Sermon 2

The Faith Of The First Church

Acts 1:12-26

I ran across a quote from a famous Hollywood movie producer who said that for a movie to be successful, it had to start with an earthquake and then work up to a climax.

It's a good thing that a church doesn't have to follow that same formula to be successful. It's good because the first church meeting that we read about in the Book of Acts (1:12-26) is a business meeting! B-O-R-I-N-G!!!

Jesus has just ascended back to heaven before their eyes. His last words were for the to wait until the arrival of Spirit in a few days and then to witnesses about Christ to the whole world.

The waiting part is recorded in the rest of the chapter - the witnessing part in the rest of the book.

Waiting is hard, isn't it? I hate to wait! (check-out line; Drs office; traffic). It takes patience to wait and when it comes to waiting on the Lord, it takes faith.

We are commanded often in the Bible to wait on the Lord. Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Psalm 37:3-7 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the

LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not...

Waiting is hard work. It requires faith. But waiting does not mean that we sit by and idly do nothing. These verses record what they did while they waited and what they did reveals their faith- it reveals what they believed in.

They Believed In The Church, 1:12-15.

It commonly believed among Protestants that the church was not actually born until the Day of Pentecost. However, historically, many Baptists have held that the church already existed prior to Pentecost. This is indeed what I believe. They certainly acted like a church prior to Pentecost. They already had a common treasury. The ordinance of baptism and of the Lord's supper had already been instituted. Here, in Acts 1, they were assembled together prior to Pentecost and they conducted "church business". It is evident from this chapter that these people "believed in the church."

To say they believed in the church is to say that they believed in each other. We learn that after the ascension, they returned the short distance to Jerusalem where the original apostles (11 of the 12) were abiding in the upper room. There is a list of those 11 names in verse 13. (One of four lists - 3 groups of four; first name in each group always the same; people in the group always the same though not always in the same order; descending degrees of intimacy with Christ.) Verses 14-15, tell us who else was there. "The women" probably refers to Salome; Mary, wife of Cleopas; Mary Magdalene, etc. The mother of Jesus was present (last time mentioned in scripture) and now for the first time, her other children (not a perpetual virgin) have come to faith in Christ (see John 7:5). Jesus' brother James would follow Peter as the leader of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 15), would write the Book of James 9 (believed to be the earliest); Jude, another brother would also write a book of the New Testament. Verse 15 says that altogether there were about 120 people. (Seems significant that it says "the number of names instead of the number of people" - sounds like a role ????).

This was a diverse group -> elaborate... And yet they were "in one accord". They believed in the church, they believed and trusted and loved each other. Do you believe in the church? What I mean is - Are you committed to this congregation, these people, this institution? Are you helping it to succeed - membership? attendance? involvement? giving? extending?

They Believed In Prayer, 1:14, 24-25.

The business of the church was conducted in an atmosphere of prayer, v. 14. In fact, one of the themes of The Book of Acts is the emphasis of prayer in the church. Acts 1 ; 2:1, 42; 3:1; 4:24; 6:4; 12:1-11; 13:1-2; 16:13; 20:36; 27:35. This certainly shows the importance of the ministry of prayer in the church. Prayer is both thermometer (measuring the temperature) and thermostat (setting the temperature of the church)

Encouraged to see this church praying. Neighborhood prayer meetings; men's prayer partner ministry; Wednesday night prayer outreach. We must believe in prayer.

They Believed In God's Leading, 1:15-26.

The greatest part of this passage speaks about their replacement of Judas - pretender; not saved; demon-possessed; betrayal; suicide.

There are many who believe that the church was acting mistaken to choose a replacement for Judas. These people assume that Paul was the Lord's choice as the 12th apostle. Evidence? - Matthias selected and never heard from again in the Bible (actually only Peter and John are mentioned again in Acts); Matthew 19:28 - twelve thrones.

Paul was never intended to be "one of the 12." His ministry was primarily to Gentiles; theirs to Jews; he was not qualified (they had to have begun with the baptism of John and had to have witnessed his resurrection).

Two were qualified - Justus and Matthias.

The church was acting on the word of God (Psalm 69:25; 109:8) and following sincere prayer. They used what was historically an accepted method for determining God's will. Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. There is absolutely no indication that what the church did here was in any way a mistake.

While they waited they believed. They stayed together; they prayed together; they followed the leading of the Lord together. This was the faith of the first church.