the beginning of the christian life trials afflictions heartaches cross-bearing heaven joy peace...

The Beginning

of theChristian

Life

Tri

als

Affl

icti

ons

Heart

ach

es

Cro

ss-b

eari

ng

Heaven

Joy

Peace

Hope

The

Christian

Life

Faith – Repentance - Baptism

Chri

stia

n D

uty

Stu

dy, Learn

, and W

ors

hip

Growth

Obedient and Faith

ful in

All T

hings

Seen in the lives of

faithful Christians in the first century

Why did certain people called Christians lived as they did in the First Century?

Consider the Christian … Paul … and why he suffered as he did for the cause of Christ.

The Spirit, Faith, and Character of First Century Christians

2 Corinthians 11:23-28 – “Are they ministers of Christ? -- I speak as a fool -- I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness -- besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”


Why did Paul suffer for the cause of Christ?

Consider Paul’s attitude and the reward he sought as motivation…


2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”


2 Timothy 4:6-8 – “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”


Living life is not always easy… there are heartaches, troubles, aggravations, etc

Living life with integrity takes work … and Jesus knows that!

Jesus knows our troubles…


Revelation 2:2-3 – “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.”


Revelation 2:9 – “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”


Revelation 2:11 – “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”


What do we learn from the Christians of the First Century?


They were Sincere – of One Heart


Acts 4:32 – “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.”


They were Sincere – of One Heart


They were Sacrificial

Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”



1 Peter 2:4-5 – “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”



Acts 4:34-35 – “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”




They sought to Please God – Who Came First

Acts 4:19-20 – “But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.’”



Acts 5:29 – “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’”



Acts 5:40-41 – “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”




They had the “CAN DO” attitude

Jesus teaches His disciples … and us….

Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples…”

Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel…”

Luke 10:37 – “Go and do likewise…”

Matthew 7:12 – “…do also to them…”

John 9:4 – “We must work the works of Him who sent Me…”



When life got tough for the First Century Christians … they did not give up the on the Lord…

Acts 8:1,3-4 – “…a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria … As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”



They were Taught the Gospel – Acts 2:14-41; Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14; Acts 5:42; Romans 10:17

They were Taught Daily – Acts 2:42; Acts 5:42 As a Result … there were Daily Additions – Acts 2:47 The Christians Taught Everywhere … they Filled

Jerusalem – Acts 5:28,42 The Christians were Persistent – Acts 5:42 – “…they did

not cease teaching and preaching…” The Christians Turned the World Upside Down –

Acts 17:6; Acts 20:20 Every Christian Taught the Word – Acts 8:4


What caused this “CAN DO” Attitude?


They Opposed Error

Revelation 2:2 – “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars…”


They Opposed Error

Acts 15:1-2 – “And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.”


They Opposed Error


They did Not Compromise with Error

Galatians 2:5 – “to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”



Galatians 2:11-14 – “Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?’”




They Tested the Spirits

1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”



Revelation 2:2 – “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars…”



Acts 17:11 – “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”




They were Focused on their First Love

Hebrews 12:2 – “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”



Revelation 2:4-6 – “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place -- unless you repent.”



Ephesians 1:15 – “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints…”




They had Changed their Lives

Colossians 3:1-2,5-10 – “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. …Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…”



1 Thessalonians 1:9 – “For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God…”



1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”




They were Energetic – Not “Pew Warmers”

Acts 2:42 – “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”



Acts 2:46 – “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple…”



Acts 5:42 – “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”



Acts 19:9-10 – “…reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus…”




They had No Where Else to Go

John 6:66-69 – “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”


They had No Where Else to Go


Always put God First

Sincere

Changed Lives

Sacrificed Themselves

Focused Only on Christ

Opposed Error

“Can DO” Attitude

Not Pew-Warmers

the beginning of the christian life trials afflictions heartaches cross-bearing heaven joy peace...

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