The Early Church: Devoted
Acts 2: 42
INTRO
SERIES - EARLY CHURCH Part 2
ILL.: STUCK IN AIRPORT
SUDDENLY - ALL IN THE AIR
FLIGHT CANCELLED, PLANS CHANGED
NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, NO CLEAN CLOTHES, NO MONEY
LAST WEEK - PETER GAVE A POWERFUL MESSAGE FULL OF HOLY SPIRIT
3000 PEOPLE SAVED
CROWD - MANY FROM FAR AWAY, JOBS, FAMILIES, HOMES
NOW LIFE UPSIDE DOWN THEIR FOCUS HAS BEEN TURNED TO SOMETHING NEW
THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT OTHER STUFF
TEXT
ACTS 2: 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
IF WE HAVE A LIFE CHANGING EVENT, WE OUGHT TO EXPECT OUR LIVES TO CHANGE
THIS PASSAGE TELLS US THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW CHURCH DID CHANGE,
DEVOTED / FOCUSED - MEANS CONTINUING STEADFASTLY
TEACHING
FELLOWSHIP
BREAKING BREAD
PRAYER
1. APOSTLES TEACHING
STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH (JESUS = TRUTH)
ACCESS TO TEACHERS WHO HAD BEEN WITH JESUS
HAD VERY WORDS OF JESUS , OT SCRIPTURE
THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY
TODAY WE NEED SAME
STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH
I BELIEVE THIS IS THERE MANY LOOKING FOR TRUTH
THE KEY IS WHERE YOU LOOK
MANY TEACHINGS- BUDDHA , MOHAMMED
FALSE PROPHETS OF MORMONISM
APOSTLES TEACHING = SCRIPTURE
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES
VERY WORDS OF JESUS WRITTEN TO US
AS BELIEVERS TODAY JUST AS THE BELIEVERS IN ACTS
WE NEED TO CONTINUE STEADFASTLY
STRONG DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND TRUTH
WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD LEARNING GOD’S TRUTH
LONG FOR IT, THIRST
ON SUNDAY MORNING, DO YOU DREAD THE SERMON
OR DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO IT
MY CALLING
WORD OF GOD
SUNDAY/WED NIGHTS, PERSONAL DEVOTIONS,
FAMILY STUDY TIME, SMALL GROUP STUDIES
2. FELLOWSHIP
CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN KOINONIA
MORE THAN JUST SITTING IN THE SAME ROOM OR EATING TOGETHER
KOINONIA = A BROTHERHOOD, INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
THIS IS OUR BIBLICAL EXAMPLE
TODAYS PREVAILING ATTITUDE IS ONE OF ISOLATION
IT CAN BE UNCOMFORTABLE TO GET TO REALLY KNOW PEOPLE
EASIER, MORE COMFORTABLE TO KEEP THEM AT ARMS REACH
TODAY YOU CAN PAY BILLS, SHOP, DO ALMOST ANYTHING WITHOUT
INTERACTING WITH REAL PEOPLE
GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE OR LETTING THEM GET TO KNOW YOU
CAN BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE , MEANS TRUSTING
WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS DO YOU HAVE
DO YOU CONSIDER US BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DO YOU NEED TO TAKE SOME RELATIONSHIPS TO NEXT LEVEL
WE NEED EACH OTHER, GOD MADE US THAT WAY
ALL BROTHERS AND SISTSERS
SOME EVEN DEEPER
3. BREAKING OF BREAD
PART OF FELLOWSHIP - RELATIONSHIPS
LITERALLY BREAKING BREAD
COULD BE MEAL
LORDS SUPPER
1COR 11:20-21
20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat,
21 for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for
anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
FROM THIS- EARLY BELIEVERS COMBINED LORDS SUPPER WITH FULL MEAL
DOESN’T MEAN LESS IMPORTANCE PLACED ON LORDS SUPPER
MEALS SHARED TOGETHER WERE VERY INTIMATE EVENTS
TRUE TODAY
SHARE MEALS, HAVE COFFEE, TALK
OUR MEALS
HERE, IN EACH OTHERS HOMES(V46)
OPPORTUNITY
4. PRAYER
DEVOTED - CONTINUED STEADFASTLY
PART OF FELLOWSHIP, CORPORATE PRAYER
SOMETHING MANY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH TODAY
IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER , STRESSED IN BIBLE
JESUS SET EXAMPLE - OFTEN PRAYED SOMETIMES ALL NIGHT
DISCIPLES SAW IMPORTANCE, POWER OF PRAYER
Ja 5:16...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
"ALL WE CAN DO IS PRAY" (we say this sometimes)
PRAYER IS NOT LAST RESORT
MOST POWERFUL THING WE CAN DO
WE HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO GOD
LIKE A RICH UNCLE ONLY WAY BETTER
LK19:46
It is written, he said to them, My house will be a house of prayer-
HERE IN ACTS, THEY ARE DEVOTED, CONTINUED STEADFASTLY
HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE / OUR PRAYER LIFE TOGETHER
CONCLUSION
FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE EARLY CHURCH IN ACTS
MEETING JESUS BROUGHT RADICAL CHANGE
JESUS SPECIALIZES IN RADICAL CHANGE
ARE YOU DEVOTED, CONTINUING STEADFASTLY
TO THE APOSTLES TEACHING, GODS WORD
IN FELLOWSHIP - REAL RELATIONSHIPS
BREAKING OF BREAD AND PRAYER
