Acts 2:42-47
Called into fellowship
Acts 2:42-47
...to experience the blessing God intends the local church to be, we must find one that is faithful, and just show up.
Rogland, M., 2019. An apologetic for the Local Church.
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Because it must be hard, I suppose, to consider yourself on the side of the angels and then to face a poster of a kidnapped child.
Rifkind, H., 2023. British Jews should beware illiberal allies.
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The Church of England is forecast to be extinct by 2062.
Hayward, J., 2022. Church of England 2001–2019.
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Luke 24:47
and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (use)
It is Luke's mission statement for the church.
Constable, T., 2022. Expository Notes.
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Luke 24:49
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. (use)
Acts 2:42
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (use)
We are ignorant of things necessary, because we learn things superfluous and unnecessary.
Baxter, R. 1825. A Body of Practical Divinity and Cases of Conscience.
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Luke 22:19
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (use)
Deuteronomy 4:9
Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children (use)
It is the Word of God that makes men and women of God.
Begg, A., 1998. Continuing in the Faith.
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Nehemiah 8:3
And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. (use)
Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. (use)
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation
Church of England, 1571. Thirty-nine Articles of Religion.
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Luke 7:22
And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (use)
Mark 16:20
And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. (use)
Acts 2:43
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. (use)
I have no doubt my God can do the impossible. I know he can; I've seen him do it. He can turn the mess you're in to an awesome miracle. I know he can; I've seen him do it. Whatever problem you've got, If you just give it to God, he'll work it out. How do I know?
Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, 2013. I’ve Seen Him Do It.
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Revelation 19:20
And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. (use)
The Bible speaks with one voice. It sets forth one plan of salvation, makes one diagnosis of the problem of the human condition, presents one history of redemption, and offers one Savior.
Lawson, S., 2018. The Moment of Truth: Its Reality.
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Acts 2:44
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. (use)
It's not conflict with the world that surprises us; the division within the visible church confounds us.
Butterfield, R., 2023. A Time for Courageous Love. Desiring God.
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Psalm 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, (use)
The church is a supernatural society living a supernatural life of communion with Christ and fellowship with one another in Christ, and each local congregation must work creatively and hard to manifest this in every appropriate way.
Packer, J.I., 2013. Taking God Seriously. pg. 45
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Acts 2:45
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. (use)
James 2:16
and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? (use)
We see young evangelicals walking away not because they do not believe what the church teaches, but because they believe the church itself does not believe what it teaches.
Moore, R., 2021. Integrity and the Future of the Church.
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Psalm 89:11
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. (use)
There are no possible excuses, no rationalisations for our church’s failure to share the love of God and value each and every person; our very Scriptures consistently tell us to care for the weak and vulnerable and yet, as a church, we have failed to do so.
Welby, J., 2022. Past Cases Review 2.
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2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. (use)
Romans 15:26
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. (use)
In Christ, our differences are not simply erased but rather embraced, valuing the unique ways we each reflect the image of God.
The Archbishops Anti-Racism Taskforce. 2021. From Lament to Action.
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Acts 2:46
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, (use)
The authentic task of the church is not primarily to make people happy; it is not to make people healthy; and it is not even to make people good... Her essential task is to restore men to the right relationship with God.
Lloyd-Jones, M., 1969. Will Hospital Replace the Church?
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The community of the saints is not an 'ideal' community consisting of perfect and sinless men and women, where there is no need of further repentance. No, it is a community which proves that it is worthy of the gospel of forgiveness by constantly and sincerely proclaiming God's forgiveness.
Bonhoeffer, D., 1937. The Cost of Discipleship.
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Hebrews 10:25
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (use)
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood Shall never lose its pow'r, Till all the ransomed Church of God Be saved, to sin no more: Be saved, to sin no more, Be saved, to sin no more; Till all the ransomed Church of God Be saved to sin no more.
Cowper, W., 1771. There is a fountain filled with blood.
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All sinners deserve death; all sinners will die. Spiritually they’re dead already; physically they will die and they will live in hell in a kind of living eternal death. In order to escape that, by the gospel to be saved, the sinner must be overwhelmed with the sin of his own heart, repent, seek mercy from God before it is too late; and when death comes, it is too late. We cannot fix society, it is fallen. We cannot fix the world. But we must warn sinners; that’s why the church exists.
MacArthur, J., 2018. Social Justice and the Gospel, Part 2.
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Acts 2:47
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (use)
Isn't the church supposed to be a place for broken people? A: Yes and amen. We all need to be forgiven. We all need grace. The church is supposed to be full of sinners. But—and here's the rub—the communicant membership of the church, like the membership of heaven, is made up of born again, repentant sinners. If we preach a "gospel" with no call to repentance, we are preaching something other than the apostolic gospel. If we knowingly allow unconcerned, impenitent sinners into the membership and ministry of the church, we are deceiving their souls and putting ours at risk as well. If we think people can find a Savior without forsaking their sin, we do not know what sort of Savior Jesus Christ is. "Such were some of you" is the hope-filled call to holiness for the sexual sinner and for every other kind of sinner (1 Cor. 6:11).
DeYoung, K., 2020. 5 Questions about Homosexuality.
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This distinction between what human beings see and what God sees is of great importance to every age. Although we have responsibilities to others, we are primarily accountable to God. It is before Him that we stand and to Him that one day we must give an account. We should not, therefore, weight human opinion too high, become depressed when criticized, or elated when flattered. We need to remember that the Lord does not look at the things that man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. He reads our thoughts. He knows our motives and He can see how much reality is behind our profession; how much life is behind our facade.
Stott, J.R., 2003. What Christ Thinks of the Church: An Exposition of Revelation 1-3.
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1 Peter 4:14
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (use)
Revelation 21:9
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." (use)
The birth and rapid rise of the Christian Church... remain an unsolved enigma for any historian who refuses to take seriously the only explanation offered by the Church itself.
CFD Moule. 1967. The Phenomenon of the New Testament.
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Today, then, the church exists in extraordinary times, under extraordinary obligations and possessed of extraordinary resources. God has nothing new to give us. There is no new factor ever again to be introduced into human history. It is all there already.
MacLeod, D., 2016. A Faith to Live By: Understanding Christian Doctrine, Reprint edition. ed. Christian Focus Adult Catalogue. pg.271
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