A COLLECTION OF SERMONS AND ARTICLES  

Table of     Contents

ACTS SERIES:

April 14^th 1998

 

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Introduction

The place of teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers was at the heart of the life of the church in Jerusalem. Each activity was enthusiastically and fruitfully employed to the benefit of the individual members, the congregation as a whole and the work of the Gospel. It thus brought glory to God.

This paper will examine the context of these activities in the early Jerusalem church, as well as each activity and its role as a vital ingredient.

Background

We first come across these activities at the very inception of the Church, just after Pentecost. We read of all four activities in Acts 2:42-47, just after Peter preached his evangelistic sermon that led to the conversion of around 3,000 people.

In response to his call to accept Jesus as the Christ, the people were deeply moved, "cut to the heart," (Acts 2:37) and with great emotion, asked, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter responded, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (verse 38).

In response to his call to accept Jesus as the Christ, the people were deeply moved, “cut to the heart,” (Acts 2:37) and with great emotion, asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?”  Peter responded, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (verse 38).

They were consequently baptised as an outward symbol of their repentance and trust in Jesus as Saviour.  They received the Holy Spirit, and were placed in body of Jesus Christ.

Many of the converts were “God fearers” from far and wide (Acts 2:5-12).  These people were Jews (not Gentiles[1]).  They may have been Jews who were visiting Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost, or perhaps Jews who had formerly lived in the Diaspora lands at some earlier time, but who had returned to live in Jerusalem[2].

The reasons for these activities

It would seem logical that it was largely due to their excitement and zeal for the gospel, that the new believers, both visitors and locals, stayed on together in Jerusalem.  As already noted, they had been greatly impacted by what Peter had taught, and it is clear their motivation went beyond baptism.  Now they were fuelled and led by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and as it is translated in the NASB “everyone kept feeling a sense of awe” (v.  43).[3]

We read in Acts 2:42, “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”[4]  Richard Longenecker in his commentary on this verse writes; “The verb translated "devoted" (proskartereo) is a common one that connotes a steadfast and singleminded fidelity to a certain course of action.”

They had much to unlearn, and much to learn from the Apostles who Jesus had personally trained to teach.  They were steeped in the views of Judaism, and now their hearts and minds had been opened they recognised that a new life and faith had begun.  They were a tiny group who had been dramatically and unexpectedly thrown together. They had a great desire to learn more of Jesus and the good news the apostles had to teach, as well as to spend time with others that shared the same faith and joy.  They continually recognised their need of the support of one another through fellowship, and most of all the support and guidance of God through prayer.

The vital ingredients of church life in Jerusalem

1.      “Teaching”

The word translated “teaching” in Acts 2:42, is didache, which in normal New Testament usage “denotes Christ’s message (with his call to repentance and faith) and the early Christian preaching in the widest sense.”[5]

The first vital ingredient for successful church life at any time is a knowledge of the truth of the gospel.  Jesus had much to say about the need to know and live by the truth (John 3:21; 4:23-24; 8:32).  In his final instructions to the disciples, Jesus commanded them to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).

The teaching the members continually devoted themselves was “the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42).  This teaching gave the early church its doctrinal foundation, delineated its means and reason for existence, its unity, direction and motivation.

John spells out the basis of the apostles’ teaching in I John 1:1-7;

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

It is interesting to see in John’s writing that teachings of the church are inextricably linked with fellowship (v. 5-7).

2.  “The fellowship”

The common bond, the basis of fellowship for the church in Jerusalem was the common light they walked in, the doctrine and teaching of the Apostles.  It was fellowship based on a common belief and faith in Jesus as the Son of God, and Saviour.  The members continually dedicated themselves to this fellowship with one another, and as we shall see in a moment, to fellowship with God.

They were devoted to "the fellowship." The definite article "the" means that there was something special, distinguishing about the disciples’ fellowship. 

The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia.   It means, “an association involving close mutual relations and involvement - close association, fellowship.” [6]  It can also mean, “participation” and “communion”[7] and “to share in something” or giving or “impartation” of a gift.[8]  

J. Schattenmann describes the koinonia we see in the Jerusalem church as highlighting the oneness and “unanimity” that was brought about by the Holy Spirit.  He notes that “The Hellenist Luke clearly had in mind the Pythagoreans and the Essenes.  The educated reader would have got the impression that here the Greek ideal of society had been realized.”[9]

I. Howard Marshall writes;

Much of the New Testament material is plain teaching about the promises of God. Faith must be nourished on this theology of God's care for the believer. Hence there are frequent commands addressed to the members of the Church to examine themselves. Those who have an inadequate or merely nominal faith must be led to a true faith in Christ, and those who already believe must be urged to maintain the faith which they already have. Such exhortation is given through preaching and teaching. In this connection we have noted a frequent injunction to believers not to neglect meeting together. No doubt this is in order that they may have the benefit of exhortation and the sense of unity and encouragement which arises through Christian fellowship. But for this injunction in the fact that in the meeting of believers the presence of God is especially felt. In the meeting the Church becomes in reality the body of Christ in which the Spirit operates as believers aid each other.[10]

Plainly the members learned together, not as isolated individuals pursuing their own version of Christian teaching.  They needed the gifts God had given to the combined body.  They needed those with the gift of teaching to teach them the gospel of Jesus.  

The poor needed and benefited from the physical help and provision that came from fellowship with those who were gifted with more physical resources (Acts 2:42-45). According to Schattenmann, “The individual was completely upheld by the community.[11]

It appears that many members of the Jerusalem church lived with continuing financial difficulties.  Many rural peasants and fisherman had moved down from Galilee and other agrarian areas and some no doubt had problems with making a living in the city.  The “economic state of Palestine deteriorated through famine and continued unrest.”[12]  The collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem that Paul gives evidence of continuing poverty there (Romans 15:26).

Clearly then, through this koinonia, this mutual sharing, giving and support amongst the members in Jerusalem, the needy were taken care of.  All goods were treated as belonging to all.  “All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need” (Acts 2:44-45 see also Acts 4:32-35).

Additionally, all members benefited from the hospitality of those with homes to share to enable this fellowship to go on.  The fellowship also, no doubt, consisted of emotional sharing and support as well as they regularly got together. 

There would have been a healthy synergy to this fellowship.  The whole became much greater than the sum of its parts as the Holy Spirit utilised each individual’s gifts, and built the body up as we see described by Paul in I Corinthians 12. 

3. “The breaking of bread”

Part of the life of the church and its fellowship consisted of sharing meals together.  We read of this in Acts 2:42, and also in verses 46-47;

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Again, this also was a consistent, dedicated, single minded activity.  It appears that it was more than sitting down to a meal together.  Richard Longenecker comments;

...it is difficult to believe that Luke had in mind here only an ordinary meal, placing the expression as he does, between two such religiously loaded terms as "the fellowship" and "prayer." Even an ordinary meal among Jews, of course, would have had something of a sacred flavour. In a Christian setting, where hearts were warmed by devotion, it would have been an occasion for joy, love, and praise connected inevitably with Jesus.[13]

These were special close occasions where there was an intimate, open, loving communication and sharing of the new faith and common calling. 

It is possible, and many commentators believe it is so, that the breaking of bread being referred to here along with fellowship and prayer is a regular partaking of the Lord's Supper.[14]  Jesus was their bread of life, and the basis of their fellowship was with him, and the Father and the Holy Spirit.

4. “Prayer”

Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Besides being devoted to the to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread we are also told they were devoted to prayer. 

Prayer is essentially fellowship with God.  The Jerusalem church saw prayer as a vital ingredient.  They practiced the saying, “the Church moves forward on its knees.”  The teaching they were devoted to, the fellowship and breaking of bread they enjoyed and benefited from, led them to pray, to fellowship with God.  To praise and thank him for all he had provided; teaching, and fellowship, his taking care of their spiritual and physical needs.

No doubt they prayed both in private and together.  The context of the whole passage we have been looking at is what they did together.  Acts 2:44-46;

All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

They “were together”, it says.  They learned, they communicated intimately and shared special meals together, they praised God and they prayed together.

The whole thrust is one of being together in joy, closeness, learning, fellowshipping, worshipping and praying.  There is great power in God' people doing these things together as we read from Howard Marshall earlier.  Praying together was also a bonding experience of fellowship, just like the other vital ingredients of church life in Jerusalem that we have discussed.

Conclusion

The practices of devotion to the apostle’s teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer were plainly unifying and edifying for the church at Jerusalem.

One of the problems extant in much of modern Western Church life is the proliferation of individualism, Christians living their lives to themselves and for themselves, and keeping religious life private.   What a sad contrast to the spiritual life of the early church in Jerusalem where fellowship and common worship were the vital ingredients of life they continually devoted themselves to.

Theirs is a wonderful ideal for us to work towards, and the fact that a record of it has been preserved for us today should encourage us to seek God's help in growing in these ingredients of a healthy, uniting and growing church.

 It is encouraging to see that these practices in the early church were accompanied by God given growth. “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).

What a wonderful atmosphere for God to place new converts into!

Works Cited

Longenecker, Richard N. The Acts of the Apostles. Vol.9 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein & J.D. Douglas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981.

Louw, Johannes P. and Nida, Eugene A. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1988, 1989.

Marshall, I. Howard. Kept By The Power of God. Carlisle: Paternoster Press, revised ed., 1995.

 The New American Standard Bible. La Habra, California: The Lockman Foundation, 1977.

Schattenmann, J.  “Fellowship” Vol.1 of The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. ed. Colin Brown. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976.

Hauk, F. “koinonos.” The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume, abridged by Geoffrey Bromiley, ed. Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard Friedrich. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1985.

Wegenast, K. “Teaching.” Vol. 3 of The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. ed. Colin Brown. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976.