The Birth of the Church

Acts 2:37-47

How much do you love the local church? Has anything replaced your love for the church?

How much do you love the local church? Has anything replaced your love for the church?

As the church, we are a unified body of believers, purchased by Christ and baptized by the Holy Spirit to imitate God and carry out the mission of the gospel.

Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Acts 237 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 239 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

Acts 240 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Gospel Conversion1. Repentance of sin.2. Placing faith in Jesus and receiving complete forgiveness.3. Experiencing the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit.4. Being baptized in water as a public witness of new birth.

Acts 242 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

Fundamental Practices of the Church

1. Apostles teaching2. Fellowship 3. Breaking of bread 4. Prayer

Fundamental Practices of the Church1. Apostles teaching (Christ-centered, biblical proclamation)2. Fellowship (Sharing life together among believers within the church)3. Breaking of bread (Remembering Christ and keeping the church holy)4. Prayer (Regular communion with the Heavenly Father as a body of believers)

Hebrews 10:23–25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23–25

Acts 244 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

Acts 246 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, [47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Let’s be the church The simple, ordinary church can

accomplish extraordinary things as witnesses for Christ.