An attractive Fellowship
Scripture: Acts 2:41-47
A Church of friendly strangers.
Prisoners: Forced separation from trusted comrades.
It’s not good for man to be alone.
In the first century Church, believers were unified, Christ was magnified, and the Church was multiplied. Devil’s job is to divide the believers, disgrace Christ and decrease the Church movement.
The first century Church never had many of the stuff we have today. But they had better stuff than us. Let us see from Acts what made their fellowship so attractive. Acts 2:41-47.
Vs. 41 The Church began with 3000 conversions on one day.
Vs.47 the Church continued to grow as the Lord added people to the Church daily. The verses between 41 and 47 describe what will happen when the Holy mobilizes ordinary men and women in extra ordinary ways.
5 ATTRACTIONS OF THE EARLY CHURCH FELLOWSHIP:
1) Word centered life: Vs. 42
High priority in knowing and applying the truth in life.
Faithful to the word and not to the popular teachings of the modern day.
Mixing creates confusion.
Progressive in methods but conservative in message.
When we are nailed to 2000 years before times, then we will experience the same power the first century Church experienced.
2) Vital, life transforming worship: Vs. 42, 46, 47
Vs. 42, 46; breaking of the bread refers to fellowship meals followed by the Lord’s Supper.
1 Cor 11:17 onwards, we can see how the fellowship meal was abused by the rich, humiliating the have not’s. When divisions appear like this, judgment appears to reveal the genuine.
Vs. 47. They were praising God. (Not praising people or gossiping)
There was a sustained atmosphere of worship in the lives of people. For them worship was a way of life. They were called people of the way.
Vs. 43 their worship was an uplifting worship. People were filled with awe. People came with a mix of fear and excitement wondering what God will do next.
Vs. 47 their life style worship won the favor of all people.
It was attractive even for the outsiders. They were amazed and wanted to know more about what they heard. True worship always creates a hunger for God and His word.
3) Caring relationship with other believers: vs. 42, 44, 46
Koinonia: to share something in common. (Generosity/ fellowship/ sharing/ participation in Koinos)
3 times it’s recorded that they were together. Shared meals or eating together played a major role in their fellowship. The early Church believers were all together all the times. High technology eased our life but isolated us from each other. Our quest for more privacy has come at the cost of enormous personal loneliness or paranoid loneliness.
We should become a community of grace. Accountability and responsibility produces dignity and freedom.
4) Prayer centered relationships: vs. 42, 43
We should become a community of faith reflecting God revealing signs to a unbelieving world.
48 times “they prayed” is repeated in the book of Acts.
Vs. 42: devoted to prayer
Vs. 43: everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the Apostles.
Their prayer atmosphere was conducive to the miracles.
Mat 13:58 And Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
He didn’t do many miracles there because of their hostile indifference. (MSG)
Signs and no signs are two extremes. The godly will avoid both.
Mark 11:17; my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.
When we pray together for the people groups around us then nations will stream in.
Acts 1:12-14; The Church was conceived in prayer.
Mat 5:44, 45; Gives us the mantra to get rid of our enemies. How? By praying for them.
It may or may not change them, but it will certainly change our attitude towards them.
No Church can become a power house or a light house without much prayer.
5) Practically ministering to those in need: vs. 44, 45
They were pooling resources to meet the need of the needy in their midst. It was not done forcefully but with joy voluntarily. Many considered their property as their birth right and so never to be shared with the poor.
So what made the fellowship so attractive?
They all shared a common faith in Jesus. Acts 2:1- 11 reveals that they were from a mixed multitude differing ethnic groups, various skin colors, different cultures and languages. Their unity in Jesus in the midst of diversity made them so attractive.
Results:
Healthy on the inside
Attractive on the outside
Filled with joy
Continual multiplication of Church.
Presence of God was everywhere.
