“A MODEL CHURCH” (ACTS 2)
1. This material is based upon Acts 2. Acts 2 is one of the places where we learn about the church.
2. When Jesus was on earth, He promised to build a church. Mt. 16:18 says Read.
3. Christ’s church was built, and Acts 2 tells us about Christ’s church.
4. The church described in Acts 2 was “on track.” It was following God’s will and doing what was right.
5. At a time later than Acts 2, Christ church got off the right track.
6. The church went into apostasy (away from God). Second transperancy.
7. I am not quite sure what the funny looking animal is. Nevertheless, this picture represents
8. Apostasy; people abandoned God’s will. Paul predicted that this would happen. 1st.Tim. 4:1-3
9. Says Read. The animal you see represents apostate Christians.
10 Apostate people decided to do what they wanted. They had little regard (concern) for the will of God
11 Along with the apostates there were brethren who tried to keep church as Jesus wanted.
12 Some brethren tried to halt the apostasy of the church as we see the picture.
13 God was pleased with only one group. The group that God was pleased with is not represented
14 By animal. God was only pleased with the people who stayed with the right church.
15. God only blessed the people who stayed with His plan. All people are supposed to stick with
16. The church that Jesus built. Paul said in his 2nd letter to Timothy Read 2nd Tim. 1:13.
I. THERE IS A “PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS.” IN OTHER WORDS, GOD HAS GIVEN A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW WE ARE TO LIVE AND WORSHIP. PART OF THIS BLUEPRINT INVOLVES THE CHURCH.
A. For a long time I never thought much about different religious groups.
B. To my way of thinking one was as good as another. As I began to study the Bible
C. I began to see that I was wrong. I found that God has a specific plan for the church
D I began to uncover passages like John. 14:15 READ
E. A few verses later, in John. 14:24 I found, READ
F. The Lord made His point plainly and forcefully. If we love Him, we will obey him
G. If we do not obey Him, then we do not love Him. In fact Jesus asked this question in . H. Luke 6:46 READ. If we want to please God we must follow the patterns He has given.
I. One of these patterns involves the church. Let’s examine this pattern by going to Acts.
J. The first item on my chart is conversion. Acts 2 tells us about the salvation exp.
K. These people had. This information is found in verses 37-38. READ
L. In the first century church everyone was saved in the same way.
M. People who believed in Christ repented and were baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.
N. As time has passed people have become like the animal, they have gone off and adopted
O. A different plan of salvation. Within religious groups people often offer testimony.
P. One says, “I was saved in this way. Another says, “I was saved in a different way.”
Q. In the church that Jesus built everyone was saved in the same way. In fact, about 3,000
R. Were saved by faith, repentance, & baptism. Look at verse 41 with READ. In the church of
S. The Bible all were and all are saved alike. The uniqueness of Jesus’ church was not and is not
T. Limited to salvation. There are some other things that need to be noted from Acts 2.
U. Let’s skip down to verses 44 and 45. READ
1) We have different verb tenses in English, Past, Present, and Future.
2) When Luke wrote this he also had access to different tenses.
3) When Luke wrote that possessions were “sold” (v. 45)’
4) He could have described something like an auction. At an auction everything is sold at 5) once. One time act. Luke chose to use an imperfect tense verb. This tense describes
6) Continuous action in the past. In other words, possessions were not all sold at once.
7) When someone had a need, and money was not available, Then a person who had a 8) valuable item sold it. Members of the first century church loved each other. This love
9) Caused them to sell precious items and give away money. In the church of the Bible,
10) This dept of love also exists today. This is the kind of love that before I went to school
11) And elder said; my family wants to give. We accepted this family’s offer.
12) About midway through school we stopped receiving checks from this family. I called to
13) Inquire to see if there was a problem. This man and his family were having some financial 14) problems. They could no longer support us. Since they had made a commitment, this 15) elder offered to take out a loan. We refused that offer and picked up support elsewhere.
16) This brother demonstrated the love that is described in Acts2.
A. Today the church of Christ continues this part of the pattern. If a member’s house burned B. down, and insurance didn’t cover it, it would be good and right for us to help cover that loss.
C. We might need to sell our boat; part with a spare car; something else of value. Members of D. Jesus’ church “continued steadfastly at the temple.” IE, they met together frequently for E. worship and study, these people wanted to come together. This makes sense.
1) If you are going to sell your boat and give away the money, it is very likely that you will
2) Care deeply about the receiving. Members of Christ’s church, looked forward to 3) assemblies. In fact, they so enjoyed the company of each other they ate together.
4) Verse 46 says that they “broke bread” at home. Jude calls these meals “love feasts.”
5) Today at meals it is often the case not everyone gets along. People can fight and fuss at 6) the table. Such was not the case with Jesus’ church. Brethren “took their food with 7) singleness of heart.” The church of Christ was not bothered by division. Instead of
8) Strife, Luke says there was “gladness.”
II PART OF THIS GLADNESS AND SENSE OF UNITY CAME FROM THE FACT THAT CHRISTIANS WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO SERVE GOD IN THE WAY THAT HAD BEEN COMMANDED.
A. This is what we find back in verse 43. READ. Jesus church “continued in the apostle’s B. teaching.” LET’S GO BACK TO 2ND CHART FOR A MOMENT.
1) Most religious groups are like the animal we see.
2) They have not been content to stay with the apostle’s teaching.
3) Groups have added and subtracted so that now church have:
a) Have headquarters; allow a pastor to be in charge. Have worship on Saturday;
b) Allow for women preachers; Use pianos and organs in worship;
c) Leave out baptism as part of God’s plan for salvation;
4) There have been a number of changes to the apostle’s doctrine
5) As I said earlier, Paul predicted this in 1st Tim. 4:1-3. To be Jesus church we can have
6) No additions/subtractions. We must be like the church described in Acts2.
7) Nothing more and nothing less. Jesus church today can and must do what God has said.
8) We do this by “continuing in the apostle’s doctrine.”
C. Going back to verse 42 we find that fellowship is again mentioned. Christians came together
D. To Worship and learn from God’s word. In some places there are brethren who care little E. about attending. Such was not the case in the first century, Christians wanted to come. F. And they did when these brethren came they worshipped. Again look at verse 42 with me.
G. Luke refers to “the breaking of bread.” This is one of the things that Christians continued
H. steadfastly in. Verses 42-46 suggest a question that should be asked and answered.
1) Why is eating mentioned 3 times in a short space: It is first mentioned in verse 42 2) Eating are also mentioned twice in verse 46. Didn’t these people do more than eat? Yes
I. Verse 42 is describing the Lord’s Supper (communion). Verse 46 was different.
J. In verse 46 there is a distinction between worship and home activity
1) 46a says that Christians “continued steadfast in the temple.”
2) Then Luke tells about what took place in homes.
3) People were eating together and enjoying fellowship.
4) Two different activities are described.
K. In verse 42 the context only deals with worship. The “apostle’s teaching” indicates a
L. Teaching assembly. Fellowship would have been part of this assembly.
M. “Prayers” (42D) were part of this assembly. In the assembly there was also “the breaking
N. of Bread”. When Luke wrote this he used two definite articles. IE, he wrote “the breaking of O. the bread.” This final detail allows us to conclude what is being described.
P. Christians “continued steadfastly” in the Lord’s Supper.
1) In coming weeks I will show that the LS was being taken every week.
2) For now the citation plus Acts 20:7 will be sufficient. Acts 20:7 says, READ.
3) Luke describes another religious assembly. This assembly describes breaking of bread 4) (LS). When was this done? When the 1st day of the week came.
5) The wording of Acts 2, example of Acts 20; another Bible ref.
6) And history shows that the LS were taken every Sunday.
Q. This is part of the pattern in Christ’s church. Having the Lord’s Supper each Sunday is
R. “Holding the pattern of Christ. Yet, do we not find that most groups are like the animal?
S. They do not have the supper each Sunday.
CONCLUSION;
1. Today we have a choice. We can be part of the model church that Jesus established.
2. Or we can be part of a religious group that is headed away from God. The right choice is obvious.
3. Making this choice may be a difficult one for you to make. No matter how difficult remember
4. John 14:15 READ and John 14:24. READ