April 11, 2010 Speaker: Matt Reed

Passage: Acts 2:42–2:47

1. 3 Authentic Needs of People (Kary Oberbrunner, The Fine Line)
   1. Community
   2. Purpose
   3. Transcendence

1. Acts 2:42-47— Context
   1. Description of the very earliest New Testament church after Pentecost; about 40 days after Jesus returned to the Father
   2. Began in Jerusalem

1. They Were Devoted:
   1. Devoted—persistent; faithful in adhering to; denotes a sense of commitment
   2. The apostles teaching—reference to a body of material considered authoritative: they taught what Jesus taught them and what Jesus did for them
      1. Embodied in the Scriptures today
      2. We claim a higher source than personal or popular opinion for our authority
   3. Fellowship—koinonia—denotes intimacy and sharing
   4. The breaking of bread—most likely refers to both the Lord’s Supper and fellowship meals (done together)
   5. The “prayers”: suggest formal prayers, but allows random prayer as well

1. Miraculous Ministry
   1. Those in awe: reference to those not believers—the events at Pentecost, the miracles performed, and the passion and community produced awe to those around
   2. Do we allow God to work in such a way that those outside the church would be in awe?

1. Community Life
   1. A willingness to sacrificially give; fellowship touched the pocketbook
   2. Sincere and generous hearts—signifies an open-hearted attitude
   3. Ate together—shared meals; they shared life
   4. There is a sense that they truly enjoyed each other
   5. There was unity within the church and a heart to reach out

1. The Result—the Lord added to their number
   1. Theological Reality: growth was in God’s hands; God blessed them; they were in God’s will
   2. Practical Reality: Their passion, unity, and generosity were attractive to others
      1. Authentic community is attractive; people long for a place they can belong: to be fully known and fully accepted