“Simply Powerful” – Acts 2:42-47

Sunday, May 16, 2021
Acts 2:42-47
“Simply Powerful”

Service Orientation: Gravitation toward God’s Word, to each other, to sharing meals, and to prayer will always be markers of a healthy and growing church.

Memory Verse for the Week: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

Background Information:

• The breaking of bread has two significances here. On the one hand, this breaking of bread refers simply to mealtime and not always exclusively to the Lord’s Supper; on the other hand, church dinners were a big part of the early church. There really is no warmer experience of friendship than sharing meals. Whether sitting around a table, or going out to dinner, or inviting people into our homes, warmth and intimacy are experienced when people gather together around a meal. So they ate a lot of meals together, but incorporated in those meals was the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 48-49)
• The early Christians did not start a new form of government or a new economic system based on the theories of Karl Marx. They continued to own private property and work at their jobs, but as Christians, they also practiced a new and deeper level of generosity than the world had ever seen before. They sold a portion of their possessions to establish a common fund that was used to help the needy among them. The world had never before seen such caring and compassion. This deep level of concern for others still defines the Christian community. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 46)
• The apostles’ teaching was central to the content of what was to be studied. This was one reason that the replacement of Judas was so important—the apostles, the eyewitnesses of all Jesus had done (and earwitnesses of all he had said) would be the ones whom the Holy Spirit would remind of the crucial truths by which the church would be directed for centuries to come (John 14:17, 25-26; 16:13). From the beginning the early church was devoted to hearing, studying, and learning what the apostles had to teach. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 38)
• The so-called community of goods was not imposed by commandment, as is plain from Peter’s recognition of Ananias’ right to do as he chose with his property. The facts that Mark’s mother, Mary, had a house of her own, and that Barnabas, her relative, is specially signalised as having sold his property, prove that it was not universal. It was an irrepressible outcrop of the brotherly feeling that filled all hearts. (Alexander MacLaren, The Acts, 44)
• The believers continued to use the temple for their place of assembly and ministry, but they also met in various homes. The three thousand new converts needed instruction in the Word and fellowship with God’s people if they were to grow and become effective witnesses. The early church did more than make converts; they also made disciples (Matt. 28:19–20). (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 329)

The question to be answered is…
What’s important to note about how Luke frames the success of the post-Pentecost church?

Answer…
Luke is painting a picture of the kind of church that God blesses; one that pursues him, and others, before self.

The word of the day is… Devote

What were the markers of the early church that God blessed, and why do they matter?

1. A devotion to learning; because faith grows in proportion to hunger and application of truth.
   (Proverbs 1:5; 1:7; 9:9; Luke 2:52; John 14:26; Rom. 15:4; Col. 3:16; Phil. 4:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16; 1 John 2:27; 2 John 1:9)

There is no such thing as a Spirit-filled Christian who neglects the study of the Word of God. There is no such thing as a Spirit-filled church that does not give itself continually and steadfastly to the study of sacred Scripture. The first sign of a Spirit-filled church is one in which the Spirit-filled people do not flee from Scripture and seek a substitute for it but are driven to it to have their spiritual lives rooted and grounded in the Word of God. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 48)

 

2. A devotion to others; because God blesses generosity.
   (Pro. 11:24-25; 19:17; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; 2 Cor. 9:6-7; 1 Tim. 6:17-19; 1 John 3:17)

Recognizing other believers as brothers and sisters in the family of God, the Christians in Jerusalem shared their possessions and money so that all could benefit from God’s gifts. It is tempting—especially if we have accumulated wealth—to cut ourselves off from others, only taking care of our own interests. As part of God’s spiritual family, however, it is our responsibility to help other believers, especially those who are suffering and who are poor, whenever possible. God’s family works best when its members work together. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 40)

 

3. A devotion to the table; theirs and the Lord’s; because God’s grace is present when food is involved. 🙂
   (Proverbs 15:17; John 6:35, 53-58; Acts 2:42; 20:7 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 1 John 1:3)

The breaking of bread is a reference to the communion service, not merely to eating meals together. The new believers shared together in that symbolic testimony to the life and death of the Lord Jesus. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 45)

Is it just a nice cliché to say the Church should be like a family? I mean, it’s a great thought, but our families are our families! Does God really expect us to be this close with people we’re not related to, people we wouldn’t even choose to be friends with? I agree that it’s natural to be close with your family and unnatural to experience this with people who are not like you. But that’s exactly the point! It’s not supposed to be natural—it’s supernatural! (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 72)

 

4. A devotion to prayer; because the Lord blesses those who pursue him above other things.
   (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 34:17; Rom. 8:26; Phil. 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:17; James 5:16)

The church is the army that marches on its knees. As God’s people pray for each other, we enfold one another and others in the power of prayer. (Thomas J. Ramundo, The Prayer Life You’ve Always Wanted, 67)

In order for people to be galvanized into oneness in Christ, it takes time to be together to listen to each other, care, and be for each other. Prayer together becomes the time of communication with the Lord in which we are replenished by His Spirit in order to continue unselfish and non-manipulative concern and caring for each other. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 75)

 

Conclusion…How can these markers inspire us in becoming the kind of church God will bless, and the kind of church Hillsdale needs? 

A. By devoting ourselves to learning and doing what Jesus taught.
(John 15:14; Col. 3:1–3; 2 Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:7; James 1:22-25)

An earnest desire after fuller knowledge is the basis of all healthy Christian life. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 53)

Regardless of what we say, it’s what we do that reveals what we as a church or individual actually believe about God and His will for us. (Henry Blackaby, What the Spirit Is Saying to the Churches, 83)

 

B. By pursuing Jesus with others.
(Psalm 34:3; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 10:24-25)

There is no true fellowship without Christ’s Spirit in us and between us. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 75)

If you have a fellowship that you think is so special that you do not want anybody else to be part of it, then you had better question whether it is really the fellowship of the people of God. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 58)

The fellowship (koinonia) means association and close relationships. This was more than just getting together, certainly more than just a religious meeting. It involved sharing goods, having meals together, and praying together. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 38)

 

C. By living generously; striving to bless others as God has blessed us.
(Pro. 19:17; Mat. 5:16; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35; 1 Tim. 6:18; Titus 3:14; Heb. 6:10)

The early Christians shared their possessions, not because they were communists or socialists—not because they were forced to share their things—but for a far better reason. They shared their goods because they were generous, and they were generous because they had learned generosity from God. God had been generous with them. So because God had been generous with them, they were determined to be generous with one another. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 60)

A Christian church is a caring community in which we consider what happens to someone else to be every bit as important as what happens to ourselves. (Phillip Graham Ryken, City on a Hill, 86)

 

D. By making every effort to consistently pray for and with others.
(Matthew 18:20; Every occurrence of prayer in Acts preceding Chapter 6 (1:14, 24; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31) pictures the apostles leading others in prayer. Not one reference points to their private prayer time; the focus is on God’s people praying together; Ephesians 4:32)

Prayer is the mark of a lover. Those who deeply love Jesus can’t help but pray often. (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 114)

The cult of aloneness is one form of narcissism. It insists on individual autonomy without interpersonal responsibility, which of course makes authentic community impossible.  (Phillip Graham Ryken, City on a Hill, 74)

 

Gospel Application…
The church is the hope of the world because, by God’s design, it serves as the means by which the good news of Jesus reaches the world.
(Matthew 28:19-20; John 17:21; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:13-15)

It is the Lord’s prerogative to add new members to his own community; it is the joyful prerogative of existing members to welcome to their fellowship those whom he has accepted. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 75)

The end for which Christ lives, and for which He has left His church in the world, is the salvation of sinners. (Charles Finney, Lectures to Professing Christians, 1837)

It is impossible to become a new man as a solitary individual. The new man means no more than the individual believer after he has been justified and sanctified. It means the Church, the Body of Christ, in fact it means Christ himself. Through his Spirit, the crucified and risen Lord exists as the Church, as the new man. It is just as true to say that his Body is the new humanity as to say that he is God incarnate dwelling in eternity. As the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily, so the Christian believers are filled with Christ (Col. 2.9: Eph. 3.19). (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 242)

 

Spiritual Challenge Questions…

Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.

• Read Acts 2:42-47. What words would you say best describe the atmosphere of this passage?
• What made the early church so appealing to others?
• What do you continually devote yourself to doing? How might you better align your life to be devoted to the things of Jesus?
• What is one step you can take in helping HFM become more like the church we learned about today?

 

 

Quotes to note…

The Jerusalem church experienced both qualitative and quantitative growth. Eager for this same result, many church leaders flock to church growth seminars. It would be wiser to concentrate on church health. Why? Because it is the nature of a healthy organism to grow. When a church body emphasizes strong worship and solid biblical teaching in an atmosphere of true fellowship mixed with consistent evangelism, it will be healthy. And a healthy Christian community will attract people to Christ. What are you doing to make your church a healthy place that will draw others to Christ? (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 42)

The sharing and distribution was driven by something that should drive the church of every century—generosity. Christians are not required to give up all their private property, but we are required to be generous because we live under the hand of the most generous God. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 49)

God never saves us to wander off by ourselves. Consequently the three thousand new believers did not scatter but remained together and “devoted themselves” continuously to the apostles’ “teaching and … fellowship,” continuing together also in “the breaking of bread and … prayer.” (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 1933-1935)

One of the great perils of the Church is to look back instead of forward. Because the riches of Christ are inexhaustible we should ever be going forward. We should count it a wasted day when we do not learn something new and when we have not penetrated more deeply into the wisdom and the grace of God. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 30)

There are two Greek words for good. Agathos simply describes a thing as good. Kalos means that a thing is not only good but looks good; it has a winsome attractiveness about it. Real Christianity is a lovely thing. There are so many people who are good but with their goodness possess a streak of unlovely hardness. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 31)

Acts 2:42—47 describes the early church. It is presented as a model church, but this does not mean that it was perfect. A few chapters further on, we are going to find that it was far from perfect. It had hypocrites in it, as our churches also have. It had doctrinal errors. It certainly had sinful human beings of all types, as our churches do. Yet it was a model in many important respects, and it is as such that it is described in Acts 2. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 55)

A Spirit-filled church is always going to be a Bible-studying church. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 57)

“The stronger your vertical fellowship is, the stronger your horizontal fellowship will be.” (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 59)

The message of the early church, as told in the book of Acts, is that the bare simplicity of the Christian faith is what counts. The testimony of these early Christians was that of God’s people proclaiming the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit … and confirming it with holy lives. (Henry Blackaby, What’s So Spiritual about Your Gifts?, 10)

I think it is proper for us to say that a genuine Christian should be a walking mystery because he surely is a walking miracle. (A. W. Tozer, Whatever Happened to Worship, 75)

 

 

 

There is no other kind of Christian possible except a born-again Christian, and no one can be born again without being a Christian. (R.C. Sproul, Acts,  45)

 

In the revival that took place on the day of Pentecost it was the Lord who added to the church three thousand people. Therefore, I assume that every last one of those added to the church that day was converted and regenerated by God the Holy Spirit. God built His church initially with people that He converted, that were the fruit of His action in their lives, not as a result of the things that people do to try to prime the pump. That is significant, because what we get now is a bird’s-eye view of how this group of people in the early church behaved and of their pattern of Christian activity. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 47)

 

In addition to their diligent study of the things of God, they had a tremendous time of fellowship. They experienced koinonia, in which the people became close-knit friends, enjoying the love of God and the peace of Christ and sharing in the joy and delight of what they were learning in the apostolic teaching. (R.C. Sproul, Acts,  48)

 

The Lord loves a cheerful giver. He doesn’t just love givers—anybody can be a giver. He loves cheerful givers. He loves people who love to express their gratitude to Him by building the kingdom of God. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 50)

 

True fellowship is so much more than having coffee and cookies together; it is life together, even at personal sacrifice. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

God engineered the outpouring of His Spirit on Pentecost, not only for the benefit of those who would be there, but for all who would hear in the future. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

There is nothing more unchristian than a solitary Christian. John Wesley (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 38).

 

The word “awe” is the Greek word phobos, literally translated “fear.” This awe was partly caused by the many miraculous signs and wonders performed by the apostles. The “wonders” (terata) were fabulous miracles that evoked awe in those who saw them. The “miraculous signs” (semeia) were given to authenticate the message and the messenger, pointing observers toward a divine source of the miracle or a divine truth. Here these signs and wonders authenticated the apostles’ message, identifying it as divine truth. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 39)

 

A common misconception about the first Christians (who were Jews) was that they rejected the Jewish religion. But these believers saw Jesus’ message and resurrection as the fulfillment of everything they knew and believed from the Old Testament. At first the Jewish believers did not separate from the rest of the Jewish community. They still went to the temple and synagogues for worship and instruction in the Scriptures. But their belief in Jesus created great friction with Jews who didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah. Thus, believing Jews were forced to meet in private homes for communion, prayer, and teaching about Christ. By the end of the first century, many of these Jewish believers were excommunicated from their synagogues. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 40)

 

Believers could not observe the Lord’s Supper in the temple, so this was done in their homes, at first in connection with a meal (since Jesus instituted it at the close of the Passover meal). Paul would later have to deal with the problems caused by the way the Corinthian believers ate the meal and observed the Lord’s Supper, so we do not observe it in connection with a meal today (see 1 Cor. 11: 17– 34; the breaking of bread was intended to foster unity; instead, it was promoting division). (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Locations 1947-1950)

 

This was not communism in the modern sense, or even communal living. It was just Christians caring and sharing with love. They all realized the importance of becoming established in the apostles’ teaching. Some of those visiting Jerusalem for Pentecost soon ran out of money, so those who were able simply sold what they could to make it possible for them to stay. Later Peter made it clear that no one was under any compulsion to sell anything or give anything (Acts 5: 4; cf. 2 Cor. 9: 7). But the fellowship, joy, and love made it easy to share what they had (cf. 1 John 3: 17). (Stanley M. Horton, Acts, Kindle Location 1975)

 

A reverent awe laid hold of the popular mind, which was increased by the miraculous powers of the Apostles. The Church will produce that impression on the world in proportion as it is manifestly filled with the Spirit. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 44)

 

Compelled communism is not the repetition of that oneness of sympathy which effloresced in the bright flower of this common possession of individual goods. But neither is the closed purse, closed because the heart is shut, which puts to shame so much profession of brotherhood, justified because the liberality of the primitive disciples was not by constraint nor of obligation, but willing and spontaneous. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 44)

 

Though they had separated from the nation, they clung to the Temple services, as they continued to do till the end. They had not come to clear consciousness of all that was involved in their discipleship. It was not God’s will that the new spirit should violently break with the old letter. Convulsions are not His way, except as second-best. The disciples had to stay within the fold of Israel, if they were to influence Israel. The time of outward parting between the Temple and the Church was far ahead yet (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 45)

 

The truest life of the infant Church was not nourished in the Temple, but in the privacy of their homes. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 45)

 

The community of goods was not enforced but voluntary and spontaneous (see also 4:32-35). Those who had possessions (doubtless some were wealthy and many had some surplus) from time to time, as the need arose, turned them into cash in order to assist the needy or the destitute. There was no other social provision for the poor. It expressed love and unselfishness. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 42)

 

42 Luke presents in this paragraph an ideal picture of this new community, rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. The community, the apostolic fellowship, was constituted on the basis of the apostolic teaching. This teaching was authoritative because it was the teaching of the Lord communicated through the apostles in the power of the Spirit. For believers of later generations the New Testament scriptures form the written deposit of the apostolic teaching. The apostolic succession is recognized most clearly in those churches which adhere most steadfastly to the apostolic teaching. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 73)

 

The “breaking of bread” probably denotes more than the regular taking of food together: the regular observance of what came to be called the Lord’s Supper seems to be in view. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 73)

 

The community’s prayers would follow Jewish models, but their content would be enriched because of the Christ-event. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 73)

 

The conviction of sin that followed Peter’s preaching was no momentary panic, but filled the people with a lasting sense of awe. God was at work among them; they were witnessing the dawn of the new age. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 73)

 

2:42. The activity of this early church was twofold. The believers first continued steadfastly (proskarterountes, “persisting in or continuing in”; cf. 1:14; 2:46; 6:4; 8:13; 10:7; Rom. 12:12; 13:6; Col. 4:2) in the apostles’ teaching or doctrine. The second was fellowship, which is defined as the breaking of bread and … prayer. The omission of “and” between “fellowship” and. “to the breaking of bread and to prayer” indicates the last two activities are appositional to fellowship. Perhaps the breaking of bread included both the Lord’s Table and a common meal (cf. Acts 2:46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23-25; Jude 12). (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 360)

 

Holding everything in common was not socialism or communism because it was voluntary (cf. 4:32, 34-35; 5:4). Also their goods were not evenly distributed but were given to meet needs as they arose. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 360)

 

One of the subthemes of Acts is joy, because a victorious church is a joyful one. (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 360)

 

Acts 2:42-6:7 describes the earliest days of the church at Jerusalem and covers the first three to five years of the new messianic movement (i.e., from A.D. 30 to the mid-thirties). Luke deals with the events of this period by means of a thesis paragraph followed by a series of vignettes that illustrate that paragraph. In 1:1-2:41 Luke has dealt in some detail with the constitutive events of the Christian mission. Had he continued on at that rate, his second book would have been inordinately long. So he begins to use illustrative vignettes and portrayals of representative situations drawn from many experiences within the early church to present his material more succinctly. This he does in order to help his readers feel the nature of what God was doing by his Spirit through the witness of the apostles. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 288)

 

42 Luke begins to describe the early church by telling us that the believers in it were distinguished by their devotion to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship with one another, to “breaking of bread,” and “to prayer. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 289)

 

The creative role of prophecy in the early church was balanced by the conserving role of teaching. Undoubtedly the early congregation at Jerusalem, amid differences of perspective and along with a lively eschatological expectation, had a general “sense of center” provided by the historical and doctrinal teaching of the apostles. And this, Luke tells us, was preeminently the raison d’etre (“reason for being”) and the focus of the early Christian community (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 289)

 

The Christian community was not just a sect of Judaism, even though they continued to observe Jewish rites and customs and had no intention of breaking with the nation or its institutions. They held to the centrality of Jesus of Nazareth in the redemptive program of God and in their worship. Their proclamation of Jesus as Israel’s promised Messiah and mankind’s Lord set them apart in Jerusalem as a distinguishable entity. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 289)

 

The use of the verb ginomai (“to be”) in the imperfect tense denotes that the awe “was” and the miracles “were” no momentary phenomena but continued to happen during those early days. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 290)

 

44-45 Within the Christian congregation at Jerusalem, the believers’ sense of spiritual unity expressed itself in communal living and sharing with the needy members of their group. While Acts implies that overt persecution of Christians came somewhat later, in certain instances economic and social sanctions were undoubtedly imposed on the early believers. So the communal life described in vv.44-45 should be understood, at least in part, as a response to these pressures. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 290)

 

The favorite meeting place of the early believers was in the temple (cf. Luke 24:53), at the eastern edge of the outer court called Solomon’s Colonnade (cf. 3:11; 5:12). There, in typically Semitic fashion, they carried on their discussions and offered praise to God. As Jews who were Christians and also Christians who were Jews, they not only considered Jerusalem to be their city but continued to regard the temple as their sanctuary and the Law as their law. Evidently they thought of themselves as the faithful remnant within Israel for whose sake all the institutions and customs of the nation existed. As such, their refocused eschatological hopes (cf. Mal3:1) and all their desires to influence their own people were associated with the city of Jerusalem, the Jerusalem temple, and the Mosaic law. For both theological and practical reasons, therefore, as well as because of the inevitable tug of the traditional, the early Christians in Jerusalem sought to retain their hold on the religious forms they had inherited and to express their new faith through the categories of the old. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 291)

 

It is the Lord himself who adds to his church, and thus the title ho kyrios (“the Lord”) appears first in the sentence not only for grammatical reasons but also for emphasis. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 291)

 

The word fellowship means much more than “being together.” It means “having in common” and probably refers to the sharing of material goods that was practiced in the early church. This was certainly not a form of modern communism, for the program was totally voluntary, temporary (Acts 11:27–30), and motivated by love. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 329)

 

The church was unified (Acts 2:44), magnified (Acts 2:47a), and multiplied (Acts 2:47b). It had a powerful testimony among the unsaved Jews, not only because of the miracles done by the apostles (Acts 2:43), but also because of the way the members of the fellowship loved each other and served the Lord. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 329)

 

The Christians you meet in the book of Acts were not content to meet once a week for “services as usual.” They met daily (Acts 2:46), cared daily (Acts 6:1), won souls daily (Acts 2:47), searched the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11), and increased in number daily (Acts 16:5). Their Christian faith was a day-to-day reality, not a once-a-week routine. Why? Because the risen Christ was a living reality to them, and His resurrection power was at work in their lives through the Spirit. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 329)

 

42. And they continued steadfast – So their daily Church communion consisted in these four particulars:
43. Hearing the word;
44. Having all things common;
45. Receiving the Lord’s Supper;
46. Prayer. (John Wesley, Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, 194)

 

45. And sold their possessions – Their lands and houses; and goods – Their movables. And parted them to all as any one had need – To say the Christians did this only till the destruction of Jerusalem, is not true; for many did it long after. Not that there was any positive command for so doing: it needed not; for love constrained them. It was a natural fruit of that love wherewith each member of the community loved every other as his own soul. And if the whole Christian Church had continued in this spirit, this usage must have continued through all ages. To affirm therefore that Christ did not design it should continue, is neither more nor less than to affirm, that Christ did not design this measure of love should continue. I see no proof of this. (John Wesley, Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, 194)

 

The final miracle of the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost was the birth of the church. You may wonder why I call that a miracle. It is because I know human nature. Next to the transformation of persons, the second greatest miracle is oneness with others who have been transformed. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 73)

 

When the living Christ sets us free we are able to participate in His external purpose for His people: that they become one—one with Him and one with each other. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 74)

 

People were attracted to their joy and wanted to know the source of it. Evangelism was not based on elaborate handbooks or slick brochures. People wanted to be with those contagious, praising Christians and have what the Spirit had given them. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 75)

 

When the eternal Logos comes, within us, we are freed not just to live our lives for Him, but to live as recipients and communicators of His life. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 76)

 

In this summary section, the Jerusalem community of disciples begins to fulfill Jesus’s teachings and model in the Gospel on various points: prayer, continuing signs, eating together, and sharing of possessions (cf. Luke 12:33). Both here and in the Gospel, through explicit quotations and implicit allusions, Luke also grounds this lifestyle in the ideals of community for Israel and the example of its prophets (e.g., Deut 15:7–8; 2 Kgs 4:38–44); he also effectively employs Hellenistic language for the ideal community. Luke himself recognizes that the Jerusalem church experienced conflicts at times (Acts 5:3–4; 6:1), but affirms that the new life of the Spirit experienced as a norm by the earliest Jesus movement epitomizes God’s plan. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 991)

 

Modern movements have noted that conversions without integration into the life of a community are sometimes difficult to sustain; ancient movements were no different in this regard. Ancient sources often report such integration following conversion. Merely “receiving the word” (2:41) did not guarantee perseverance (Luke 8:13; cf. Acts 8:14, 20–23). But just as proselyte baptism meant initiation into the full (or nearly full) life of the community of Israel, so those baptized in Acts 2:41 were initiated into the life of the new community in 2:42–47. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 991)

 

A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms. (William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, 31)

 

We can never understand ourselves, the world around us, or God’s purpose in history apart from the Scriptures. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 45)

 

Fellowship means holding all things in common. These three thousand new Christians began to love one another and share with one another. Aliens became friends. Strangers became brothers. A crowd of three thousand people from different cultures, speaking different languages, became one in Christ. They shared problems and needs. They prayed together. They experienced intense community. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 45)

 

(Matthew 12:38—39). Jesus made it clear that miraculous manifestations are not as important as the quiet miracle of spiritual healing. What is done in the spiritual realm is far greater than what is done in the physical realm. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 46)

 

A fascination with physical miracles is the mark of an immature church. As Christians become more mature, they cease to be so fascinated with signs and wonders and grow ever more fascinated with the wonder of knowing Jesus as friend, Lord, and Savior. God still works miracles, but as we grow more mature in Him, we find that His power tends to be manifested in our inner life—in our ability to experience His supernatural peace and forgiveness (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 46)

 

If you have never acknowledged Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can repent, change your mind—and be saved. You can say, “Lord Jesus, come into my life, take control, and be my Lord and my God!” Then you can express your inward change in an outward way through the symbol of baptism. From this day forward, you can live out your inward change by forgiving those who have hurt you, by asking God to rid you of bitterness and grudges, by confessing your sins and restoring your broken relationships. (Ray C. Stedman, God’s Unfinished Book: Acts, 47)

 

The first phrase says that they devoted themselves to “the apostles’ teaching.” In other words, this was a learning, studying church. There were a lot of other things Luke could have said about it. As we go on, we find that it was a joyful church, also an expanding, vibrant church. These are important items. Nevertheless, the first thing Luke talks about is the teaching. He stresses that in these early days, in spite of an experience as great as that of Pentecost, which might have caused them to focus on their experiences, the disciples devoted themselves first to teaching. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 56)

 

A Spirit-filled church always studies the apostolic teaching. It is a learning church that grounds its experiences in and tests those experiences by the Word of God. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 56)

 

the closer men and women come to God the closer they want to get to where he speaks to their hearts, and that is in the Bible. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 58)

 

If you are Spirit-filled, then you will be drawn to this Book. If you are not drawn to this Book, if you do not really want to study it, if you say, “Well, you know, I look at the Bible from time to time, but it seems rather boring to me: it never really does much for me,” you ought to question whether you are really born again. Or if you are born again, you at least ought to question whether you are filled by the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit, whose chief task is to bear witness to Jesus Christ, inevitably draws the people of God to Jesus through the Scriptures. (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 58)

 

Because their generosity extended to the sharing of their goods, some have regarded this as a biblical endorsement of communism. It is not communism. In fact, it is the opposite of communism. Communism is a sharing of goods, but it is an enforced sharing on the basis that no one has the right to own anything. Communism is compulsory; therefore it has nothing whatever to do with generosity. Peter himself endorses the right to private property (see Acts 5:3—4 and pages 97—98 of this study). (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 59)

 

Should Christian worship be formal? Or should it be informal? The answer is certainly that Christian worship should be both. Why should we have to choose between the two? There are different kinds of people, different settings, and different occasions on which we worship. Why should there not be worship appropriate to each occasion? (James Montgomery Boice, Acts, 61)

 

Something wonderful and miraculous and life-changing takes place within the human soul when Jesus Christ is invited in to take His rightful place. That is exactly what God anticipated when He wrought the plan of salvation. He intended to make worshipers out of rebels; He intended to restore to men and women the place of worship which our first parents knew when they were created. (A. W. Tozer, Whatever Happened to Worship, 24)

 

We’re not doing people any favors by pretending they are the center of the universe. Either people will be awed by the sacred or they will not. If the sacred is not enough, then it is clear that the Spirit has not done a work in their lives. If the sheep don’t hear His voice, let them walk away. Don’t call out with your own voice. (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 53)

 

(re: Acts 2:42-47)

Absent from this account is any attempt on the part of the early Christians to conjure up some sort of powerful experience. They weren’t strategizing ways to get people interested.

 

We all know enough about gangs to know that’s ridiculous. Yet every week we hear Christians asking each other, “How was church?” Something that God has designed to function as a family has been reduced to an optional weekly meeting. And this has become normal. Expected. How in the world did we get here? Any gang member will tell you his homies have his back.  They’re there for him. They’re loyal, committed, present. Meanwhile, in many churches, you have about as much of a connection to the people who are supposedly your spiritual family as you  would to someone who visited the same movie theater as you. (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 72)

 

You can’t shape the life of your church around who might leave if things start to feel too much like the New Testament. (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church, 82)

 

When Jesus gave the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18—20; cf John 17:18), He was not talking about something that some Christians do in some places; He talking about what every Christian does in every place. (Phillip Graham Ryken, City on a Hill, 144-145)

 

Piety requires us to honor truth above our friends.

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (c. 325 BC), Book I, 1096.a16.