Unity in Community

Praise the Lord! It is great to be with you today as we continue on part 5 of my Acts Sermon series and the title of today’s message is Unity in Community.

Scripture Reference: Acts 2:42-47

Acts 2:42–47 NLT

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Prayer

Introduction: Unity is not just a nice idea—it is a powerful force that draws people to Christ and allows the church to function in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. The early church in Acts 2 shows us what Spirit-fueled unity looks like. As we examine this passage, we will discover how unity in community leads to supernatural growth, generosity, and helps foster revival.

Unity in Doctrine – One Faith, One Teaching

Verse 42 begins by sharing that the believers were devoted to the apostles' teaching. This means the people came to the temple to hear the Apostles preach and teach God’s word because they had a desire for the word of God and to grow their faith in Christ. Romans 10:17

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The first step in every believers walk is to put their faith in Jesus Christ to receive salvation. Then the Holy Spirit will draw you and direct you to have an appetite for the things of God especially His word. And this is why unity in the body begins in part with agreement on the truth of God’s word beginning with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as our Savior, our Lord and our God! If we cannot agree on the truth of God’s word especially as it relates to Christ crucified then it is impossible to have unity in the body. Division of interpretation of the Bible is one of the reasons we see so many different denominations today. As for me I advise to keep it simple and learn the Bible as written with a focus on how we can see Jesus throughout as the perfect God who is restoring imperfect people to Himself. This is the hope and power of the Gospel amen!

Furthermore, many of the first believers were from a Jewish background and understood the importance of God’s word as it was central to their life. They had witnessed firsthand the power of the Holy Spirit and heard the gospel preached by Peter and the other Disciples so they now believed and were Spirit-filled and wanted to learn more about how the word of God was fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is a reminder that pentecostal power aligns with God’s word. And while it is good to have deep spiritual encounters and experiences with God, we must understand that we can also have those deep encounters as we learn and meditate on God’s word. Because the truth of God’s word grows our faith and changes lives.

In addition, it is important to note that verse 42 said they devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teaching. The word devote refers to a steadfast and continuous commitment not a casual or occasional experience. It implies that the early believers made a consistent and intentional effort to hear and then apply what they were learning. The word devote captures a sense of persistence, loyalty, and dedication and shows us that it was an essential element to their new life in the community of faith.

Let us continue to be a church community that is intentional and committed to growing in the truth of God’s word. Just as the one true message of faith through Jesus Christ unified the early church we too will continue to grow in unity even as we expand in number when we are committed to the hearing and applying the truth of God’s word to our lives.

Unity in Fellowship – One Heart, One Mind

Next we see that believers were unified in fellowship meaning they had one heart and one mind. That doesn’t mean they didn’t have different personalities but it means that they their relationship with Christ wasn’t only personal but also was a shared experience with their church community.

The greek word used for fellowship is koinonia and this was not a surface level social interaction but rather it was a deep spiritual connection. It appears frequently in the New Testament and not only describes a profound spiritual and relational bond among believers but at other times describes the relationship believers have with God through the Holy Spirit, sharing in the divine nature and the life of Christ. This koinonia fellowship in the church is only possible by the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit removes all social and cultural divisions. Said differently God is love and through our faith in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven and we are gifted the Holy Spirit of God to live inside of us. And that means a true Spirit-filled believer loves God and loves all types of people in a way they could not truly experience or express otherwise. This love makes us more than just a community but a true church family. And as a church family the Bible teaches us and the Holy Spirit equips us to love one another, forgive one another, comfort one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, serve one another, be served by one another and be true brothers and sisters in Christ.

So it is important for us to develop these genuine relationships with one another so people know they are seen and they matter. And just like any family or community there will be some people who form bonds more quickly or naturally than others and that is fine as long as we remember that all of us are an important part of this church and we have a genuine koinonia fellowship that is a deep spiritual bond which makes us more than just a community but a church family.

So let us ask ourselves today are we isolated believers or engaged in authentic fellowship? And if we don’t feel connected I would encourage you to visit one of our ministry groups. There are over a dozen at last count and it’s a great way to meet people and serve the church.

Unity in Worship – Breaking of Bread and Prayer

The early church also had unity in worship. In fact, worship was part of their daily lives through not only going to the temple to hear the word being taught but also by breaking bread and praying together.

The breaking of bread in this case is referring to Communion and it reminded them of Christ’s sacrifice and bound them together. They also had times of enjoying fellowship meals and developing those friendships. Hospitality is a ministry and essential for a church to stay connected as they grow. Also and very importantly prayer aligned their hearts and built intimacy with God and each other.

It is so important for us both personally and corporately as a church family to remain Kingdom focused and both Communion, fellowship events and prayer are great ways to do that. At times, there are so many distractions and situations for us to deal with in our lives that if we are not intentional to focus on the things of God then we can start focusing on other areas of of life more than the kingdom and that is a misalignment of our priorities. It is easier to do than you think and I have been guilty of that in the past. Whether it be a busy work schedule or the stress or pain of a situation to deal with the next thing you know the gratitude turns to attitude and that’s when we need to stop and reset our focus. The Holy Spirit will helps us in these times but the Lord also gives us brothers and sisters in Christ so we may help support one another in our walks.

So from time to time we must ask ourselves are we building a lifestyle of shared worship and prayer? Meaning are we worshipping Jesus and praying alone or are we actively seeking to also worship and pray with our church family. You see a lifestyle of worship is a big deal because God is to be high and lifted up amen! Worship is a recognition of who God is, what He has done and what we are trusting Him to do both now and in the future. And when we get into His presence with Communion, prayer, hearing the word, reading our Bibles, or singing His praises everything else has to take a back seat glory to God! And when we intentionally make worshipping God with our church family a priority there is a power and unity that can spark revival.

Unity in Mission – Growth and Salvation

Lastly, we can see that the early church was also united in mission. Because they were united first by their faith in Jesus, then the devotion to the teaching of the word, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread to prayer and also generous and compassionate giving these things pleased God. So the Lord added daily to their number those who were being saved. Evangelism became natural because love and unity were evident. And their united community was irresistible to the lost. You see they did things God’s way and kept unified in their kingdom purpose and God did His part to grow the church.

1 Corinthians 3:6 ESV

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

Yes you heard correctly God is the one who grows the church. Not only in 1 Corinthians but also in todays text in verse 47.

Acts 2:47 NLT

47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

So again we can have the assurance that when we are faithful to do our part God is faithful to do His part and grow the church.

So we need to ask ourselves are we an attractive witness to the world around us? Are we devoting ourselves to the word or going through the motions? Do we operate in the koinonia fellowship or do we have room to grow? Are we investing our time to prayer and breaking bread? Are we generous in our giving and help to the church and those in need?

I have to say I think you all are doing an amazing job and the Lord has blessed us so much already and if we remain faithful to do our part He will remain faithful to do His and grow the church how and when He decides. Amen! Conclusion: In closing, unity is not just a goal—it is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work. When the church walks in unity and community like Acts 2, revival becomes inevitable. The Spirit moves where unity and love dwell. Again, I think we are doing this well as a church so the key is to keep pressing forward and do not grow weary doing good as we wait on the Lord for the greater harvest. Call to Action: And I would like to ask every believer commit to building unity in teaching, worship, generosity, and mission. Let us not just attend church—let us be the church. As we walk in Spirit-filled community, we will see lives changed, needs met, and the kingdom of God explode with growth. Revival is born in unity. Let it begin with us.