Acts 2:42-47 – In this sermon we look at what the church – the four marks….and the results….preached at Scots Kirk, Hamilton, Newcastle on the 10th of March 2024. Does your church have a mission statement? Perhaps this should be it?!
If you prefer audio only this is available on the ASK podcast here
Act with Acts 7 – The Response
Notes:
This is a very challenging passage. At least to me personally. To us collectively. Listen for yourselves, not for others. One other thing – this is our church plan…or should be. This is our mission statement, our strategy.
The Normal Christian Church
A building? A legal organisation? A social club? A historical association? A community centre? A political group? A dating club? Place of entertainment? Religious organisation? Some or all of those….none are adequate. In Acts 2 – the beginning of the NT church we have it stripped back to the basics – of course these are enfleshed in different ways – but this is the skeleton, the backbone. By which we are to measure ourselves.
Four things. These four things come from synagogue practices.
- the Apostles Teaching – Didache. Peter’s sermon. Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Lord. The teaching has developed and been systematised over the years. Apostles teaching for us means the Old and New Testaments. Derek Thomas “The Church is a fellowship where the Bible is loved, read, studied and obeyed”.
And look at the spiritual appetite they had. Every day they met in the temple courts and in their own homes. Calvin – a sermon every day in Geneva. We are moving towards a 5 pm… Morning and evening on the Lords Day. Set aside one day for God. Aim for Scots – that the Word of God goes out from here every day….a city set on a hill. On a road.
Sometimes we speak of doctrine or theology as though it were like a smorgasbord. A pick and mmix. We have our theological differences and often that is to do with personal taste, political views or cultural context. We need to be aware of that. Because ultimately our doctrine and theology must come from God and his Word. We must bend our will to his word, not bend his word to our will.
One immediate objection is – does that not lead to inflexibility and authoritarianism? No precisely the opposite. We come humbly to the Word of God. We don’t know everything. We are always learning. We don’t have a perfect system …. This is an active verb. Doesn’t just mean looking to the past. Barclay “ One of the great perils of the Church is a static religion which looks back instead of forward. Just because the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible we should ever be going forward. The Christian must journey, not looking to the sunset, but to the sunrise. We should count it a wasted day when we do not learn something new and whne we have not penetrated more deeply into the wisdom and the grace of God”
This does not mean that everything is up for grabs. The Bible is clear on many things. And that is what we need to devote ourselves to – the Apostles doctrines
The Elders. Acts 20:28-31 – False doctrine comes in so easily – and often through the leaders in the church. It is one great fear I have about myself. James tells us that not many should presume to be teachers because we will be judged more harshly. The church is the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 1:23)
- The Fellowship – What do we mean by fellowship? Koinonia – first time used in the NT. Common – koine Greek (NT Greek) is common Greek. The language people used. Bogan?
In the NT it always means sharing. 2 Cor 8: “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they exceeded our expectations: they gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us”
“share in common with”. V.44 1 Cor 1:9: “9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
They shared their possession – and they were of one mind. Practical expressions of care. Brothers and sisters in the same family. Was this early communism? No – Barnabas for example owned fields. V.46 – they met in their homes. Tertullians apology AD 200 “Contributions are voluntary, and proporationate to each one’s income. They are used to support and bury poor people, to supply the wanrs of boys and girls who are destitute of mean and parents, and of old people, now confined to the house, and such as have suffered shipwreck, or any who are in the mines, or banished to the islands, or shut up in prison for their fidelity to God’s church”.
The point of all this is that true fellowship costs. Time, money, space….
1 John 1:3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.
“Christ lived poor and died poor. As he was born in another man’s house, so he was buried in another man’s grave. Augustine observes when Christ died he made no will; he had no corwn lands. Only his coat was left, and that the soldiers parted among them; and yet those that were meek and lowly in heart, counted it their heaven , their happiness , to be taught and instructed by him” (Thomas Brooks)
The Church is a new community. At the very least we should show one another hospitality….
The Deacons.
- The Breaking of Bread –
Does this refer to the Lord’s Supper – or to a meal together? Or to both? Hospitality – eating together with glad and sincere hearts. St Peters….food for the body and food for the soul.
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26)
When we refuse communion we are refusing fellowship. Think of the Bible…sometimes we are like a petulant child or teenager….no I’m not coming down. Sometimes we can be banished from the table….
We need to examine ourselves and re think how we do communion. Who required this of us? What does he want? Turn it into a ritual and a tradition. Churches in Scotland – we don’t have any liturgy – but they all had their communion traditions…
- Prayer – The prayers. The prayers in the temples. Whenever they met together they would spend time in prayer. Acts 2:47. Prayer is the absolute key to the growth of the church
. The church is primarily a community at prayer….see how this works out as we go through Acts. Acts 20:36
“In prayer they lock arms with Christ in the great apocalyptic struggle with the forces of darkness” (Schreiner).
Prayer meeting? Several opportunities for one.
Notice the conjunction of home and temple. Ironically in Luke the temple becomes a place of conflict, the home becomes the place of worship.
Results:
v.43 – Fear and Awe. Awe = Greek Phobos. There is a right kind of phobia…theophobia. The lack of this fear and awe of God has a direct effect on the way we accumulate things for ourselves, ignore the needy, trivialise fellowship and play more than we pray. Sense of awe in our worship.
v.43 – Signs and wonders – Great things happening. That is what we should look for. Greater things you shall do…what are these – ? Raising the spiritually dead.
V.46 – Gladness and Sincerity – exultant joy – comes from generosity. Have you ever meet a happy miser. The open hand is better than the closed one.
v.47 Growth – Evangelism
The Biblical Church is Productive – it grew rapidly – revival – Sense of awe, conviction of sin, addition of great numbers in a short space of time. John Stott “ He did not add them to the church without saving them (no nominal Christianity at the beginning), nor did he save them without adding them to the church (no solitary Christianity either)”
Two Greek words for good – agathos – something which is good . And kalos – not only good but looks good. There was a winsomeness….do a bonnie thing….
Question of the Week – What is the Church?
Its not the building – though it may meet in a building. Its not primarily an organisation, although it will be organised. Its not a social club although it will be social. It’s not a community group, although it will serve the community. It’s not a political party, although it affects politics. The church is the body of Christ, the family of God, the fellowship of Gods people. It is the pillar and foundation of the truth. It consists of all those who are called out to worship and serve God. Individuals and their families. It is those who have received new life – and as a result devote themselves to the apostles teaching, hospitality, fellowship of the community, prayer and proclaiming the good news of Christ. The Church is the family of the Father, founded on the Son, filled by the Spirit. It is the fullness of Christ. It is the bride of Christ. It is far grander and more beautiful than any common perception we may have. Glorious things of you are spoken, Zion city of our God.
return to v. 42 – Devotion…. It is actually continually devoting…keep on devoting…
Devotion to Gods word leads to devotion to the community, leads to the breaking of bread and to prayer – and this new community is the greatest witness. We need to build our community.
Here is the challenge.
If you are not a Christian…this is what you are being invited to. Something far more radical, life changing and beautiful than you could ever imagine.
If you are – then think about the church you belong to. Does it operate on these principles.
Or look at what you spend your money on. Lord forgive us for giving you the fag ends of our lives.
The point is if we want v.47 – we have to practice v.s 42-46
May God pour out his Spirit on us.