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2010 Special Lecture

The Birth and Growth of the Early Church

Luke 2:22-47

Key Verse: 2:42 " They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

We have heard many times about house church ministry in UBF. Today we will learn about how the house church started and what fruit we can bear from the fellowship of believers through house church ministry. Actually, in 2010 new year conference last month we learned about how we establish and maintain our house church ministry for a beautiful fellowship in Christ Jesus. It’s because our ministry is based on house church ministry. If you think you have nothing to do with house church ministry, that’s not quite right because you are the fruit of the house church ministry. Through today’s message JBF members may understand their parents’ house church in God’s ministry and become a good coworker in their family and hope that they would inherit and succeed to God’s wonderful house church ministry for the future generation.

Part I. Gospel message: The seed of the house church (22-41)

Look at verse 22-24. “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” In these verses Peter gives his version of “Just the facts.” He said that Jesus was shown to be from God by the miracles, wonders and signs which he performed among the people who were listening to Peter’s message. This Jesus was taken by wicked hands and crucified and put to death! This was all a part of God’s plan for the redemptive work for sinners. God raised Jesus up because it was impossible for death to have the last say on Him. This gospel in a nutshell compares favorably to Paul’s explanation of the gospel which he preached among the Corinthians shown in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Paul said that the gospel which he had declared and which the Corinthians had believed was that Christ died according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. These two texts share in common the essentials of the gospel message: the death and resurrection of Christ. What am I talking about? The death and resurrection of Jesus is the gospel message and the seed of the early church and the house church. Of course our ministry is also based on the two pillars of the gospel: The death and the resurrection of Jesus. Likewise each JBF member who is a candidate to establish the future house church should stand firm on the gospel message of the death and resurrection of Jesus. What kind of seed you put in your heart decides the path of your life. I pray that all JBF members here may plant the seed of the gospel deep in their hearts and grow as a great spiritual leader for God’s church. 

Then, what does the gospel message mean to us?

First, the death of Christ is the means by which God satisfied his wrath toward sin. He poured out his wrath against our sins on Christ Jesus. Have you ever stolen or shop-lifted or done shameful, blamable things that hold you responsible? How did you feel at the moment? When I was a young boy I stole some money from my mother’s piggy bank little by little for a perfect crime. I thought I could deceive my mother because I took only small amount like 50 cents a day. The reason why I stole money was for video arcade games. When I was on the way to the video arcade, I was so happy because I could play the games just like any body else in the arcade. But when the money ran out and it was time to come back home, I felt so miserable and worried that my mother would come to know what I had done. Over time, even though I took little by little, the piggy bank got lighter and lighter, and finally I became a suspect and was investigated by my mother. Not long after, I admitted my crime because my mother said if I did she would forgive me. But Once I admitted my mother made me a dead dog with the broom. Even though my body turned blue and black, my heart got lightened and relived because I thought I paid for my crime through the punishment. Since then, I stopped stealing thanks to my mother’s stern lesson with broom. My point in my story is that when we sin, we must pay for it, otherwise we live a miserable life because of the burden of sin. But if we pay for all our sins, it is impossible for us to be alive. In my case, I got bitten black and blue only for stealing from mom’s piggy bank. What if I paid for all my others sins? My body would be crushed and I would be gone forever. So it is impossible for us to be free from sins by ourselves. Thankfully Jesus the Christ was stricken and dead on the cross to relive us from the debts incurred by our own sins. This Jesus is the one who can set us from the bondage of sin and even restore the broken relationship between God and human beings as a mediator. Let us give thanks to Jesus who died on the cross for our sins in place of us. 2 Cor. 5:21 says “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Second, the resurrection makes Jesus’ death atoning sacrifice and it is the assurance of our salvation. R.A Torrey famous American evangelist born in Hoboken, NJ in 1856 said that the crucifixion loses its meaning without the resurrection. Without the resurrection, the death of Christ was only the heroic death of a noble martyr. With the resurrection it is the atoning death of the Son of God. That’s why we believe Jesus alone even though there have been many other martyrs who just died and was not raise from the dead.  The power of resurrection confirms the atoning death of Jesus for our sins.

Look at verse 25-31. In these verses Peter quotes from Psalm 16:8-11 and applies them directly to Jesus. David had prophesied that God’s Anointed One would not see corruption and His soul would not be left in Hades (the grave, or abode of the dead). Peter makes a comment that this did not refer to David, but to David’s greater Son who is the promised Seed of David who will reign forever more. David’s body did suffer corruption. David is still in the grave, but Jesus is alive, and well and seated on the throne!

Look at verse 32. “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.”  Now Peter makes a conclusion that we are all witnesses of the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. In the Bible there are so many witnesses of the fact. The Risen Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18), the other Mary (Matt. 28:8-10), Peter (Luke 24:34), ten disciples (Luke 24:36-43), the Eleven including Thomas (John 20:26-29), the disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:13-35), and five hundred people at once (1 Cor. 15:6).  Do you still doubt Jesus’ death and resurrection or believe and identify yourself as one of the witnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection?  May God bless you to grow as a powerful witness of the gospel for the next generation!

In verses 33-36, we see that Jesus is now enthroned as the King fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies. God has made this Jesus, whom we crucified, both Lord and Christ.  Here we learn that nothing in this world can hinder God’s salvation work and God may fulfill his promise by any means for the salvation of his people.

Look at verses 37-41.  When the people heard Peter’s message, they were cut to the heart. The very Jesus whom they had crucified had been raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God. The testimony of Scripture and the powerful witness of the apostles was overwhelming evidence that demanded their response. They realized they were guilty of sinning against the promised Messiah and the Creator God. They said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Look at verse 38-39. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ This promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call” As instructed by Peter they could receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit by repenting of their sins. Jesus forgives our sins, too through our repentance and the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts to dwell. He gives us victory over sin and enables us to live a new life with the Risen Christ. Peter must have been overwhelmed by his own message as he was delivering it to those who had crucified Jesus. He went on and on warning them and pleading with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Look at verse 41. “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Suddenly the early church increased in number 25 times, from about 120 members to 3,120 members.  Fathers and mothers of JBF members also confessed and repented their own sins and were saved through Jesus’ death and resurrection. When they held the seed of the gospel in their hearts from their young age, they even established their house church and now they see JBF members their own children grow as child of God. This must be one of the great fruits of the seed of the gospel in their house church ministry and you are the evidence that your parents are so blessed with gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Part II. The fellowship of Believers: The fruit of the gospel message (42-47)

Look at verse 42. “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” When they had the gospel in their hearts, they made many kinds of fellowship, which were the fruit of the gospel message. First, the early church started devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching.  The early church members were very hungry in spirit and studied the Bible eagerly that they were full of God’s words. That made the early church a community that stood on the word of God. This is very important for our house church ministry. It’s because God’s church should always stand firmly on the word of God.  Without God’s words everything in the house church or the church itself falls apart sooner or later. Even though it seems good to have humanistic community without God’s words for a while, it does not last long. It is only the word of God that sustains the house church and the communityof house churches and each member of it.. 

Second, the early church devoted themselves to the fellowship. What fellowship did they have? When we look at the whole of the chapter 2, the fellowship was the work of the Holy Spirit that changed around 120 people at the day of Pentecost.  This fellowship was the only one they had. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they tasted the delight of the unity with the Holy Spirit and with other believers through the Holy Spirit.

Third, the early church devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. The breaking of bread is not just to eat food together, but also to celebrate Communion. Communion is to commemorate the death of Jesus. While they were breaking bread, they meditated on the meaning of Jesus’ suffering and his death on the cross. This was to experience forgiveness of sins by having Jesus’ body and flesh when they broke the bread.

Forth, the early church devoted themselves to prayer. All the believers among the early church prayed with one heart and mind. Before the three thousand were added, they prayed hard. And after three thousand were added, they still prayed hard. They continued to pray in desperation for the work of the Holy Spirit and for the work of God’s word because they did not want to loose the power of the gospel.

Let us give thanks to God for we have the same fellowship among JBF. JBF gather together to study the Bible, to eat, and to pray. They even live together having sleeping fellowshp in the same room. I pray that all JBF memebers have wonderful fellowship among themsevles through the Holy Spirit by remembering the gosple message in their minds. 

Look at verse 43. “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” When the mighty work of the Holy Spirit was among the believers, they were filled with awe. After the day of Pentecost the apostles preached the gospel in foreign languages and three thousand people became believers. God used the apostles for his mighty work in the early church and showed many wonders and miracles through the apostles. As a result, the early church got stronger and more powerful in love and grace of Jesus. 

In addition to the growth in quantity, the church grew in quality, too. Look at verses 44-45. “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.”  First, there was a beautiful sharing among all the believers. Before they received the Holy Spirit they served their possessions as an idol for their future secutry. However, when they received the Holy Spirit and had hope for the second coming of Jesus and for the Kingdom of God, they were set free from their obsession over materials. They realized that when the Lord Jesus comes again all the materials on earth would be useless for their salvation. So, they were willing to offer what they had to the community generously. As a result, the early church became a beautiful community of sharing. 

Second, there was an abundance of joy and love among the believers. Look at verse 46. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” As all the believers repented of their selfishness by the Holy Spirit, they became full of grace and love and joy. Then they enjoyed gathering themselves together and felt happy in sharing. They met together in the center joyfully for worship service and shared their testimony to grace of Jesus and broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. With glad and sincere hearts they encouraged other coworkers and built up their faith and the community while they ate together. 

Look at verse 47. “Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” When they were full of the gospel message in their hearts, they grew in spirit and bore much fruit in quality and quantity. So naturally, they praised God and enjoyed the favor of all the people through the work of the Holy Spirit. Just like the chain reaction, when they were happy with the gospel automatically they increased in number. Therefore, we better make ourselves happy in Jesus with the gosple message first and then we can make others happy too with the same message. 

Today we learn about the seed of house church ministry and the fellowship of believers. When we believe the gospel message-Jesus’ death and resurrection and repent of our sins, we can have live a happy, peaceful, and meaningful life with joyful fellowship with the Holy Spirit and other believers in the house church ministry. In other words, when we have everything in the world except for the gospel message,  our life would be nothing but a garbage can that is full of smelly, dirty, disgusting loss. I pray that all JBF memebers grow in spirit and body with the gospel message every day to be a powerful witeness of the gospel for the generation to come and suceed to the house church ministry in the future.