Acts 2:22-47

GOD’S PATTERN FOR HIS CHURCH

Intro: The Day of Pentecost was an amazing day. On that day, the Holy Spirit was
given, and the Lord’s church was born. The church that came into existence that day
was a sight to behold.

• It was a church operating in the power of the Holy Spirit.

• It was a church on mission, taking the Gospel to a lost world.

• It was a church excited about its Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

• It was a church committed to holiness, obedience to the Word of God, and to

worship.

• It was a church that was hated by the world around, but it was steadfast in the face of
horrible persecution.

• It was a church that was growing, as God added to it daily.

• It was a church that enjoyed the manifest presence and power of God.

• The church described in the book of Acts was unlike anything the world had ever, or
will ever see.

The modern church, the church with which we are all familiar, is far removed from
what that church was.

• The church in Acts was united - Act 2:44-46; Acts 4:32-37

- The people loved one another.

- They were being persecuted for their faith, and many were losing their jobs.

- Others were forces from their homes.

- Many were poverty stricken.

- The people in the church rallied together, sold their possessions, and gave to meet
the needs of other believers.

- Acts 2:46 says they were “in one accord.”

- Acts 4:32 says “they were of one heart and one soul.”

- They held their faith in common.

 - They were stood with one another and not against one another.

- They presented a united front to the hostile world in which they lived.

• The church in Acts was committed - We are told that “they continued daily,” Acts
2:46.

- They were so committed to their worship of the Savior that they came together
every day to worship and to honor the Lord.

- Get that in your mind! They didn’t just go to church on Sunday; they came to
church every single day! That’s commitment.

- They were committed in the face of persecution and hatred.

‣ Stephen was stoned to death for his faith, Acts 7.

‣ John and Peter were arrested and beaten for their preaching, Acts 4-5.

‣ The whole church operated under the threat of persecution, jail, and death, Acts
8:1-3; Acts 9:1-2.

• The church in Acts was powerful - The early church enjoyed the power of God in
their midst.

- They saw people saved on a daily basis, Acts 2:47.

- They witnessed miraculous conversions as first 3,000 and then 5,000 were saved
by grace and brought into their number.

- They saw God deal with hypocrisy in their midst by judging guilty members in the
presence of all, Acts 5:1-10.

- They witnessed many miracles and many manifestations of the power of God.

- They were hated by the world, but they had the power of God on their ministries.

- There was so much spiritual power on this church that they were said to have
“turned the world upside down,” Acts 17:6.