Connected With and Functioning In The Lord’s Body

Date: April 14, 2002-A.M.
Speaker: John Phillis
Main Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

I invite you to open your Bibles to Acts, the second chapter, which is the text where we will be taking our remarks this morning. We want to look at the text beginning with verse 42. This is concerning what was going on in the city of Jerusalem shortly after the Day of Pentecost: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” [Acts 2:42-47].

Here we see a “snapshot” of the very first Christian community in action. What do we see them doing here in this snapshot which is provided in the Gospel account by Luke, the writer of the Book of Acts? Well, we see that they are involved in worshipping together. We see that they were involved in listening to the apostles’ instruction, praising God, partaking of the Lord’s supper, and in praying. We also see them eating meals together, spending time together, and being joyful.

I think there is a striking point that we see here in this picture—in this snapshot—of these early Christians. That point would have to be their TOGETHERNESS. In this text, we see that they continued steadfastly in fellowship, verse 42 [“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”] We see that “all who believed were together and they had all things in common,” verse 44. And they shared with one another, verse 45 [“and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”] It is apparent that these early Christians were CONNECTED to one another.

Now, certainly there were some unique circumstances, which was the case here in the city of Jerusalem at this time, which sort of threw them together—pitched them together, if you will—in this way. There were some special needs that had to be addressed, no doubt. However, we should not take that circumstance and suggest that this is somehow a “fluke”—some kind of an anomaly. No, we see from the outset that there is a special trait—a characteristic—of the Lord’s Body. This special characteristic was that they are connected with a certain togetherness, and we see this characteristic reflected throughout the New Testament.

Yes, it is a part of God’s divine intention and design for the health, for the welfare, and for the proper functioning of the church that we be connected to other Christians. Let’s spend a few moments looking at the “together” aspect of life in Christ. Let’s look at illustrations we have in the New Testament concerning this togetherness.

First, we go back to this aspect of FELLOWSHIP that we see going on among the early Christians, those members of that first church there in Jerusalem, Acts 2:42 [“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”] We see also that Paul will say that we are called to fellowship in Christ or with Christ, 1 Corinthians 1, verse 9 [“God is faithful, by Whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”] And we see that as “we walk in the light as He is in the light,” then“we have fellowship with one another,”1 John 1, verse 7.

What is “fellowship”? Well, it has to do with sharing in common. It has to do with being in partnership. And then as Christians, we are to be fellows. No, that’s not a sexist comment—rather, being fellows means that we are to be sharing in—that we are to be partaking of. So we see that we are to be fellow citizens, Ephesians 2, verses 11 through 22. [See verse 19: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God…”]

We see that we are to be fellow heirs, Ephesians 3 and verse 6. [“that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel.”]

We see that we are to be fellow workers, Philippians 4 and verse 3. [“And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”]

We are to be fellow servants, Colossians 1, verse 7. [“as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf…”]

We are to be fellow soldiers, Philippians 2, verse 25. [“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need…”]

And, as we work together, we extend the right hand of fellowship, Galatians 2, verse 9. [“and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”]