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The Acts 2 and 4 Church
Life Groups At Fellowship NEW LIFE MEANS NEW LIFESTYLES
The converts from Peter’s sermon remained in Jerusalem for a while, perhaps as guests of the handful of local believers. They celebrated their new life in Christ in five important ways (Acts 2:42–47):
(1) they listened to the apostles’ teaching;
(2) they practiced community by sharing meals;
(3) they worshiped God with praise;
(4) they demonstrated lifestyle changes by sharing their possessions with each other; and
(5) they cared for each others’ needs.
These essential behaviors of the first believers form a challenging summary of behaviors that should characterize believers today. The Word In Life Study Bible
Reconnecting Sunday and Monday
Does the faith you celebrate on Sunday sometimes feel disconnected from the “real world” you face on Monday? The newly formed group of believers (Acts 2:46–47) closed that gap by practicing a rhythm of two kinds of experiences—gathering for growth and worship balanced by scattering into the world for work and to communicate the gospel to non-Christian friends and coworkers.
Notice this rhythm of gathering for refinement and scattering for engagement as we see it progressing in Acts 4–9:
This pattern continues throughout Acts as the narrative moves back and forth between internal meetings of the church and external encounters with the surrounding culture. The account includes more than twenty refinement narratives and more than fifty engagement narratives. We clearly see a connection between the development of faith and its delivery.
Believers today could help to reconnect Sundays and Mondays by moving through this same cycle. The gathering process might include worship services, praise gatherings, prayer meetings, fellowship over meals, and teaching for growth. Such encounters prepare us for Monday’s world of work and responsibility, filled as it often is with pressures, conflicts, and opportunities to engage unbelievers as they inspect or perhaps even oppose our faith.
Rather than being disconnected, these two worlds need to be vitally connected. The refinement of our faith as we gather for growth supplies much-needed strength as we engage the world Monday through Saturday. On the other hand, the realities of life outside the fellowship can alert us to areas where we need to grow in faith.
Are you reconnecting Sunday and Monday by practicing this rhythm? Is there a link between the resources of your faith community and the demands of your world? Are there ways to improve the connections? ♦ The Word In Life Study Bible
We believe
that the "pictures" of the church in Acts 2 (vs 42-47) and 4 (vs
32-35) are intended to be a model for local churches in every age.
We desire to be an Acts 2 & 4 church!
The New King James Version.
Acts 2: 42 lAnd they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ 5doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and mmany wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and nhad all things in common, 45 and 6sold their possessions and goods, and odivided 7them among all, as anyone had need.
46 pSo continuing daily with one accord qin the temple, and rbreaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And sthe Lord added 8to the church daily those who were being saved.
The Amplified New Testament
Acts 2: 42 And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers.
43 And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers).
44 And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common;
45 And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need.
46 And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts,
47 Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death].
Sharing Things in Common
4:32–35 The first Christians were extraordinarily generous. In fact, “they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32–35), an ideal that pure communism advocated but never achieved. So were these first believers in some sense communists?
No. In the first place, they were not setting up an economic system here, but simply responding to each other with gracious, Christlike compassion. Such behavior was one powerful result of the outpouring of the Spirit (2:1–4). Unfortunately, not all New Testament believers demonstrated that kind of concern (5:1–11; 1 Cor. 6:8; James 4:1–2).
Furthermore, Scripture never mandates an equal distribution of goods, nor does it call for the elimination of property or ownership. This passage (along with Acts 2:44–45) is a historical account, not a doctrinal treatise. It documents the work of God in building the early church.
In that day, as in ours, there were both rich and poor Christians (2 Cor. 8:2; 1 Tim. 6:17–19). And when the New Testament does address issues such as wealth, care for the poor, work, equality, widows, slaves, and public justice, it inevitably calls believers to compassion and generosity; but not to asceticism, the idea that one can become more godly through self-denial and renouncing worldly wealth. In fact, Paul warns against that (Col. 2:18–23). The Bible condemns the love of wealth, not its possession, as a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:9–10).
Reading about these early Christians, modern believers are challenged to consider: Do we, with our much higher standard of living, show the same commitment to generosity as these believers? If we, too, are filled with the Spirit of Christ, then we ought to respond to the needs of people with the love of Christ. The Word In Life Study Bible
Sharing in All Things
The New King James Version.
Acts 4: 32 Now the multitude of those who believed gwere of one heart and one soul; hneither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with igreat power the apostles gave jwitness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And kgreat grace was upon them all. 34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; lfor all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 mand laid them at the apostles’ feet; nand they distributed to each as anyone had need.
The Amplified New Testament
Acts 4: 32 Now the company of believers was of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything which he possessed was [exclusively] his own, but everything they had was in common and for the use of all.
33 And with great strength and ability and power the apostles delivered their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace (loving-kindness and favor and goodwill) rested richly upon them all.
34 Nor was there a destitute or needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses proceeded to sell them, and one by one they brought (gave back) the amount received from the sales
35 And laid it at the feet of the apostles (special messengers). Then distribution was made according as anyone had need.
Thru the Bible commentary. J. Vernon McGee
THE CHURCH WHICH HAS COME INTO EXISTENCE
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers [Acts 2:42].
I have a little booklet called the Spiritual Fingerprints of the Visible Church. How can you identify a real church? Notice the four marks of identification. First, They continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. The mark of a church is not the height of the steeple nor the sound of the bell. It is not whether the pulpit is stationed in the middle or the chancel is divided. The important issue is whether or not they hold to the apostles’ doctrine. Correct doctrine was one of the fingerprints of the visible church. Secondly, fellowship. They were sharing the things of Christ. The third, breaking of bread. Breaking of bread is more than just going through the ritual of the Lord’s Supper. It means being brought into a fellowship and a relationship with Christ. The fourth, prayers. I’m afraid in the average church today it is a little fingerprint. That is, prayer is the evident weakness of the church. Actually, the greatest asset of any church is prayer.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles [Acts 2:43].
It was the apostles who had the sign gifts.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
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,
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved [Acts 2:44–47].
Never has the church been as spiritually strong as it was at that time. This type of living would never work today because we have too many carnal Christians. And, notice, it was the Lord who did the adding to the church.
The home cell groups at Fellowship are called "LIFE" Groups (LIFE stands for "Living In Fellowship Everyday").