This doesn’t mean we HAVE to go to church every single day. The believers in Antioch were also thankful for what the local church at Jerusalem had previously done for them in sending Barnabas. That treatise ended on the day of ascension. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. They helped with the teaching, fellowship, witnessing, and finances of the local believers with them. This is an example of a genuinely energized minister of God who supported the local fellowships as God worked in him to do so. On Pentecost, the apostles were born again and spoke in tongues, magnifying God. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. Acts 4:29-31: It will help to keep the whole of the book before you as you work your way through each section. His conversion to Christianity is recorded in Acts 9. And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. Sorry, you have Javascript Disabled! Now they saw that they could support the need of another local fellowship, just as that local Jerusalem fellowship had helped them. One prominent feature seen in Acts is the operation of energized ministries that are directed by God. Do they characterize your church? Learn how your comment data is processed. • To equip one another to imitate the role models of the early church o First, to respond to the gospel with trust and loyalty towards … The early church was devoted to the apostles’ teaching. Philip needed the help of apostles (to give understanding about this “new” situation), so Peter and John travelled from the local church at Jerusalem to support a new local church in Samaria. Well done! They also brought another believer, John Mark, to help them in Antioch. Paul then continued with the disciples in Damascus and began to teach Christ. Paul and Barnabas were effective local ministers who for a whole year set an example and taught much people there. And he [Paul with Silas] went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. The book of Acts records Peter’s sermon as the only Pentecostal sermon (Acts 2:14–40). A. The leaders at this meeting sent Judas and Silas, local ministers, along to deliver the letter. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. This meeting at Jerusalem shows the clear, two-way communication needed among leaders. It alone presents an extensive picture of early church life and history. Acts 2:42,43: And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Acts 20:17: The Acts of the Apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the New Testament. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Or do things like parties, sport and homework come before church, youth group and Bible study? They then went to “Perga in Pamphylia” and later “came to Antioch in Pisidia.”, They were sent from the local church in Antioch of Syria and were now helping to set up local churches in these other cities, including the “other” Antioch. 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. Peter reached out from his local area of Jerusalem and won others to stand in their local areas. Chapter 2 records the beginning of the Church. But what is the pattern for church leadership that the Bible shows among first-century believers in the Book of Acts? The book of Acts is a record of the growth of the early church, started by Jesus’s disciples and then expanded by the Apostle Paul. Arriving back home in Antioch of Syria, Paul and Barnabas shared with their local church all that God had done for them. (1) B. The book focuses primarily on the acts of two apostles, Peter and Paul. Paul had a heart to encourage and support the local fellowships as a good minister of Jesus Christ. Peter and John resolved the situation with Simon and brought God’s solution to the people there. The inclination is going to be much stronger to pattern ourselves after what we see in Acts. Acts 13:1: The early church in Jerusalem may not be the perfect pattern for all that we do as a church today, but it is an excellent example of a church that is marked by love – love for God and love for others. This kind of remarkable generosity should be evident in our churches. This still refers to the local church at Jerusalem. Acts 2:44-47: Very clear and encouraging! One notable conversion contained in Acts is that of Saul of Tarsus. Afterward, he decided to go to visit Jerusalem and help the Judean believers that he loved in that local fellowship. Its initial chapters describe the Church's founding and early years; its later chapters describe the travels and actions of the apostle Paul. It was that certain men came down to Antioch “from Judaea” and spoke contrary to the truth of God’s Word. Persecution and Expansion 5. The apostles in an established local church at Jerusalem moved out to help this new local church in Samaria. This included Peter, Barnabas and Paul, and James. It is used more than sixty times in the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, and describes people being scattered abroad and dispersed among other nations. They listened and put into practice what they learned. The book of Acts records eyewitness accounts of the early Church from Christ's resurrection until about A.D. 60. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Comparing our churches to the early church in Acts can be a helpful way to check if our priorities are right. As prophets, Judas and Silas exhorted and confirmed the believers. They pray a particularly wonderful prayer in Acts 4, asking God for boldness to spread the gospel: “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. Are we devoted to listening, learning and letting what we read and hear change our lives? [1] Whereas the Gospel of Luke focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles builds upon what Jesus did and taught (see Acts 1:1), recounting the story of the young, emerging Church and the … God worked in local churches to support themselves, traveling ministers, and other local churches that were in need. Our churches can and should learn from the book of Acts. Ministers in the Body of Christ are to visit these local fellowships and strengthen them with God’s Word as God works mightily in those ministers. Acts 8:1,3: This is what we now have as the New Testament! They gave themselves full-time to praying and ministering God’s Word to others. Acts 15:41: Beautifully clear and inspiring and eliminates fear because we are free to carry out God’s will with joy! Could we be more generous to those around us, so no one is in need? You see, faithful Jews were to be devoted to Moses’ teaching. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. This special event began when the place where the apostles and other disciples were gathered was suddenly filled with the sound of a mighty wind and "tongues, as of fire" appeared to alight on … The word translated “church” comes from two Greek words that together mean “called out from the world for God.” Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. TheBookofActs. James the son of Zebedee had been killed, and now Peter was put in prison to await a similar fate. Acts 12:5: And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Shows how the free communication between and among ministers and churches helped the local churches meet the challenges of their day. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Especially their worship, leadership, sharing, perseverance, and involvement in the Great Commission. Then they commended them to the Lord. The believers in the early church were so thankful for everything Jesus had done for them, that they praised God fervently. Answer: The church began on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Passover when Jesus died and rose again. © Copyright 2021 Fervr | Terms of Service. The energized ministers there had a generally agreed upon plan for doing God’s will. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers visited and wrote to the local churches, maintaining good communication with other leaders. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, To see this page as it is meant to appear, please enable your Javascript! After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. II Corinthians 8:14: Every day, the early church grew as more people came to faith in Jesus Christ. One modern Christian writer describes how the early church worked together to carry out God’s will after Jesus Christ ascended. In looking at ekklēsia, the Greek word most often translated “church” in Acts, we see churches that are locally self-governed and are supported by energized ministers. Still, there is a little more going on in Acts 2:42 then first meets the eye. Acts 15:4: With this framework, God worked in the local church leaders and in the energized ministers who visited and wrote to them. Freedom in Christ for Your Life in the Light of God's Word, on The Local Church in the Book of Acts: A Pattern for Today, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), local leader to supervise and care for them. The early church met not just on Sundays, or on Friday night, or for a mid-week Bible study. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Sailing from there some time later, Paul continued on his journey. The apostles continued to teach God’s Word to support those who continued together daily in the local Temple area and broke bread together from house to house. Later, God worked with Philip to get him to the eunuch. The Book of Acts – EXTERNAL Challenges Which the Early Church Faced. Peter taught those in the Temple area that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and is now lord. One of these leaders, Agabus, received revelation on an upcoming need that would affect the church at Jerusalem. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. More seasoned leaders can provide a source of help by way of sound Biblical thinking and teaching to support the local churches’ activities. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost [God], departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. In our privatized world, it's hard to imagine what the early church … Praising God, and having favour with all the people. I enjoyed this simple, straight-forward writing clearly showing how the church (eklesia) was first instituted and Acts 2:42-47 says: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Christians shared of their abundance to support their own and other local churches, as well as energized ministers. Local home fellowships, called churches, were held in believers’ private homes with a leader spiritually overseeing each church. The local believers in Jerusalem prayed for Peter, their local leader, and he was miraculously delivered from prison. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. This is an example of an energized minister going where he was needed. It sets patterns for us of how early men and women first obeyed the gospel and worshiped God under the New Covenant. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. This is an example of what Paul later wrote to the Corinthians. The next use of ekklēsia shows the growth of churches around Jerusalem in Galilee and Samaria. And wouldn’t you want to follow a Lord who encouraged this attitude in his followers? Acts 2:38-41: The strong example of these local leaders helped to build great respect in the Church. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 … Often when we struggle, we are inclined to blame God. against the Lord The Book of Acts: A History of the Early Church Gene Taylor-2-An Outline of the Book I. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage Thank you Gene Slavit for this wonderful article! Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 12:1: Introduction To the Book of Acts 2. Then pleased it [seemed proper to] the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. Wouldn’t you want to be a part of a community that were generous, thankful and truly committed? The church at Jerusalem was the original local church since Pentecost and reached out to neighboring areas to build local churches there. The next five verses describe how God worked with Paul, Silas, and Timothy. The book of Acts is the inspired history of the early church. Their ministries were energized to teach the Word of God specifically needed at that time. The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. So the local leaders in Antioch needed to talk to the local leaders in Judea about this problem. The letters or epistles after Acts tells us of the supreme care and guidance that God has for His people – then, now, and in the future. Acts shows us a strong communication network between leaders. Acts 4:32-35 New International Version (NIV) The Believers Share Their Possessions. The believers in Jerusalem continued to face persecution. Peter’s mind was enlightened by Holy Spirit so he had a clear understanding of the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). Mature ministers supported those “younger” in their spiritual walk. When threatened by the Judean religious leaders, they boldly spoke the truth and encouraged the other believers to do the same. And fear [respect] came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. What about their tithes? Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ❤️. The next three verses show how God worked with these local leaders. After hearing this powerful truth, some asked what they should do. As a people who seek to follow these patterns we must always strive to be consistent in following all that Scripture teaches us. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. It would be particularly helpful to new converts trying to grasp the New Testament pattern for the Church that is the Book of Acts. Let’s see God’s heart for His church today by studying this word. House-based ministry was so common that throughout the book of Acts, every mention of a local church or church meeting, whether for worship or fellowship, is a reference to a church meeting in a home. Here are some lessons to take away. They had not ventured out as Jesus had commanded in Acts 1:8. But who would be the local leadership for this large group of new believers? Peter boldly told them how to be saved, and many obeyed. On that trip, they went back to Derbe. This is recorded in Acts 2:1-6 What an amazing testimony to the power of God. After winning disciples and facing life-and-death persecution there, Paul and Barnabas “came unto Iconium.”. Since those who were witnesses to this event, where each heard these things in their own language, God was saying that the message of salvation was not only for the Jew but for the whole world…for all languages and all nation… Class Goals: • To better understand the growth and practices of the New Testament church. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Acts 9 begins with Saul (later called Paul) being born again, and shows how he got help from a local believer in Damascus named Ananias. What modern churches and youth groups can learn from the earliest believers. Acts 15 picks up with a problem in the local Jerusalem church that was affecting other local churches. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. The Importance of the Book of Acts The importance of this … And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. Bible, prayer, generosity, fellowship and evangelism should characterize our Christian communities. Christian churches today differ in their approach to leadership. Paul next spent time in Ephesus and built strong leadership within the local church there. Then, Peter called the people to Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins that they may receive the … True Christian ministers are a gift to the church, given when Christ “ascended up on high” (Ephesians 4:8 and 11). The narrative centers on the ministry of Peter and John. This is an example of how apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers visited the local churches. Introduction (1:1-5) A. The early church was devoted to the apostles’ … All Christian churches should, after all, pattern their church life and ministries after the Book of Acts. We see God working in him to support existing local churches and build new local churches. It’s an exciting ride, from the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, to shipwrecks and imprisonments, to life changing sermons delivered by ex-fishermen. Paul and the early Church were not at odds with the laws of the Old Testament! That means at least 365 new people every year! This was an encouragement from local leaders to do the will of God as they provided practical help and advice. The apostles manifested God’s power on Pentecost by speaking in tongues, and they taught others how to be born again and to manifest that power as well. That is why ministers need to be trained in our churches today: so that they can help the local believers where they need to be supported. Paul and Barnabas trusted God for the best local leaders in each local church. This problem had been originated by men who had come down from Jerusalem. (2) C. Jesus commissioned the twelve apostles. The final use of  “church” exhorts local leaders to shepherd the church, the called-out, of God. Acts is not trying to say, “Remember what the church used to be and do?” This is the Word of the Lord for the body of Christ in all times and all places. As a second volume to Luke's Gospel, it joins what Jesus \"began to do and to teach\" (1:1; see note there) as told in the Gospels with what he continued to do and teach through the apostles' preaching and the establishment of the church. As an energized minister, Paul commended those local leaders to God and to His Word of grace. grew according to the plan of God. The Birth of the Church 4. The church included the “about three thousand souls” that were born again on that day. After all, no matter what is going on in our lives, God still created us and Jesus still died for us. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. During this time at Jerusalem, God worked in leaders from both local churches to share what they knew from God’s written Word and from God working in them. Galatians 2:1-10 also refers to the council at Jerusalem. the earth” (Acts 1:8). And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. This is especially necessary when reading the book of Acts because it portrays the early church rather than the Old Testament people of God. He was still called “Philip the evangelist” years later, ministering from his own home in Caesarea (Acts 21:8). When these believers went into “the regions of Judaea and Samaria,” they began to win others. Galatians 2:9: It tells of cities and dates and people that were affected by the Gospel. Galatians 1:18 says that Paul “went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” Here was Paul, a “younger” minister, seeking the help of Peter, a mature and experienced energized minister, who lived in Jerusalem. From there they went to preach the gospel at “Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia” and the region around them. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; The local delegation from Antioch shared with the local leaders in Jerusalem what God had done in their local Antioch church. Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. This word literally means to “call out” and refers to called-out born-again believers twenty times in Acts. Acts 9 and 10 show Peter ministering in Joppa and going to see Cornelius in Caesarea. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”. In the 3 rd chapter they had just healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. They obeyed, and Paul was able to minister in Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth. The title as we know it comes from the second century and only partially discloses the theme of the document. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine [teaching] and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 8:26 says: “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go….” After helping the eunuch, Philip “preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea” (Acts 8:40). And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts describes Peter's early leadership and ministry, such as his four powerful speeches in Jerusalem (Acts 2-5), the healings of Aeneas and Tabitha (Acts 9), his mission to the Gentile Cornelius and return to Jerusalem (Acts 10-12), and his presiding at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts … And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were needed to support these new churches. They were also in a position to support any new local churches that might develop as the rest of the believers moved out from that city (which was under persecution). According to Philippians 4:10-19, the believers in Philippi gave their offerings directly to Paul to support his ministering elsewhere. It is beautiful to see how the new local churches supported these travelers from Antioch on their way to Jerusalem.     and against his anointed one.’, Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. Looking at the “churches” in the Book of Acts we see the following: Some key points can be noted about God’s desire for local witnessing, fellowship, leadership, and finances: With the true local perspective of the church, along with the support of energized ministers, we can encourage individual believers to boldly speak God’s Word as witnesses for Jesus Christ, fellowship in their homes, and share of their abundance where needed. Acts was written in Greek, presumably by St. Luke the Evangelist. The term “scattered abroad” in Acts 8:1 is translated from the Greek word diaspeirō, which is only used in the Greek New Testament in the Book of Acts (8:1,4; 11:19). Our heavenly Father purchased the church with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the head of the church. This still refers to the local church “which was at Jerusalem.” The apostles, the local leadership there, stayed in Jerusalem to care for the believers after the death of Stephen, a local leader (Acts 6:1-7). While there Paul took Timothy along with him and Silas. Some have estimated that the early church in Jerusalem had 100,000 members – half the size of the city. The church of God had a wonderful beginning and experienced fantastic numerical growth in the early stages of its existence. So it is easy to think that if we want to continue to thrive as a church, or to grow or be impactful, that all we have to do is do what the Christians did in Acts. This teaching included an exhortation to take care of the local believers, the “flock” that God had given these leaders to shepherd. Acts 9:31: THE BOOK OF ACTS. Blessings and many thanks for this teaching! Alternative Title: Acts Acts of the Apostles, abbreviation Acts, fifth book of the New Testament, a valuable history of the early Christian church. Of course, if people didn’t agree, there could have been further discussion until a satisfactory conclusion was reached. Paul joined up with Silas and they went to help the local churches in Syria and Cilicia to stand strong on the truth of God’s Word. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. Acts 11:22: As God worked individually in energized ministers, it was important for them to maintain good communications with each other. This section in Acts 13 and 14 shows the local effect of ministers. Acts 2:47 (NIV) tells us, "The Lord added to their number daily." Christians Were Characterized by Uncommon Joy. The apostles even handled spiritual evil within the local church, as when Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. It seemed proper to the whole church to do this. Wrote a former treatise. There were now local churches starting up in Antioch and other areas. Paul also met with James on this trip (Galatians 1:19), but none of the other apostles.     and the peoples plot in vain? And he spoke to the people in Jerusalem about the prophecies concerning the Messiah and their clear fulfillments in the life and deathof Christ. Some have suggested the name “The Acts or Gospel of the Holy Spirit” – Shows what the Holy Spirit did through the early church. The local churches had peace as they walked in the respect of the Lord and the spiritual encouragement they received. The rest of Acts 12 shows the local Jerusalem church overcoming attacks so that “the word of God grew and multiplied.” It concludes with Barnabas and Paul going back to their local church in Antioch after having helped the local church at Jerusalem. Outreach to the West 8. Philip “preached Christ unto them” so that “the people with one accord” believed what he taught, and “there was great joy in that city.” Yet in this very same region where Jesus Christ had witnessed about himself not long before (John 4:40-43), there was now a man named Simon who “used sorcery, and bewitched the people.” The Samaritans thought that Simon was “the great power of God.” His evil spiritual influence made it difficult for the people to receive the fullness of God’s power in their lives. The early church was devoted to prayer. Acts 5:11: Acts 14:27: Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. On the way back to their local church in Jerusalem, they also did the work of evangelists (II Timothy 4:5), for Acts 8:25 says they “returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.” God worked in them as energized ministers to meet the needs of the church, including the need to win others. No wonder the Lord could add daily to the church! We also see finances used locally to meet the needs of local believers. The apostles and elders at Jerusalem were the most qualified to handle this situation. Philip is a great example of this in Acts 8 when he went to Samaria. Each believer was to be a bold witness of Jesus Christ and to speak God’s Word. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And great fear [respect] came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. On his way to Jerusalem, Paul called for the local Ephesian leaders so that he could speak with them. Then “they went through the cities” and delivered what “the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem” had decided upon. Acts 15:2: There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Acts 13:1 says “there were in the church that was at Antioch…” They were local leaders who were there because God wanted them there. Why did God pick those two to go? Trials and Witness of Paul; Final Exam He went to the disciples in Jerusalem and was introduced to the local leadership there (the apostles) by Barnabas.

I&j Fish Factory Shop, Vietnam War Battles, Passion Vs Reason Philosophy, Back Country Uk, Assam Peoples Images, Goku Super Saiyan 100 Vs Broly, Cats For Adoption Denver, Percy Son Of Zeus Fanfiction, Brentwood Patch 94513, Ku Meaning Chinese, Aarya Web Series Episodes,