LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FOR US TODAY:

A STUDY IN ACTS 2.42-47

INTRODUCTION: The Church that was born in Jerusalem is our reference for the difficult days
that we live in and that precede the return of the Lord. With all the difficulties they faced, genuine
faith was a propeller for evangelization. That church possessed what we might call the marks of
an authentic and productive Christianity:
A) It met in the temple and from house to house;
B) It had a deep commitment to the doctrine and also a festive celebration;
C) It was deeply engaged in social action and also in prayer;
D) It not only evangelized but also made disciples;
E) It had great communion among the brothers and also the sympathy of outsiders.
Let's learn from the Early Church, our example and model:
I. A CHURCH OF THE WORD AND POWER
1. Firm in Truth and Constant in Doctrinal Zeal - v. 42
The Jerusalem church began with the outpouring of the Spirit, the christocentric preaching,
and the retention of the new believers in the doctrine of the apostles.
God is committed to His Word. He is zealous for His Word. A faithful Church must be a Church
of the Word.
2. Persevering in prayer - v. 42
The Jerusalem Church not only possessed a "theology of prayer," but it actually prayed. It
depended more on God than on its own resources.
A) Acts 1:14 - All of them unanimously persevered in prayer;
B) Acts 3: 1 - The church leaders prayed at 3 o'clock in the afternoon;
C) Acts 4:31 - The church under persecution prayed and the place trembled and all of them filled
with the Spirit;
D) Acts 6: 4 - The leadership understood that their highest priority was the Word and the Prayer;
E) Acts 9:11 - The first sign that God gave to Ananias about the conversion of Paul is that he
was praying;
F) Acts 12: 5 - Peter was imprisoned, but there was incessant prayer of the church in his behalf
and he was delivered miraculously;
G) Acts 13: 1-3 - The church of Antioch prayed and God opened the doors of world missions;
H) Acts 16:25 - Paul and Silas prayed in prison and God opened the gates of Europe to the
gospel;
I) Acts 20:36 - Paul prayed with the elders of the church of Ephesus on the shore;
J) Acts 28: 8-9 - Paul prayed for the sick on the island of Malta and they were healed.
The church today speaks of prayer, but not the great majority does not pray.
3. There was a fear of God in the church - v. 43
Today people are despising and trivializing the sacred. There is a saturation, commercialization
and paganization of the things of God (eg, the sons of Eli).
He who knows the holiness of God does not play with the things of God - Dn 5.
Acts 5 - The sin of lying was punished by death.
There are believers who joke about the things of God. There is no fear.
3. There was a constant presence of the SUPERNATURAL OF GOD - v. 43
The extraordinary manifestation of God was present in the life of the church:
A) Acts 3 - The paralytic was healed;
B) Acts 5:12, 15 - Many signs and wonders were made;
C) Acts 8: 6 - Philip performed signs in Samaria;
D) Acts 9 - The conversion of Saul was followed by its cure;
F) Acts 12 - Peter was delivered by the angel of the Lord;
G) Acts 16 - The earthquake in Philippi prison; Acts 19:11 - God worked miracles by the hand
of Paul;
I) Acts 28: 8-9 - God healed the sick of Malta by the prayer of Paul.
Today there are two extremes in the church: those who deny miracles and those who invent
miracles.
II. A CHURCH THAT WORSHIPED IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
1. The Church was pleased to be in the House of God - v. 46
The service was tremendous. They loved the House of God (Psalm 84 and 27: 4).
A living church has joy in being in the House of God to worship.
Communion in the temple is one of the hallmarks of the church over the centuries.
4. The praise of the church was constant - v. 47
A joyful church praises and exalts the Lord. A living church has a fervent, contagious, restorative,
sincere, true worship. The praise that pleases God has its origin in God himself, has his purpose
to exalt God and as a result produces brokenness in the hearts.
3. The Joy of the Lord was the Life Force of the Church - v. 46
The Church overflowed with joy: a) Acts 5: 40-42 - The apostles were beaten by the Sanhedrin
and retreated rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer affronts by the name of Jesus;
B) Acts 6:15 - Stephen at the hour of death saw Jesus and his face transfigured as the face of
an angel; C) Acts 13:52 - The disciples in Antioch of Pisidia, even persecuted, overflowed with
joy and joy of the Holy Spirit.
A church that despite problems, difficulties and suffering lived in constant joy for the presence
of the Holy Spirit.
III. A CHURCH THAT LIVES IN COMMUNION
1. Believers were pleased to be together - v. 42 44.46
Where the Spirit descends, there is unity between the brothers; There the Lord commands his
blessing and life forever (Ps 133). Communion causes quarrels and strife to cease; Causes
forgiveness and healing to spring forth.
Everyone was together. They broke bread from house to house.
They met in the temple and also in the homes.
2. Believers were sensitive to help the needy - v. 44-45
Believers converted heart and pocket.
Detachment from assets and attachment to people.
Incarnated the grace of contribution.
He who does not love his brother can not love God.
IV. A CHURCH THAT GROWS EVANGELIZING
1. By his way of life he counted on the sympathy of all the people - v. 47
The church was committed to the truth, but not legalistic;
The church was holy, but not Pharisaic;
The church was pious but not hypocritical;
Believers were joyful, festive, upright. They were contagious.
The church's lifestyle impacted society: better husbands, better wives, better children, better
parents, better students, better professionals.
2. By the sovereign action of God, he experienced daily numerical growth - v. 47
Quality generates quantity. The church grew in numbers (.) The church grew daily, the church
grew by adding saved lives, the church grew by divine action: Let's look at church growth: Acts
1:15 - 120 members; Acts 2:41 - 3,000 Member States; Acts 4: 4 - 5,000 members; Acts 5:14 -
A crowd is added to the church;) Acts 6:17 - The number of the disciples is multiplied; Acts 9:31
- The church spread to Judea, Galilee, and Samaria; Acts 16: 5 - Churches are established and
strengthened throughout the world.
V. BETEL CHURCH CHALLENGES:
1. The Challenge of the Great Crowd - Conquering Souls is imperative and prophetic
- It is easy to work with a person or with the small amount. Before us is a huge challenge: a giant
country, a world population that grows scary; Hunger advances on the earth; There is the
deplorable state of the multitude: tired, hungry, thirsty, afflicted, desperate, and exhausted. The
remedy offered by God to the hungry world is in the Word that must be proclaimed by all
believers.
2. The Challenge of the Wilderness - We Need to Feed the People in the Wilderness
- The desert of loneliness, drugs, false religions, afflictions, immorality, conflicts, violence, cruel
and corrupt governments and, unfortunately, the desert of silence and spiritual indifference of
many Churches.
3. The challenge of the coming Night - Evangelizing is an urgent task
- "The day already declines": the day of grace, the day of freedom. The doors close, the night
comes (John 9: 4); The onslaughts of satan increase, the return of the Lord is certain.
4. The challenge of limited resources - Evangelizing is investing in the Kingdom of God.
A) "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus used the resources the disciples had. We have to
have resources, we have to invest in evangelization. "What I have, this I give"
5. The challenge of our responsibility - God has given us an order and we must fulfill it
"God did not entrust this work to the angels. "Give him something to eat." We can not run away
nor should we shift our responsibility. There is the danger that we are always empty-handed.
Our responsibility demands commitment and renunciation: leaving the sea, the nets, the bait,
the boat, the collection, the relatives. Responsibility comes with authority (The power of the Holy
Spirit). Responsibility implies action and a sense of urgency.
CONCLUSION: God help us to feed the world with His Word.
Rev Dionildo Dantas, Th D.