The Early Church
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Great moment! Family moment - children, adults of all ages, etc.
This past Friday I had the honor to preach my Aunt Calista’s funeral - you are family! Reminder of the family of God.
[Slide - 2]
Question: What does the family of God look like?
Question: What does the family of God look like?
Transition: To answer this question we are going to look at the early church and see how they followed Christ.
I. Publicly Proclaimed Christ
I. Publicly Proclaimed Christ
To review for our own understanding, Jesus had arrived, He had died, He had resurrected, He had ascended into heaven, He had then sent the Spirit to finish His unfinished work. He formed His body. He called out those of His own choosing, brought them together to form the church, baptize them into the body, fill them with His Spirit. They began to speak the wonderful works of God in the languages of the people who were there. The crowd was gathered. Peter stood up in the midst of that, explained what miracle was going on, and then proceeded to announce to the Jewish population in Jerusalem that Jesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified was both Lord and Messiah. And this fantastic message that Peter gave, running 50 days on the heels of the execution of Jesus brought a response that was remarkable.
Context
To review for our own understanding, Jesus had arrived, He had died, He had resurrected, He had ascended into heaven, He had then sent the Spirit to finish His unfinished work. He formed His body. He called out those of His own choosing, brought them together to form the church, baptize them into the body, fill them with His Spirit. Then...
[Slide - 3: Keep Up Please]
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Process
“Repented” = Act of faith in the Gospel
Personal repentance was indisputable prerequisite to being involved in God’s program
Curse
Each person must respond individually to the claims of Christ
Christ
“Be baptized” = Resulted in baptism (crossing the line!)
Christ
Commitment = Resulted in baptism
Baptism is an indication of our commitment to Christ
It’Is our witness to others that we have committed to follow Jesus all the days of our lives
It’s easy to do something in isolation, inwardly w/o telling anyone but baptism is public
120 disciples + 3,000 converts = 3,120 members
They evidently knew who was a part of the church by a profession of faith and by baptism (those who had committed themselves to Christ)
Transition: Noticed the italicized text shows that for early Christianity individual salvation was understood as deliverance from one group to another -from “this corrupt generation” to the family of God (identified as “them” in the above passage. This is a principle that can be traced throughout the New Testament and into the first three centuries of the early church. People are saved to community.
Modify two difference characteristics (not prescriptive in detail but principle)
We see this truth as what Luke records for us net. The focus was not on the individual experience each person was enjoying in Christ, it was the community that resulted from Peter’s gospel presentation. From here we are going to see the early church begin to form, we are going to see what the first church was like - two characteristics that capture the heart of the early church very well.
[Slide - 4]
From here we are going to see the early church begin to form, we are going to see what the first church was like - two characteristics that capture the heart of the early church very well.
“Devoted” = To hold fast, continue in, persevere in
Modify two difference characteristics (not prescriptive in detail but principle)
Something that was a priority in their lives, something they centered their lives around
A hundred and twenty disciples, the addition of three thousand, the church that was born in Jerusalem, on its first day, had three thousand one hundred and twenty member. Now this is some indication as a footnote that they kept roles, the fact that they knew now many. They evidently knew who was a part of the church by a profession of faith and by baptism, and this is really the precedent for such a thing as membership roles in a church, so that they are able to keep track of who it is that’s committed themselves to Christ and for whom they are responsible in ministries. So the first fruits of the church were gathered on the day of Pentecost, which was a feast celebrating first fruits.
II. Devoted Themselves To God’s Word
II. Devoted Themselves To God’s Word
[Slide - 4-5]
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
Great catalyst to spiritual growth = Bible reading - teachings of Jesus
Studied = They gave themselves to being instructed and teaching others
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Transformed by the renewing of your mind
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
God’s Word is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword
That’s what Satan doesn’t want us to be in God’s Word!
III. Devoted Themselves To One Another
III. Devoted Themselves To One Another
[Slide - 6-7]
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 they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
Acts 46
“Fellowship” = Close relationship centered around mutual interests
Spent time with one-another
Life transformation in Christ happens best in the context of relationships, as people live-out God’s Word together
This transformation is lived out but just positionally in Christ but practically as truly old things are passing away and all things are becoming new!
Word Pictures in the New Testament Acts 2:42
sharer in common interest) and this from κοινος [koinos] what is common to all. This partnership involves participation in, as the blood of Christ (Phil. 2:1) or co-operation in the work of the gospel (Phil. 1:5) or contribution for those in need
Not just positonally in Christ but practically in Christ Christ all things are becoming new and old things are passed away
“Break bread and prayer” = Communion or meals
Fulfilled the “one another commands of Jesus” = “Had everything in common” (vs. 44-45)
Exercising their spiritual gifts within the context of their relationships with one another
Word Pictures in the New Testament Acts 2:42
sharer in common interest) and this from κοινος [koinos] what is common to all. This partnership involves participation in, as the blood of Christ (Phil. 2:1) or co-operation in the work of the gospel (Phil. 1:5) or contribution for those in need
The Church was a church!
Christ wasn’t just a part of their life, He WAS their life!
Transition: As you listen to this you might be saying, well, yah, that was the early church but it’s just not possible today! They didn’t have our schedules, our responsibilities, our lives are just too busy! Yes, that’s correct and something has to give!
close association involving mutual interests and sharing, association, communion, fellowship, close relationship
Not just positonally in Christ but practically in Christ Christ all things are becoming new and old things are passed away
IV. “Unintentionally” Made Disciples
IV. “Unintentionally” Made Disciples
[Slide - 8]
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Yet Christians were also unusually generous with their money, particularly to the poor and needy, and not just to their own family and racial group. Another striking difference was that Christian communities were multi-ethnic, since their common identity in Christ was more fundamental than their racial identities and therefore created a multi-ethnic diversity, which was unprecedented for a religion.
Yet Christians were also unusually generous with their money, particularly to the poor and needy, and not just to their own family and racial group. Another striking difference was that Christian communities were multi-ethnic, since their common identity in Christ was more fundamental than their racial identities and therefore created a multi-ethnic diversity, which was unprecedented for a religion. Finally, Christians believed in non-retaliation, in forgiving their enemies, even those who were killing them.
Conclusion
Conclusion
That is the type of Church that God is calling us to be! Today we watch as parents give their children in the 3rd grade Bibles. But as a family it’s not just those families responsibility to disciple their children, it’s ours.
Today, (5) people will be baptized. This is not just a personal decision however. Responsibility as a family to them.
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-
This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
They studied. The thing they committed themselves to was study. That’s the basis of it. Now when we say the word doctrine, that is not some great sacred mystical word. It is the word didachē. It means teaching. That’s all. They gave themselves to being instructed and teaching others. Paul said to Timothy in , here’s the way it goes Timothy. You have been taught by me. You teach faithful men. They will teach others also. Reproductive cycles of teaching, that’s the pattern for the church. The church is not, never was intended to be a spectator organization. It never was intended to be an entertainment center. It was intended to be a reproductive teaching cycle where faithful men are taught who in turn teach others. Now this church had it right. They had the right content. They were committed to studying – to studying.