From
Acts to Revelation
Part
7 – Fellowship and Worship
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
What we have learned so far is; the Lord
preparing the Disciples, the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower the Apostles
and start the church; Peter's first sermon to all the God-fearing Jews of the
world who came to Jerusalem for the holy-day; how Peter's message reached
thousands, and they accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord, and were baptized.
Today we are going to look at the doctrine
the church followed, their fellowship, the works of the Holy Spirit in the
Apostles and Disciples, and how the church members took care of one another.
SCRIPTURE READING
Acts 2:42-47
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to
the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone
was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the
apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in
common. 45 Selling
their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every
day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in
their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved.
I.
FELLOWSHIP AMONG BELIEVERS
1. They
continued in the Apostles doctrine
1. vs38 – Repent
be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, and because of the remission of sins,
you will receive the Holy Spirit.
2. This is
the doctrine of the church that must be preached.
2. and
fellowship and in breaking of bread
1. Meaning
eating together, as well as the Lord's Supper, which was far less liturgical
than today.
2. They
spent time together, ate meals together, fellow-shipped.
3. Not at
special events, holidays or meetings, but all the time, in daily life. They
were a community of believers who looked out for one another, and took care of
one another.
II.
THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS AT WORK
1. Fear
came upon every soul
1. This
speaks of the moving and operation f the Holy Spirit.
2. Seeing
the things that the Spirit was doing, all had a sense of wonder and fear.
2. Many
wonders and signs were done by the Apostles
1. NOTE: Done
by the apostles. It does not say Disciples...
2. These
signs and wonders were to establish the fact that these men represented God,
and their teaching and instruction was to be considered doctrine, and the basis
and foundation of the church.
3.
Why can’t all believers do signs and
wonders today just like the apostles did in the early church?
1. First
of all we are NOT to listen to those who promote their opinion that we can do
anything the apostles or Jesus did. And neither should we listen to those who
claim that miracles no longer take place. What we need to hear is the word of
God, the apostles teaching on this and what took place in the early church
history. One of the reasons to study the Book of Acts!
2. Any
Scripture we may find has to agree with the actual events otherwise it must
mean something other than what you may think it means. (Collapsing contexts)
We are to believe it as it is written to be in the truth. What the apostles did
is seen in the book of Acts as recorded history and doctrine.
What the apostles taught the church is in the epistles.
3. Believers
are not given the supernatural ability like the apostles to do miracles at the
drop of a hat. Otherwise they would not have had to call Peter to raise
Tabitha - they would have done it themselves.
1.
Acts 9:36-10:1 “At Joppa there was a certain disciple named
Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and
charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became
sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And
since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was
there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then
Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper
room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments
which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and
knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha,
arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then
he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and
widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and
many believed on the Lord.”
4.
Acts 8:5-7 “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the
things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were
possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.”
1.
He was able to deliver people from demons and heal the sick. What
we notice is that there were just a few not the many, not the majority of
believers.
5. Acts
2:43 “…and many wonders and
signs were done through the apostles”
6.
Acts 5:12 “And through the hands of the
apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they
were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.
7.
Acts 14:3 “therefore they stayed there a long time,
speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His
grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.”
1.
If all the church could do miracles like the apostles and this was
normal, then this would be meaningless for Paul say in 2 Corinthians
12:13 “Truly the signs of an
apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders
and mighty deeds.”
2.
Throughout the book of Acts (actually called the Acts of the
Apostles) we see the apostles doing the signs and wonders.
8. I
believe in God’s power and we can pray and He can still do mighty things, heal
and do miracles. He can do beyond all that we ask (Ephesians 3:20)
but to promise an absolute recovery by supernatural healing, or resurrection of
dead people is not faith but presumption, God does not have to obey what you
ask or command, instead we are to obey him.
III. UNITY
AMONG BELIEVERS
1. All who
believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and
goods and parted them to all men as every man had need.
1. Because
of the persecution of the early church, and the hate for them, many lost their
jobs when they converted to Christianity.
2. So all
who believed shared all they had.
3. Those
with great possessions sold them, and shared the money with those who had
nothing.
2. Seeing
this in scripture, we must understand.
1. This
does not mean you must sell everything, and have nothing to follow
Christ...unless you are like the rich man who allowed his possessions to be his
lord.
2. But
what it means is, if you see a fellow Christian in need, you do what ever it
takes to see that they have their needs fulfilled, even if it means selling
your possessions. God blessed you to be a blessing. You have, so you can give.
IV. WORSHIP AMONG BELIEVERS
1. They
continued daily with one accord in the temple
1. The
temple had been turned into a Church, which is just another reason for the
religious authorities and Jews alike to hate the Christians.
2. and
breaking bread from house to house
1. Meaning,
they took turns feeding each other, from house to house, caring for each others
needs.
3. ate
their meal with gladness and singleness of heart
1. They
had a joy that persecution could not hinder.
4. Praising
God and having favor with all people
1. Jerusalem
as a whole was impressed with what they saw in these followers of Christ,
although the religious leaders continued to persecute them.
5. and the
Lord added to the church daily-such as should be saved.
1. Many
came to the Lord, were “saved” and counted among believers, regardless of where
they lived, or worshiped.
CONCLUSION
What we learned from Acts today is;
1. The early church
continued in the doctrines of the Apostles
1. Repent, be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ
2. Because of the
remission of sins you will receive the Holy Spirit
2. The early church
continued in fellowship
1. eating together,
spending time together in worship and every day life
3. The Holy Spirit was
at work, showing signs and wonders
1. both through the
Apostles, those appointed and through the Disciples prayers
4. The early church
also showed unity among believers taking care of each other, no matter the cost
And
when these things were done...Acts 2:47 tells us, that the Lord
added to their number.
