Acts 2:42-47 (New King James Version)
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church[a] daily those who were being saved.
Each of us as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ has a responsibility to seek out our Heavenly Father and follow His ways. In the above passage our Father has given us four basic points to follow; ones that we as a church need to come back to. To give you a little history, the Apostle Peter just gave the first sermon of the new church and the Holy Spirit moved in the people, brought conviction, and as a result three thousand people came to believe in Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew). The passage above is how the first church began. It is a model we need to return to in our current day.
In verse 42 the LORD reveals four points for us to follow. First, we need to stay steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrines, or teachings. Next we are to be in fellowship with one another, we need to break bread together, and we need to pray.
The word "steadfastly" in this passage is the Greek word "proskartereo" (Strong's #4342) which means to be earnest toward; to be constantly diligent; to adhere closely to. When we steadfastly follow something we are constantly, with passion, adhering to something we believe in. In this case we need to have a constant passion to follow and adhere to the teachings found in God's Word. How many of us actually take the time to sit with God's Word and study it and then apply it to our lives? I think most people, if they read God's Word anytime other than in church, just take the words in but never allow them to sink into their heart and then actually ask God how it applies to their lives. We need to ask God to fill us with a passion for His Word, and for the understanding on how to apply it to our lives to remove sin.
When you see the words "breaking of bread" in the passage above it is referring to the Passover Meal, otherwise called the Last Supper, or the Lord's Supper. The last two descriptions have been developed through the years as a way to describe the meal that Jesus shared with His disciples on the night He was arrested. What Jesus and His disciples were actually celebrating on that night was the Passover Meal, a Hebrew celebration in remembrance of when the LORD saved the Israelites from the spirit of death that struck the land of Egypt. The Israelites put the blood of a lamb over the door posts on on the sides of their doors as a sign that they were protected and covered by YHWH, so the spirit of death would not enter their home. By celebrating this meal with His disciples Jesus was declaring that HE was the Passover Lamb. In fact, the cup that He lifted was the third cup out of four that was lifted that night. It was the cup of redemption. Jesus was declaring to the world that He has redeemed us through His blood. You can read in verse 46 that the first church celebrated this meal in their homes. The devil has sold us a lie telling us we can only celebrate it in church, on Sundays, on certain days of the month. This is a lie. We must celebrate the Passover Meal in our home, often. It is a sign of covenant with the LORD and is a sign of the redemption, healing, deliverance, and protection we have in the blood He shed on the cross.
There is an epidemic that has gripped our land, especially in the United States, and that is the epidemic of isolation. The devil wants to isolate us and keep us separated from one another because he knows that there is wisdom in the council of others. If he can keep us focused only on our own problems and not in fellowship with others, then he can fill us with depression, lack of hope, and a whole host of other demonic influences. The early church stayed in daily communion with one another. We need to let this be our example; we need to stay in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is amazing to see what happens when we come together, even for times of fun and celebration. A birthday party, when celebrated in the spirit of the LORD, often times will turn into a time of healing and deliverance. Break down the walls of isolation that the enemy has built around you and reach out to a friend and spend time with them, just fellowshipping. It will be a blessing to your life. When we learn to focus our attention on others, and we see the struggles they have in their life, the Lord will move us with compassion and he will use us to help them, and all of the sudden we realize we are not the only one with struggles and challenges and our problems don't seem so big. When you focus on someone else, and serve them, we will see how God will move someone else to come and help us. It is the principle of servant hood found in the Kingdom of God. Remember that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. No student is greater than their master. If Jesus is the master of our life we need to follow His example and serve others as He did. Through His service our Heavenly Father glorified His Son. It's a concept that is still alive today because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
The last point of instruction in these verses is prayer. We need to return to daily, fervent, passionate prayer. We need to remember that prayer is not just lifting up our needs and wants to God; it is about worshipping and praising Him as well. In Mark 6:46 we see Jesus praying on the mountain. The word pray in this verse is the Greek word "proseuchomai" (Strong's #4336) which means to "to pray to God, supplication, worship". Worship needs to be a part of our prayers. We need to give thanks to the LORD for His blessings in our life, for His salvation, His love, His mercy, His forgiveness, and everything else He is and has done. We need to return to prayer. Prayer is a powerful weapon against the works of the enemy. Right now our nation is in some very challenging times. There are laws being past that go against His Word. The Ten Commandments are being removed from our land, it is legal for abortions to take place, and a whole bunch of other laws that contradict the Word of God are plaguing our land. Not to mention the nation of Israel is in danger of attack on every side. We need to pray for the protection of Israel. Remember, Jesus was Jewish, He is not the "Anglo" Jesus presented by the Catholic Church. There is a great need for prayer to return to our land. Why not stop right now and go before the LORD and pray to Him and give Him worship before you continue reading this blog.
Along with these four points we need to come back to, there are blessings of the LORD that will come over our lives as a result. When we read these verses we see that "fear came upon every soul". As we follow these principles our land will be filled with the fear of God. Also, many wonders and signs were performed. Do you need a miracle in your life? Try applying these basic principles to your life and see how God can manifest His power. We also read that there was no lack in the lives of those in the church. Everyone had what they needed. (Please note that the Bible uses the word "need", not "want". We need to learn the difference between needs and wants.) Another blessing is gladness. The LORD will fill you with His joy, a joy that is not fleeting of fading, but a joy that comes from deep within and can never be taken away. Simplicity of heart is yet another benefit. How many of you reading this have stress and worries in your life? God wants to help you through those to help reduce your stress levels. Plus, have you ever noticed that some people just seem to have everything go their way? They get the best deals, they have favor with their bosses at work, and they get the best promotions, the best pay. It is as though they have favor with all people. Well, this is another blessing from the LORD. When we are in close communion with Him, His glory will rest upon us and it can change the spiritual atmosphere around you. But, just like Moses, you need to spend time on the mountain seeking God. Another benefit was that there was also church growth and people saved. When we live a life worthy of His glory, non-believers around us will be drawn to God because of His presence with us. One of the main purposes of Holy Spirit is to reveal Jesus to the unbeliever. If you have Holy Spirit with you, and you walk in the Spirit, believers can't help but see Jesus.
The first church saw great growth and many miracles. We need to return to the model of church described in the book of Acts. The book of Acts is for today as well. Nowhere in God's Word does it say He removed the anointing that rested on the Apostles and the early church. The problem is that WE have removed it through our man-made traditions and rules. Let's return to the true church which is based on family, and brotherly love. Make time to search God's Word and apply it to your life. Celebrate the Passover Meal in your homes and renew your covenant with the LORD. Take time to fellowship with other believers, not just on Sunday during "fellowship time". Actually call a brother of sister, go to lunch, and visit in your homes. Lastly, make time to pray. Our land needs more alters of prayer lifted up to God. Not just our needs, but also worship and praise to Him. Let the heavens know that there are people who want the LORD and His Holy Spirit to return to our land.
Be blessed in the name of Jesus. We pray the Lord has ministered to your heart through this word and that old paradigms have been broken.
© 2011 Scott Wood - No distribution beyond personal use without permission
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