Learning From the Early Church - Acts 2:46

Learning from the early church

September 8, 2013

Acts 2:46

INTRODUCTION

• Last week was communion Sunday
• It was a time of reflection on our relationship with the Lord
• In the sermon last week we examined the lessons of Ezekiel 37, where it speaks of the Valley of Dry Bones
• In its application to us, these dry bones can refer to a nation that has turned away from God, the Church as a whole, or the church where we attend, or even to ourselves
• We all go through periods when our relationship with God seems to have gone behind a cloud
• It is only through the Spirit of God that these bones can be made to live, this is the lesson of Ezekiel 37
• This sermon was the start of a series, leading us into the naturally supernatural Christian life
• Today is the next sermon in this series
• We will be examining the structure of the early church

THEY MET IN HOME GROUPS

• 1. The early church was social!
• They got together in home groups
• Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
• It is good for the church to be socially active
• This church has a history of being knit together
• We have regular potlucks and activities to draw us together
• This is a necessary part of deepening relationships
• Just coming to church once a week and then living as loners the rest of the week does not do it for us
• Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
• This means relationship.
• 2. The small groups were more than social gatherings
• In the home groups they would deal with the day to day real issues, beyond just eating together
• Prayer
• Act 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
• Teaching
• 1Co 16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
• They were teachers of the word, who had a big impact in Paul's ministry - Act 18:26
• There is nothing magic about home groups, except that they are a place where members get together in a closer way than we are able to do at church
• In the groups, people gained experience in the Word, in prayer, in loving each other, in caring for one another
• It was a place to live out the Christian life
• It was a place where new Christians could grow up in the nurture of the Lord, in a loving environment

THEY MET AS A CHURCH

• While the early church had a lot of small home groups, it also met together in a larger context
• Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
• They met as a church on a daily basis – this sounds like a revival!
• This sounds like a group of people who love being together!
• The church apostles were not able to attend all the home groups
• So they would have meetings where the apostles would teach and exhort the body as a whole
• Translated into our experience, the church would meet on Sunday's and the home groups would get together during the week
• It is at the weekly church service that we recognize we are part of a larger whole
• And it is where we are encouraged to all walk the same walk, as the pastor follows Christ
• It is my intention as your pastor, to set you an example of the way Jesus lives and does things.
• It is a place where we receive teaching from the Word, by people whom Jesus has set in the place of under-shepherds over the flock

THE CHURCH WAS CENTRAL IN THEIR LIFE

• As we read about the early church, it is as though it was soaked in love
• This is the way the Holy Spirit works
• Rom 5:5 And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
• That love flowed through everything
• However, we are living in the last days, almost 2000 years on
• The world around us is cold and selfish and materialistic
• Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
• Our handicap is that the church is made up of people who live in that kind of society. It is easy to be come infected by selfishness
• The story of the early church however is that they did not allow society to infiltrate the church
• Instead, they set out with the light of the gospel, to set the whole world ablaze!
• It was in the church body that their flame was kept burning brightly!
• If we as a church want to have an impact in society, church needs to be a central part of our lives
• We can say, yes, but I have Jesus living in me, so I don't need the body
• But Jesus dwelling inside us means we are a part of a larger body of which he is the Head
• And he tells us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together
• In the early church, people are told the be cheerful givers, to be supporting the church
• Elders who rule well are to be given double honor, speaking about the church providing financial support for their pastor.

CONCLUSION

• As we move forward into becoming a naturally supernatural church, like the early church was, we will be implementing the lessons we see today
• This is a different world than it was back then, but the things we have seen today are even more necessary
• The love and commitment to the larger church needs to be there, to provide a nursery for new Christians
• New believers will come into our fellowship, as we go out and share the love by which we will be known
• We will have home groups to nurture them in their Christian walk
• And the church will move into its role to make a difference in Susanville, reaching the lost

P.S.

• Next week is Back To Church Sunday
• Take a few packets and invite your family, friends and colleagues to come to church with you
• It's going to be an exciting service!