THE BOOK OF ACTS CHAPTER 2:42-44 (8 OF 44)
Scripture: ACTS 2:42-44
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The Book of Acts, Chapter 2:42-44 (8 of 44)
Dr. Harley Howard
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers.
As it was with the doctrine, so it was with the
fellowship. When these saints continued in the
fellowship, it meant that they themselves continued in
the fellowship. This is what disturbs me today about
a lot of things that are called fellowship with
resemble nothing to the biblical model. Until the
biblical model is achieved, there is no fellowship of
which to speak of. Until the saints pursue the
fellowship, and until the saints are involved in the
process of spiritual maturity and building up and
serving each other, there may be much religion, but no
fellowship. Unless and until the church is empowered
by and following the Holy Spirit, there cannot be and
will not be any fellowship of which to speak of, from
God's perspective.
Dr. Lehman Strauss writes,
"The power of the Pentecostal message drew the new
converts into "fellowship." This was exactly what
they needed. It is important for us today, for we
need one another also. God knew how much we should
need each other, hence, "by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body" (1st Corinthians 12:13). When
any person is born of the Spirit, he is organically
united to the Body of Christ, "builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians
2:22). Do our hearers have the desire to fellowship
with God's people? Are they one with us? They should
be! And if the Spirit is having His way, it will be
so."
Remember, these new converts devoted themselves to
four areas of Christian life, and they did it with
equal zeal. What were those areas? Let's go over the
list again:
1. Doctrine,
2. Fellowship (association, community, joint
participation),
3. Breaking bread (bread shared at the love feast and
at the Lord's table or any ...
Dr. Harley Howard
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and
in prayers.
As it was with the doctrine, so it was with the
fellowship. When these saints continued in the
fellowship, it meant that they themselves continued in
the fellowship. This is what disturbs me today about
a lot of things that are called fellowship with
resemble nothing to the biblical model. Until the
biblical model is achieved, there is no fellowship of
which to speak of. Until the saints pursue the
fellowship, and until the saints are involved in the
process of spiritual maturity and building up and
serving each other, there may be much religion, but no
fellowship. Unless and until the church is empowered
by and following the Holy Spirit, there cannot be and
will not be any fellowship of which to speak of, from
God's perspective.
Dr. Lehman Strauss writes,
"The power of the Pentecostal message drew the new
converts into "fellowship." This was exactly what
they needed. It is important for us today, for we
need one another also. God knew how much we should
need each other, hence, "by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body" (1st Corinthians 12:13). When
any person is born of the Spirit, he is organically
united to the Body of Christ, "builded together for an
habitation of God through the Spirit" (Ephesians
2:22). Do our hearers have the desire to fellowship
with God's people? Are they one with us? They should
be! And if the Spirit is having His way, it will be
so."
Remember, these new converts devoted themselves to
four areas of Christian life, and they did it with
equal zeal. What were those areas? Let's go over the
list again:
1. Doctrine,
2. Fellowship (association, community, joint
participation),
3. Breaking bread (bread shared at the love feast and
at the Lord's table or any ...
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