Acts 2:42–47, 4:23–35

A spirit of unity
Acts 2:42–47, 4:23–35
Many churches opt to specialize in a particular area of ministry, whether that is missions, evangelism, discipleship or age-group ministries. Within individual churches, believers may form groups around different ministries, projects or emphases. Such specialization makes sense given that God has gifted individuals with talents and abilities that uniquely make them suited for particular areas of service and involvement. Yet the ministries of a local church should not operate in isolation from one another but rather in cohesive solidarity with all members of Christ’s body. The church is strengthened and God is honored when ministries function in a spirit of unity and cooperation with one another.

The Characteristics of the Early Church (2:42–47)
The early chapters of Acts describe the church in its infancy. Peter, James and John were among the primary leaders, most converts were Jews, and the teaching and worship practices in place focused on the basic essentials: apostolic teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer. The trappings and complexities of contemporary church culture were altogether absent from the sincere and simple gatherings of early believers.

First, early believers devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles about Jesus. Second, they devoted themselves to koinonia, a Greek word we translate fellowship. Third, they joined together regularly for meals that typically included the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Fourth, they were thoroughly devoted to prayer.

The faithfulness of early believers to these few basic practices raises some questions about our church life today. Does our message focus always on the story of Jesus, or do we sometimes append to the gospel our own political ideology or social agenda? Are we truly devoted to sharing our lives with one another, including our time and financial resources? Do we celebrate the Lord’s Supper with a passion and regularity that typifies the early church? Is our church life saturated with serious prayer? We may debate whether Luke’s description of the early church is descriptive (describing what happened) or prescriptive (telling us how things should happen today). We cannot debate the experiences of early believers: “And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.”

The Commitment of the Early Church (4:23–31)
Peter and John soon encountered opposition to the gospel from the Jewish religious leaders responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion. After the two were arrested and punished, they met with believers and prayed for boldness. They also prayed for God to work the miraculous in their midst. They asked for healing, signs and wonders, and as they prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Are we committed to boldness in the face of opposition? Are we willing to allow God to work among us in the ways He chooses rather than merely the ways with which we are comfortable?

The Compassion of the Early Church (4:32–35)
There is no mention of tithing in these verses. Instead, the description is of a group of people so filled with the grace of God that they gave everything they had to share with the growing multitude of believers. They sold property, gave the money and shared everything in common. As a result, “there was not a needy person among them.”

They were radically compassionate, not because they despised wealth but because they loved each other. They were not willing to allow material needs to stand in the way of the spread of the gospel. That is an example worth following.