What is the community of believers?

They persevered within the teaching of the Apostles and in the neighborhood, within the breaking of bread and in prayer (Acts 2:42).

The day of Pentecost is of great importance to believers today because we’re dedicated to being people of the Word of God and having fun with the fellowship of believers because the Body of Christ and our Savior, Jesus.

It reaches latest believers through fellowship in unity of religion, common purpose, and powerful prayer. As in Acts 2:42dedication to apostolic preaching, breaking of bread and prayer opens the gates of heaven.

The most vital event of all time has already turn out to be history. The disciples witnessed the death of their dear friend and teacher. Yet, filled with wonder on the miracle of His resurrection, filled with joy and sorrow, they watched those nailed feet rise from the earth and ascend to heaven.

The words kept ringing of their ears: “wait for the gift my Father has promised,” “you might be baptized within the Holy Spirit,” “you’ll receive power,” and “you might be my witnesses.” Returning to Jerusalem, they went to the upper room to attend there (Acts 1:4-5).

After 10 days of waiting, History 2 tells us that there got here from heaven a noise just like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the home where they were staying.

They saw what gave the impression to be tongues of fireside that parted and rested on each of them. They spoke other languages, which the Holy Spirit allowed them to do, one other miracle.

Miracles were known to the disciples. They saw the eyes of the blind open and the ears of the deaf open, the lame walking and the dead raised.

People from many neighboring nations, observing the annual required Jewish festival of Pentecost, heard these disciples speak and praise God within the languages ​​of their nations (2:5-11). Perplexed, they asked, “What does that mean?” (2:12). Others made fun of them, pondering that they had drunk an excessive amount of wine.

Peter took the chance to evangelise the death and resurrection of Jesus, calling for repentance and forgiveness of sins. This “gift of promise” has begun to bear fruit.

Three thousand people accepted the message, and their number grew from 120 believers within the upper room to three,000 – easy family.

As latest followers of Jesus, they “continued within the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, within the breaking of bread and in prayer” (cf.Acts 2:42).

They met each day within the courtyard of the temple, broke bread of their homes and shared their possessions with the needy. The many miracles and signs performed by the apostles fascinated everyone and revealed the ability of God through the Holy Spirit.

Like-minded faith was essential for Jesus’ followers. The apostle Paul wrote: “But even when we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel apart from that which now we have preached to you, let it’s under the curse of God” (cf.Galatians 1:8).

Unity in what they believed about Jesus and His teachings was essential to fellowship and unity of religion.

1. A community in unity

Jesus set an example of the worth of unity: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). The unity within the teachings of Jesus became the idea connecting them with one another and with Jesus.

This community of “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5), paved the best way for the transformation of the old into the brand new, being “made within the likeness of God in true justice and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

The apostle John wrote, “We proclaim to you what now we have seen and heard in order that you will have it community with us. and ours community is with the Father and along with his Son, Jesus Christ“ (1 John 1:3emphasis added).

The unity within the teachings of Jesus shaped and strengthened the goal of evangelism, “you shall be witnesses,” as they preached the gospel all over the place.

2. Community in purpose

To accomplish this goal, God enabled the apostles to “equip the saints for works of ministry and for increase the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).

With the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the apostles, their purpose was clear: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20). And “the Lord added to their number each day those that were to be saved” (Acts 2:47).

The work of the Holy Spirit within the lives of believers has given them the ability to live in faith and share the gospel. This community of unity and purpose was strengthened by prayer.

3. Community is prayer

The disciples got here to know closeness and conversation with Jesus through the three years they walked with Him. The times of the apostles’ discussions with Jesus were precious encounters with God, and latest converts learned from them.

Jesus taught his disciples: “When you pray, say: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy might be done on earth because it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:9-13).

The apostles continued these precious conversations with Jesus, devoted themselves to prayer, and taught the brand new converts methods to speak and take heed to God.

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective (James 5:16b). As the apostles, disciples, and latest converts prayed and lived within the unity of Jesus’ teachings, the fruit of the Spirit helped them learn to manage their emotions, live perpetually, forgive each other, love their enemies, and courageously testify and share within the sufferings of Christ due to persecution.

When Peter and John healed a lame man on the technique to prayer (Acts 3:1), the authorities threw them into prison, asking, “By what power or by what name did you do that?” (4:7).

Full of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached Jesus: “There is salvation in nobody else, for there isn’t a other name under heaven given to men by which we should be saved” (4:12).

When the authorities saw the courage of Peter and John, “they were amazed and noticed that these people were with Jesus” (4:13).

Reprimanded and warned to stop preaching and preaching within the name of Jesus, they allow them to go without having the ability to punish them because all of the people were praising God for his or her miraculous healing.

Believers were committed to the teachings of the apostles and the community, the breaking of bread, and the Lord’s Supper.

They followed the instance of Jesus and the disciples the night before the crucifixion: “And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: This is my body given for you; do that in remembrance of me” (cf.Luke 22:19).

Through fellowship with God, prayer, meal sharing, communion, and caring for each other, the body of Christ continued to grow and develop.

Jesus’ prayer was fulfilled, “that they might all be one, Father, as you might be in me and I in you… I in them and also you in me – that they might be delivered to full unity” (John 17:21-23emphasis added).

Unity in faith, purpose and prayer was an expression of the community of believers: “They persevered within the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, within the breaking of bread and in prayer” (cf.Acts 2:42).

Today we believers are directed to live as they lived in Acts by the identical unity of religion, purpose and prayer. Through Scripture “we grow within the grace and knowledge of Jesus” (2 Peter 3:18) and are trained to live to please the Lord (2 Timothy 3:16).

In Get to know the Holy BibleDr. Arthur Pierson tells us, “Our Lord is within the Word, within the letter: The Word is in Him in life” (p. 29).

We were created for fellowship with the Lord and with one another, becoming like minded in unity of religion, pursuing the goal of sharing the gospel “you might be my witnesses” through constant prayer, living in the ability and presence of the Holy Spirit.

For further reading:

What does the Bible say about fellowship?

Can now we have fellowship with God through His Word?

What is the meaning of the Body of Christ?

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