The First Christian Fellowship
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
ACTS 2:37-47
What can we learn about church life here?
Verses 37-42. On that day about 3,000 persons entered the fellowship of the church through the gateway of repentance, forgiveness and faith, expressed outwardly by baptism and inwardly by the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 12:3). St. Augustine, in a memorable phrase, described this day as the church’s dies natalis, or birthday. Those who were thus introduced to the saving benefits of the gospel remained in close association (2:42). Conversion was for them no flash in the pan, or ephemeral, emotional upsurge of religious excitement. Having begun the Christian life, they continued—and doubtless made good progress. Which of the Pauline churches does this remind you of? So unlike the Galatian Christians (Galatians 1:6; 3:3-4; 5:7).
2:43-47 are verses which paint a cameo picture of the first Christian fellowship. Note who the leaders were (2:43). And how the “common life in the body of Christ” was expressed, both in social responsibility (2:44-45) and spiritual exercises (2:46). It is a travesty to set these against each other as mutually exclusive. Right at the beginning of the gospel age, in a church fellowship which had come straight from the Lord’s hands, there was a “holy worldliness” and a “sacred worship” in the temple. Both were important—and still are today! Let us notice too the spirit which prevailed (2:47a) and the popularity of the young movement (2:47b), with “a conquering new-born joy” suffusing it all.
Notes 2:38: baptism “in the Name of Jesus Christ” means a calling on his Name (Acts 22:16) or, possibly, a claiming of the new believers for him who henceforth “possessed” them as their Lord (Acts 10:48). Faith in Christ is implicit in both meanings, leading to forgiveness and incorporation into the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). 2:39: allusions are made to Isaiah 57:19 and Joel 2:32 to stress the inclusiveness of the appeal. The Gentiles will eventually be evangelized. 2:42: four aspects of church life are mentioned: “teaching—a ministry of instruction; “fellowship”—like our church or parochial meeting; “breaking of bread”—a common meal, called later the agape (1 Corinthians 11:20-21,33-34; Jude 12), with which was joined a remembrance of the Lord in his death; “the prayers”—the definite article shows that believers observed the temple worship. 2:46: the common meal again, practiced in the people’s homes.