IMPORTANT MATTERS ABOUT THE CHURCH - 4

WHEN THE CHURCH BEGAN

In Acts Chapter 2, the Holy Spirit of promise came upon the disciples in the upper room. This was when the Church began.

The disciples were transformed into a regenerated being by the Holy Ghost. Then after that, those who believed the gospel as presented by Peter were saved and added to the Church. This first Church were men who had seen Jesus Christ face to face and have heard many things about the Kingdom, so they know exactly why Christ is establishing the Church.

So the disciples were transformed by the Holy Spirit and they became Apostles. Those who were added to the Church were saved people, not "those who are hoping to be saved", they were those who appreciate the finished work of the Cross of Christ, not those who are "trusting their own works". They were all fed and brought up with the doctrine of the Apostles. They were all in one accord, united in the love of Christ.

You see, that first Church were the ones who became threat to the Kingdom of darkness, they were adamant and stood firm in their faith even in the midst of persecution. Lets see for ourselves some of these things in Acts 2...

41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

(Me: To join the Church in those days, you must RECEIVE AND BELIEVE THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST, not any message. Not heaven and hell message, not prosperity message, not "Christianity is the approved religion" message BUT THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION)

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

(Me: Their devotion was not Church programmes as we have it, but TEACHING, PRAYERS AND FELLOWSHIP. There was no time for concert or anniversary or suya night)

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

(Me: EVERYONE was filled with awe, not everyone was sad. Because miracles flows easily with the truth)

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.

(Me: NO DENOMINATION, NO SECT)

45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

(Me: Not as seeds or firstfruits or tithes, but OUT OF LOVE)

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

(Me: As you can see, they meet in temple courts as Church, they do not meet in the "church", they are the Church themselves)

47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

(Me: Who added to their number? The Apostles? No! Who? The Lord Jesus Christ! Why? He is the head and he is the builder of the Church!) Amen!

These among many other things were the activities and unity among the Church when it began. As a result of this, there is mighty move and the Kingdom was expanding. Even when Saul and others began to persecute them, they remain in the Lord. People could not join the Church anyhow; they must have been saved by the gospel and must have received the Holy Spirit.

There was no division, there was no denomination. There was nothing like "church name", no RCCG (all of them were redeemed Christians), no Deeper Life (all of them had deeper lives), no WINNERS (all of were winners in the Lord) etc...

They were all UNITED AS ONE CHURCH, ONE BODY IN CHRIST!

We can continue to show us on and on how beautiful and strong the Church was when it began, but space will not permit.

However, it got to a period, THE SERPENT CAME DECEIVING EVE AGAIN. We will see this in the next lesson.