Introduction

Last week, we saw the potency of the endowment of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. An ashamed, confused and fearful Peter before Pentecost delivered an authoritative sermon engrafted in the Word of God unprepared. Though being an uneducated fisherman, he expounded the scriptures in a relevant and unapologetic manner. His message, eloquently supported with scriptures, has nothing to do with his personality but the unseen Power (the Holy Spirit) who took charge and brought conviction to the hearts of the hearers (John 16:8). From the lesson, as believers we must ensure that our message (preaching, etc) must be relevant, delivered without fear or favour, offering solutions to life's questions and most importantly this message must be preached by our own very lives. Today, we will look at the beautiful beginning of the Christian church and her effect on both the church and participating members.

From the Church (group of believers) point of view - Vs 40 - 41

Definition of Growth: An increase in some quantity over time

There were about 120 believers gathered in the room before Peter's sermon but after the discourse, the hearts of many hearers had been so pierced that they gladly received the message and about 3000 souls were added to them.

We must note from the passage that it is God's desire for His church to increase in number (Numeric growth). Just after empowerment of the disciples, the next notable ?miracle' of the Holy Spirit was to convict the heart of men, not leaving them to themselves but adding them to the church. A vital church grows!!!

It is the responsibility of EVERY believer to work out this God's desire. Adams Clarke's Commentary puts it this way: ?These 3000 were not converted under one discourse, nor in one place, nor by one person. All the apostles preached, some in one language, and some in another; and not in one house-for where was there one at that time that could hold such a multitude of people? For, out of the multitudes that heard, 3000 were converted; and if one in five was converted it must have been a very large proportion. The truth seems to by this: All the apostles preached in different parts of the city, during the course of that day; and in that day, 3000 converts were the fruits of the conjoint exertions of these holy men"

From the believer (each person) point of view Vs 42-47

Definition of fellowship: Friendly association with others: companionship

It was just after their conversion that they were said to be added to the church. We may have heard it that we are all God's children but the truth is that we are not considered added by God's standard until we are genuinely repented and converted, through faith in Christ.

Vs 42 - Steadfast (fixed in intensity or direction, unwavering or determined in purpose) continuity (an uninterrupted flow) in the Word, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers.

The quality of this fellowship is determined by the quality of the supply of individual component (Eph 4:16). Let us all ensure that we contribute our continued ?supply' (spiritual in this sense - place of prayers, study of the Word, etc on individual basis) for growth of the whole fellowship.

Vs 43 - The power of the Holy Spirit move freely via the Apostle to do many wonders, signs and awesome things because of the dedication of everyone in the ?fold'. (Note the word ?then' at the beginning of the verse)

Vs 44 - Like-mindedness: Being in company of people who think like you do is very critical to your growth and survival as a Christian. "When the devil wants to deal with a Christian, he will try to isolate him from brethren, from church, from the bible then from fellowshipping with God. As long as he is in broken fellowship, there will not be counselors to guide him in the right path" Pastor EA unpublished. Heb 10:24 (Amp)

Vs 45 - No one should be in need (not want) amongst a community of believers.

Question: Is this reproducible in the present day church? Hint: Connect with what happened later and suggest possible cautions to your answers.

Vs 46 - Continuity in the temple (house of God) with one accord is a pillar for successful Christian experience here on earth Heb 10:25 (Amp). There is joy in doing things together whether holy communion, eating together from house to house, visiting, etc. They all have significant impact on the growth of the involving individual.

Vs 47 - The ?force' of love existing amongst them made it possible for them to receive favour from all the people. It inspired and convicted many to salvation and eventually led to numerical increase in the church.

Conclusion

The importance of Christian fellowship can not be over emphasized especially in the present day church. It is natural for anyone to want to be around people like him/her. In fact, one of the early signals of being in a backsliding state is the absence of desiring the companionship of fellow believers under any disguise. It is a good litmus test that every believer must note. Each believer must ensure his/her part in the fellowship is not lagging. We must all contribute our quota to the spiritual, numerical and financial growth of the local church (Miracle Land Dundalk) with steadfastness and unwavering loyalty.

Introduction

The stage was set; the Disciples had been endued with power, a substantial crowd had gathered. There was not a better time for the Pentecostal Sermon orchestrated by the Master Himself. The timing was perfect, the preacher was Peter! The Holy Spirit had come in a new way, not upon men as in the days of old but into men. Peter was a real man, a saved man, a changed man, filled with the Holy Spirit; his message was authoritative because it was scripturally correct. Tag along; let's delve into the next few verses.

The Preacher; before and after the empowerment

Peter was afraid and ashamed before Pentecost (Matthew 26: 69-75), but after the empowerment he was no longer afraid but became bold! Just hear him out.

"Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you, who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say" Acts 2: 14

What he said and how he said it

1. Just like his Master, he spoke with confidence and authority

Acts 2: 14c ". . . listen carefully to what I say"

Acts 2: 22 "Fellow Israelites, listen to this:"

Only a confident person with authority can speak like this; that is what the Holy Spirit can do to a man.

He expounded the scriptures; Read Acts 2: 16-21 this scripture refers to Joel 2:28-32

If it was Jesus Christ, after the verses, He would have said (and may I add?)

"This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."

[See other scriptures he quoted; Psalms 16, 110, and 132]

3.    He preached the Word of God; not fables or stories (II Timothy 4:2). A standard of how messages should be - an inspiration from God's word. Obviously, this was not the Peter the Jews knew; the skill, wisdom and bravery he displayed was a sure sign that a change had taken place in his life. Peter was not eloquent; remember he and a few other disciples were unlearned fishermen but he was able to interpret the scriptures in relation to what had just happened.

4.    His Message was relevant; it was an answer to the heart cry of the people. They wanted to know what the meaning of the noise and speaking in tongues was.

¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

5.    He was not diplomatic or apologetic; he did not care if what he said was politically correct or not. He did not preach to please: Acts 2: 22-23. He corrected the falsehood of the Jewish leaders who claimed that Christ's body had been stolen by His disciples  Acts 2: 24, 32-33

6.    He supported his message with the scriptures: He quoted David from the Psalms. David said,  ²⁷ "Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption"

The Results

There were results; but note that the results of Peter's sermon was not as a result of his personality or eloquence but the unseen Power who took charge - the Holy Spirit!

 ³⁷Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

When the Holy Spirit is allowed, He convicts people of sin. When our Lord promised the Holy Spirit, He said, "When He is come, He will reprove (convict) the world of sin" (John 16:8).  The preacher cannot convict of sin apart from the Holy Spirit, nor, will the Holy Spirit do it without us, the Spirit convicts sinners through Spirit-filled and Spirit-used lives. Unfortunately, these days, the sinner does not feel that he is a sinner because he sees us, (who profess to be Christians), living no differently from himself.

There was Solution

 ³⁸Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 ³⁹For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

Conclusion

We see the transformation that can happen to an ordinary person filled with the Holy Spirit. It therefore follows that every one of us can change for the better by the help of the Holy Spirit. We also have seen how we should deliver the message of hope to the world (everyone of us have been called to reach out to the world one way or the other - Matt.28:19); by preaching the Word, not telling tales, a message that is relevant, delivered without fear or favor. A message that offers solution to life's questions; preached by our very lives!

Introduction:

The study of the next twelve verses will not make much meaning without a brief reference to the preceding verses. Verse 15 says: "Now on one of those days Peter arose among the brethren, the whole number of whom gathered together was about a hundred and twenty." AMP

What days is this verse referring to?

You see the days referred to in Acts 1:12-14

What were they doing?

Verse 14 says: "They all joined together constantly in prayer"

·         The first and very important observation was "Unity"; the Bible says they all joined together. Gen. 11: 1-6 teaches the power of unity

·         The second was that they were obedient; they were obeying the divine com­mand, instructions given by Jesus Christ (Acts1:4).

·         The third was they prepared their hearts for ten days "They all joined together constantly in prayer" (1:4). (Luke 11:13), (John 14:26), (John 16:7).

Now with all these in place, Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about 120 people) and spoke.

What can we learn?

Peter drew strength from the unity of the believers - There's strength in unity Eccl. 4:12

Remember the disciples at the crucifixion? They were scared and ran, Peter denied Christ three times. After the crucifixion, "the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19).

But they were in obedience, in unity and in prayer in the upper room. It was in this process Peter drew strength to address 120 people

Secondly, Peter called the disciples to do what they needed to do. Stop licking your wounds, pointing accusing fingers or playing the blame game. It was time to put their house in order for what they were expecting. Everything had to be done right.

Remember Elijah on Mount Carmel in 1Kings 18: 30

"Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down."

Verses 16 - 20: Peter called for the fulfilment of scripture - Judas had to be replaced according to the scriptures, Psalm 69:25,109:8

This would serve to clear the air of any possible misgivings, tussle for power or position. He created a criterion (21-22). They were to:

Choose one of the men who have been with them the whole time the Lord Jesus lived among them, beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up

So, they nominated two people (Barsabbas & Matthias), they prayed, they cast lots & Matthias won.

Following from last week's teaching, one of the lessons was that we should learn "what not to do from the apostles" - paraphrased

As an aside, is the issue of casting lots: Casting lots is quite Biblical. The word "lots" appears a number of times in both the Old and New Testaments. A few are: Lev 16:8, Num 26:55, 1 Chronicles 24:5, Jonah 1:7, and Acts 1:26. However, take notice that none of the Biblical illustrations of casting lots had to do with games of chance. Every time it was used, the Israelites depended on the Lord 100% to reveal to them His will. It was an impartial way to find God's will when choices had to occur. Proverbs 16:33 "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD."

Also notice that despite the fact that lots were cast in the New Testament, it was before the advent of the Holy Spirit. Compare the selection of Matthias (Acts 1:23-26) and the election of Deacons (Acts 6:1-6). The difference was the presence of the Holy Spirit in the latter scenario.

Conclusion

We can experience Pentecost and the workings of the Holy Spirit as it was in the days of the early church. But we have to be prepared for it; not just in words of mouth but in the things we do. We have to put our house in order - let's do what is right whatever it takes! Psalm 15, 1 Sam 4:9, 1Cor 16:13

We have to, work in unity (agreeing to the fundamentals) Amos 3:3, live in obedience (absolute obedience to the word of God; not tradition and religion), pray in righteousness (effectual and fervent).

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

Introduction

The word "Act" by definition means the process of doing something or the performance of a deed or action. The Acts of the Apostles or the Book of Acts therefore means the acts or actions or deeds carried out or performed by the Disciples of Christ.

As we attempt a telescopic analysis of this very important book; we are confronted with certain realities; realities that magnify themselves as the Holy Spirit takes us on a spiritual journey into what lies beneath and within the compilation of this historical phenomenon. The "Logos" of the ?Book of Acts' makes it a compelling read, a block-buster that holds you enchanted from the very start to the finish. But when confronted with the "Rhema" of the ?Book of Acts' we are then confronted with certain undeniable examinations of ourselves in light of the characters within this odyssey. 

Facts to address as we study this book

1.      Who were these men and women?

Importance of who they were: that we might look at their background, pedigree, beginnings and be assured that our lives can also be significant. Acts: 4: 13, 1 Sam22: 1-5, 1Cor1: 22-25

2.      What were their accomplishments?

Importance of their accomplishments; given their peculiar circumstances and situations they succeeded.  We also can excel regardless of our circumstances.

3.      What were their failures?

Importance of knowing their failures; that we might avoid their pitfalls and also realise their humanity.

4.      How did they end?

Importance of knowing how they ended; one can only be successful at the end of one's journey. Were they successful despite all the odds and contentions?

5.      What are we to do?

Importance of our actions: to appreciate their efforts, empathise with their pains, recognise their frailties, aspire to their accomplishments, and yearn to leave our footprints in the annals of history. Acts: 2

The challenge that this book presents

Would our lives be worthy of being chronicled as theirs was? What would we leave posterity and the writers of history to judge us by when our time effluxes?

(Verse: 1) A reference to Theophilus; (Loved by God), of former treatise (book of Luke) to which Jesus' life bore testament to His preaching. Romans: 2:13, James: 1: 22-25

(Verse: 2) still a reference to Jesus up until His ascension Matthew: 28: 18-20, Luke: 24: 50. Mark: 16: 15-20, by the commandment of the Spirit, to His apostles; a command which He extends still to His chosen. John: 15: 16

(Verse: 3) Acts: 9: 3-7, John 21: 6-10, 15-17, Luke: 24: 13, 31.

(Verse: 4) John 16: 7, 13-15. No wise master sends his servant anything of importance without the necessary tool for accomplishment. The Holy Spirit is the tool of the believer; because He's too important for the assignment the apostles were to undertake. If Jesus could not evangelise without the Holy Spirit neither can you. Matthew: 3: 14-16. The Holy Spirit is the power house of the believer you cannot afford to be without Him. Luke: 24: 47-49.

(Verse 5) Joel: 2: 28-30, Jesus clearly indicates and differentiates the baptism of John with that of Christ. John baptises with water Jesus baptises with the Holy Ghost and fire. Acts 19: 4-7

(Verse: 6) the apostles talked about a physical kingdom; they didn't understand that they were about to embark on a spiritual journey that will birth in them the greatest kingdom that ever will be. Luke: 12: 32. Little did they know that the kingdom of Israel will be destroyed completely 70 years AD. God will ensure our restoration for we are His kingdom.

(Verse: 7) God has time and season for everyone and every nation. Israel was restored in 1948 as a nation. Eccle3: 11 Psalm: 31: 15.

(Verse: 8) the purpose of tarrying at Jerusalem and establishing God's kingdom can only be done through the arrival of the Holy Spirit. When the power of God comes it will enable us to witness to families, our societies, communities and the world. The Holy Ghost is to help us to witness Christ with power and authority. Luke: 10: 1, Matthew: 10: 1

(Verse 9) this clearly gives further assertion to the ascension of Christ before so many witnesses illustrating the reality of Jesus' ever abiding presence with us.

(Verse 10) there are many heavenly beings with us; assuring us of the reality of angelic beings. Luke: 24: 4, Psalm: 91: 11-12, Hebs1:14

(Verse: 11) Jesus is coming back just has he departed; 1Thessa4: 15-19, Matthew: 24: 26-28.

(Verse: 12) they began a journey to the place of encounter, in obedience to Christ.

(Verse: 13) Role calls of those original apostles that Christ chose still waxing strong awaiting the promise of the father. One name was however missing; Judas, at the verge of a new day for the apostle the same Judas who had laboured with them was nowhere to be found. The devil used him and discarded him.

(Verse: 14) they didn't go to sleep waiting for the promise of the Father; they prepared themselves in unity, prayer and worship; awaiting the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Their minds were focused on one singular purpose the advent of the Holy Spirit.

These seemly insignificant men and women were to begin a revolution, the kind the world would never recover from. From that gathering in that obscure place their story has travelled across the world proclaiming the everlasting truth of the King whose throne and Kingdom rules over all; and to whom all must bow.

Contributor: Paul Thomas