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