Acts 2:42-47 "The New Church"
We’re going through the Book of Acts line by line, verse by verse. It picks up right where the Gospel of Luke left off with Jesus having risen from the dead and ascending into heaven. It tells the story of the early church—the first 30 or 40 years of Christianity spreading throughout the Roman empire. Starting in Jerusalem and ending just before Paul gets to Rome.
A few years after the last chapter of the Book of Acts, persecution against the church was going to get really bad. There are a few martyrs in Acts but it’s not going to be a full-on assault against Christians for another ten or fifteen years. Peter, Paul, and most of the rest of the disciples will be killed for their faith. Yet the church will continue to thrive.
Why? They tried to kill it by killing Jesus but He came back from the dead and the church exploded in growth. Then they tried to squash it again but it grew anyway.
In the year AD 125, a Roman philosopher named Aristides wrote a letter to Emperor Caesar Hadrian—you’ve probably never heard of him.
In the letter, Aristides said the church was good for Rome. He described what the Christian church was like. That they were good people—moral and ethical. That they were honest with integrity and purity. That they were extremely generous and compassionate. They would fast for days just so they could share their food with those who didn’t have enough—the poor, widows and orphans. People who couldn’t give anything in return. They had a deep sense of community and responsibility toward each other.
And not just people in the church. He praised the Christians for their hospitality to strangers—they would welcome them in and treat them like family.
He talked about how much he admired their attitude about being persecuted. They didn’t retaliate. They forgave their enemies. Imagine that—actually doing what Jesus told us to do.
He also appreciated their commitment to being faithful in their marriages and not living sexually promiscuous lives. He contrasted their chastity with the permissive attitudes of Roman society.
He talked about their dedication to their worship services. Speaking well of their gatherings and their commitment to prayer, faith, and practicing what they taught. He closed his report with their belief in the resurrection of the dead and eternal life—which gave them a rock solid hope and motivation for the ethical lives they lived.
This is what the church looked like to Aristides. He wrote it all down and put it in a letter to Caesar Hadrian. That same year, the Emperor issued an official edict instructing that Christians could no longer be executed without a proper trial. That false accusations against members of the churches throughout the empire would not be tolerated. There were no empire-wide persecutions against Christianity for the next forty years. All this because someone noticed the church made the world a better place.
I wonder what he would notice today?
We’re in Acts chapter two—the very beginning of Christianity. 33 AD.
Three thousand people had just been baptized in the first Christian worship service. In Jerusalem there was an instant megachurch. What did these people do that set the stage for what Aristides would notice a hundred years later? How did that very first new church lay the foundation for what the church would continue to do for the next two thousand years?
Acts chapter 2, starting at…
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42
Four things: The Apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers.
The Apostles’ teaching was the teaching they had received directly from Jesus. The apostles had spent three years listening to His stories about the kingdom of heaven, the beatitudes, His sermons on ethics and the commandments. He had given them the words of life. The Gospel. He had opened the Old Testament Scriptures to them and showed how everything pointed to Him.
We’re also devoted to the teaching of Jesus. The apostles' teaching was written down by them and are the books that make up the New Testament—which is a Jesus-Centric commentary on the Old Testament. This is why we’re devoted to the teachings of the Bible.
They were also devoted to the fellowship.
The word for fellowship is “koinonia”—have you heard that word before? Koinonia. It means a mutual participation and sharing of a common purpose and experience. A connection between people that unites them on the deepest level because of something they have in common.
The fellowship is another way of saying the Christian community—the church.
Those who have experienced the hope and joy of salvation in Christ have more in common with each other than they do with anyone outside the faith—even if the unbelievers are family, friends or political allies. The fellowship we share with other members of the church is deeper than any other connection in life. They say blood is thicker than water but the water of baptism is thicker than anything else. (I may have stolen that from Kemper.)
They were also devoted to the breaking of bread.
They used the phrase “break bread together” the same way we do. It meant to share a meal with someone. But just like with apostles’ teaching and fellowship, when you put “the” in front of it, it becomes something more specific. The breaking of bread wasn’t just any old meal. It was “the meal.” They’d eat together and then conclude with the supper Jesus had instituted on the night when He was betrayed. The breaking of bread is a reference to Holy Communion.
We’ve tried to honor this at NewChurch by encouraging everyone to stay after worship and eat together. It’s also why we have mid-week Bible studies and discipleship in our homes. This is part of being the church. Fellowship isn’t optional. It’s where we learn to love each other. Where we learn to be patient and kind with each other. Showing up at 10:15 and getting out of here as soon as the service is over—that’s not all church is supposed to be. We are supposed to be devoted to the fellowship and the breaking of bread.
One of the benefits of sharing a meal with people is that we use the same hole in our face for eating and talking—that was a genius move on God’s part to encourage us to listen to someone else while we’re chewing. A chance to let the other person get a word in.
They were also devoted to the prayers.
The prayers. Not just prayer—specific prayers. I’m sure this included the prayer Jesus taught them, the Lord’s Prayer. But it would have also included the many, many liturgical prayers that took place at the temple the Jewish people had memorized. Especially the ones Jesus quoted over and over. Especially the ones He said pointed to Him and were all about Him.
Man. Don’t you wish we still had some of those?
We do. They’re called the Psalms. And they weren’t only prayers, they were also songs. So, when they got together they sang the Psalms.
That’s why we put so much emphasis on music and singing when we come together. That’s why we have written prayers as well as extemporaneous prayers. It’s all part of being devoted to the apostles’ teaching—trying to be as faithful to the things they handed down to us as possible.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. Acts 2:43
There was a deep, ongoing recognition of God’s presence and power among these new Christians. There were a lot of miracles—visible signs and wonders of this new kingdom God brought into the world through Jesus. These miracles showed that the ministry of Jesus was continuing through the apostles and the church.
This was a time of many signs and wonders and miracles. God still does miracles—I believe I’ve seen a few in my life. But God doesn’t promise to do miracles every time we ask. Miracles are rare—that’s why they’re called miracles. If they were repeatable and predictable we’d call them something else. Science? Taxes? Your mother-in-law’s advice? Look, when you pray, go ahead and ask for a miracle. God will always answer your prayer. He might give you what you want. Or He might say, “No.” No is an answer. Sometimes what you want isn’t what you need. Sometimes the answer is, “Maybe later.” Which is different when God says it than when I do. if I say, “Maybe later,” I probably mean “No” but I’m trying to be nice. Ha.
The signs and wonders of the apostles were a testimony to the message of the Gospel they were preaching. The miracles always served to point to Jesus. The message of salvation was the reason they happened—not just so sick people could be temporarily relieved of their sickness before they died. The healings were never the point. We are not promised to be healed in this life—but we will be healed in the next.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:44-45
This is an outflowing of that fellowship/koinonia we were talking about. They didn’t want anyone in the church to suffer or go hungry. They were generous with each other. They put their resources together for the good of the group. They made their own economy.
So, what’s the deal? Are we supposed to be communists? Socialists? Is that what this is saying?
You’re really hoping the answer to that question is “no” aren’t you?
The Bible is not telling us to be communists or socialists. Everywhere communism and socialism has been forced on the population, the first thing they do is try to kill faith— they always start with “There is no God” because they want to be god. Then they kill off happiness and joy until they end up killing their people, their culture, and their civilization. They promise utopia and deliver starvation and hopelessness.
So, no. That the early church had all things in common is not an endorsement of communism—there was no attempt to abolish private property. It isn’t talking about a system of government, this is a picture of the early church.
There’s a difference between prescriptive and descriptive—between when God is telling us to do something and when He’s describing what happened. This is descriptive. There was no command for the people to sell their stuff and give the money to the church, this wasn’t top down, no one told them to do it—they just wanted to. This was an overflowing of generosity. People were hungry, they had financial needs, and if BillyBob had an extra donkey, then he sold it and gave the money to his church family.
This has been the work of the church ever since. Most of the charitable giving that happens in the world is done by Christians. Without the church, there would be no hospitals, schools, disaster relief organizations, no human rights, slavery would still be the norm, and the world would be even more dog eat dog, every man for himself than it is. The Gospel invented the idea of the happy ending, happily ever after—before the Gospel, all life was a one-way ticket to death and that’s it. The resurrection of Jesus and His promise to give His people eternal life changed the way we think about where this is all going.
So, it’s not telling us what to do with our property but it is a challenge to be generous with each other. If you hear of anyone in our church who needs anything, I hope you’re the first person in line to offer it. Don’t wait to be asked. No one wants to ask.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. Acts 2:46-47
This church was in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people—it’s where the temple was located—the central place of worship. So that’s where they showed up to praise God, to pray, to meet with their Christian friends. They wouldn’t have taken part in the sacrifices anymore, though. Jesus was the final, perfect, once and for all time sacrifice.
Then they’d invite some of their new friends to their houses, continue talking about Jesus, teaching all the things He taught, they’d sing together, pray together. They were so filled with joy. They did everything with glad and generous hearts.
This feeling of elation wasn’t going to last forever. Mountaintops never do. But this was a glorious and beautiful start to the era of the church.
These new Christians couldn’t contain themselves. They told everyone they met.
And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:47
The church kept growing. Thousands of people showed up at the temple every day with all this excitement about their faith. They share their money and food. They’re singing together and listening with great interest to stories about Jesus. People couldn’t help but be attracted to it.
Can you feel a little of the excitement they must have had in those early days of Christianity?
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine. Our world is growing more sour toward the church every day.
But sometimes people notice that Christianity is actually good for the world. Sometimes they notice the church is a blessing.
Sometimes philosophers like Aristides blog about it or post on social media—when they notice the kindness and generosity of the church. When they notice the forgiveness and lack of retaliation against our enemies. Sometimes they’re impressed with our integrity and the way we love each other.
I wonder what Aristides would notice these days? About the church—in our time, in our country—what would he say about NewChurch?
I’ve heard it said that if I get up here and preach a sermon that would still be true if Christ hasn’t risen from the dead, that I have not preached a Christian sermon. I think that’s probably true. Everything should be grounded on the resurrection.
But it got me thinking about the rest of what I do. If I live a day the same way I would have lived if Christ hadn’t risen from the dead—is that really the life of a Christian? What did you do yesterday that you wouldn’t have done if Jesus wasn’t risen? What will you do differently today because of your belief in His resurrection? Or tomorrow, or the rest of the week?
Look, there’s no condemnation for anyone who’s in Christ Jesus. But shouldn’t our faith in Him make a difference in how we live?
What would an observant man like Aristides notice if he spent some time with us?
This is what I would like him to see…
I’d like him to see a gathering of people who show up excited to get together with their church family to worship the one true God in the name of Jesus. Giving thankful praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I’d like him to see joy.
See that we’re genuinely interested in the teaching of Jesus that was faithfully handed down to us from the apostles. That we’re devoted to these teachings, and to our fellowship, and to praying and singing together in worship.
That we hate to miss Sunday services, and miss each other when we’re not here.
I’d want him to notice how we stick around and eat together. Talk and laugh together. That we like each other. That we invite each other over to our houses for midweek Bible studies and fellowship. Not every day, but once a week or so.
I’d like him to see that we are people of integrity—we are not easily shaken in our faith. We are not driven by our emotions. That we love each other and show each other the same kind of patience and grace that God shows us.
I’d definitely want him to be impressed with how generous we are. In giving to each other, in giving to the ministry, in giving to the community. That we step up to help anyone we see who has a need.
I’d want him to notice that we are hospitable and welcoming to anyone—rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, young, old, left, right. That all kinds of sinners are welcome to come here and find mercy.
That we are faithful in our marriages. That we are not obsessed with sex. But we’re also forgiving and gracious toward people who are.
That we’re kind to our children without worshiping them.
That we pray together and pray for each other because we know our help comes from the LORD. That any good works or ethical behavior are a byproduct of our faith, not a way to earn our salvation—which is by grace through faith alone.
That our belief in the resurrection gives us courage to face anything in this life because we know this isn’t all there is. That we live differently because Jesus is alive.
That NewChurch is good for the world. That the world is a better place because NewChurch exists. Wouldn’t that be something? In this world that’s growing more and more bitter towards Jesus and His church—wouldn’t that be something?
And the truth is, all those things are happening here. Not perfectly, we all know that. But God pours out His blessing on us and through us—the world is a better place because you answered the call to be here, and I am very thankful for all of you.