2013 Acts #05: an exposition of Acts 2:41-47. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, June 16, 2013.
Intro:
How would you describe the church? What definition would you use? When we come to think about the church there are many different ways to describe it. Some see the church as some kind of “cosmic” waiting room for those who are waiting to go to heaven. Others see it as some sort of social club. The church is a place to gather with family and friends to enjoy one another’s company. Some would consider it more of a service organization. It is an organization where we cooperate together to do some public good. Others would take a more biblical approach and say, “The church is the body of Christ.” Fine, but what does that mean?
When we consult a lexicon we find that the word church in the New Testament means, “a called out assembly.” As we work with that we come to understand that the church is made up of people who have been “called out” of the world and placed within a unique body of people. Beyond that we find the word is used in two different was in the New Testament. In one sense it refers to all those who through all time have been called out by God’s Spirit and made into the body of Christ. We call that the universal church. All peoples of all cultures through all times are part of the one body of Christ – the church. But the word is used most often to refer to a local gathering of those universal saints. For instance Paul writes to the church at Corinth or at Thessalonica or the church at Rome. These are local bands of believers who gather in local communities to provide a local expression of the life of Christ to their community.
What is most clear is that the church is not a building! It is not brick and mortar. The church is the people. This building is not Trinity Baptist Church. This building is where Trinity Baptist Church meets. We are the church. But what are we supposed to look like? What is it we are to be? To answer that I want us to consider Luke’s summary statement found at the end of Acts chapter 2.
Text: Acts 2:41-47
Luke the careful historian is writing to his friend, Theophilus, telling him of the continuing work of the Lord Jesus. In his Gospel, Luke told Theophilus all that Jesus began to do – now he is filling him in on the lasting workings of the Lord Jesus through his body – the church.
The opening chapter of Acts reminds us of the promise coming of the Holy Spirit.
It also tells us of what happened to Judas and about his successor.
Then in the opening of chapter 2 we find the dramatic fulfillment of the promise.
The sound of a violent, rushing wind signaled the beginning of a new age.
God’s Spirit was poured out on all his people.
All were telling of the glory of God.
In the midst of the confusion – Peter stood up and preached the first Christian sermon.
The astonishing result was that 3000 were swept into the kingdom through a single message.
Luke then stops to summarize the state of the church up to that point.
This is the first of three such summary statements in the first 5 chapters.
(The others being 4:32-37 and 5:12-16.)
By examining this passage we discover that:
Thesis: A New Testament church is a vibrant, living, loving community of believers covenanted together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the teaching of the Word of God.
In this passage we find three marks of a true church. These are marks that ought to characterize our fellowship and any other fellowship that claims to be a New Testament church.
- The church is a community of people who have a genuine conversion experience. (2:41)
- The church is a community of people who are passionately committed to the truth and to each other. (2:42-43)
- The church is a community of people who are bound together by covenant. (2:44-47)