Lesson #06

ACT 2:42-47
LESSON #06
THE NATURE OF THE FIRST CHURCH

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 2:42

• CHURCHES TODAY EXIST IN A DIVERSITY OF FORMS. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT FORMS OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT AND MANY CHURCH PRACTICES THAT HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME, SOME BETTER THAN OTHERS. BUT ALL HAVE SOME INHERENT WEAKNESSES SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE DEVISED BY HUMAN BEINGS AND MADE UP OF GROUPS OF HUMAN BEINGS.
• MANY PEOPLE TODAY IN TROUBLED CHURCHES LOOK BACK AND LONG FOR THE DAYS OF THE EARLY CHURCH. THEY THINK THAT THOSE FIRST CHURCHES OF THE CHURCH AGE MUST HAVE BEEN PERFECT EXAMPLES OF HOW A CHURCH SHOULD BE RUN. AFTER ALL, THEY WERE CLOSER TO THE FIRST TEACHINGS OF CHRIST.
• WELL, MAYBE THEY HAD AN ADVANTAGE AND MAYBE NOT. THE FIRST CHRISTIANS WERE NO MORE PERFECT THAN WE ARE HERE AT THE END OF THE CHURCH AGE. IN FACT, WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT CHURCH ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OVER DECADES OF TRIAL AND ERROR THROUGH HISTORY, AN ADVANTAGE THEY DID NOT HAVE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
• YOU WOULD THINK THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH AGE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A PRECISE BLUEPRINT OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION BY WHICH ALL CHURCHES COULD FOLLOW AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
• WELL, AN EXACT BLUEPRINT OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT DOES NOT EXIST ANYWHERE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS OR IN PAUL’S WRITINGS. WHY?

• =1=

THE LORD IS NOT AS CONCERNED WITH CHURCH GOVERNMENT AS HE IS WITH THE FRUIT OF THAT MINISTRY.

• =2=

DIFFERENT CULTURES DEMAND DIFFERENT MEANS OF EXPRESSION. WHAT WORKS IN ONE CULTURAL GROUP WILL NOT WORK IN ANOTHER CULTURAL GROUP.

• GOD HAS LEFT THE ISSUE OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT AND ORGANIZATION UP TO MAN TO WORK OUT FOR HIMSELF.
• WITH THAT IN MIND, WE DO HAVE A BROAD GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE EARLY CHURCH IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, AS WELL AS THE CORRECTION OF CERTAIN CHURCH PROBLEMS THAT AROSE.
• FROM THIS GENERAL OUTLINE AND FROM THE ADMONITIONS OF THE CORRECTION OF CHURCH PROBLEMS, WE GAIN SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW CHURCH GOVERNMENT AND CHURCH PRACTICES DEVELOPED INTO THE VARIOUS FORMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

• READ ACT 2:42-47 A GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE NATURE OF THE EARLY CHURCHES:
• WHAT PRACTICES CHARACTERIZED THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH? (42-47)
• =1= THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE (42)
• WE ARE TOLD THAT THE FIRST CHURCH CONTINUED “STEADFASTLY” IN THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE. (42)
• IN OTHER WORDS, DOCTRINE WAS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE IN THE EARLY CHURCH.
• WITHOUT ANY NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS TO GUIDE THEM, HOW DID THEY KNOW WHAT KIND OF DOCTRINE THE CHURCH SHOULD EMBRACE?
• THEY DECIDED TO ESTABLISH THE CHURCH ON SPECIFIC DOCTRINE THEY CALLED, “THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE”.
• WHAT IS THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE?
• THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE WAS BEING FORMED AT THIS TIME. IT CONSISTED OF THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH JESUS CHRIST, WHO HE WAS, WHAT HE DID, WHAT HE TAUGHT, WHY HE CAME, AND WHY HE DIED AND THE FACT OF HIS RESURRECTION.
• OVER TIME, THIS CAME TO BE CODIFIED FINALLY IN 150 AD INTO WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE APOSTLE.S CREED.
• “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from then He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”
• AS TIME PASSED, THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE BECAME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT IN THE EARLY CHURCH AS VARIOUS CULT GROUPS BEGAN TO PREACH WHAT PAUL CALLED, “ANOTHER GOSPEL”. (GAL 1:6-7)
• =2= STEADFAST IN FELLOWSHIP (42)
• THE GREEK WORD FOR FELLOWSHIP IS, koinonia, WHICH MEANS = SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, BENEFACTION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNION, CONTRIBUTION AND DISTRIBUTION.
• IN OTHER WORDS, IT HAS TO DO WITH GETTING TOGETHER AROUND A COMMON IDEAL (JESUS CHRIST) FOR THE PURPOSES OF SHARING TOGETHER IN THE SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL BENEFITS AND COMMUNICATING EVERYTHING CONCERNING FOLLOWING CHRIST FOR THE UTMOST GOOD TO GOD AND THE UTMOST GOOD OF THOSE INVOLVED IN THE GROUP.
• KOINONIA IS NOT JUST POT LUCK DINNERS!
• THIS WORD, KOINONIA IS THE BASIS OF THE EARLY CHURCH THAT ENABLED IT TO ENDURE PERSECUTION AND ENABLED IT TO GROW. IT KEPT THE FIRE OF ENTHUSIASM FROM BURNING OUT SO THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT FELLOWSHIP OF THE SAINTS TODAY.
• =3= THE BREAKING OF BREAD (42)
• THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE COMMUNION SERVICE.
• REMEMBER THAT JESUS TOLD THE DISCIPLES AT THE LAST SUPPER TO DRINK THE CUP OF COMMUNION IN REMEMBRANCE OF JESUS UNTIL HE COMES AGAIN. (LUK 22:19)
• THE FIRST CHURCH BEGAN TO OBEY THAT COMMAND BY HAVING COMMUNION FREQUENTLY. HOW FREQUENTLY?
• THE INDICATION IN THIS PASSAGE IS THAT EVERY TIME THEY GOT TOGETHER FOR A MEAL THEY ENDED IT WITH COMMUNION.
• THAT MEANS THEY TOOK COMMUNION EVERY DAY ACCORDING TO VERSE 46.
• =4= PRAYER (42)
• THE EARLY CHURCH SERVICES CONSISTED OF LOTS OF PRAYER. EVERY TIME THEY GATHERED TOGETHER, THEY PRAYED. VERSE 46 SAYS THEY GATHERED TOGETHER EVERY DAY.
• THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A CONTINUAL PRAYER MEETING.
• =5= SIGNS AND WONDERS BY THE APOSTLES (43)
• THE APOSTLES, WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THEM, PERFORMED MIRACLES OF VARIOUS SORTS. SOME OF THESE MIRACLES ARE DOCUMENTED LATER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS.
• THE PURPOSE OF THE MIRACLES:
• THEY WERE TO BE SIGNS OF ADVERTISEMENT THAT CALLED PEOPLE’S ATTENTION TO THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
• NOTICE THAT PEOPLE FEARED GOD BECAUSE OF THEM, AND GOT SAVED.
• THERE ARE MANY CHURCHES TODAY THAT SAY THE AGE OF MIRACLES IS PAST, AND THAT THESE SIGNS AND WONDERS CEASED WITH THE DEATH OF THOSE FIRST APOSTLES.
• SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
• IF THE DISCIPLES DID NOT DO THESE MIRACLES IN THEIR OWN POWER, BUT BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEN WHY WOULD THESE MIRACLES CEASE WHEN THE APOSTLES DIED?
• WE HAVE THE SAME HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN US AS LIVED IN THOSE FIRST APOSTLES. WE HAVE AS GREAT A NEED TO ADVERTISE THE GOSPEL AS THEY HAD. THEN BY SHEER LOGIC, THE MIRACLES DID NOT CEASE BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLES BUT BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF FAITH TO BELIEVE GOD FOR THEM. THEREFORE, BY FAITH THEY ARE STILL POSSIBLE TODAY.
• =6= ALL THINGS IN COMMON (44-45)
• THESE VERSES EMPHASIZE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE “TOGETHER”. IN OTHER WORDS THEY WERE IN UNITY OF AGREEMENT. THEY PERSONALLY AND INDIVIDUALLY DECIDED TO SELL PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS TO HELP SUPPORT EACH OTHER SO THEY COULD HELP THOSE WHO WERE IN NEED.
• THIS QUESTION USUALLY ARISES, “ISN’T THIS SOCIALISM OR COMMUNISM?”
• THE ANSWER IS NO.
• THE SOCIALISTIC OR COMMUNISTIC APPROACH SAYS, “ALL OF YOUR PROPERTY IS MINE.”
• THE CHRISTIAN APPROACH WAS, “ALL OF MY PROPERTY IS YOURS.”
• HAVING THINGS IN COMMON IN THE EARLY CHURCH WAS NOT MANDATORY BUT VOLUNTARY. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAD COME TO THE LEVEL OF FAITH TO BELIEVE GOD FOR THEIR DAILY SUSTENANCE, AND THEY VOLUNTEERED TO SUPPORT THE CHURCH BODY IN THIS WAY.
• WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY?
• IT WAS NOT NECESSARY THE WEEK AND MONTHS AFTER PENTECOST BUT BECAME NECESSARY LATER AS PERSECUTION AROSE.
• IT SEEMS AS THOUGH GOD IS PREPARING THIS EARLY CHURCH FOR THE PERSECUTION THAT IS COMING.
• LONE RANGER CHRISTIANS DO NOT SURVIVE IN TIMES OF GREAT PERSECUTION. CHRISTIANS NEED EACH OTHER FOR SPIRITUAL SUPPORT, FELLOWSHIP OF LIKE-MINDEDNESS, AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT.
• WHILE MOST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES DO NOT GO TO THIS ULTIMATE EXTENT TODAY, THERE WILL COME A DAY WHEN THIS PRACTICE WILL RETURN TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.
• READ HEB 10:24-25
• THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, THE MORE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS WILL INCREASE. THEN WE WILL NEED EACH OTHER MORE AND MORE.
• SHOULD CHURCHES OPERATE IN THIS WAY TODAY?
• BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION, YOU SHOULD NOTICE THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRACTICE:
• THE PURPOSE WAS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE CHURCH MEMBERS WHO NEEDED HELP.
• IN MOST CHURCHES TODAY, THERE IS SOME ORGANIZED MEANS BY WHICH PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY NEEDY GET HELP. THEREFORE, WHILE WE MAY NOT PRACTICE LEGALISTICALLY THE WAY THE EARLY CHURCH DID IT, THE PURPOSE IS BEING SERVED.
• =7= CONTINUING DAILY IN THE TEMPLE AND FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE (46-47)
• NOTICE THE ATTITUDE IN THIS FIRST CHURCH:
• THEY WERE OF ONE ACCORD.
• DOES THAT MEAN THERE WERE NO DISAGREEMENTS? NO. IT MEANS THEY SOLVED THEIR DISAGREEMENTS THROUGH PRAYER, AND DEFERENCE TO THE GREATER GOOD FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH.
• THE LOCATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH:
• USUALLY TODAY WE THINK OF THE CHURCH AS A BUILDING ON A STREET CORNER. THAT IS NOT THE BIBLICAL IDEA OF A CHURCH.
• A BIBLICAL CHURCH IS A BODY OF BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH A BUILDING THAT IS SIMPLY INCIDENTAL.
• WHERE DID THE EARLY CHURCH MEET?
• THEY MET TOGETHER IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE. WHY?
• WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE APOSTLES DID NOT START OUT THINKING THEY WOULD START A NEW RELIGION. THEY STILL CONSIDERED THEMSELVES DEVOUT ENLIGHTENED JEWS.
• THEREFORE, THEY WENT TO THE TEMPLE LIKE ALL GOOD JEWS DID.
• THEY ALSO WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO SHARE THEIR FAITH WITH OTHER JEWS THERE. THEY WERE PUTTING INTO PRACTICE THEIR OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST’S COMMAND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN JERUSALEM.
• FOR THE FIRST CENTURY THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH MET PRIMARILY IN HOMES. THAT IS WHY ACTS 2:46 SAYS THEY WENT FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE FOR PRAYER MEETINGS, SERMONS, TEACHING SESSIONS, COMMUNION SERVICES, AND REGULAR MEALS OR “POTLUCKS”.
• =8= WORSHIP SERVICES (47)
• WORSHIP SERVICES CONSISTED OF PRAISE TO GOD.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• WE HAVE STUDIED THE ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS IN DETAIL OF THE EARLY CHURCH.
• DISCUSSION:

DO YOU THINK THE CHURCH TODAY SHOULD ABIDE BY THE SAME PRACTICES? WHY OR WHY NOT?

• WHICH PRACTICES WOULD YOU INCLUDE AND WHICH WOULD YOU ELIMINATE? WHY?
• WE SEE DR. LUKE’S PROGRESS REPORT AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER CONCERNING THE HEALTH OF THE FIRST CHURCH:

• “…the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

(47)

HOMEWORK
ACTS 3
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 2:42-47
• IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF A CHURCH, YOU SHOULD BE! THE CHURCH IS GOD’S WAY OF STRENGTHENING BELIEVERS FOR THE PURPOSES OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD.
• IF YOU ARE A PART OF A CHURCH, WHICH PRACTICES IN THE EARLY CHURCH HAVE YOU NEGLECTED IN YOUR OWN CHURCH RELATIONSHIP?
• WHETHER YOU ARE A CHURCH GOER OR NOT, WHAT CHANGES IN ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS WILL YOU MAKE IN REGARDS TO THE CHURCH?

• PREPARATION FOR ACT 3
• READ ACT 3:1-11
• WHAT IS THE LOCATION OF THE EVENT?
• WHY DO YOU THINK PETER AND JOHN WENT TO THE TEMPLE WHEN THEY NO LONGER BELIEVED IN JUDAISM?
• WHY WAS THE MAN BROUGHT EVERY DAY TO THE TEMPLE GATE?
• WHAT PURPOSE DID THE HEALING SERVE?

• READ ACT 3:12-26
• WHAT ARE SOME KEY POINTS IN PETER’S SERMON?
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN FROM PETER’S SERMON ABOUT WITNESSING TO THE JEWS?

• MEMORY VERSE: ACTS 3:26