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THE BIRTH AND GROWTH OF THE EARLY CHURCH

(The essential elements of house church ministry)

Acts 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 thank God for blessing our 5L&2F orchestra abundantly. Jesus’ command “You give them something to eat” changes many lives of those who listen to his command and practice it by faith. The title of today’s passage is the birth and growth of the early church. The passage covers Acts 2:22-47 and the key verse is verse 42 which says “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Through today’s passage, we may learn how the early church was born and began to grow. In the birth and growth of the early church, the house church plays the most important role. Through studying today’s passage, we may see how God uses the house church ministry in his world salvation history.

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

When the Holy Spirit comes upon Peter, he delivers the powerful message with spirit and power. What are the contents of Peter’s gospel message?  Look at verses 22-35. There are four main highlights in Peter’s message. First, Peter explains that God has done great work of salvation through Jesus during his life on earth. Look at verse 22. "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." Jesus’ life work was of God’s miracles, wonders and signs. Jesus’ life work did not stop in his life. Jesus’ work on this earth inspires so many to follow his life style and his spirit. With five loaves and two fish, Jesus fed over five thousand people. This miracle touched deeply the life of Joseph Lee Jr who was too lazy to go to the school on time. After being touch by Jesus’ feeding over five thousands, Joseph Lee Jr has set up 5L&2F orchestra and served many with beautiful and inspiring music. Now he stretches his hand out to the people who are suffering under earth quake in Haiti. In the time of Jesus, there was no Jewish man who talked to a woman, especially a woman from Samaria. When there is no conversation, there is no understanding. But when Jesus saw a Samaritan woman approaching toward the well at the heat of the day, he understood her life problem and initiated his conversation with her, saying, “Will you give me a drink?” Who can understand my depression! Who can understand my loneliness? Who can truly understand what I want? It is Jesus who truly understands our needs. Jesus once saw a man born blind. Out of his divine compassion, Jesus healed him with only mud and saliva. The blind man could see. It was a miracle that revealed who Jesus was. Jesus is the Messiah. No one could open the eyes of a blind man. But Jesus did. Once I was blind since I saw only what we wanted to see. And I saw everything according to my own twisted set purpose. But Jesus as the Messiah made my eyes open and made me see myself and the world according to God’s set purpose.  

The life of Jesus was indeed accredited by God. The beautiful life of Jesus was known to men of Israel and even to us. When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, he said, “We know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (Jn 3:2). The Jewish people, including their leaders, knew that Jesus was sent by God.

What did his own people do to him? Look at verse 23. "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." His own people crucified God’s chosen servant on the cross. They all welcome Jesus when Jesus served them, and they expected Jesus to do what they wanted. But when Jesus was hanging on the cross, they all changed their face and shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” A most thought-provoking song asks, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” Yes, I was there. Yes, we were there. It was also my sin that crucified Jesus. It was the greatest crime in human history. It shows what sin can do to God and to men. It is sin that manipulates us in our relationship with God and with each others. While studying the Bible or having fellowship with coworkers based on the Bible, sometimes it is inevitable to talk our sins or how sin of pride, lust and selfishness hurt us. Then, suddenly the beautiful relationship among us is broken and live like an unforgivable enemy toward each other or an enemy between husband and wife. It seems like there is no more remedy for recovering the relationship, thinking that everything happened at random (or because of you.)

However, Peter says that it was God's set purpose, and not merely evil man's action. It was God who had planned Jesus' coming into the world to be crucified on a cross for the sin of the world. Isaiah 53:10 says, “Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.” God used evil men to fulfill his own good purpose and offered Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement for the sin of the world. God loves the world. God sacrificed his own Son Jesus for sinners. Jesus willingly obeyed God’s purpose and offered himself as the Lamb of God.

             What did God do about this good Jesus? Look at verse 24. "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." Until that time, death had reigned over men, defeating all men. Under the power of sin and death, men had to live with a sense of defeat, many sorrows and great fear. Under the power of sin and death, men could not but live a cursed life, blaming others. Like all other men in history, Jesus died. But Jesus did not remain in the grave. It was impossible for the grave to hold Jesus, for Jesus is the Son of God. God raised Jesus from the dead. The almighty power of God raised Jesus to life. Amen.

               In Peter’s address, he covers Jesus’ life with one verse, his death on the cross with one verse, but his resurrection with 9 verses. Why did Peter cover in his message the resurrection of Jesus so importantly? Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? Without the hope of resurrection, there is no real hope in this world. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we can have a living hope in the kingdom of God. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, we are all family in God with the same living hope in the kingdom of God. 1 Peter 1:3,4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you....” Once, Peter had been miserable under the power of death. When he met Jesus, his desire to be greatest through Jesus’ power was really planted in his heart. So he could not see beyond his own ambition and beyond the temporal world. In fact, he had to live under the power of death which made him fearful and selfish always. But Risen Christ freed Peter from the power of death through his resurrection. Peter became courageous and sacrificial. Now he delivers this gospel message in front of many people boldly. King David had everything. He was a musician, a poet, a warrior and a king. Above all, he was a man after God's own heart. But he was sorry whenever he thought about the fact that he would die and be abandoned to the grave. He was even more sorry that he would be eaten by worms and maggots after his burial. But when he saw God at his right hand, who had made known to him the path of life, his heart was glad and his tongue rejoiced. In brief, when he had resurrection faith in God, he could be joyful indeed. (25-28).

              In verses 29-35 Peter is out to prove that the death and resurrection of Christ were the fulfillment of prophecy, and that they are the final proof that Jesus is the Son of God. For example, David died and was buried, and his tomb remains to this day. But he died in peace, believing God's promise that he would raise one of his descendants from the dead (30,31). Jesus died on the cross, but he was not kept in the tomb. According to his promises, God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him to his right hand. Look at verses 32,33. "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear."

               How did Peter conclude his message? Look at verse 36. Look at verse 36. "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." It is a good news of great joy for all that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart. And they asked Peter “Oh, Brothers, what shall we do?” So let us ask also, “Oh, what shall I do?” What did Peter say to them? Let us read verse 38, 39 together. How should we respond to the good news of the resurrection of Christ? We must repent that we only had worldly hopes. We must put our hope in the resurrection of Jesus. As Christians, we must believe the resurrection of Christ. As Christians, we must accept Jesus our Lord and Christ. Amen. Once I was very fearful, not knowing why I was so fearful. Once I was always angry, not knowing why I am angry. Once I was so sorrowful because no girl paid their attention to me. So I could not sleep well at night. I spent all night, listening sorrowful music. Through the Easter conference in 1984, I accepted Jesus’ resurrection through 1 Corinthians 15:22 which says, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” It was the moment that I truly became a Christian who believed the resurrection of Jesus. Since then, I have lived a life of belonging to Jesus since it says, “In Christ all will be made alive.” 

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

               After Peter’s gospel message was planted in the hearts of those who listened and obeyed his message as a seed, the fruit of the gospel began to be produced. The seed of the gospel message bore the remarkable fruit of the practical changes of each practical person’s life style. Look at verse 42. “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Here we see that the fruit of the gospel seed is the devotion. Before, they did not have a concept of devotion. Whatever they do, they did it very superficially. In every relationship, there was no hint of devotion. When the guests come to their house, they calculated first what they could get out something, instead of learning the heart of God in serving the guests until they were so pleased. There was no devotion even in their relationship between husband and wife. Man and woman live together before marriage out of their calculation since marriage requires the devotion toward each others. It was all fruits of the seed of sins. But when the gospel seed is planted, we learn the devotion. How did the Christians devote themselves?

First, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. They did not change the contents of the apostles’ teaching as the time passed according to their benefits. They decided to stick to the apostles’ teachings. As Late Dr. Lee went to the kingdom of God, there is one word he said. It was “Go back to the Bible.” We pray to double our ministry in 2010 according to M. Dr. John Jun’ direction. How can we double our ministry? The basis of doubling our ministry is only our devotion to the teachings of the Bible. We need to pray to devote ourselves to one to one Bible study with campus students at Rutgers, Princeton and all campuses in NJ. We need to pray to get up early morning for daily bread. We need to pray for writing testimony with repenting heart and great devotion. After coming back from European Summer Bible Conference last year, I decided to devote myself to study the Bible every two hours through one to one or personal Bible study. I deeply repent of my lack of personal devotion to Bible study through one to one. I deeply repent of encouraging our coworkers to do daily bread daily. I pray that I may renew my devotion to the teachings of the Bible. Mt 28:19-20 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." This morning I saw anther news of earth quake in Celli. As we see many signs of the second coming Jesus, we should not be calculative nor be fearful. As Jesus commanded us in his teaching, we need to devote ourselves to making disciples of Jesus since Jesus promised to be with us always, to the very end of the age.

Second, they devoted themselves to the fellowship. What kind of fellowship they did devote themselves? It was not superficial fellowship. The fellowship they devoted was the fellowship of love in Jesus. 1 Jn 1:3,7 says, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” Jesus gave us a new command in John 13:34, 35 which says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." When we do have a fellowship in Jesus, we can establish a family in many house churches. We are all family members in God. Therefore, man should not see woman with the eyes of lustful desires, but must pray to establish a beautiful house church in God for the glory of God.

Third, they devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. Jesus taught us the importance of breaking of bread together. It is the our practical act of faith of remembering Jesus who gave his body for our sins. Lk 22:19 says, “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Therefore, it is important for us to devote ourselves to the breaking of bread very often. Do not eat alone, but eat together. But it is more important for us to eat together not for the sake of satisfying our hungry stomach, but of remembering Jesus’ sacrificial life of giving for our sins.

Fourth, they devoted themselves to prayer. In our house church ministry, wife and husband should not devote themselves to dig out each other’s weaknesses and to make a big announcement in public. But wife and husband must devote themselves to prayer with all prayer topics for their children and for others house churches and even for the whole world. In this summer, we devote ourselves more to prayer for world mission, especially for the international summer Bible conference in Mexico. We may devote ourselves to pray for our second generations from third countries who need the proper education. We devote ourselves more and more to pray for advancing the kingdom of God in our generations.

When we do live a life of devotion, we can see the great advance of the kingdom of God in our generation.