Let's Practice Together

Text

Acts 2:42–47 NRSV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Initial Questions

What does it mean to practice responsible grace? What is irresponsible grace?

A romanticizing of “large moments” in our faith journey can create a dissalousainment to the small steps that sustain. What sustains the grace at work in our lives?

Meaningful relationships function as a means of grace in our lives. These can be both relationships of service and accountability. How do you foster these relationships?

Growing together can feel out of reach for many of us. How should our faith community influence the way we are growing in grace? My mind goes to Peterson’s understanding of askesis as a process rooted in a people. How do the people of Skyview influence my faith?

Staff Thoughts

Jesus tells the church to wait and then the are filled. Patience is to be the response to the Word

Looking at the historical context of this chapter helps us to understand the unique dynamics of the practices in this passage. Not that eating together should not be important, but helps us to re-contextualize these practices.

Vs. 43 Signs and wonders should not be misunderstood as “mystical visions”. Can be found in the every day

the Pentecostal experience is not only found in the indwelling of the Spirit, but also in the fellowship of believers

Where do we see the evidence of the work of the Spirit in the community? In the text, we see it reflected in the passage

Changes can take time to express the “fullness of God”

Good small groups begin when the Spirt is being made anew in the leaders

Fellowship is more than simply socializing. These verses reveal the transforming work of fellowship among believers.

We can misuse programs as the “attraction” to the church. How often are we letting Christ be the attraction to our fellowship. John would ask, “How are you with the Lord?”

The “eating of meals together” is more a reference to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. What is symbolized in this feast? How can we contextualize this celebration?

This community is made up of people from all walks of life

Preaching should not just educate, but it should escalate who Christ is

Commonality is found not in “doctrinal belief” but instead in the practices of breaking bread, teaching, fellowship, and prayer

We live in a “social faith” rooted in the God who is communal love

Attributes of our shared faith are common love for one another. They are not all the same thing, but found in the same thing: Christ.

Commentary Notes

WBC

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts D. The Church of Pentecost (2:41–47)

The Pentecostal church has remained a model for Christians of all subsequent ages. Briefly characterized: (1) its converts joyfully received the gospel, were baptized, and identified themselves with the church (v. 41); (2) its sacred communion consisted in steadfastness of purpose, doctrinal instruction, Christian fellowship, observance of the Lord’s Supper (Lange), and prayers (v. 42); (3) its moral and spiritual influence profoundly affected the community, and frequent miracles confirmed its divine mission (v. 43); (4) its liberality abounded toward the needs of the entire body of Christ (vv. 44, 45); (5) its service reflected constancy, unity, fellowship, joy, and guileless sincerity (v. 46); and (6) its spiritual prosperity is reflected in its victorious praises, its confidence of and favor with the community, and its evangelical fervor and success (v. 47).

Bible Commentary in Wesleyan Tradition

Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 3. After the Sermon 2:41–47

Fellowship (Acts 2:42, 44–47)—God gave the new believers each other. True fellowship is so much more than having coffee and cookies together; it is life together, even at personal sacrifice. The first believers gave their time, their possessions, their money—themselves, their fellowship—to each other.

Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 3. After the Sermon 2:41–47

One interesting interpretation of the breaking of bread suggests that at every meal the early Christians remembered Jesus’ death

Willimon

There are four key elements to this community of faith:

Devotion to teaching of the aposltes

A community of fellowship

The breaking of bread

A community of prayers

Teaching of the apostles

Acts The Gospel Embodied in Community (Acts 2:42–47)

Acts itself was part of the ongoing attempt

How should our ecclesiology shift to make space for this sort of understanding? How are we attempting to reflect Christ & how are we a part of the ongoing work? In other words, do we see ourselves wrapped up in something larger than ourselves?

Willimon says that the gospel has “applications and implications.” What is the good news and how does it call us to respond?

He goes on to say that the church is not tasked to “resuscitate Pentecost every week” but instead devote itself to the teaching of the Apostles. Church’s missional identity is to be one present in the current context in which it finds itself. Perhaps a focus on “momentary emotional outbursts” comes from a struggle to see value in the world around us? How can our teaching better equip people to deal with the realities of the world?

Community of Fellowship

Acts The Gospel Embodied in Community (Acts 2:42–47)

this koinonia cannot be some merely warm-hearted animorum concordia, human-initiated brotherly and sisterly love. It is a fellowship which produces astounding “wonders and signs”

How does our fellowship together point towards the divine realities of the world?

vs. 43 tells us that there was “awe” in light of these signs and wonders. While awe can mean amazement, there is also an element of trepidation knowing that the wonders and signs which are being seen will have implications for the way we live our lives.

“Wonders and Signs”. These words often illicit thoughts of miraculous healings and other anomalies.

Signs are “indicators that point towards something.”

Wonders are “that which foretell coming events.”

While the signs and wonders of the apostles could have take a “miraculous shape”, how could they perhaps be actions that point towards the coming kingdom? When fellowship goes beyond a brotherly love, it can unlock transformative potential. The way we fellowship, with whom we fellowship can tell a story of that which we believe.

“Signpost Living”. How can our koinonia mean something?

Breaking of Bread

Tangible, visible expression of the work of the Spirit

Acts The Gospel Embodied in Community (Acts 2:42–47)

In good Jewish fashion, when the blessing is said at the table, the table becomes a holy place and eating together a sacred activity.

What is demonstrated at the table is a joyous anticipation of that which would come through Christ’s kingdom. There is little distinction between the sacramental meal and a communal meal for this audience. Therefore, in good Jewish fashion, every table became a holy place and eating together was a sacred activity. What if our tables became places of witness?

Acts The Gospel Embodied in Community (Acts 2:42–47)

“Ho, every one who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money, …

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1).

Praying Church

Acts The Gospel Embodied in Community (Acts 2:42–47)

In all these activities of teaching, fellowship and sharing, breaking of bread, and praying we see a well-rounded picture of the church, the marks of authentic embodiment of the Spirit in the community’s life, a canon for the measurement of the church’s activity today

Prayer as a community’s emphasis reminds us of the importance of intentional and regular spiritual practices. “Good hearted socialization” cannot take the place of the gospel in our lives.

This sort of posture reminds me of Wesley’s band questions, “How is it with your soul?” How is spiritual growth taking a primary place in our lives and fellowship with one another?

Conclusion

Luke is not writing Luke/Acts to create an apostolic biography, but instead seeking to promote the primary character—the community.

How does our perception of faith change when we see ourselves as a part of something bigger? How should our evenings be spent? What should take emphasis during our prayers? Who should influence the way we ask questions to God?

The Message of Acts Commentary

This narrative form is not meant to be repeated, but instead to inspire an imagination to re-contextualize the story. What is our story at Skyview? This sort of approach will help keep us away from a deficient view of the modern church. “Since we don’t do those things, then we are not living faithfully.”

Of course the church did not begin that day, and it is incorrect to call the Day of Pentecost ‘the birthday of the church’. For the church as the people of God goes back at least 4,000 years to Abraham. What happened at Pentecost was that the remnant of God’s people became the Spirit-filled body of Christ. What evidence did it give of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit? Luke tells us.- John Stott

A Learning Church

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching

This facet of the church showcases a humility and openness to a continual hearing and understanding of the Word of God. What most plagues the church is a salvific finality. But here, we see a growing in grace together

Wesley as “A Man of one Book”

A Loving Church

They devoted themselves to fellowship

This community of believers is to be marked by an acknowledgement of need and a desire to share that which has been given. This not only applies to our material possessions, but also to the spiritual gifts we receive. How do we neglect a sharing of grace? To hold onto it for myself demonstrates a false assurance in my own ability to understand alone. To share is to sacrifice control, and to sacrifice is to find life.

A Worshipping Church

They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and prayer

Their fellowship was expressed in a corporate worship.

There is debate as to the exact nature of the “breaking of the bread”. It perhaps is the Lord’s Supper, but also could be a family meal. Perhaps there is something to be said about Luke’s ambiguity as the Lord’s Supper precludes and influences the family meal.

The gathering is a proclamation and celebration of that which God is doing in the world. Our worship can be dignified, but must never be dull. This is also a shared venture. We proclaim so that God would be made more apparent in our community of faith.

An Evangelistic Church

And the Lord added to their number those who were being saved

Without this important piece, verse 42 can insulate the church from the surrounding community. These early Christians were not preoccupied with learning, sharing, and worshipping that they forgot about witnessing

“Many people talk about evangelism today with reprehensible self-confidence and even triumphalism, as if they think the evangelization of the world will be the ultimate triumph of human technology. We should harness to the evangelistic task all the technology God has give us, but only in humble dependence on him as the principal evangelist.”- John Stott

The Message of Acts d. It Was an Evangelistic Church

just as their worship was daily (46a), so was their witness

The Message of Acts d. It Was an Evangelistic Church

many young people are specially looking for, namely biblical teaching, loving fellowship, living worship, and an ongoing, outgoing evangelism

These are the marks of the church.

Sermon Outline

What have you been hearing from God this week? Maybe you have heard something, but have failed to share it. The community of faith is the place to share. And maybe