Pastor's Sermon Notes: The First Baptist Church of Jerusalem (Acts 2:42-47)

The First Baptist Church of Jerusalem

Acts 2:42-47

⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 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, ⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Introduction:

Reminder:  Title(s) of Acts? 

            The Acts of the Ascended Christ through the Holy Spirit by His Apostles

Key verse:  1:8

Turning point:  Ch. 2

Significant event:  The Birth of the Church (Acts 2:37-47)

Outline:

I.  The Starting Marks of the Church (2:42)

II.  The Significant Testimony of the Church (2:43)

III.  The Sweet Love of the Church (2:44-47b)

IV.  The Supernatural Growth of the Church (2:47c)

Transition:   Verse 41 should really be included as leading directly into this concluding paragraph, and identifying who the pronoun “they” refers to in verse 42.  We must sort out in this historical narrative what is directly applicable throughout the Church age versus what is of necessity indirectly applicable.  2 Tim. 3:16-17.

I.  The Starting Marks of the Church (2:42)

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

1.  The Steadfast Nature of their Perseverance

2.  The Fourfold Focus of their Union

Other marks will be added soon, but these get the Church off the “starting blocks”.

The “9 Marks” [1] of the Church that develop during this transitional period are:

1.      Preaching

2.      Conversion

3.      Discipline

4.      Biblical Theology

5.      Evangelism

6.      Discipleship

7.      The Gospel

8.      Membership

9.      Leadership

1.  The Steadfast Nature of their Perseverance

          And they continued stedfastly [2]

            All modern translations seem to agree on rendering this usage with the English       verb “to devote”, but then part company on the second usage in verse 46.

2.  The Fourfold Focus of their Union

          in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,

          and in breaking of bread, and in prayers

1)  The Apostles’ Doctrine - The Primacy of Preaching

2)  Fellowship - The Necessity of Communion

3)  Breaking of Bread - The Celebration of Christ

4)  Prayers - The Dependence upon God

II.  The Significant Testimony of the Church (2:43)

And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

1.  The Universal Effect

2.  The Apostolic Miracles

1.  The Universal Effect

          And fear came upon every soul

            This is the beginning of wisdom.

Ps. 111:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Pr. 1:7 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pr. 9:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

2.  The Apostolic Miracles

          and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles

                        Do not miss the fact that these are singled out as apostolic in their origin!

Acts 5:12-16 - ¹² And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. ¹³ And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. ¹⁴ And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) ¹⁵ Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. ¹⁶  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

III.  The Sweet Love of the Church (2:44-47b)

⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

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,

⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people.

1.  The Practical Communion of the Saints (2:44-45)

2.  The Joyful Unity of the Saints (2:46)

3.  The Impressive Testimony of the Saints (2:47a-b)

1.  The Practical Communion of the Saints (2:44-45)

⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

            This is not “christian communism”! [3]

            This was voluntary!

            This was not absolute! (2:46 - “…breaking bread from house to house…”)

Acts 4:32-37 - ³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. ³³ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, ³⁵ And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. ³⁶ And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, ³⁷ Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

2.  The Joyful Unity of the Saints (2:46)

And they, continuing [4] daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

3.  The Impressive Testimony of the Saints (2:47a-b)

Praising God, and having favour with all the people.

IV.  The Supernatural Growth of the Church (2:47c)

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1.  The Sovereignty of God in the Growth of the Church

2.  The Regeneration by the Spirit for the Growth of the Church

1.  The Sovereignty of God in the Growth of the Church

          And the Lord added to the church daily

            1 Cor. 3:5-9       

2.  The Regeneration by the Spirit for the Growth of the Church

          such as should be saved

Conclusion:

What should we take away from this historical narrative by way of doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness that we may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works?

What about those who call for us to “return to the primitive Church”?

What about those who minimize the “marks of the Church”?

How can we be more Scriptural in what we do at Wayside Gospel Chapel?

[Sermon preached 28 JUL 2013 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

Notes:

[1]  “What are the 9 Marks? The nine marks of a healthy church” on 9Marks at http://www.9marks.org/what-are-the-9marks/ [accessed 28 JUL 2013].

[2]  Present Active Participle of προσκαρτερέω.  Cp. 2:46.

[3]  See D. L. Mealand, “Community of Goods and Utopian Allusions in Acts II-IV”, Journal of Theological Studies 28 (1977), pp. 96-99; cited by I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint), pg. 89, note 26; et al.

[4] Present Active Participle of προσκαρτερέω.  Cp. 2:42.

Resources:

G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.

Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007)

                                                  

F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).

I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).

D. L. Mealand, “Community of Goods and Utopian Allusions in Acts II-IV”, Journal of Theological Studies 28 (1977), pp. 96-99.

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).

John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).