“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer – Acts 2:42
“The Greek Verb, “continually devoting [proskarterountes] Literally means “to be strong towards.” That tells us that the early believers were earnestly and perpetually dedicated to the apostles’ teaching.
Today we have churches without Power…The Scriptures are Not held in high regard… Fellowship has been reduced to another name for a social gathering and an excuse to commit gluttony at times.
The Lords Supper is optional [though He commands it] Prayer meetings are rarely attended as people see no GAIN IN IT…FOR THEMSELVES.
No wonder we are POWERLESS and POVERTY stricken …
THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH
1. FEEDING on the word of God
2. FELLOWSHIPPING in the things of God
3. FOCUSING on the Lamb of God
4. FOLLOWING hard after God in prayer
WHAT 4 THINGS ARE YOU DEVOTED TO AS A CHURCH?
They were CONTINUALLY DEVOTING themselves to these 4 elements,. “…the apostles teaching, and to fellowship,to the breaking of bread and to prayer “
AND THE RESULT: THE FEAR OF THE LORD! So lets consider the FEAR of the EARLY CHURCH; We read in…
Acts 4:43- “And EVERYONE kept Feeling a Sense of AWE…and MANY wonders and signs were taking place…”
THE WORD: “AWE”
… speaks of “exceedingly fear or terror … respect, reverence … it refers to Fear or Holy Terror related to the Divine Presence … to the ATTITUDE OF REVERENCE. It is the feeling produced when one realized that God is present…”This “Fear” of God that people experienced, however, is not an irrational state that produces the uncontrolled behavior reflected in our modern use of the word phobia. Rather it was a solemn recognition of the presence of a Holy and Loving God in their lives, which motivated them to obey Him gladly [vv44-46 and to PRAISE HIM continually [v 47]. Thus the “Awe” they experienced was a mixture of gratefulness, respect, and dread as they saw God for who He was and recognized His Presence with them. In a word they were Continually WORSHIPPING God.” – Wayne Mack- “In My fathers House”- p 41
THE WORD IS USED…
in Acts 5:5- “and as he heard these words, ANNANAIS fell down and breathed his last; and GREAT FEAR came over all who heard it.”
This Holy Fear has …
A PURIFYING EFFECT
– God took the lives of Annanais and Saphira, because of their lying and deceitfulness and hypocrisy. Sin is a serious issue to God and it is His mercy that more of us are not dead, because of our own untruthfulness and hypocrisy and lying against God. And what happened when these two were killed by God?
Acts 5:11 -12 “And Great FEAR came upon the whole church and ALL who Heard of these things…”and they were all with one accord…But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however the people held them in high esteem.” Nothing like a Little of Gods Discipline to deal with sin, and the result? The believers were of one accord and the lost were afraid even to associate…and held them in high esteem, why? They saw to be part of these followers meant business, sin was serious and God was God!
Acts 5:12- “At the hands of the apostles MANY signs and wonders were taking place among the people,…”
THE FEAR OF THE LORD, WAS HAVING AN EFFECT WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE BODY OF BELIEVERS
THE RESULT:
- JESUS CHRIST WAS BEING MAGNIFIED
The Lord was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul… Some Jewish Exorcists attempted to use the Name of Jesus to rid people of evil spirits as Paul had. And when they tried the evil spirit answered and said to them “I recognize Jesus and I KNOW about Paul, but who are you?” And the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them subdued them and they ran out of the house naked and wounded…The Result of His PRESENCE?
Acts 19:17– “And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; And FEAR fell upon them ALL and the NAME of the Lord Jesus was being MAGNIFIED.” - A MIRACULOUS Congregation
Acts 2:43- “Everyone was Filled with AWE, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.”
One reason for the Awe and Godly Fear of the early church was because of the wonders and the miraculous signs that were taking place through the apostles, which were to authenticate their message, the truth concerning the Lord Jesus, and to point people towards Him. The speaking in other tongues, which according to Acts 2:6- ” …each one heard them speaking in his own language.” The purpose of the gift of speaking in other languages? v 11 -“…we hear them DECLARING THE WONDERS OF GODin our own tongues…” In Acts 9:32-34 where the people witnessed the healing of the paralyzed man in Lydia, was that they “TURNED TO THE LORD.” Acts 9:35. God intended the working of such wonders and miracles to confirm that these disciples were His messengers. The RESPONSE? “…and everyone was FILLED WITH AWE!”3. A GENUINE LOVE AND CONCERN FOR ONE ANOTHER
Acts 2:43 – “Everyone was FILLED with AWE…All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, and gave to everyone as he had need.”
All the believers were in unity, and it was expressed through THEIR Choosing to sell their possessions and goods and meet the needs of “Everyone ” who had need. They did not sell all and place in some commune pot, but as someone had “need.” They were meeting people’s needs. The sense of Gods AWESOMENESS led them to voluntarily and sacrificially give and sell, their goods and possessions, as someone had “need,” why? Because they saw their brothers in “need” and they wanted to meet those needs. They loved them. PEOPLE became more important than POSSESSIONS in the early church! - PRAISING GOD CONTINUALLY
Acts 2: 46-47 –“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with GLAD and SINCERE hearts, PRAISING GOD and ENJOYING favor of all the people…” They were meeting together and communing together, they were a unified, miraculous, sharing and caring and a Joyful church. And doing so with “Glad and Sincere hearts. The word “glad” is from a Greek word, which means “TO REJOICE.” They were a Glad church and one of the reasons they were so was because they had “sincere hearts.” “Sincere” LITERALLY means, “SIMPLICITY,” and comes from a root word meaning “FREE FROM ROCKS” or “SMOOTH.”” The picture being as one man said, “There was no stones of selfishness in their hearts.” Indeed stones of “bitterness” which defiles many was not in their hearts, the stones of offense had been removed. They were PRAISING GOD CONTINUALLY.To Praise is to commend His Wonderful Being- His Person, His Provision, His Promises, to Praise Him for Who He is and What He has and is Doing. It is to Recite His wonderful attributes. They were focusing on Him, and they PRAISED Him AND AS A RESULT THEY WERE A GLAD people- a happy people, a unified people, a concerned and giving people, a sincere people, they knew and experienced Joy as they concentrated on Praising God as a result of Fearing God, a reverential respect for Him and His works and Ways which was evidenced in PRAISING HIM CONTINUALLY…. and they had favor with people as a consequence, because of the way they lived and TREATED ONE ANOTHER. oh to Be like that today, we could sigh, But dear friend it must be a choice of you and me! - GODLYSALVATIONS WERE A DAILY OCCURRENCE
Acts 2:47- “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Why say, “GODLY salvations...?” A well known preacher was sitting on the platform once before the meeting began, he leaned over and was chatting with a visiting preacher. He referred to a man sitting on the front row and said “that’s one of my converts,” the other preacher affirmed him, but the wise old preacher replied, that’s the problem “he’s one of mine and not the Lord’s!” You see in our day and age, we “make” and “affirm” and give false assurances to people, “pray this prayer,…sign this card…raise your hand “with every eye closed” why are you ashamed for others to see? … come to the front … sign this card…and then someone says, ” John or Sue …is now saved!” On whose authority can you say that? True you may have saw tears but you can not pronounce salvation on someone, only the Holy Spirit has that right. The FOUR soils, only one produced fruit – the other three were lost! But when GOD SAVES… LIVES ARE BEING CHANGED. Where are many of the people who have prayed at rally’s and youth retreats and “revivals” etc. Statistics say many of them cannot be found, why? In many cases they were coaxed and someone’s “convert” and not the Lord. the Lord saves and the LORD ADDS TO His church, so that they may be “equipped…”Eph 4:13-17.
“The Lord was adding…” We are reminded here, SALVATION is of God. The imperfect tense of the verb translated “was adding,” along with the phrase, “day by day” indicates that people were continually being saved. The Life of the church, they way they were living was a testimony to the community.
- CONFESSION AND FORSAKING OF SIN
Acts 19:18-“And MANY OF THOSE WHO had BELIEVED KEPT coming, CONFESSING and Disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and burning them in the sight of all; And they counted up the price of them and found it fifty-thousand pieces of silver.“
It is one thing to “coax” a person to agreeing they are a “sinner,” generally, but the FEAR OF THE LORD resulted in Specific Confession and Forsaking of sin!. These people were done with it. They were exhibiting Godly Sorrow and Repentance – 2 Cor 7:10
The tense of the verb in verse 18 shows the people, “kept coming…kept confessing…kept Showing…” They made a clean cut from their sin and counted the cost and forsook their evil ways. Have you? Are you presently involved in sinful practices, holding on to “sin?” What is it that God would have you confess and forsake? Come, be cleansed and Honor the Lord- HE IS WORTHY? Don’t hold on to that which Jesus dies to deliver you from, and which dishonors Him and defiles and degrades you. Be free today Cut away from that which blinds, binds and dishonors Him! To give your life to Christ is to Live for Christ. Look at the cost when they added up all their evil practices”…fifty thousand pieces of silver.” These people that day revealed their hearts allegiance and loyalty. They nailed their flag to the mast!
- THE SPREADING AND INFLUENCE OF THE WORD OF GOD
Acts 19:20 – “So the Word of the Lord was Growing MIGHTILY and PREVAILING.”What a statement!. All the fire of the evil one through the occult and the satanic forces of magic assailed against the Word of God But it could not be defeated or overcome but It defeated and Continued to Grow and Prevail and the WORD OF GOD could not be defeated. The preaching of the Lord Jesus and the miracles attesting to His Name, the defeat of the exorcists, and the awe and respect that was resulting in the Name of Jesus over the demonic hosts, was manifested.
Paul in 2 Tim 2:9, in his last letter wrote to young pastor Timothy 2:8-9, “This is my Gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But GOD’S WORD IS NOT CHAINED….” Hallelujah! Gods Word which is sharper than two edged sword continues to go out, neither chains nor continents can keep it out or from working in a persons heart…though Gods people be imprisoned Gods Word is not. How often has countries tried to stamp it out and with the death of the blood of the martyrs GOD HAS SENT FORTH HIS WORD, CONVICTING, CONVERTING AND LIBERATING people-
Paul wrote of it in Colossians 1:5-6 concerning “…the Word of truth which has come to you...” And what did it produce? Faith in Christ, Love for others, Hope, … indeed Paul said “all over the world the Gospel is producing FRUIT and GROWING, just as it has been doing Among you since the day you Heard it and Understood Gods Grace in Truth.”- Col 1:4-7. Like a mist that comes in from the ocean and the dew that covers the hillside, quietly and calmly spreading over the land, so Gods Word knows no boundaries or limitations where it cannot come in and infiltrate hearts. Rejoice, Gods Word is spreading all over the world today. To be sure, there are places still to hear, but if you will pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send Laborers into His Harvest … and you yourself will take it, the Word will spread, as God stands behind it!
- CONTINUANCE IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD – {TRANSFORMING LIVES, A RESULT– }
Acts 9:31 – “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up: and going on in the FEAR OF THE LORDand in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
Saul of Tarsus had been confronted and converted by the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, and now was Paul a servant of God whom God would use to influence and spread His Word. In Acts 9 :15 The Lord Jesus said concerning him, “…he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must SUFFER for My Name’s sake.” Paul was “chosen … to Suffer” for Jesus sake! Barnabus had befriended this once feared enemy of the believers and now was Testifying concerning the Lord Jesus,” He is the Son of God,” {Acts 9:20} and people were “Glorifying God because of…” Paul’s conversion. The hate filled man and enemy and persecutor of the Christians now himself had been converted by the Lord Jesus, and peace was prevailing in “…all Judea and Samaria enjoyed peace…”
The church was progressing, ” … and going on in the FEAR OF THE LORD…” This was not a single occasion and then on to the next thing or back the way it used to be, but they were “GOING ON in the Fear of the Lord.” They were Continually fearing GOD. Lives were continually being changed and reverence and respect for God was the characteristic of their lives, is it yours, is it mine?
The Fear of the Lord has a purifying effect and it is manifested in changing lives,
THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARLY CHURCH
1. FEEDING on the word of God
2. FELLOWSHIPPING in the things of God
3. FOCUSING on the Lamb of God
4. FOLLOWING hard after God in prayer
THE FEAR OF GOD IN THE EARLY CHURCH:Produced changed Lives- Taken up with GOD HIMSELF, resulting in Reverence for Him and evidenced in …
1. Purifying Effect
2. The Magnifying of the Lord Jesus
3. Wonders and Miracles confirming the Word of God and the Son of God
4. A Genuine Love and Concern for one Another.
5. Praising God Continually
6. Godly Salvation’s
7. Confession and Forsaking of Sin
8. The Spreading and Influence of the Word of God.
9. Changing lives
Two more Helpful passages concerning “THE FEAR OF THE LORD”
TURNS PEOPLE TO TRUST GOD – It PRODUCES A TESTIMONY -TRUST IN THE LORD;
Ps 40:3- “Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord”
THE FEAR OF THE LORD….
CAUSES GOD TO BE GLORIFIED
Luke 5::26 – “And they were all seized with astonishment, and GLORIFYING GOD, and they were filled with FEAR, saying We have seen remarkable things today.”
The issue was not buildings…the AWE was… Himself!
In his book, “In my Father’s house,” author Wayne Mack says, “This “Fear” of God that people experienced, however, is not an irrational state that produces the uncontrolled behavior reflected in our modern use of the word phobia. Rather it was a solemn recognition of the presence of a Holy and Loving God in their lives, which motivated them to obey Him gladly [Acts 2:vv44-46 and to PRAISE HIM continually [v 47].
Thus the “Awe” they experienced was a mixture of gratefulness, respect, and dread as they saw God for who He was and recognized His Presence with them. In a word they were Continually WORSHIPPING God.” – Wayne Mack- “In My fathers House”- p 41
APPLICATION:
1. What is the FOUNDATION of this church?
2. What is the FEAR of this church?
3. What is the FRUIT of this Church
4. What is the FOUNDATION you are building on?
5. What or Who is it you FEAR most
6. What is the FRUIT of your life?
COULD IT BE WE HAVE LOST THE FEAR OF GOD, BECAUSE WE HAVE LOST FOCUS ON GOD AND ARE NOT GIVING OURSELVES TO WHAT THE EARLY BELIEVERS GAVE THEMSELVES TO, NAMELY …THSES 4 THINGS…
“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of breadand to prayer …” – Acts 2:42
THE FEAR OF THE LORD, WAS HAVING AN EFFECT WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE BODY OF THE EARLY BELIEVERS, LORD MAY IT BE SO IN OUR DAY !!