The activities of early church

The activities of early church

The background of Acts 2, when Peter and the apostles won more converts on the day of Pentecost, about three thousand souls than Jesus during the three years of His ministry. The Jews had crucified Jesus less than two months earlier. It was not popular or healthy to be a believer. So, the early church was born in a hostile society. But take note what Jesus said in John 14:12:
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

1. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship (Acts 2:42).

The new Christian community was giving steadfast adherence to the apostles teaching and fellowship (didache and koinonia). There was a unity of belief and of spirit, the breaking of bread. So the Lord supper was observed regularly. The bible was the foundation of fellowship. We can say that it like explanations of “the nature of salvation, the person and work of Christ, the commands of Christ and Christian life, and the message of the kingdom.” They were firmly established in the pure teachings of the bible.

2. Everyone was filled with awe (Acts 2: 43).

They saw themselves as a body with a common band, they were of the same heart and soul, and these people could sense that God was at work. The miracles also were signs to the Jews that the new age they were looking for was dawning; such signs are closely connected to the evangelistic ministry of the church. They experienced wonders and signs, the question are rises? Which are still valid for the church today? In the bible we can see that through the means of spiritual gifts in NT (I Corintians 12).

3. All That Believed Were Together

The Bible says they "all" came together. It appears twice in Acts 2:44, and once in 45. It means they met together. Part of their strength was in that they came together. Because of their faith in Christ they were alienated from Jewish society. Thus the local church became their "support group." The early church developed an attitude of truly enjoy each other, and one of the key was sincerity, which gave rise to an openhearted fellowship. That’s why they had sincerity, joy, and praise in worship.

Take notes these following verses:

1 Corinthians 12:12, " For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ."

Verse 18 “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” Each person has a gift, an ability to do a job in the church that needs doing.

Verse 25 That there should be no schism (division) in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

In Verse 27-28 Paul explains that Gods gives the gifts as it pleases Him.

4. They broke bread in their homes, ate together and praise the Lord

The breaking bread included both the Lord’s Supper and fellowship meals. “They… ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46). House fellowships were common in the early church; later they developed into “house church.” The joy came from the heart, and when God’s people come together and enjoy fellowship, “praising God” is the natural result (47). True fellowship focuses on God and helps people to remember the good things he has done. “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (47).

5. What does biblical fellowship include?

1) Biblical Fellowship has at its heart Love and acceptance.

Ephesians 3:17-19:
So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

2) Biblical Fellowship is a Family of God on Earth.
Our home is in heaven, thus as strangers here in the world, we are different from the world, so when we joined this church we joined this family.

3) Fellowship requires concern and being gentle with the offended
Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

4) Fellowship requires confession and forgiveness.
James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Even though sometimes gossiping, bitterness, criticizing, hinders the spirit of freedom for forgiveness and confession and will kill the spirit in the church and it be like throwing cold water on the freedom to fellowship with each other.

5) Fellowship seeks to serve and help each other.

Hebrew 10:23-25:
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We can say that fellowship involves encouragement and availability. And we cannot do these things if we have something against someone else.

6) Let our fellowship be in actual doing the will of God

Hebrew 10: 1,2 said: Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrew 10:14-16: For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Our fellowship should involve informality and flexibility, and praise to God in actual doing, show love or hospitality towards others, this is what pleases to God.