The Church: God’s Own People. Part 1: They devoted themselves.

The Church: God’s Own People.

Part 1:

They devoted themselves.

Acts 2:41 -47 New American Standard Bible

41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Can you imagine the local Church you are a part of,  suddenly found itself doubled or even tripled overnight ?, what would you and your fellow believers do ?, what changes what you need to put into place ?, what strategies and systems would you need to disciple the new believers? The Church in Jerusalem led by men like Peter suddenly found themselves with 3,000 new believers, we notice the strategies and systems they put into place, yes there were still issues, situations, problems, challenges and opportunities in the early Church, indeed nothing has changed in the last 2,000 plus years, and I’m not saying that they got it right all the time but at least they put things into place.

When King David died his son and successor King Solomon, was commissioned to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, he didn’t go to visit Egypt or any other neighbouring country, travel to or write to any other Temple he turned to God’s Word, his father David had given Solomon the Lord’s plan for building His Temple.

1 Chronicles 28:9-21 ESVa

9 “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever. 10 Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.”11 Then David gave Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule of the temple,[a] and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy seat; 12 and the plan of all that he had in mind for the courts of the house of the Lord, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts; 13 for the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, and all the work of the service in the house of the Lord; for all the vessels for the service in the house of the Lord, 14 the weight of gold for all golden vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service, 15 the weight of the golden lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand and its lamps, the weight of silver for a lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each lampstand in the service, 16 the weight of gold for each table for the showbread, the silver for the silver tables, 17 and pure gold for the forks, the basins and the cups; for the golden bowls and the weight of each; for the silver bowls and the weight of each; 18 for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 19 “All this he made clear to me in writing from the hand of the Lord, all the work to be done according to the plan.”20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. 21 And behold the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every willing man who has skill for any kind of service; also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command.”

When Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem, he followed the example of Moses when He built the pre-cursor to the Temple, which is the Tabernacle, both have received their commissioning from the Lord, Exodus 25:40 an Hebrews 8:5, both the Temple and the Tabernacle were types or shadows of the Church, Hebrews 8.5.

The best way indeed the only true way to build Church is according to the plan The Lord has given us, that is found in His Written Word our Bible, we will continue to look at that in Part 2 onwards

Yours according to His Mercy

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside