Acts 2:39-42

The impact of the The impact of the gospel after gospel after obedience.obedience.

Part 1Part 1

In the last few slides In the last few slides we have studied how we have studied how

people became people became Christians as revealed Christians as revealed by the historical book by the historical book

of Actsof Acts

We saw that about 3000 We saw that about 3000 people responded people responded to the to the

Gospel message Gospel message bybyGODS GRACEGODS GRACE HEARINGHEARING BELIEVINGBELIEVING

CONFESSINGCONFESSINGREPENTINGREPENTING

BEING BAPTISEDBEING BAPTISED

RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRITSPIRIT

The first Christians were The first Christians were JewsJews

But the same Gospel But the same Gospel message was not for the message was not for the

Jews alone Jews alone

the same message was for the same message was for the Gentiles alsothe Gentiles also

We cannot over look the statement We cannot over look the statement made by Peter in made by Peter in v.39v.39

"The promise is to you and your "The promise is to you and your children - (Jews) AND TO ALL WHO children - (Jews) AND TO ALL WHO

ARE AFAR OFF…“ARE AFAR OFF…“

Who are Who are THEY THEY who are afar off? who are afar off?

The The lifelife of the first of the first ChristiansChristians. .

"YOU GENTILES…….YOU "YOU GENTILES…….YOU WHO WERE ONCE AFAR WHO WERE ONCE AFAR OFF…have been brought OFF…have been brought

near in the blood of Christ". near in the blood of Christ".

EPHESIANS 2:11-13 EPHESIANS 2:11-13 tells us. tells us. (Notice that Paul is sending (Notice that Paul is sending

this letter to NON-JEWS.)this letter to NON-JEWS.)

Acts 2:41 “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day”.

Thus BEGAN the “Body of Christ,” or the “church as

we know it”

A place you go to A building with a steeple

In New Testament times it was:

EKKLESIAek = out of

kaleo = to call= “the called out ones”= an assembly of people

Our word Our word “church” “church” comes from comes from kuriakonkuriakon

later kirklater kirklater churchlater church

= dedicated to the Lord= dedicated to the Lord= a holy place, or temple= a holy place, or temple

The concept:

- Christ refers to the union of all his people with himself

Romans 12:4+5 “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who

are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another”.

NO public esteemNO public esteem

NO meetinghouse or NO meetinghouse or church buildingchurch building

NO wealth to speak ofNO wealth to speak of

IT was the IT was the FIRSTFIRST congregation congregation of the of the CHRISTIANCHRISTIAN age age

IT was the IT was the LARGESTLARGEST congregation of the congregation of the CHRISTIANCHRISTIAN

ageage

IT was the IT was the FASTEST GROWING FASTEST GROWING congregation of the congregation of the CHRISTIANCHRISTIAN

ageage

IT had the most IT had the most ILLUSTRIOUS ILLUSTRIOUS

members of any members of any congregationcongregation

-ALL THE APOSTLES--ALL THE APOSTLES-

“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the

same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in

the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers”

(Acts 2:41-42).

And they And they CONTINUED CONTINUED

STEADFASTLY STEADFASTLY in in the the apostlesapostles teaching and teaching and

fellowship, in the fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the breaking of bread and the

prayers. prayers. (Acts 2:42).(Acts 2:42).

Ecclesia(Gathered Community)

An Ecclectic body Acts 2:39-47Acts 2:39-47

Kerygma

DiakoniaKoinonia

Apostles Teaching Proclamation of WordBreaking of the Bread

Prayers

ServiceFellowship

Prayers

CommunityFellowship

Breaking BreadServices

The early church was incredibly dynamic!

Why?

Conditions ThenConditions ThenThey HAD the Holy They HAD the Holy

SpiritSpiritWere humansWere humansLived in an Lived in an

ocean of people who ocean of people who didn’t know Goddidn’t know God

God WAS GodGod WAS God

Wild cultureWild culture

Conditions NowConditions NowWe HAVE the We HAVE the

Holy SpiritHoly SpiritAre humansAre humans

Live in an ocean of Live in an ocean of people who don’t people who don’t

know Godknow God

God IS GodGod IS God

Wild cultureWild culture

Where does it say we have to be just

like them?Nowhere

But why shouldn’t we be like them?

“And they were continually devoting themselves to

the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the

breaking of bread and to prayer”.

Acts 2:42

Dedicated to learning God’s truthDedicated to learning God’s truth

CONTINUED STEADFASTLY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINEAPOSTLES DOCTRINE

(Acts 2:42).(Acts 2:42).

The The NORMNORM or or STANDARDSTANDARD by which the church by which the church WASWAS GOVERNEDGOVERNED was always was always the same the same APOSTOLIC APOSTOLIC

AUTHORITYAUTHORITY. .

CONTINUED STEADFASTLY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINEAPOSTLES DOCTRINE

(Acts 2:42).(Acts 2:42).

The The APOSTLESAPOSTLES were were GUIDEDGUIDED into into ALL TRUTHALL TRUTH (John 16:13). (John 16:13).

They wrote and spoke the They wrote and spoke the commandment of the Lord. commandment of the Lord.

(1 Corinthians 14:37).(1 Corinthians 14:37).

CONTINUED STEADFASTLY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINEAPOSTLES DOCTRINE

(Acts 2:42).(Acts 2:42).

Even an angel from heaven, were he Even an angel from heaven, were he permitted to preach, permitted to preach, COULDCOULD ADD ADD

NOTHINGNOTHING to the to the TESTIMONYTESTIMONY of the of the APOSTLESAPOSTLES (Galatians 1:8)(Galatians 1:8). .

To To THEMTHEM had been granted had been granted ALL ALL THINGSTHINGS that pertain unto life and that pertain unto life and

godliness. godliness. (2 Peter 1:3; (2 Peter 1:3; 1John 4:1-6;)1John 4:1-6;). .

“And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching

and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to

prayer”.

INNER PEACEINNER PEACEGod’s truth is God’s truth is

LIFE TRANSFORMINGLIFE TRANSFORMINGWHEN God’s WHEN God’s

PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE begins to replace OURSbegins to replace OURS