Acts 2:42-47 – Growing the Church through Faithful Living

1.   Faithful in DOCTRINE – v 42

      a.   This new teaching required a radical change of life:

            i.   Matthew 5-7

            ii.  Matthew 19:9-10

            iii. Acts 13:1 (Gal 3:1-3; 5:1-4)

      b.   Doctrine does not change with life’s circumstances:

            i.   Acts 2:23; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 7:52

            ii.  Acts 4:18-20; Acts 5:28-29

            iii. Bible doctrine on baptism doesn’t change when my loved one dies unbaptized; it doesn’t change on M-D-R when my marriage or that of my children / family member fails, etc.

      c.   Sound doctrine must be preached without wavering

            i.   Titus 2:1

            ii.  Acts 20:27

            iii. 2 Timothy 4:1-5

            iv. Titus 1:9

2.   Faithful in WORSHIP – v 42

      a.   In this text, the Lord’s Supper and Prayer are specified, yet most worship services spend less time in these things than any other.

      b.   verse 46 – “daily with one accord in the temple” = worship

      c.   Hebrews 10:25-26 (

            i.   Acts 20:7 – “were gathered together” = passive voice

            ii.  Matthew 23:37

      d.   John 4:23-24

      e.   1 Corinthians 11:18-20 – some came together for the WORSE

3.   Faithful in FEAR – v 43

      a.   Acts 5:5, 11

      b.   Acts 9:31 – the church WALKED in fear

      c.   Acts 19:17

      d.   Romans 3:18

      e.   Romans 11:20 – fear will keep us from being PUFFED UP

4.   Faithful in BENEVOLENCE - vv 44-45

      a.   Acts 4:32

      b.   Acts 6:1-7 (cf James 1:27)

      c.   Acts 11:29-30

      d.   Galatians 6:9-10

      e.   Jam 1; Gal 6 – plural commands carried out individually

5.   Faithful in FELLOWSHIP – v 42, 46

      a.   1 Corinthians 11:21-22

      b.   Jude 12; 2 Peter 2:13

6.   Faithful in UNITY – v 44, 46

      a.   “were together” – lit. in one thing

      b.   “with one accord” = with the same passion

      c.   Acts 4:32-35

7.   Faithful in CITIZENSHIP – v 47

      a.   Romans 13:1-7

      b.   1 Peter 2:13-17

      c.   Romans 12:17-21

      d.   1 Peter 4:14-16

8.   Faithful in SOUL WINNING – v 47

      a.   Acts 3:1-10 – two started for the temple, but three entered

      b.   Acts 4:4 – the number of believing men was about 5000

      c.   Soul-winning seems to be a natural outgrowth of faithful living

            i.   Acts 6:7

            ii.  Acts 12:24