Acts 2 the beginning of the church

Sermon notes from Sunday 16 October 2016

Acts 2 verses 29 to 47

The church at this point had just experienced that never to be forgotten great experience of Pentecost.  There were in a great spirit of praise and thanksgiving and joy and gladness.  Think of that group in the upper room as they went out into Jerusalem.  They had no army behind them yet God had set his spirit on them.  They were going to be instrumental in the greatest work the world has ever known.  To build for God and for eternity.  It would have been lovely to be amongst them and the consciousness of the people.  They were living on the earth yet living in heaven as well.  

Chapter 2 verses 1 to 4 "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."  That spirit is still working today.

They were also free  - there was no such thing as someone saying "this is what my grandfather said 100 years ago and we cannot go away from it, that would dishonour their traditions."  That did not occur here, they were free to do what God wanted them to do.  That is a question many of the established churches in NI could ask themselves today.  Are they free to do what God wants them to do or are they tied with rules and regulations?  For many it has to be the status quo.  I am not a person who changes for the sake of change but there should be change when it is necessary.  There are places where it would dishonour God or offend Christians to change things.  The church of God should be open and willing for the will of God.  Are you prepared to submit to what God is saying to you?

There was also a freshness.  That is what we should continually pray and preach for - a freshness.  We should have a consciousness of freshness, that the Holy Spirit would make them come afresh with blessing and quickening.  To be taken out of ourselves and the consciousness of one another into that level where we mount up with wings as eagles.  It is easy to go through the motions without the freshness needed.

They were also flourishing - "fear came on every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles" and "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."  Imagine seeing that every week.  People coming into the house of the Lord who had never come in before.

There was a closeness about these people - verse 44.  "all that believed were together"  that is what brought them together.  There was a closeness about them.  "Don`t forget about the assembling of yourselves together."  There is much to rejoice in.  It is good when we can stand together.  There is strength in being together.  There is also warmth in being together as well as security. 

There was also a caring amongst them.  "They sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need".  They had their possessions but their possessions didn`t have them.  Anything we have shouldn`t control and take over in our lives.  They cared for others, what they had they shared amongst those who didn`t have as much.

There was a continuing - verse 46 "and they continued daily with one accord in the temple and breaking of bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."  That is the desire of God - that we would not only start out but continue every day.  "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers."

We need to get back to see what happened in the early church as a result of Pentecost today!