Session 3
Acts 2:41-47
Memory Verse: Acts 2:42
Christian unity and fellowship are unique marks of the church. Of course, various groups throughout history have created societies for support and cooperation. But at its core, the community of faith is very different. While all humans are communal creatures and need contact with other people, the work and ministry of the church is based solely on the unique and finished work of Christ. Christian fellowship consistently and constantly encourages others to seek Christ, to forsake self-reliance, and to trust Him in all things.
As you work through this session’s key passages, consider why you fellowship with the other believers in your local church. Challenge yourself to examine your motives and to filter them through Christ. Pray that God shapes you into a leader who, first and foremost, points people to Jesus. At the same time, pray that the adults in your Bible study will grasp the importance of their connections in the church and will strive to nurture unity, fellowship, and service for the glory of God.
In nearly every sport, you can find teams that exceed expectations. They may lack superstar athletes, but together they excel. Players on exceptional teams unselfishly perform for the good of the whole. Teams can fall apart if personal achievement becomes more important that the goals of the group. What is true in sports applies even more to churches. A church’s unity impacts the fulfillment of its mission. (PSG, p. 28)
Acts 2 shares how the church came into being. Rather than being the brainstorm of some human, the church was established by the purposes of God, the promise of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. This was a new day for those who followed God. For example, when we compare these verses with how God called people to Himself in the Old Testament, we see both continuity and discontinuity.
In terms of continuity, the people of God are created by the Word of God. In Genesis 1, God created the universe through the power of His words. In Genesis 3, though, the human race fell into sin, but the curses of sin came with a reason to hope (Gen. 3:15). This promise demonstrated God’s unmatched power and authority, while also setting the foundation for the rest of Scripture.
In Genesis 6-7, the words of God again take center stage as God instructed Noah to build an ark. In this case, God’s words proved that He is in the business of saving people. In Genesis 12, God’s voice called Abraham out of a life of idolatry and promised to bless the whole world through his family. Abraham obeyed God’s words, setting the stage for the Messiah. So, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, the work of God is connected to the words of God, especially His promises.
In terms of discontinuity, leaders in the Old Testament often fell short, even the best of them. Whether we think of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Moses, Eli, Gideon, Samson, David, or Solomon, the pages of the Old Testament are filled with stories of individuals living out the tension between faith and failure. In contrast, the New Testament people of God are led by a King who is both God and man. Jesus never sinned-He never fell short. Everything He did on earth was perfect, and all of His words are light and life. The One who comes to call the people of God in the New Testament is, was, and always will be perfect in all ways.
After Pentecost, this core group then started living out their faith in tangible ways as they understood God’s direction (2:42-47). They experienced unity in Christ, which strengthened both their fellowship with one another and their witness to the world. As a result, Christ continued to multiply their efforts and draw people into a relationship with Himself.
Read Acts 2:41-47. What commonalities can you find between the early church and your congregation? (PSG, p. 29)
EXPLORE THE TEXT
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
(v. 41) Accepted his message: The people who heard Peter’s message understood and accepted the information that he shared with them. Salvation is holistic transformation, not merely a mental agreement. Since responding to the gospel affects the entire person, it does have a mental or logical component. But the key is the response-the commitment and acceptance of God’s plan for salvation.
(v. 41) Baptized: The first step of obedience in the Christian life is baptism. Being baptized as a believer is the normal New Testament pattern. Throughout Acts, faith precedes baptism.
The mere act of baptism does not save anyone. However, baptism is both a sign of God’s covenant and a symbol of faith. It represents a public profession that an individual has joined the body of Christ and has been embraced by the local congregation. It symbolizes that believers have died to their old way of living and have been raised by God to walk with Christ (Rom. 6:1-14).
(v. 41) Three thousand people: Luke noted that about 3,000 people were part of this initial wave of conversions after Peter’s sermon. Some scholars see a connection between the 3,000 in Acts 2 and the people killed for their idolatry in Exodus 32. As an educated physician who was familiar with the Old Testament, Luke could have drawn this contrast to emphasize God’s faithfulness in restoring His people. Regardless, the large number of new believers underscores the power of the gospel when presented with sincerity and with the backing of the Holy Spirit.
(v. 42) Apostles’ teaching: As this new group of Christians gathered, they devoted themselves to several vital expressions of their newfound faith, including the gospel message. In those days, the apostles delivered messages from God directly to the new believers. Today, we enjoy a significant advantage over our ancient brothers and sisters. Instead of having to speak with an apostle, believers around the world can access apostolic truth through the New Testament.
We also have direct access to Christ through the Holy Spirit. As a result, We can read and interpret God’s Word personally with the Spirit’s help. We can carry the apostles’ teaching in our hands and in our hearts.
Fellowship
Luke used the Greek word koinonia, which involves more than simply meeting at the same place at the same time. It emphasizes sharing life together and actively participating in the experiences of others.
This fellowship is possible because we have been united in Christ, and our love for one another will demonstrate to the world that we belong to Him (John 13:34-35). By loving and caring for one another in practical ways, Christ followers nurture unity within the church, which produces true fellowship. Our unity also validates the difference Jesus can make in a person’s life as we share the gospel with the world.
(v. 42) Breaking of bread: Sharing meals nurtures fellowship. For the early church, the breaking of bread likely involved at least two activities. First, believers were in the habit of literally eating meals together. Second, this phrase has been associated with the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, the ceremonial “meal” instituted by Jesus (Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
(v. 42) Prayer: In addition to its personal practice, corporate prayer should be a part of our life together as believers. Just as eating a meal together can enhance fellowship, prayer also brings people together. When we share our prayer needs with one another-rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep (Rom. 12:15)-we help carry the burdens of life.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.
44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.
(v. 43) Awe: The Greek wording (phobos) can also be rendered as “fear” or “panic.” However, Luke used it to describe a reverence or respect for God’s work in the early church. In a world where information and explanations are at our fingertips and things move at such a rapid pace, it can be easy to lose our sense of awe. Like the members of the early church, we have to take care to protect our sense of awe in God.
(v. 43) Wonders and signs: The wonders in Acts were not performed for the sake of the miracle or miracle workers. The apostles’ signs pointed people to Christ’s true identity and validated their message about Him.
It should be noted that these wonders and signs were performed through the apostles. They were conduits of God’s power. Just like the power to run the appliances does not actually come from outlets, the power to perform signs and wonders did not originate in the apostles. They only accomplished what God empowered them to do.
(v. 44) Together: Being physically present with one another is an essential aspect of Christian fellowship. When a member of a person’s body gets separated from the rest of the body, it is a medical emergency and cause for alarm. Immediate action is taken to make sure the separated member isn’t permanently lost. In a similar way, an individual Christian who gets separated from the body of Christ is in great danger and should be reunited to the body as quickly as possible.
(v. 44) All things in common: The passage is descriptive, not prescriptive. The decision to sell one’s property for the benefit of another is a personal choice, not a requirement of faith. Though some may follow this example, their decision should come from a conviction directed by the Lord and motivated by generosity-not obligation or coercion.
However, the attitude of selflessness should be a mark of the Christian life. Since God owns everything (Ps. 24:1), we are simply stewards of His resources. As a result, we should hold all things with an open hand, recognizing that everything we own actually belongs to Him and is a gift from Him for us to use for His glory.
(v. 45) Distributed the proceeds: One New Testament metaphor for the church is the family of God. As we think about how generous we should be with fellow church members, we should keep this metaphor in mind. Fellow Christ followers are brothers and sisters, and the way we care for one another affects our testimony before the watching world.
The members of the early church stood out from the rest of the world through their willingness to look after each other, especially the “least of these.” Resources were something to promote unity by relieving suffering instead of something that could divide believers by social class.
46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
(v. 46) Meeting together: Just as the early church members were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing meals, and prayer (v. 42), they were also committed to meeting together. In fact, they met every day of the week. Fellowship and unity require intentionality. Believers cannot stumble passively into fellowship. With the Spirit’s help, we experience the benefits of coming together for regular Bible study and worship.
(v. 46) In the temple: The temple was still a logical meeting place for the early church. They understood that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises, prophecies, and sacrifices, so their trips were not intended to continue the Old Testament practices. Instead, they focused on prayer and witnessing. The temple was the heart of Jerusalem, so Christ followers were obeying Jesus’s command to be His witnesses in Jerusalem by being present in this community hub. In addition, the temple offered plenty of space for church members to gather.
House to house
As noted, the believers saw everything they owned as God’s property. With that mindset firmly established, their homes were open to one another. Along with praying and studying in the temple, they shared meals in houses.
In contemporary culture, we often treat our homes as castles, as places of refuge to escape the world. In Acts, though, the believers opened their houses to another. Homes were not only places for existing believers to meet with one another, but they were also places of evangelism where unbelievers became new believers.
(v. 46) Joyful: The Greek word used here suggests intense emotion and exuberance. The early Christians were ecstatic to fellowship with one another. Their practical unity grew out of a spiritual unity based on their bond in Christ. These believers did not gather out of a sense of duty. They met because they were delighted to do so. They experienced joy when they did life together.
(v. 47) Praising God: One result of the joyful and sincere hearts of the early believers was an acknowledgment of the God who had brought them together. We often think of praise as a function of our corporate worship, especially in singing. In Acts 2, however, we see that praise and worship are not relegated to certain songs, an order of worship, or even Sunday mornings. Instead, praise and worship are the natural overflow of God’s grace toward us. In addition, the early Christians held one another accountable and fostered a spirit of celebration by sharing their stories of faith with each other.
(v. 47) Favor: The way the Christians treated each other affected their witness for Christ in the world. Through their reputation for hospitality and Christian love, they had favor even with non-believers, opening the door for more witnessing opportunities. Earlier, Luke had used a form of the same Greek word (charis) to describe the way Jesus related to God and to others (Luke 2:52).
While Christ alone was the One to draw people into the church, the actions of His people made Christianity attractive. Paul said church leaders “must have a good reputation” with those outside the walls of the church (1 Tim. 3:7), indicating that this practice became normative.
(v. 46) Added to their number: As a result of the early church’s unity and ministry, new converts were being added regularly. When Jesus is lifted up, He draws people to Himself (John 12:32). This was true on the cross, and it is true in how believers reflect Him to the world.
The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. (See Ephesians 2:19-22; Philippians 2:1-4.)
Cross Reference other passages to learn more about Christian doctrine.
Read the following passages about fellowship: John 13:34-35; 15:17; Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:26-27; Galatians 6:2; and Hebrews 10:19-25. Based on these passages, what are some practical ways you can practice Christian fellowship?