The fully functioning church

Acts 2:37–47 LSB

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

Introduction:

Acts 2:36–37 LSB

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?”

What did they hear? 1. Peter boldly preached Jesus as Messiah with the authority of the Scripture.

2. The nation of Israel murdered an innocent man.

3. God has made this same Jesus Lord and Christ. What did they feel? “Pierced to the heart!”

Zechariah 12:10 LSB

10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

What did they say? “Men, brothers, what shall we do?”

1. The Message of the Church- Repentance!

Acts 2:38–40 LSB

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!”

There should be no “problem passages” for the Christian. In other words, we don’t get to say, “I like most of the Bible, but there are parts I disagree with.” We are called to love the Law of the Lord!

Psalm 119:165 LSB

165 Those who love Your law have much peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.

What does repentance look like?

Luke 3:3–18 LSB

3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. 5 ‘Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will be straight, And the rough roads smooth. 6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.’” 7 So he was saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 9 “But indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what should we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” 12 And tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 And soldiers were also questioning him, saying, “What should we also do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or extort anyone, and be content with your wages.” 15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, 16 John answered, saying to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the strap of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he proclaimed the gospel to the people.

Note: The crowd did not simply need to repeat a prayer. They had to repent. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action and direction. In Acts 2, the crowd is told to repent and to be baptized, which is an identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. They were identifying with the same man they helped put to death! Even today, many Christians will suffer for Baptism. There is no misunderstanding with Baptism. Every one who witnesses it knows exactly what you are proclaiming. Baptism proclaims Christ!

Galatians 3:27 LSB

27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Romans 6:3 LSB

3 Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

2. The Organization of the Church.

Acts 2:41–42 LSB

41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

An official roll was numbered.

The people were commited to participate regularly in an organized meeting for teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer.

The church is a local body of baptized believers who voluntarily and regularly assemble together for the purpose of teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer, and obedience to the great commission to make disciples.

The church is not a daycare, school, charity, business, public entity, democracy, or government program.

The Church is the body of Christ. In submission to Him alone as Head of the Church. We are part of His heavenly Kingdom here on earth.

In other words, we exist for Christ, and because of Christ.

3. The Effectiveness of the Church.

Acts 2:43 LSB

43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

4. The Community of the Church.

Acts 2:44–46 LSB

44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

Voluntary sharing of property. (Not socialism.) Socialism takes things by force according to the will of a dictator, or majority mob rule. (And it has failed in every country that attempted it) The church shares needs voluntarily from a cheerful heart.

Daily devotion. (The church is not something you attend. It is something you’re a part of.

Large corporate meetings. (With the entire church)

Small intimate meetings. (With other church members, or for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship)

True gladness and sincerity.

Conclusion: The Results of a fully functioning church

Acts 2:47 LSB

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

1. The Church glorified God.

“Praising God” : “The chief purpose of man is to Glory God and to enjoy Him. “

2. The Church made an impact in the community.

“Having favor with all the people” “Advantage, success, kindness.”

In other words, they fulfilled the two greatest commandments!

Matthew 22:37–40 LSB

37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 “On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

3. God was adding to their number daily.

What kind of Church would Christ want to add people to? One that preaches His Word, Disciples and shepherds His flock, praises God, and is daily devoted to His Kingdom!

What kind of Church are we?