The Spirit-Filled Church (Acts 2:42-47)

Where: College Baptist Church

When: May 6, 2001

Why: To discover the characteristics of the early church which should typify the Spirit-filled church, including learning, fellowshipping, worshipping, praying, having a sense of awe at God's working, sharing, having joy, and being a welcoming church.

Text: Acts 2:42-47

Introduction

Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost was his first. It may have been his greatest. In obedience to the Jesus Christ, that is, Jesus the Messiah, he and others had been waiting for the promised Holy Spirit who would enable them to fulfill the will and command of their King to be witnesses and make disciples of all the nations.

After ten days of waiting, they were baptized in the Holy Spirit, just as God had promised. And the God the Holy Spirit got their attention. The sudden sound of a violent wind! A large flame hovering in the air, scattering to rest upon each of the believers! The wonderful utterances when they opened their mouths! They spilled into the streets for people were running to hear what the noise was all about. And they spoke. And everyone heard them eloquently bringing glory to God in their native tongue, as if they were natives of their own country!

People were amazed. But some mocked. And Peter preached. Peter proclaimed the fulfillment of Joel's prophesy declaring a new phase of God's grace to humanity and the indwelling and working of the Spirit in what would become known as the church of Christ. He drew their attention to Jesus whom they had crucified. He declared, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

The people were struck with conviction. This too is the work of the Holy Spirit, drawing people to Christ, getting their attention, showing them their need. And they called out, Brothers, what shall we do? (2:37). Peter directed them to repent, a demonstration of faith and intention to change, and to be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah. Totally identify with Him. Show through an outward sign that may happen to cause alienation with your former way of life as a Jew, that you know belong to, believe in, and live under the sovereign rule of the Lord Messiah.

That day 3,000 were added to the 120!

Transition

When we want to understand God's intention for mankind and the nature of humanity's relationship with God, we often go back to the beginning-to the blueprint of creation. When we want to understand God's intention for His church one place we go is to it's day of creation-the Day of Pentecost and those weeks and months after it's inception.

Many things have changed since that Pentecost. They aren't all bad. Unfortunately though, it seems that through the centuries we have often strayed from the innocence and dynamics experienced by the early church through their fresh experience of the Holy Spirit's filling and working. We frequently need to return to the blueprint to discover some of the principles and dynamics that the Spirit fostered as the church grew in it's most infant phase.

One thing of which we can be certain: the church described in Acts 2:42-47 was a Spirit-filled church. What identifying dynamics are reflected in the infant church that we can expect to see in the modern Spirit-filled church? [I am grateful to William Barclay for his delineation of the characteristics of the early church, which I have modified and adapted. Barclay, William, Daily Study Bible Series: The Acts of the Apostles (Revised Edition), (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press) 2000, c1976.]

It was a learning church 2:42

1. 2:42. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching . . .
2. Young's Literal Translation reads, ⁴²And they were continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles. . .
3. 3,000 new Christians! When it says "they devoted themselves . . ." this is who it is talking about.
4. The first church was hungry for God's Word. They had to grow. The lapped it up like a thirsty puppy on a hot day. 1 Peter 2:2. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.
5. What were the apostles teaching? All they remembered that Jesus had said. New insight and understanding into the Torah, the Prophets, the Psalms and wisdom books. The Holy Spirit Himself was teaching them, showing them what to pass on to these eager believers.
6. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching.
1. It's a bit like that old phrase "practice makes perfect."
2. We are amazed by the consistency of some athletes. As we watch the NBA playoffs we are impressed with the consistency some have. For example, some are consistently hitting over 80% of their free throws. Why? Devotion to learning and application-lots of practice. Even Shaq has improved as a result of good coaching and devotion to learning and application.
7. One indication that a church is Spirit-filled is it's hunger and thirst for God's Word. And as this snapshot of the church pictures, they were a church that didn't just learn about God's Word. They did God's Word. James 1 teaches us that the hearing and doing go hand in hand-a church has not learned God's Word until it is doing God's Word.

It was a fellowshipping church 2:42

1. 2:42. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship. . .
2. It is interesting that this is the first time that "fellowship" (koinonia) is used to describe what happens among believers. The word isn't used in the gospels.
1. The root idea is "commonness" or "commonality." [Hughes, R. Kent, Preaching the Word: Acts-The Church Afire, (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books) 1998, c1996.]
2. The basic meaning of koinoµnia (fellowship) is "partnership," or "sharing." [ MacArthur, John F., Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press) 1996.]
3. Fellowship is the proverbial "two fellows in one ship."
1. It's being together-and maybe that's why we often refer to eating together as fellowship. But it's more than a potluck, though fellowship can occur over a casserole. It's learning together.
2. It's working things out together. It's applying God's Word together. Fellowship is the idea behind the many "one another" verses. Like be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10). Like honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10). Like serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). Like stop passing judgment on one another (Romans 14:13). Like be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ in God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32). And so many more.
4. A Spirit-filled church partners together, is together, is many interdependent parts integrated into a whole. A Spirit-filled Christian will be committed to the fellowship of the local church.

It was a worshipping church 2:42

1. 2:42. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread . . .
2. The centerpiece of our worship today has been the celebration of the Lord's Supper. This is the breaking of bread. Jesus had only recently implemented this worship memorial. When the church breaks bread together, Jesus Christ and His substitutionary sacrifice becomes the centerpiece of the meeting.
3. 2:46. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
1. 2:46 also indicates they were regularly meeting in each others homes.
2. They participated in both large gatherings which were committed to worship as well as small groups.

It was a praying church 2:42

1. 2:42. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
2. We have noted how Jesus had said that His house would be called "a house of prayer" (Matthew 21:13).
1. He had a new house now-it was a spiritual temple not made with hands.
2. Ephesians 2:19-22. ¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
3. A distinguishing mark of the Spirit-filled church is it's commitment to prayer. Prayer recognizes the source all strength and provision in the Christian life. Prayer applies the truth of John 15:5-apart from me you can do nothing. "Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence." [MacArthur, John F., Acts: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press) 1996.]
4. God moves in answer to prayer. As the Spirit-filled church prays, the Holy Spirit leads and guides the church to pray faithfully and in faith according to God's will.

It was a reverent church 2:43

1. 2:43. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
2. It is amazing to know God is at work. It is awe-inspiring. His ways are greater and beyond ours. He works to glorify His name.
3. Are there things in our lives and in the life of our church that has just struck us with awe because of the clear evidence that God is at work? God was at work and they did not have a casual attitude about it. They were on holy ground. The glory of God filled the spiritual temple of which they were a part.

It was a sharing church 2:44, 45

1. 2:44, 45. ⁴⁴All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
2. They were a sharing church and it is reflective of the idea of fellowship that I mentioned just a few moments ago. They cared for each other in practical ways. They were together so they were able to discern each others needs, and knowing needs, they were moved with love by the Holy Spirit to fill those needs.
3. They had "everything in common" seems to reflect the level of Spirit-led desire to share with each other. It doesn't seem to indicate a commitment to communal living like we might have known from the hippie movement in the 60's or 70's nor is this the first application of the theories of Karl Marx. 2:46 indicates that they continued to eat together in their homes, so they still possessed personal domiciles and used them as a blessing from God to bless others with godly hospitality.
4. But there was no greediness. Things were seen as an opportunity to bless others in Christian love. Not something to hoard. Or to use a measure of prestige. They gladly and willing sold their possessions in order to bless others.
5. I think it is safe to say that their expenses did not outpace their giving.

It was a happy church.

1. 2:46b. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.
2. A by-product of the filling of the Spirit is freedom and joy. We cannot be filled with the Spirit if we harbor known sin in our heart. Part of the work of the Spirit is to show us our sin and lead us to confession and repentance . . . and restitution and reconciliation when it is appropriate. With His filling then comes incredible freedom and release. Joy flows through our hearts and the church like a river of living water. With barriers broken down and sin forgiven and the Holy Spirit reigning sovereign in us, hearts are glad, sincere and free. Sincere joy and uninhibited laughter become characteristic of the fellowship.

It was a welcoming church.

1. It's hard to imagine that people would not want to be a part of a Spirit-filled church. A sense of God's presence. Wonderful workings from God. Healed hearts and relationships. A continual devotion to hearing and applying God's Word. The delight of freely and in faith sharing with others in need. The freedom to be filled with joy. The hugs. The laughter. It is infectious.
2. 2:47. They were ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
3. People were attracted to the work of God. They praised God and people were positively disposed toward them. The "enjoyed the favor" or "goodwill" of everyone. It was a magnet to those were ready to receive.
4. They were an evangelizing church. Every day people were saved. Every day people placed their faith in Christ. Every day the number of believers increased.

Conclusion

When I was in college in Chicago in the '70's, I did a lot of church hopping. It was a phase of life in which I longed to learn. One thing of which I had become convinced-in my experience, the local church seldom was the kind of place I wanted to be at or become committed to.

Finally, my friends and I heard about a small house church in the farthest suburbs of Chicago that had some very attractive things going on. This was a time when there was a lot of backlash and reaction to the church. The Jesus Movement of the early 70's had popularized ideas like "give me Jesus, but don't give me the church." The thing is in God's plan, the two can't be separated. The church and Jesus are very closely connected. The church is His body and He is the head of the church. Sure there were flaws and deficiency in the organized church. But maybe the burden was on the church to change and become what Christ intended.

Without getting too deep into a philosophical and theological and ecclesiastical discussion-we discovered something in that small house church. We found a congregation that had a sense of awe of the presence of God. Weekly we heard testimonies of God's work among them. We heard insightful teaching from God's Word. We sensed a love, the fellowship, the sharing that was so often missing. People spent the day together, sharing food and themselves together.

No place is perfect. But all congregations of Christ's church can become places where people can eagerly learn God's Word, obedient in application, be wholehearted in worship, sense of awe of God's presence, dynamic in prayer, sacrificial in sharing, loving, accepting, forgiving in fellowship, winsome and welcoming in evangelism.

What can we do about it?

We first recognize our need.

We realize that it is not the characteristics and dynamics I have described for which we strive; rather it is the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

We repent of our sin, resisting the comfort with compromise and anything less than complete obedience with which Satan would have us be satisfied.

We invite the Holy Spirit to fill us.

We pray for ongoing sensitivity to Him and obedience to Him.

We start being what we in faith are confident is His desire for us to be.