Acts 2:46-47 – The Church’s Work – Bible study

Acts 2:46-47 The Churchs Work The Book of Acts is a book about the early New Testament Church. It describes the church from its birth through its infancy and into its early years. I believe there are two main reasons it is in the Bible. 1. Connection a. Acts connects Jesus to our church. Without it, we would not know how we went from the cross to the church. b. Without Acts, there is no telling what blasphemous cults would have laid claim to being the genuine church. Even with it, we have several; but with it, we can go to back to our roots and expose their false teachings to those who will listen. 2. Purity a. The church needs an inspired record to keep it on course. b. The Book of Acts predates boards, committees; associations; parachurch ministries; mega-churches; building programs; promotions; music programs; trained ministers; and every other human-made or even God-called addition to the church. c. It is the church at its most basic and elementary level. d. By making sure that we have not left our roots, we make sure that we are still behaving as the church ought to behave, still pure in what God desired us to be. What were the first behaviors of the church? I. The church prayed together. Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. A. The word pray is used some thirty times in the Book of Acts. 1. It was a habit that the church practiced a. when they did not know what else to do \#Acts 1:14\; b. at specific times of the day \#Acts 3;1\; c. when in danger \#Acts 4:1\. d.when they began a new ministry \#Acts 13:3\. 2. Prayer was one of the churchs primary ministries \#Acts 6:4\. 3. They prayed often and they prayed earnestly and they prayed about all things. B. There is no doubt that the early church was unique. 1. It saw the power of God like no other age. 2. It saw doors open and God bless like no other. 3. It saw miracles like no other. 4. But it also saw prayer like few others have seen. Perhaps there is a connection. C. Truths about this early New Testament praying. 1. Prayer was not just the preparation for their work. It was one of their main works. (The office of deacon was created so that the preachers could devote more time to pray and Bible study.) Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 2. Two other words are used in connection with prayer which I believe describe the fervency of these early prayer warriors. a. SUPPLICATION Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. (1) It means to beg, to beseech. (2) It supplicated has the notion of humbling oneself to receive. (3) I associate supplication with being in a state of intense prayer where time and earthly need have little or no bearing. (4) Perhaps a state brought on by so great a need that the human heart can do nothing else but pour itself out to God. (5) I reckon that in this state, words are not needed as this is more like praying spirit-to-Spirit. b. FASTING Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (1) Whereas supplication may be praying so earnestly that the individual does not notice his/her needs, fasting is praying when the individual notices his needs but subdues them to continue. (2) I think fasting is a deliberate choice of refusing our needs and desires to seek God. II. The church gathered together. Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord. Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship A. The early church fellowshipped together and not just weekly but daily. B. It would appear that the early church meet often for four main purposes. 1. Group Worship a. How do we define worship? Is it in what we do? the song? the instruments? clapping? shouting? dancing around? b. The early church met without the aid of a building or music program or worship leader or any of the other modern-day clutter of what we call worship. c. How might an early church service go? (1) They prayed. (2) They sang songs, probably with little or no accompaniment. (3) They testified what God was doing. (4) They praised God. (5) They read a common Bible. (6) Someone or someones spoke about the Bible. (7) They partook of the Lords Supper. (8) And this they did for hours and then went home. d. What the early church called worship the modern day church would call boring, but what we call worship today, the early church might well have called clutter. (1) By most standards today, our church worship is very antiquated, but even in churches which are deliberately geared to entertain for the majority of the worship time, the attendees are rapidly becoming bored. (2) These "new" churches are finding there are only so many new ways to sing or present a sermon. e. The solution is not find yet another "new" way to worship but to create a true love for the Bible says and for what God has done. 2. Group Study a. The pulpit ministry of the average local church had to be pretty simple. (1) There was no Bible, period. (2) All they had is what they heard and what they heard was limited. b. What did they study? (1) The early church would study and memorize whatever Scriptures they had. (2) The early church would write and recite catechisms, doctrinal chants. c. They did this daily. d. They did this for multiple hours during the day. e. They enjoyed and flourish due to it. f. Certainly it was a simpler time but these people enjoyed hiding truth in their heart. 3. Group Encouragement Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 4. Group Service – They did work as individuals but they also worked as groups to accomplish for God the things He desired. III. The church proclaimed the gospel to others. A. Evangelism was the service of all services. 1. This was different from group study or worship. 2. This was evangelistic preaching where the church went out into the community to find or to stage a situation where they could preach the gospel. B. If there was healing, this is when it was done. 1. Peter healed the lame man. Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 2. Stephen Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. C. But sometimes, they just found a crowd and started preaching. Acts 9:29 And he (Paul) spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 1. The goal of evangelistic preaching was: a. To spread the truth about Jesus. b. To allow the Holy Ghost to convict the heart of sinners. 2. It became the main tool of church planting. Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. 3. Like so many of the old ways, public street preaching is now frowned upon by most church members as being too simple or unsophisticated. (Tract distribution, door-to- door visitation, and preaching against sin have also been likewise condemned.) 4. But if bathed in prayer, I believe the old-fashioned ways may be the only hope for revival. IV. The church gave sacrificially. Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet. A. I do not advocate this type of sacrificial giving for all or we would soon have no local church. 1. However, the early churches pattern of giving demonstrated their commitment to Christ. 2. These people were not giving a tithe. They gave it all! 3. For this church at that time, it was the will of God. B. Understand, it is the duty of Christians to support the work of Christ. 1. People tell me they cannot afford to tithe. 2. But they can afford to take a vacations, to purchase newer automobiles, new cloths, and most every other item their heart desires. a. Their problem is not that they cannot afford to give to the Lords work. b. Their problem is that they are not willing to sacrifice for the Lords work. 3. Few people can afford to give without sacrificing to do so and those who can just arent giving enough. 4. If a billionaire gives a million dollars has he given anything to the Lord? a. If a man making $30,000 gives $30 did he give much? b. A million dollars is 1/1000 of a billion dollars just like $30 is 1/1000 of $30,000. 5. If we do not give until it costs something, you have not given sacrificially to the Lord. 2 Samuel 24:24 Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. These are not the only works of the New Testament Church but time limits us. They also baptized, gave sacrificially, worked miracles, spake in tongues, ministered to the widows, and sent missionaries beyond the local churchs reach.