seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read. As usual, not everything in the commentary has been posted here. Please go to the commentary and read and learn!
And they continued steadfastly: On the day of Pentecost the sound of the rushing wind, the tongues of fire, and the conversion of 3,000 were all remarkable events. But the things described in Acts 2:42 were the abiding legacy of God’s work.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine: They relied on the apostles to communicate to them who Jesus was and what He had done. They just trusted in Jesus; now they wanted to know more.
Then fear came upon every soul: This was evidence of the power of God. One of the greatest, most powerful works God can do is to change the human heart towards a reverent honor of the Lord.
Many signs and wonders were done: This was evidence of the power of God. Where God is at work, lives will be touched in miraculous ways.
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common: With the influx of more that 3,000 believers, most of whom stayed in Jerusalem and didn’t have jobs, the family of Christians had to share if they were to survive.
We shouldn’t regard this as an early experiment in communism because it was voluntary, temporary, and flawed to the extent that the church in Jerusalem was in continual need of financial support from other churches. Also, we don’t have any evidence this continued very long.
All who believed were together: The Jews had a tremendous custom of hospitality during any major feast like Pentecost. Visitors were received into private homes, and no one could charge for giving a bed or a room to a visitor or for supplying their basic needs. The Christians took this tremendous feast-time hospitality and made it an everyday thing.
Sold their possessions and their goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need: The power of God is evident here because Jesus became much more important to them than their possessions.
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house: The church is meant to worship God and learn His Word together. Yet it is meant to do more; God wants us to share our lives with one another.
Praising God and having favor with all the people: Their Christian experience was daily, joyful and simple — good examples for us to follow.
And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved: This is God’s prescription for church growth. If we take care to follow the example of Acts 2:42-47a, God will take care of growing the church Himself.
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I wonder, were the women counted in the census of the newly activated Christian Church? Were there 3,000 men and some uncounted women as well, or did the 3,000 include a number of women?
Did the women get to participate in the services? Or, were they always in the kitchen cooking or in the great room cleaning?
Did the Brothers in Christ treat the Sisters in Christ as equals?
Check out verse 45. They sold stuff to give to those in need. The commentary says some of the 3,000 had come to Jerusalem to observe Shavuot [Jewish Pentecost], to honor the handing down of the Torah to Moses. Then they got caught in the crowd that heard Peter's first Sermon, and just had to join the Christians. These "visitors" had left their homes and jobs to come to Shavuot [Jewish Pentecost] and didn't have a job in Jerusalem. They didn't have a source of income. They were in effect, homeless and penniless so their new Brothers and Sisters in Christ came to their aid.
The early Christians weren't told to sell everything. No one in the Christian Church has mentioned a tithe at all.
Everything the Brothers and Sisters in Christ contributed, be it washing dishes, or selling some family land, or donating the spring crops, was done because they wanted to. No one forced them to do it. I don't think I've seen them passing the collection plate in these verses.
Everyone was doing something for someone else because they wanted to.
No one told them to sell their land or donate their whole season's crop. They did it because they had a desire to help.
Were there others around who had not been moved by Peter's Sermon? Were there others who were only there to see if anyone knew where the missing body was hidden? Were there others there who would never Believe?
Were there others around, who saw the Christian Church as a free lunch or a new way to get rich?
Humans have a lust for shiny things... like money! Were there humans in the crowd who were there for the donations?
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I'm studying this to find where the Apostate [fake] Church started.
Was everyone so happy to share, that they didn't see the thieves come?
Was the shepherd so impressed with the results of "his" sermon, that he didn't notice the pack of wolves who were there too?
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In my neighborhood there are a lot of tiny dogs. Old people can handle little dogs. Old people can afford little dogs. Old people have dogs so they will have "someone to talk to".
In my neighborhood there are also coyotes. They enjoy tracking down the bunnies, birds, and little dogs.
No one notices the coyotes watching while the good-hearted old people throw seeds for the birds and greens for the bunnies, and forget to clean up the dog poop.
The coyotes see the seeds, the greens and the poop as a calling card for the coyotes. All the coyotes have to do, is wait until the birds, bunnies, and little dogs come along.
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Were there human coyotes in the crowd?
