The Blueprint For Christ's Church (Part 1) Series

THE BLUEPRINT FOR CHRIST’S CHURCH

Part 1

Acts 2:41-47

In February of 1979 Stockdale’s previous sanctuary burned to the ground; within just a few months this current sanctuary was erected. The men of the church in those days didn’t just go purchase thousands of dollars’ worth of materials and come back to this property and start nailing boards together. In fact, I have been told that serval of them went and toured other buildings to find inspiration and ideas for a new sanctuary. After deciding on a design plans were made, blueprints were drawn up, materials were gathered and then the work began. Several years later another church a few miles from here took those very same blueprints and built a sanctuary that is almost identical to this one. This building is still standing some 43 years later because the blueprints were followed and it was built the right way.

In the second chapter of Acts, we find a blueprint for Christ’s Church. The actions of those early converts to Christianity show us exactly how God intended for His Church to operate. The reason that the Church is still standing some 2,000 years later is because it was built the right way. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended and indwelt the Believers who were gathered. They began to speak in other tongues and praise God. Many Jews came to where they were gathered and witnessed this mighty work of God. They were confused as to what they were witnessing and Peter took the opportunity to address that multitude and share with them the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some 3,000 of those Jews responded to the Gospel by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ; they were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.

The following verses show us the great change that God brought into the lives of these people. Luke goes on to tell us how they spent their days after coming to faith in Christ. In doing so, he gives us a blueprint for how Christ’s church has operated throughout the ages and how it should operate today. I would like for us to examine certain attributes that are seen among the first century Church and to examine “The Blueprint For Christ’s Church”.

Peter ended his sermon with a final call and an invitation to those in attendance to "Be saved from this perverse generation." The proper response to the message that Peter had shared was for those Jews to repent of their sins, acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, trust Him as Savior, surrender to Him as Lord and then renounce their connection with rebellious Israel and identify with Christ through Baptism.

We do not know how many were gathered at Pentecost, but we do know that some 3,000 of them responded by repenting and believing in Christ. After this they began to study, pray, worship and serve together as members of Christ’s Church. When examining the actions and the attributes of those in the first century Church, we see the things that God would have His people to be involved in today. As I previously mentioned, we have a “blueprint” for the Church.

The first century church exhibited and experienced Conversion, Doctrine, Fellowship, Prayer, Power, Unity, Compassion, Steadfastness, Worship, Influence and Growth. Each of these attributes should be evident within Christ’s Church today.

- Let’s begin by considering the importance of:

CONVERSION

Christ’s church began with the conversion of a great multitude of people. v41 says “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” These “three thousand souls” were added to the Apostles and the rest of the 120 believers who had received the Holy Spirit. When these people arrived they were cynical and confused by what they saw, but when they left they were converted and part of the Church.

Christ’s Church is made up of born again followers of Jesus Christ. If you have not been converted, you are not part of the Church. You may be a “member” of a local assembly, but you are not part of the true Church.

Pentecost was the beginning of a new life for these converts. Unlike many today, they did not make a profession of faith, follow up with believer’s baptism and then isolate themselves from the rest of the church. (Such actions are cause for concern about the authenticity of the professed conversion).

- One of the first (and most important) things that these new coverts became involved in was learning more about Jesus. This shows us the importance of:

DOCTRINE

v42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The people “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine”; this means that they: listened, learned and obeyed the teaching of the Apostles. The “Apostles doctrine” was Christ’s doctrine; Jesus chose these men and spent several years teaching, training and preparing them to teach others. The doctrine that they taught included what Jesus had taught them during His earthly ministry; and it included the things He taught them between His resurrection and ascension.