The Early Church Dynamic
Acts of the Apostles • Sermon • Submitted
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A New Generation
A New Generation
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
After Peter preaches his first famous gospel sermon in , verse 40 says that he, “with many other words did he testify and exhort;” so there many other things that Peter continued to preach about, but the Spirit of God highlights one point that he said that must be of importance out of the “many words” which he testified and exhorted with.
“Save yourselves from this untoward generation.”
The Greek word for ‘untoward’ is ‘skolias’ which literally means ‘crooked or immoral.’
Other translations use perverse, crooked, corrupt.
What is Peter saying here?
Peter is exhorting the crowd at Pentecost that as their hearts have been impressed by the demonstration of the Spirit through the disciples, and as their ears have heard the gospel presented with clearness and power, and their hearts have been melted as they have become convicted, that now after all this the work is to now separate from the world and “save yourselves” or literally “be saved.”
Now that they were convicted of truth seen and heard, the next step is imperative and a condition to being accepted by the Father as His child, the church was separate from the world. As new born babes in the faith, they could not continue have fellowship with worldly fashions, worldly ideas, worldly morals, they were to be a new specimen of community in the world and demonstrate the love of God to dark world.
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
2 cor 6
When Isaiah foretold of Israel’s departure from Babylonian captivity, they were told a similar thing.
11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; Go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.
12 For ye shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight: For the Lord will go before you; And the God of Israel will be your rereward.
Isa 521
Israel were commanded to “depart, depart, and get out of Babylon” and as they departed, they were not to bring anything that bore a resemblance savouring of pagan idolatry from Babylon to their native home.
Throughout ancient Israel, God was very particular to protect Israel from mingling with heathen idolatry and bringing those abominations into the camp of Israel and in God is no less particular.
God is exhorting us through the apostle Peter to “touch no unclean thing” as we are departing, spiritually speaking,” from the world into the kingdom of God.
As we see the evidence of the gospel in the lives of God’s disciples, and hear the gospel from His servants and become convicted and yield, we at that point begin our departure from spiritual Babylon into the church of God, but God cautions the believers that as they depart they be careful to “not touch the unclean thing.”
We are to be clean, and “be saved from this untoward (crooked & immoral) generation.
We are not to bring the faithlessness, the idolatry, the world-views, the social and cultural pressures, the worldly values of our generation into the church of God.
This call to “be saved from this untoward generation” can be understood practically in the words of king David in .
Here we will see the spirit of separation from the world and the wicked and the call to live with a “perfect heart” toward the Lord.
A Psalm of David.
1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing.
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.
5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.
7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.
8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; That I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord.
Ps 101
The phrase “froward heart” means exactly the same thing as “untoward generation” it has the same sense of being crooked and immoral.
The gospel is to so affect the life of the believer that he will look at all his relationships, friends, family, work in the world, my racial and cultural identity, all in a NEW LIGHT.
As well breaking away from the perverse culture that we live in, we are also to establish or become a NEW generation.
We become a kind of counter-culture; a new group/community of people.
Our economic, racial, social, relationships become distinct from the generation and culture surrounding us.
The church is not simply a collective mass of people joined together, but is a ‘pilot plant’ a specimen of what humanity can look like under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The church is to be a whole new generation or prototype of humanity transformed by the grace of God.
The result is found in .
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
14-
Characteristics & Functions of the Early Church
Characteristics & Functions of the Early Church
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
There are numerous characteristics and functions that we can see in the early church that contributed to their success both inwardly as the body of Christ, and outwardly, as the church with a mission.
In verse 42 it describes the people that they “continued stedfastly” what this means is that they persevered with devotion to whatever follows in the sentence. Their spiritual life was intense, intentional, and intimate.
From these verses we will be able to make a list of the characteristics and functions of the early church that contributed to the churches success.
The church trained and educated its members. (devoted themselves to the apostles’ doctrines or teachings. v.42a)
The members were part of a community of love and mutual respect and enjoyed and valued their fellowship. (all that believed were together and had all things common. v.44; they continued stedfastly in the apostles’… fellowship. v. 42b)
The church had both small group meetings (broke bread from house to house v.46b) and large group meetings. (continuing daily with in accord in the temple v.46a)
The church practiced and valued the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis. (“breaking bread” v. 42 & 46)
The church had an active and devoted group prayer ministry. This was active in both the small and large meetings. (they continued stedfastly in… prayers. v.42)
The church practiced radical stewardship to those who lacked things that were needful. This was a part of a kind of welfare ministry. (Sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. v.45)
The deeds of power verified that what was being proclaimed by the apostles was indeed truth. (fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. v.43)
Among the church there was seen and felt by the common folk a general spirit of joy, gladness and praise. (gladness and singleness of heart v.46b; Praising God v.47a)
The church had a profound impact on their community and their fellowship was extremely attractive to outsiders. (having favour with all the people. v.47b)
The church evangelistically speaking were extremely effective experiencing daily conversions. (The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. v.47c)
When someone was converted, they were not to converted individualistically, but instead they were “added to the church” (v.47). They were welcomed into a deep and meaningful relationship with the church, and not just the Lord.
Four Keys to a Thriving Church
Four Keys to a Thriving Church
From these passages we find numerous characteristics of the early church that no doubt contributed to the success of the church.
From these numerous characteristics, we can collect them all into FOUR key ministries.
These four keys are crucial to the nurturing and upbuilding of God’s church.
They are as follows:
Ministry of Teaching
The fact that they “continued steadfastly” shows that they were devoted and highly committed to learning and understanding the teachings that were coming from the apostles, which in turn came from Christ Himself.
The apostles’ teaching as it came from Christ is to the church its spiritual foundation upon which all the other ministries are built upon, with Jesus Christ as the chief Cornerstone.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
The apostles’ doctrine is what we today find in the Scriptures and they are crucial to granting us to understand the wisdom and purposes of God and grounding us in the love of God.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Doctrine founded in the Scriptures
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
A lot is said by the apostle Paul to Timothy that we can learn about the importance of being taught and learning the teachings of Christ through the apostles.
Timothy was instructed as a minister to give attendance among other things, “to doctrine.”
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 tim 4
Immediately in the early church there was danger of some straying away from the doctrines taught by the apostles and “giving heed to fables, endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith.” .
So ministry of Teaching serves as a guard and protector against the numerous “winds of doctrine” that sweep into the body of believers to shake their faith.
What does this ministry teaching accomplish?
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1 tim
The word “nourished” literally means to be trained in conceived as being reared and nourished.
It signifies growth and education just as child is fed nutrition for physical growth and education for moral and intellectual growth, so the “words of faith and of good doctrine” are provided for growth and training of the members.
It leads to godliness and salvation:
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
1 tim
By taking heed to ourselves (self-examination) and to the teachings of God’s word and “continue” or persevere in them, we both “save ourselves, and then that hear us.”
We save ourselves because we have hearkened to the truth. We have not not only heard the doctrine, but have “persevered” in it revealing that the truth or doctrine of the apostles has become internalised.
We save those who hear us because if we have a wrong conception of truth we do many things that become a stumbling-block to others.
This first ministry offers the first vital sign of a thriving church which is “Theological depth”
Without this depth the church itself will not live as it is taught in Scriptures, and if they do not live as it is taught in Scriptures than they will have a “zeal, not according to knowledge” () and their words and deeds will be a misleading representation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Ministry of Fellowship
There is two sides to this ministry of fellowship.
First side:
The first side is the loving community that existed in the early church. They were with “one accord” meaning without dissent and with one mind and heart. They ate with “gladness and singleness of heart” which literally means that they were “uttering sounds of great joy” and their lives bearing marks of humility associated with sincerity and simplicity of heart. They were focused and unified in their purpose of pleasing the Lord in their lives, and serving others.
The fact that they did not have just one mega church, but had many small group meetings of worship in houses which complemented the larger gatherings of worship in the temple.
It was a self-sacrificing spirit that prevailed as they felt that each member had a claim of their time, heart, and resources where applicable (as they had need).
They not only involved in once a week meetings but had multiple gatherings during the week for worship, praise, and prayers. In fact the Bible says that they met “daily” to worship in the temple. .
“They that believed were together, and had all things common.” Their relationship was not only spiritual but economic. .
Second side:
The second side is that the church persevered in the apostles’ fellowship.
More than just joining the fellowship of the church, they actually played an active part in the ministry along with the apostles aiding them wherever possible.
This fact can be shown in the following verses:
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.
2 cor 8 1-
4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—
2 cor 8
They gave themselves first “to the Lord” and then to the apostles “by the will of God.”
Ministry of Worship
Not despite the problems that occurred in the worship of the church (especially in the Corinthian church) worship was central, it was unified, and it was beautiful.
They “broke bread”. They practiced regularly the Lord’s Supper, commemorating the Lord’s death and promise of His soon return.
They prayed regularly and reading the original translation it says, “the prayers” signifying that there was both a formal worship services and also informal when they met in the homes.
You will notice that there was “fear” or reverence and solemnity connected with the larger worship services and in “gladness, simplicity of heart, and praising God” connected with the smaller worship services conducted in the homes.
Their worships were both joyful and reverent. They had the beautiful blend of the two.
The spirit that pervaded the early church worship can be seen in the following passages:
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Ministry of Witnessing
Their witnessing was dynamic, powerful, but beautifully simple.
It was demonstrated through community in their words and deeds.
They had “favour with all the people.”
What gave them this favour? It was their community and the practice of the previous key elements of Teaching, Fellowship, and Worship. These previous keys allowed the early church to be a powerful witness to the nations.
Through their words of exhortation, praise, joy and their lives of giving and simplicity of heart they were powerful witnesses of the truth, and as a result “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
2 cor