A Status Report
TRANSLATION
(41) Those who accepted Peter’s message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (42) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. (43) Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. (44) All the believers remained together and held everything in common. (45) They were selling their property and possessions, distributing the proceeds to any who were in need. (46) Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and sincere hearts, (47) praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord daily added to their number those who were being saved.
OBSERVATIONS
In this concluding paragraph of Chapter 2, Luke provided his readers with a status report recounting what had been taking place in the newborn church. Here we find six important repetitions: “day/day by day” (vss. 41, 46, & 47), “soul(s)” (vss. 41 & 43), “added” (vss. 41 & 47), “apostles” (vss. 42 & 43), “breaking bread” (vss. 42 & 46), “every/all” (five times in vss. 43, 44, 45, & 47). These verses give us an accurate portrait of the fledgling church in its earliest days.
OUTLINE
I. Three thousand were added to the newborn church as the result of Peter’s sermon. (41)
II. The church began meeting and growing together in Jerusalem. (42-47)
IDEA STATEMENT
The newborn church began to grow and function in ways that brought glory to God.
APPLICATION
Almost all evangelical churches in today’s world would claim to be a “New Testament church.” Luke’s first description in Acts 2 shows us what took place in this newborn body of believers. By closely studying this passage, we can determine the validity of such claims since the characteristics of the early church were set forth with clarity. The first two verses indicate that apostolic teaching, exemplified by the sermon Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, was of primary importance. The life-transforming proclamation of the Gospel was one of the chief means by which the Holy Spirit brought conviction and repentance to those who heard the message (vs. 41). All who became convinced of these truths concerning Christ’s death and resurrection were then incorporated into the church by means of baptism, an outward portrayal of the new birth (regeneration) that had already taken place in their hearts (vs. 41).
In addition to the apostles’ teaching and believers’ baptism, fellowship (koinonia), a sense of community or belonging to one another, characterized the early church. In this fellowship, “the breaking of bread,” namely commemorating the Lord’s Table by sharing meals together, and “prayers” were essential components. Together those who belonged to the church experienced a great sense of awe and wonder at what God was doing through the apostles, so much so that they readily contributed to meeting each others’ needs and generously supported one another. Both in the temple and in their homes, they worshiped and praised God together. Those among their friends and neighbors who witnessed what was taking place were drawn to hear more of what God was doing in their midst so that their numbers were increasing exponentially.