A lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P.O. Box 1447, Claypool, AZ 85532

520-425-8345 or 520-402-9134

Email: pastorjohn@gila.net

Date: 01-9-00

Sermon Number: 005

Text: Acts 2:41-47

Subjects addressed in this lesson

(The Gospel presented and explained, What a person must do to be saved, A picture of normal church life, .)

Life in the new Church

Beginning with the words of verse twenty-two in the second chapter of Acts, Peter, by the power and inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, preaches the first sermon of the newly formed Christian Church.  He begins like this, “Men of Israel, listen to these words . . .”  He goes on to speak of the crucifixion of Jesus by the hands of the godless Romans and the hypocritical Jews.  He speaks of the “Predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” which allowed and indeed caused the blessed sacrifice to occur.  Then he declares the resurrection of the Man Christ Jesus.  He was the Messiah, says Peter, and proves it by referencing King David’s prophecy concerning the Son of God.  Speaking of David, Peter says, {31} “he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. {32} "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. . .”  He continues in verse thirty-six.  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—(THE MESSIAH) this Jesus whom you (Jews) crucified." {37} Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" {38} And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. {39} "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD SHALL CALL TO HIMSELF." {40} And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"

By the will of God Peter’s sermon hit its mark, the hearts and minds of those who murdered Jesus.  They were convinced of their sin but what could they do to make it right, how could they be saved?  The answer Peter gave is the same for sinners in every age, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. . .” 

Repentance is turning from sin to trust in Christ for forgiveness and acceptance with God.  It involves a change of mind and behavior.  It involves the whole man, desire, will, mind, and soul.  The sinner must turn to Christ.  Then, having been saved by faith in Jesus, he is to give himself to Baptism.  Baptism is commanded by Christ and the Apostles and is the believing sinner’s public declaration of faith.  We continue with verse forty.

{40} “And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation! {41} So then, those who had RECEIVED HIS WORD were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

Before we get into our new material let me draw your attention to the phrase found in verse forty-one.  “ . . . those who had received his word were baptized . . .”  We have here one of the many ways coming to Christ can be described.  A Christian is a person who receives God’s word as true.  He believes what it says about him, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, everything.  Specifically he receives the Gospel and when he does he is saved from the wrath to come.  To receive, believe, or accept the gospel as truth, is to receive Christ.  Consider a similar statement.

(Ephesians 1:1-13 NASB)  {7} “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, . . . In Him {11} also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, {12} to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. {13} In Him, you also, AFTER LISTENING TO THE MESSAGE OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION-- HAVING ALSO BELIEVED, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise . . .”

Do you see it?  Sinners are saved, when, after hearing the message of truth, which is the gospel, they believe, or, receive it.  They are saved from the wrath to come when they believe that Jesus saves guilty sinners who trust in Him for salvation!  The Jews, in our text today, had been convinced of their guilt before God.  They knew that if something wasn’t done they would be subject to the eternal wrath of God.  Peter responds to their question by telling them to repent and trust in Christ for salvation.  They could respond in one of two ways just as you can today.  They could reject Peter’s words and perish in their sin or, they could, as many did, “receive” the good news that came from the mouth of the great apostle.  Hearing the word of God, the gospel of grace is not enough, you must RECEIVE it as the truth. 

Personal repentance is the evidence that you have received the truth.  The repentant person will believe in Jesus for salvation because that is what the Gospel, the word received, tells us to do.  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”  True repentance involves true faith, one cannot exist without the other.  Likewise true repentance and faith cannot exist apart from receiving the truth, the gospel of salvation.  Those who received the truth were baptized because those who received the truth were saved.

The lives of these people were immediately changed as is evidenced by their behavior.  {42} And they were continually devoting (The Greek here translated “continually devoting” means they were “in constant attendance” to the things mentioned.  They devoted  . . .) themselves to  the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  . 

When these people were saved they were added, as all Christians are, to the universal or invisible church, the whole world-wide number of the redeemed.  Then they added themselves to a local gathering of Christians, a local church.  In that setting, they continually devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

We have here the elements of local church life.  God’s people, having come to believe in Christ for salvation, bind themselves to together for a common cause.  They were all, “ . .standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;” (Philippians 1:27 NASB)

The priority in church life was and remains, learning.  Christians devote themselves privately and publicly to the apostles teaching, which is the teaching of Christ, which is the teaching of God the Holy Spirit.  Christians do this continually.  They are always trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  They are always seeking the will of God, renewing their minds, and reforming their consciences.  This constant devotion to the word of God, this faithful receiving of the truth, is necessary for every believer.  For sanctification comes by means of the word of God.  Jesus revealed this truth when He prayed in John seventeen,    "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth”. (John 17:17 NASB)  OUR need of truth is no less than it was for the first members of the New Testament church.  For our sanctification comes like theirs did, through our exposure to, receiving of, and application of the truth to our lives by the Holy Spirit.  Proclaiming and learning God’s truth must be given first place in the church.  Many scriptures support this statement.  Here is a sampling.

In 1 Peter 2:2 we find this counsel, “Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”  To the Romans Paul wrote, in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect”.  Our minds are renewed by our exposure to, receiving of, and application of the word of God both by personal effort and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Paul also had this to say in 1 Tim. 4:6.  “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the WORDS OF THE FAITH AND OF THE SOUND DOCTRINE which you have been following”. “PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS” (1 Tim. 4:11). “Until I come, give attention to THE PUBLIC READING OF SCRIPTURE, TO EXHORTATION AND TEACHING” (1 Tim. 4:13). “PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO YOURSELF AND TO YOUR TEACHING; PERSEVERE IN THESE THINGS; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16). “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: PREACH THE WORD; BE READY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT, WITH GREAT PATIENCE AND INSTRUCTION” (2 Tim. 4:1–2). “An elder must be one who HOLDS “FAST THE FAITHFUL WORD WHICH IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEACHING, THAT HE MAY BE ABLE BOTH TO EXHORT IN SOUND DOCTRINE AND TO REFUTE THOSE WHO CONTRADICT” (Titus 1:9).

The importance of the word of God in the believer’s life cannot be over emphasized.  For the pastor of any church to ignore the careful exposition and preaching of the scriptures is to fail both God and His people.  Likewise when a Christian fails to devote himself continually to the teachings of the apostles in the local church and in private study he does himself much harm.  Hos. 4:6 declares this solemn truth, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”

Next we see that those saved through Peter’s preaching devoted themselves continually to fellowship with the brethren.  This fellowship took place first of all in the context of the assembly while the apostles were teaching.  There is a special kind of fellowship that takes place when the people of God are assembled for worship.  It is a fellowship that seeks the good of the brethren.  Consider the words of Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB,  “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; {24} and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, {25} not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”  In the confines of the assembly, God’s people gathered in the local church, are to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, we are to offer encouragement to our brothers and sisters.  For the day is drawing near.

Fellowship within the church is necessary and profitable.  But we need each other all the time, not just when we are assembled for worship!  We need to share our experiences, joys, heartaches, victories, defeats, and advice.  We need to play, work, and cry together.  We need to share with our brothers and sisters what we have learned from the scriptures in our daily study.  We need to interact with our family or body members.  (Proverbs 27:17 NASB)  “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another”.  In other words, as one Christian relates to another, whether in church or out, both grow in grace and knowledge.  All such fellowship is a means of grace.  (See the “one anothers” of the New Testament for more information on the subject of fellowship. (cf. Rom. 12:10, 16; 13:8; 14:19; 15:5, 7, 14; 16:16; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 4:2, 25, 32; 5:21; Phil. 2:3; Col. 3:9, 13, 16; 1 Thess. 4:9, 18, 5:11, 13; Heb. 3:13; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:9, 10; 5:5, etc.).

The universal church, made up of all believers, becomes visible and tangible when it assembles as a local congregation.  In that setting, God’s people devote themselves to the preaching of the apostles doctrine, fellowship with the brethren, and to the breaking of bread.  This last statement is a reference to the Lord’s Supper.

Speaking of the Lord’s Supper John McArthur writes, “This duty is not optional, since our Lord commanded it of every believer in 1 Corinthians 11:23-28.  “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; {24} and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "This is My body, which is for you; DO THIS (The Greek behind “do this” is in the imperative mood.  Therefore, we must take Christ’s words as an absolute command requiring full obedience on the part of all believers.  “Do this”, says Jesus, . . .) in remembrance of Me." {25} In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; DO THIS, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." {26} For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. {27} Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. {28} But LET A MAN EXAMINE HIMSELF, (same imperative mood described above) and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”

McArthur continues his comments.  “In Communion, all believers meet on common ground at the foot of the cross (Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20), since all are sinners saved by the grace of God in Christ.  Communion acknowledges the wondrous work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.  Communion further exemplifies the unity of believers, since in it all partake together symbolically of the same Lord (Eph. 4:5).  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:16–17, “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.”  Communion calls for self-examination and purging of sin, thus purifying the church.  Nothing is more vital to the church’s ongoing, regular confrontation of sins in the lives of its people than the thoughtful expression of devotion to the remembrance of the cross.” (End Quote)  The early church did not neglect this means of grace and neither should we.

Lastly we see that the first church was a praying church.  These people devoted themselves continually to the apostles preaching, fellowship with other believers, the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer.  Why did the church devote themselves to continual prayer?  Because they knew that their day to day existence was just as dependent on Christ as their initial salvation.  Further, Jesus said that through prayer that He would supply their needs.  (John 14:13-14 NASB)  "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. {14} "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”  In addition to this Jesus taught the disciples to pray the Lord’s Prayer.  In that prayer they were taught to ask God for all they needed from bread to forgiveness.  Prayer is natural to all the Children of God.  It is how we talk to our heavenly Father.  It was then, and ought to be now, a continual practice.

Look at verse forty-three of our text.  {43} “And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles”.  Those early days must been incredibly exciting.  Pentecost, the miracles, tongues, thousands converted to Christ, the mass baptism of the converts and, the great gatherings for worship.  It is no wonder they were struck with a sense of awe.  Surely some of this amazement had to do with the changes that occurred in the individuals themselves.  The self-righteous were humbled, the greedy became generous, the bitter found the grace to forgive, the murderers of Jesus now worship Him and the Father.  These are all awe inspiring miracles.

Continuing we see more of what life in the church is all about.  {44} “And all those who had believed were together, (in and out of the local church as we have seen) and had all things in common; (The reference is to the necessities of life.) {45} and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need”.

Apparently there was a mix of rich, poor, and those in between.  The haves did what was necessary to meet the needs of the have-nots.  This is what love does and it is what we are instructed to do.  Hear the word of the Lord.  (1 Peter 4:9),  “Be hospitable to one another without complaint”  “  (2 Cor. 8:14–15). “At this present time your abundance being a supply for their want, that their abundance also may become a supply for your want, that there may be equality; as it is written, ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack’ ” The apostle John extends this command to all believers:  “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and WE OUGHT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE BRETHREN. But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth”. (1 John 3:16–18)  The believers in the early church did not ignore the needs of their brother’s and sisters physically or spiritually, neither should we.

Our text continues in verse forty-six.  “And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, {47} praising God, and having favor with all the people.

As was mentioned before the fellowship between Christians should and does reach beyond the walls of the church.  These were often found in each other’s homes sharing meals together.  This all had an effect on the community at large.  These “Christians” enjoying the acceptance and favor of all the people.  “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

In a commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown I found the following article on the phrase, “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved”.  “According to the earliest manuscripts, this should read “the Lord added to the fellowship.”  The Greek words for “to the fellowship” literally mean, “toward the same thing or, goal.”  They convey the idea of united purpose, fervent, collective unity.  In the early church, it acquired a quasi-technical meaning that denoted the union of the Christian body.  The phrase, “such as should be saved” should actually read, “those who were being saved.” (End Quote)  If this is correct then the final statement in our text for today says this.  “God was not only saving the lost.  He was creating in them a desire for the fellowship of other Christians, which desire led them to join with the local gathering of the church.  God was creating in all these people a sense of unity and oneness.”

But there is another way of reading these words.  “. . . and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”  The old commentator John Gill has this to say. “Those added were added partly by the conversation of these young converts, (that is they were evangelized by the life style of these Christians as described in our text) but chiefly by the ministry of the word, many souls were won and gained to Christ, were convicted, and converted, whose hearts the Lord inclined to give up themselves to the church, and walk with them in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord.  These were such whom God had chosen to salvation by Jesus Christ, and whom He had redeemed by his precious blood, and who were now regenerated and called out of the world by the Spirit of God, and so should certainly be saved; which is not always the case of persons added to churches by men.  Many who are added to the visible church have not the root of the matter in them, (true faith in Christ) and so fall away.  But those whom the Lord added were in fact saved and never fell away.  There is a difference in being added by the Lord, and being added by men”.  (End Quote, modified slightly for readability)

So which was it?  Did God move people to join themselves to the local fellowship of Christians and increase their sense of unity?  Or did He sovereignly call out and save His elect people adding them to the whole body of Christians universally and then to the local fellowship?  We needn’t choose for both are true and always have been.  No man comes to the Father but by faith in Christ and no man trusts in Christ until and unless the Father moves and enables him to do so.  Salvation is of the Lord!  Further no one will add themselves to the fellowship of Christians we know as the local church unless and until God saves and moves them to do so.  And again, only the saved have a sense of unity with the other Christians in or outside the local church.  So, all that has been said is true and is summarized quite well by the phrase, (Acts 2:47 NASB)  “. . . the Lord was adding to their number, day by day those who were being saved.”

That is the end of our text for the day.  Now lets remind ourselves of the truths we have encountered.

1.     A sinner who does not receive the Gospel as true, responding appropriately, will not be saved from the wrath to come.  To reject the truth of the Bible, the gospel, is to reject Christ.  To receive the Good News that Jesus saves all who come to Him by faith, is to receive Christ and salvation from the wrath to come.  The only proper, soul saving, response to the Gospel is to repent and turn to Christ trusting Him to make you acceptable to God.

2.     Second we saw that those who are saved by receiving the truth are to give themselves to Baptism for the declaration of their faith to the church and the world as well.

3.     Then, third, the saved are to add themselves to the fellowship of the saints in their own town.  They are to make themselves part of the local church submitting themselves to the teaching of the apostles, enjoying fellowship with the saints, eating the Lord’s Supper, and praying with the people of God.

4.     Fourth, the church of Jesus Christ must make certain that none of its members lack the necessities of life.  Christians must not close their hearts or wallets to the genuinely needy in the family of God.  Our abundance is not for hoarding it is for the supply of those in need.  One day their abundance may be used by God to meet our needs.

5.     Finally, let us never forget that God is the one who builds His church from beginning to end.  He saves, sovereignly, He adds to the church both universally and locally.  He sanctifies or calls out and purifies His own.  He enables us to love one another and He gives us a sense of unity whereby my spirit bears witness together with your spirit that we are both the children of God.  May God be pleased to bless these words.