Acts 2:41-47
The Common Communion of Christians – A commitment to Membership
A young man came to the Grand Canyon for the first time and when he got to the edge and saw it he gasped, “Wow! Something big happened here!”
150 years ago an Indian from the dessert plains made it across the Rocky Mountains and down to the Pacific Ocean. Amazed by the vastness, he stared for a long time then ran into the water and dipped up a leather bag full and began to run back toward home. It so happened that someone watching him do this asked him, “What are you doing?” The Indian replied, “My people have never seen the great waters. I bring this to show them what they are like.”
At the end of Acts 2 we discover 117 Greek words penned by Luke that describe the first days of the Church. It appears that Luke faces the same problem that the Indian at the Pacific or the young man at the Grand Canyon. How does one describe the common communion of the first Christians and capture their commitment to Christ and one another? What do you say that measures the meaning of membership among God’s New Covenant people, the Church.
These last few verses in chapter 2 of Acts are compacted and intensely loaded with information about the first days of the Church. Every word counts. As we consider them let’s try to unpack some of this and apply it to ourselves today.
First we ask, What does the Holy Spirit filled church look like? Of course there are some differences between them and us, so we also need to ask, What aspects or characteristics do we see in them that are identifying marks that we should look for and expect to see in the church today?
Last week we looked at the coming of the Holy Spirit and his inspiring the message of praise in various languages. Then we looked at the explanation of the event of his coming and saw the message of the gospel preached by Peter. That was the beginning. You can’t repeat the beginning of a relationship or the beginning of the church. Some of these events are a once and for all experience. But the effects are lasting. The heart and content of what began is still with us today. That is what we will focus on now. In today’s lesson we see the effects of the Holy Spirit’s coming and the new life he gives to those who receive the message. We will find five identifying marks that make up membership and provide the common communion of Christians today.
What we see described in verses 41-47 is God’s work of grace in the new covenant people. Notice first, This is not about everyone that heard the message, but only those that received the message that they heard. A person can sit in church week after week all their lives and hear the message of God’s grace in Jesus sacrifice over and over but never receive it. Most of you know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t you. Nearly all of us know someone who has heard the gospel a thousand times and yet has never received the word in faith and obedience. The message interests them, but it doesn’t convert them.
They are comfortable not convicted. They may be impressed, but they are not compelled. Coming but not committed. Listen to me… that’s NOT what we see in the people of Acts 2:41-47. They are entirely different, changed, converted, compelled, committed, in a common communion in Christ.
When a person receives the word planted in them, we see what happens to them here. The very first thing the Bible tells us is that they are baptized and added. They are not added without baptism. Also, this word for “added” in verse 41 is also found in verse 47. Who does the adding? The Lord! You know, I’ve heard that all my life. “You can’t join the church, the Lord adds you to the church!” Well, I never appreciated it’s meaning that much. But studying this lesson has opened my eyes. Jesus is the head and he determines who is and who is not in the membership of the church. By the way, verse 47 also shows us who he adds. It is those who are being saved. Those who receive his word and are baptized vs 41 and those who are being saved vs 47. And between these verses is a description of these new members of this church. I am beginning to see the amazing meaning of membership afresh.
There is nobody on earth that can add or remove members of the church. That’s God’s business. It is the Lord’s doing. He can bring you in and he can take you out. But there is another aspect to membership: as members we all have privileges and responsibilities. You have a part! You have a place! Membership means a whole lot more than showing up for church services.
Am I making any sense at all here? Do you see what God is saying to us here? It is not that these people in Acts 2 were really members of the church and we are not. It’s not that God was working in a dynamic way among them, but today our membership is of less value or weaker somehow in relation to God. No! All of the import of God’s presence and our blessing in Christ are just as real and true today as ever! Acts 2 is not some fairy tale made up to explain things. Acts 2 is history. This is the root of the tree of which we are branches. The Acts 2 church is your church and my church. These people are members of the same church we are members of. If not, let me out of here and let me find the church that is! By God’s grace I can see that according to his word when I received it and was baptized into Christ I was added to Jesus body! When I received his word, my baptism in his name was the same as theirs! And for the same purpose as theirs! Giving me the same gift they received and making me a member of the same common communion of Christians. This is the same for every member of the Church.
God has built this church and we here on Signal Mountain are members of it! Don’t let that diminish from your heart! That is exciting truth that we need to hang onto. We want to be nothing more and nothing less than what God calls us to be. But let us be all that He calls us to be! As we receive his word and obey it, we are assured that the Lord adds us to his church.
Are you a member of this congregation? The church is much bigger than this gathering, but we are a part of it! Every member of the church Jesus built has 1- received the word and 2- been baptized and 3- been added to it. And while we may not wear name tags or carry membership cards, we do have identifying marks that make us recognizable and distinct from those who are not members.
Not long after I moved here to Signal Mountain, I discovered one of the perks for being a preacher here on the mountain. All of you have seen the Signal Mountain Country Club golf course, haven’t you? It’s just a half mile from my house. Well, did you know that they allow one preacher from each church on the mountain to have free membership there? Sorry, Joel, I already got it. Here’s my card. It says, “Honorary Member” …entitled to all the privileges of the club with the exception that I can’t invite guests to play golf with me. But I can play as often as I want, alone or with other members!
I also received a copy of the constitution and bylaws along with the club rules. Listen to this: Dress code (read) – Suspension of members (read).
Being a member means having privileges, but it carries responsibilities as well. What identifies me as a member is my card and my name on the roll book. There are golf shirts and golf caps and golf gloves and even golf bags with the Signal Mountain insignia on them. You could own all of those and still not be a member of the club. You’ve got to have your name on the roll.
Jesus once said to the disciples who were excited about the power he had given them, “Don’t rejoice that demons are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Paul, speaking to a couple of women who needed help getting along in the Philippian church, reminded them, “Your names are in the book of life.” So what’s so great about membership of the church? First of all, you get your name on the roll. You are added, your retirement plans are fully paid for and out of this world.
Just think, when you receive the word of God and are baptized, the Lord adds your name in the book of life. You are a member! Something big has happened! There is a huge package of benefits! They are not like the stuff you see around you here. These benefits last forever and are free to every member! Paul wrote three chapters describing them in Ephesians 1-3. Believe me, you’ll want to take some time and go over those. The benefits of membership in Christ are huge! They are heavenly! They last forever! They begin NOW!
What does it mean to be a member? There are also responsibilities. What are the rules, constitution and bylaws? What does membership mean as far as responsibilities of membership?
This is a very important question. The entire New Testament is devoted to answering Both the questions of the benefits and responsibilities of membership for us. But we can start right here in Acts 2 for a great summary.
The common communion of Christians and the meaning of membership in God’s family, the church are described here. These could also be called identifying marks of membership and they are laid out for us here in 41-47.
First: They are a learning church. Discipleship describes this mark. Look at their devotion and submission to God’s word. First, they received it and obeyed it and then continually devoted themselves to it as taught by the apostles. They were hungry for instruction. You can just imagine how they grew in knowledge and understanding as they applied themselves to learning God’s will for their lives. The apostles’ work was focused. Their calling was to the word of God and prayer. They had yet to write any New Testament books. The Bible for them was the Old Testament and how it proclaimed Jesus. They saw Jesus on every page and in every place. Peter’s message in Acts 3 is revealing. First he quotes Moses then he says in verse 24-25 all the prophets that have spoken announced these days! Then he backs up to early Genesis and sees Jesus in God’s covenant to Abraham. The message hidden in the Old Testament is all about Jesus. Maturing and developing as a disciple is a clear mark of membership.
Next: They are a worshipping church. Just look at their devotion to worship. They were constantly in prayer, continuing in the temple and from house to house. They were praising God and having favor with all the people. The apostles again were center stage, performing wonders and signs proving their message to be authentic from the Holy Spirit. We see them at meals together, holy and common meals. Breaking of bread here is both a description of communion and daily meals. These people felt the presence of God and responded to Him in worship and awe and praise. It is exciting to be in Christ! You can’t get any nearer to God than to be in Him and he in you! Knowing God’s nearness inspires worship. Worship is a clear mark of the authentic membership and common communion of Christians.
Thirdly, They are a church in fellowship with God and one another. Just look at their relationship with one another. The word that is translated “fellowship” is “koinonia.” It’s a word found throughout the New Testament and it is all about the common spiritual relationship we share in Christ. Wow! The church members in Acts 2 took their relationship seriously! So should we.
By the way, the relationship of fellowship we see them having was… (Can I say this without offending anyone?) FUN. There is no drudgery in these verses. Work and generous, even sacrificial giving and helping, are all over the place yes, but drudgery? Hardly! I don’t see it there, do you? Words like gladness of heart, great joy and amazement, one mind, sincerity of heart, togetherness… these describe fellowship and the meaning of membership and the common communion of these Christians. By the way, that’s an identifying mark. It is supposed to look like this! This is no accident. The joy of the Lord is still our strength! Fellowship is still a great benefit of membership in the body of Christ. Show me a church that is not glad to be together and I’ll show you a church whose membership is dying. It’s not about having a worldly party… no, no, no! This is serious and holy fun! I’m talking about heavenly joy and celestial celebration!
You can’t read Revelation without seeing the saints and holy angels rejoicing in loud rejoicing praise before the throne of God! Jesus said we should pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” What does that tell you about the fellowship of the common communion of Christians? Fellowship is a mark true membership.
Fourthly, They were a serving or ministering church, peacefully organized by the Holy Spirit’s placement of leadership. This is what ministry is about. Notice, this is another category of their relationship which is service or ministry. This is the work part of loving one another. It is the administration or organizational aspect of relationships. These people were serving! Look at the different ministries already in place! The teaching ministry of the apostles – they are members too, remember. Though not stated you know that somebody was cooking all that bread! The devotion to prayer had to have a form. There had to be organization involved in the sharing of their possessions as they generously gave or sold goods to meet needs. And look at the day to day schedule in verse 46. Temple courts and house to house they were meeting and eating and worshipping and sharing fellowship and sharing their faith. This was not chaos, but the common communion of the Christian church. The orderliness was no accident. Ministry that works requires organizational leadership and willing workers. God is not the author of confusion. The Holy Spirit that moved across the face of the formless waters in the beginning who worked with God to bring light and order and life and detail and organization of creation together is moving in the church and accomplishing the same. He does this through the order of leadership and by involving every part in the process. Ephesians 4:11-16 describes what we see here at the end of Acts 2. Ministry or service is another mark of membership in the body of Christ. Each member has a part and a place and a service.
Finally, They were an evangelizing church. This is evident by the growth described in verse 47. They looked like a group that others wanted to be a part of! There was a magnetic attraction to this mighty work of God among them. But they also must have been sharing their faith with everyone they knew, because just look at the growth! Day by day the Lord was adding to their number those who were being saved! What a dynamic communion! What a great package of incentives to draw attention! Evangelism, the marching orders of our commander in chief, Jesus Christ, is a fifth identifying mark of membership in the body of Christ.
Let’s review:
The foundation is the gospel of Christ. God’s redeeming work of Jesus. His coming, his life and teaching, and centrally, his death for our sins, resurrection from the grave, and reigning position in glory as Lord and King, and finally, his certain eminent return in judgment.
The power is the presence of God through the Holy Spirit. God’s inspiring work of the Spirit. His outpouring and confirming work of revealing and authenticating the message.
The witnesses are the Old Testament prophets and the eyewitnesses, the apostles. Their proclamation of the word and will of God, inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit of God, form for us the standard of truth. It is this message and teaching to which the church devotes herself.
The identifying marks of the church that match the message are her worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism.
How are we doing? Are there any of these areas we need to grow in? What about you as an individual? Are you actively involved in all these? Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, Service, and Evangelism…
As we continue to study this book of Acts we are going to see these all developed before us. We will meet members that show us good examples and a few that show us what NOT to be like. We see the human weaknesses as well as the divine strengths of the members. I hope we will determine to mentor after the models of membership that we meet in this book. May God help us as we share the common communion of Christians in Christ.
