Our Life Together-

Continued...

The First Christians were Eager!


(Imagine the pioneer spirit of the first settlers in this country and the excitement of finding out more about the newness of the United States


It is here in Acts 2 that we catch a glimpse of the pioneering spirits of our spiritual forefathers.


They were not caught up into the charisma or personalities of the people proclaiming the message. The focus is on God and his message of salvation. Fear came upon them as they beheld the many wonders and signs done by God through the apostles. They never lost sight of God.


They were focused on the message of the cross. The breaking of the bread tells us the focus of the apostles' teaching and their fellowship. Breaking bread is a phrase that refers to partaking of the communion that Christ instituted during the Passover. It was a fellowship focused on God through the message of the cross.

All The Believers Were Together

Beginning a new life focused on Christ brought them together in a devoted fellowship. Listen to Luke's simple description of worship. "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." (Acts 2:44-47)

Togetherness is important because it is encouraging.

Too often church attendance turns us into iceberg Christians where we just float around and bump into one another. The first fellowship meeting had little to do with church attendance and everything to do with togetherness. Although fellowship can't be had or be exciting without a bodily presence.

There was an intense feeling of responsibility for each other.

This is one of the major drawing powers of worship. They were, "Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." These offerings were coming from those who had "glad and sincere" hearts. No one could bear to have too much while others had too little. They are not just giving money; they are giving up their possessions and goods; they are giving themselves. These offerings were coming from those who had "glad and sincere" hearts. It reveals the heart and core of worship as they responded to God by responding to each other.

A Worship Filled With Awe and Wonder

At The heart of their worship was the celebration of God. It wasn't the design of the service . . . contemporary or traditional . . . it was God. They understood God's love made their worship possible. His love and devotion made possible a new life. Their worship was a result of being drawn to God through the effect of the cross. They were confident that Christ lived and died so they could be free from sin. This was the drawing power of the occasion.

Luke describes the worship service in the simplest terms

"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." (Acts 2:42-45)
The first fellowship of believers was made up of those who had a sure knowledge of their salvation through Christ's death and resurrection and were now enjoying his living presence. They were sure of who they were because they were sure of Christ. They were thoroughly convinced, soundly converted.
It was an emotional worship filled with fear and awe. A worshipful response was forthcoming as they saw the miracles, wonders and signs that God was doing through the apostles. They have no doubt but what the apostles have God's approval. They were worshiping God because of their experience of God. They had experienced the reality of their salvation. They saw the one behind it all. They never lost sight of God.


"Praising God" was the natural expression of their hearts for the supreme blessing they had found in Christ. What would happen to this church today if we sought to duplicate the spirit of that first assembly? It would probably be scary to most of us today.

They were An Attractive Fellowship

A sincere fellowship is always attractive.

Attractiveness is the natural quality that flows from a genuine fellowship. People want to know the source of it all. This helps church growth more than anything does. There were no outsiders or insiders. It was there that others saw the attractiveness of the fellowship of the first believers. It was that attitude that brought others into a relationship with God. Deepening my relationship with God, today on the Adventure in Middle Grove.