How the church should be!

Intro

Before we start I want to go back and speak to the importance of baptism.

Elder Brian covered this, but he was running out of time and so I wanted to cover this a little more because of the importance it has for our passage today. Specifically as we look at how the church behaved initially and why that was necessary to them.

- in vs 38 Peter gives the simple command, “Repent and be baptized” and in vs 41 we see that those who excepted the gospel were baptized.

- First what is baptism? get crowd involved today!

- The outward expression of them inward change.

- must be public why?

- What does this mean for us today?

- not much sure some may balk or poke fun but ultimately in America nothing really changes to much for us at least right away.

- What did it mean for them during the first century?

- likely lost employment

would not have been allowed into the synagogue

family would have shunned you

businesses may not have allowed you to do business there.

So why did Peter say if you want to save yourself repent and be baptized?

I think it is the same concept Jesus addresses twice to four different people: Mark 10:17-22 and Luke 9:57-62.

Speaking of baptism it was a command we lose sight of because it does not cost us much. But when it was given it cost them everything, just as it does in differing parts of this world today. This is why baptism was to be of immediate importance.

So in our passage today keep this in mind as we talk about being the family of God.

Family Dynamics

Vs 42 “They” “Devoted”

Who is the they?

not a trick question.

It is all those who belong to the church, at least 3120 people. but as we will see the Lord was adding to them daily.

These are those like us who were sinners who once rejected Christ, yet through His great love an mercy

I also want to look at the word “devoted” it is actually made up of two Greek words “eimi proskartereo”

“eimi” means “to be” in an attribute sense. so this would have been an attribute or quality of the person

“proskartereo” literally means “to persevere devotedly”

differing version ESV, NIV, CSB“ they devoted themselves”, NASB, LSB “continually devoted”, NKJV “continued steadfastly”

I like the NASB and LSB translation because of the word “continually” is more accurate than simply saying they devoted themselves.

It has the idea that is behind Luke 9:23 “23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” A daily process a continual act not a simple one time thing as they “devoted themselves” seems to imply

“To the apostle’s teaching”

Notice they are not devoting themselves to the apostles themselves.

Is it ok to have pastors and men of the faith you admire or lookup to.

Yes, absolutely, who are some teachers you admire

I admire many men, MacArthur, Washer, Bauchmann, Lawson, but I also admire the elders here, the deacons

But we do not worship the men and that is the key point here, they devoted themselves to their teaching, because their teaching pointed them to Christ.

“and”

Here Luke gives us two separate categories one of teaching and one here he combines three things.

These three things are all aspects of what we think of as fellowship today

“The fellowship”

Greek word “koinonia” means “participation fellowship” quite literally it means that if you are actively participating or sharing in the activities or benefits of the intimate group

On the other side which is what we often think of most if one is not in fellowship they are not actively participating, not apart of the intimate group.

An interesting note that when we are outside the fellowship everything that follows in these verses does not and cannot happen.

“to the breaking of bread”

Does this refer to communion?

The common NT usage of this is used to indicate an entire meal for the gathering of the church. It was done often, because remember baptism caused them to be ostracized from everyone else. However, most scholars agree that the breaking of bread certianly has connections and expectations of communion. 1 Cor. 11:17-33.

I say yes, it is speaking to Communion, and while I understand why we do it in the manner we do it here at GHBC, it was not thus in the first century. It was to be a remembrance meal. specifically for this. Why Paul says if you are hungry eat before hand that you may not bring judgement.

“and the prayers”

What should our primary goal in pray be?

To glorify God and ask for His will to be done in our lives (repentance) and in our petitions.

This is most neglected!

vs 43 Awe came upon every soul

This awe is often translated fear. It has the idea of reverence for God behind it.

Notice it came upon every soul.

Not every one in Jerusalem but everyone in the church, all believers.

“every” here can be translated each. Scripture constantly reemphasizes the individual act and relationship He has with each of His people, these are not mere blanket acts God is doing.

The apostles were doing signs and wonders.

This leads me to think and go back to why there were signs and wonders then and not now?

signs and wonders always accompanied new revelation!

Do we have new revelation today?

No, we have the completed work of God

Has God gone long periods of time without signs and wonders before NT?

Yes, Think about it Malachi the last book of OT both in our order and chronologically written about 450BC.

When was the next revelation given?

Jesus and John the Baptist.

Think about this John the baptist was the last OT prophet.

Remember what was he crying in the wilderness?

The Messiah is coming in fact He is here so repent and turn away from sin!

Will we have signs and wonders again?

Yes the Day of the Lord, the tribulation period will be full of them, not to mention the rapture.

Why new revelation is being given. The judgement of God, although predicted revelation revealed and fulfilled.

Notice who does the signs and wonders, those giving the new revelation!

vs 44 All who believed had all things in common.

what are ways we can have things in common?

this is not limited to possessions! It really means they were of one accord!

The Practical side

vs 45 Selling their things.

remember the cost of being a Christian!

Now I am not advocating wealth redistribution, but in alot of ways this was building the entire body up.

Does this seem like an unfair burden on the rich?

Is God against believers having things?

Pastor Mark just preached a sermon surrounding this correct. Really about being faithful with what He has charged us with.

Remember all things in common.

I want to make a point in this as we must maintain harmony with the rest of Scripture. This does not give us a reason to not work or provide for ourselves, this is not charity work. This is the building of the body. Because even that poor person was giving of themselves, maybe not monetarily but giving no the less. MacArthur says this that “we must hold onto what we have lightly”

vs 46 Fellowship

“Day by day,”

This means day after day, almost daily, a continual daily act.

“attending the temple together”

the word for “attending” is the same word used for devoted earlier in vs 42, “to persevere devotedly”

unwavering together

they were together in the temple

“breaking bread in their homes”

notice when were they together in fellowship?

All the time

This does not mean they didn’t work and what not

How often we consider the church our other family?

It should be considered our first and primary and everything else outside our family. This is a hard thing!

I have become convinced, through the study of Scripture, that we as the global “church” are far beyond what God intended, and GHBC is not perfect either, I know the elders are striving to lead according to Scripture, but as Elder Brian often points out as soon as man puts his opinion or interpretation on Scripture it can be tainted.

I think this is one of those things. Jesus said he came not to bring peace but the sword, Matt 10:34-39.

If you love Christ you will love His people the same, but you will not have that same love for those outside of the faith even if they are your kids, your parents. Jesus says were are your priorities. Sorry started preaching there for a moment, but this is hard for me too.

With Glad and generous hearts

The people were happy, joyous to do this.

We emphasize this during our offering, our giving should be joyous. When our focus is on Christ and we are in fellowship as described it is a joy to give because we don’t look at our possessions as a big thing to us we look at them lightly, because the work God is doing is the big thing.

Notice generous hearts.

this is one of the worst translated words. it actually doesn’t mean generous at all. it means “simplicity” where they get generous from I don’t know.

It means their goal was unified and not complex.

You want to know what is is not complex? The gospel! Oh we make it complex, and surely the implications go deeper than man can fathom, but the gospel is simple.

How was it simple! they praised God.

because they praised God simply and authentically God caused them to find favor with all people.

Well this goes against the whole “They will hate you because they first hated Him” thing

no both are true, man’s natural inclination will always be to hate the things of God. We will continue to see this through out Acts

But because of the devotion to God, God caused them to be blessed.

We see this today in our own church

vs 47 End God added to them

Who did the adding?

The Lord

Conclusion

Never again do we see the church in this state.

MacArthur calls this the ordinary church.

They weren’t having flashy christian rock shows, or promoting the next big event

There was nothing radical about this church.

They simply persevered in God’s Word and loving each other.

Let us be an ordinary church.

What happened?

the flesh happened

We lost our first love.

We allowed false teaching (make no mistake the people are guilty right after the elders for allowing false teachers into a church)

We began prioritizing things outside the church, (work, family, etc…)

The enemy has crept in, and instead of the church finding favor with all people, we have become the number one reason for Atheism today. We profess with our lips but deny with our lifestyle.

Let’s be an ordinary church who devotes themselves to the Word of God and to each other inorder to glorify Christ our Lord.