Morning Message: The Work of the Holy Spirit

Bobservations' Column
Titled - "The Work of the Holy Spirit"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

At the end of the last week’s teaching, we read in Acts 2:41, that 3,000 individuals were added to this fledgling First Christian Church of Jerusalem. This week we witness what can only be described as a foundation for a Christian cliché. We have all heard it at some point: “Walking into a Church, does not make you a Christian.”

Just as the Holy Spirit manifested Himself as tongues of fire over the Apostles and Disciples, His work needs to continue in the hearts of newly professing “believers” to bear new, good fruit from their lives.

Anyone can have an emotional response to the excitement witnessed at a Revival or a Crusade. It can build a sense of fellowship and community with our fellow man, but that is not a relationship with Our Great Three-in-One (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). It brings a sense of unity, but that’s just one more step on the road to true salvation.

Salvation is the goal of the Holy Spirit, always pointing us to Jesus; it is a unique personal one-on-one relationship with Jesus that supersedes truly wonderful interpersonal relationships with other people. The final verse of Chapter 2 speaks loud and clear: while many had been added to the Church, truly changed lives meant the Holy Spirit’s work was not yet finished, (Verse 2:47) “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Do not misunderstand me, the two things go hand-in-hand, but the work of salvation is not complete until our relationship with Jesus Christ is at the core of every interaction with every human being, whether they are saved, or not. We must think of strangers as “Perspective Brothers and Sisters in Christ,” and our actions should be to help anyone along their road to salvation.

Changes will continue. Miracles will follow…

“Being confident in this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6

Bobservations' Column - Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Acts 2:42 - 3:11 - "The Work of the Holy Spirit"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

In last week's study, we find Peter preaching his first sermon, proving Jesus is the Messiah. When the crowd realizes they are complicit in the murder of God's Messiah, their reaction is immediate. They follow Peter's guidance to repent of their sins, trust Jesus to forgive them, and agree to be baptized as a public declaration of their new found faith in Jesus Christ. In response to their faith, the Holy Spirit comes on them. In all, about three thousand make this commitment.

As we continue our study from chapter 2 in verse 42, thus begins the church in Jerusalem, which continues steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers. Signs and wonders are done by the apostles, while the believers display their love and devotion through acts of benevolence and frequent worship. They enjoy the favor of the people, and the Lord adds to the church daily those being saved.

Chapter 3 opens with Peter and John going to the temple at the hour of prayer. They encounter a man lame from birth begging for alms at the gate called Beautiful. Rather than giving him alms, Peter, in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, commands the man to rise up walk. Taking the lame man by the right hand and lifting him up, the man is healed instantly and completely. Walking, leaping, and praising God, he accompanies Peter and John into the temple to the wonder and amazement of the crowd.

Sunday Morning Audio Message: Coming Soon!

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Continued Stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine (2:42) - This is the result of true conversion. The word is more precisely rendered “teaching.” It signifies both the act and the matter rather than just the matter (as in “doctrine”). Those who had joined the faith were willing to sit and be instructed on what it meant to enter into the New Covenant. The foundational content for the believer's spiritual growth and maturity was the Scripture, God's revealed truth, which the apostles received and taught faithfully.

Fellowship (2:42) - Literally "partnership" or "sharing." Vincent’s Word Studies provides the meaning – “From κοινός, [koinos] common. A relation between individuals which involves a common interest and a mutual, active participation in that interest and in each other." Because Christians become partners with Jesus Christ and all other believers (1 John 1:3), it is their spiritual duty to stimulate one another to righteousness and obedience (cf. Romans 12:10; 13:8; 15:5; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:2, 25; 5:21; Colossians 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; Hebrews 3:13; 10:24, 25; 1 Peter 4:9, 10).

Breaking of Bread (2:42) - A reference to the Lord's Table, or Communion, which is mandatory for all Christians to observe (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:24-29). The word used, klasis, is derived from a word, klaó, signifying “to break.” It is found only here and in Luke 24:35 where Jesus broke the bread in Emmaus after His resurrection. This is the final use of the word in Scripture, but the connection to Luke 24 may be intended to signify more than just the fact that common meals were shared, but that each meal was considered a participation in the Lord’s Supper.

Prayers (2:42) - Of individual believers and the church corporately (see 1:14, 24; 4:24-31; cf. John 14:13, 14).  Even the prayer life of these early believers was a united activity, and it shows the highly intimate closeness of the body as they continued on in their relationship in Jesus Christ.

Fear Came Upon Every Soul (2:43) - The word "fear" does not speak of terror, but of awe. I would image every soul present was in awe of what was happening around them.

Wonders and Signs (2:43) - The words here are teras and sémeion. The teras, or wonder, is something that is done in order to bring about a reaction from those who see it. The effect upon those who witness it is intended to bring about a change in them. A wonder is a thing that is evident in itself. It is something that extends beyond what is normal and is thus considered miraculous. When it is done, it is to be attributed to the Lord because there is no other explanation for it to occur. The sémeion, or sign, is a sign, a miracle, a token, and so on. It generally is given to authenticate, corroborate, or confirm a person or a matter. Whereas a wonder is the thing itself, the sign stands for, testifies to, or points to something else. A simple example of a sign would be the blood of the Passover applied to the doorposts of a house. It is a sign. Jesus’ miracles, at times, are noted as signs. Though they may be miraculous, like the changing of water to wine, they are signs that were given to authenticate Him as the Messiah and His ministry as approved by God. These things, having been done through the apostles, were clear demonstrations of the power and effective working of the Lord, and they were given as confirmations of their office and of the approval by the Lord concerning their ministry.

All Things in Common (2:44) - This phrase conveys not that the early Christians lived in a commune or pooled and redistributed everything equally, but that they held their own possessions lightly, ready to use them at any moment for someone else, as needs arose.

Sold Their Possessions (2:45) - This indicates that they had not pooled their resources but sold their own possessions to provide money for those of the church in need (cf. v. 46; 4:34-37; 2 Corinthians 8:13, 14).

Daily . . . in the Temple (2:46) - Believers went to the temple to praise God (v. 47), to observe the daily hours of prayer (cf. 3:1), and to witness to the gospel (v. 47; 5:42).

Breaking Bread from House to House (2:46) - This has reference to the daily means that believers shared with one another.  These verses show the unity of believers in the early church.  When they weren't at the temple, they were at someone's home.  Wherever the believers dwelt, other believers would come and sit over a meal, symbolized by the breaking of bread that would set the tone for the meal.

Gladness and Singlenss of Heart (2:46) - The Jerusalem church was joyful because its single focus was on Jesus Christ. One can think of the complete joy of knowing they had become a part of what God had been preparing since the fall of man. Step by step, He was working in the world as it led to the coming of Christ and toward the restoration of all things in Him. These early believers were sensing the glory of God in a way that probably stunned their senses from moment to moment.

The Lord Added (2:47) - Salvation is God's sovereign work. It is the Lord who gave Scripture, it is the Lord who fulfilled Scripture, it was the Lord who appointed His ambassadors, and thus it is the Lord who adds to the church.

Hour of Prayer, the Ninth Hour (3:1) - The nineth hour is 3:00 p.m.  The Jews had three daily times of prayer (Psalm 55:17); the other two were 9:00 A.M. (third hour) and 12:00 noon (sixth hour).

Gate of the Temple . . . Called Beautiful (3:2) - A large and ornate gate inside the temple mount on the eastern side, separating the Court of the Gentiles from the Court of the Women.

Alms (3:2) - A charitable donation of money.

Into the Temple (3:3) - Beggars considered the temple the best site to operate because the daily throngs came to impress God with their pious good works, including offerings at the temple treasury.

Porch . . . Solomon's (3:11) - A portico surrounding the temple's Court of the Gentiles.  this was also where Jesus had taught about the Good Shepherd (John 10:23).  cf. Isaiah 35:6.