:3 says, “Therefore I make known to you that no one

speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

A burning flame made their souls glow with love.

By the power of the Spirit,

          we view the first Christians not only in a state of active fellowship,

                   but also changed on the inside.

The narrow views of the natural man are broken through;

          they have their property in common,

                   they regard themselves as one family.

A victorious church is a joyful one.

Believers were added to the church daily.

The church grew rapidly right from the start.

The church needs to grow rapidly today.

The church today needs to,

BE ON FIRE,

                    BE JOYFUL,

                             BE PRAISING

                                      BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER

                                                BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER.

The church today needs to be adding to the Kingdom of God daily.

Closing Prayer