The Inluence of The Early Disciples Seven Lessons We Learn from … · forgiveness. The early...
Transcript of The Inluence of The Early Disciples Seven Lessons We Learn from … · forgiveness. The early...
![Page 1: The Inluence of The Early Disciples Seven Lessons We Learn from … · forgiveness. The early Christians were joyful both in worship and fellowship. “Every day they continued to](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022051805/5ff775a135d57a4a7d6eb842/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Whatwehaveseenandourselvesheardwearealsotellingyou,sothatyoutoomayrealizeandenjoyfellowshipaspartnersandpartakerswithus.Andthisfellowshipthatwehave(whichisadistinguishingmarkofChristians)iswiththeFatherandwithHisSonJesusChrist,themessiah.Andwearenowwritingthesethingstoyousothatourjoy[inseeingyouincluded]maybefull-and
yourjoycomplete.1John1:3-4Amp.
TheIn'luenceofTheEarlyDisciples
AswelookintothelifeofearlyChristiansweseeanumberofcommonreoccurringthemesthatdistinguishtheirlivesandtheirwalkwithGod.EarlyChristiansstoodapartfromtheworldbecausetheyhadbeentransformedbythepowerofGodandhadsurrenderedthemselvestotheirLordinbothwordanddeed.TheyhavethelegacyofbeinggreatlyinEluentialbythepoweroftheirdevotedlives.SevenLessonsWeLearnfromtheEarlyChristians1. TheyEncounteredthePowerofGod.EveryonewasEilledwithaweatthemanysignsandwondersperformedbytheapostles.TheearlyChurchwasnotonlybirthedinthepoweroftheSpirit,theSpirit’spowerwaspartofitsongoingexperience.ItwasthispowerthatenabledtheChurchtoimpactpeopleatadeeplevel.TheylivedinaweofthepowerofamiraculousGod!ThemiraculousisahallmarkofthewitnessoftheChurchthroughoutActsandtheepistles.2. TheyExperiencedAuthenticSalvation.IftheirpastwasreligiousJudaismorheathenpaganismtheyallexperiencedalifetransformingencounterwitharisenSaviorthatrevolutionizedtheirlives.
ThisnewlifeofthesetrulysavedonesincludedaspecialwitnessandfellowshipwithGodandtheirfellowbelieversthatformedaspecialsupernaturalbond.
3. TheyDevotedThemselvestothePracticeofTruth.Theydevotedthemselvestotheapostles’teachingandtofellowship,tothebreakingofbreadandtoprayer.TheycommittedthemselvestotheWordofGod.4. TheyGaveGenerouslyasaLifestyle.GenerosityisanotherfeatureoflifeintheearlyChurch.Allthebelieversweretogetherandhadeverythingincommon.Theyevensoldpropertyandpossessionstogivetothosewhohadaneed.Thiskindofsacri'icialgenerositywasanidentifyingtraitofChristiansthroughoutActsandtheepistles.
5. TheyReachedtheLostTheearlyChristianswereanevangelisticpeople.“AndtheLordaddedtotheirnumberdailythosewhowerebeingsaved.”Theirfaithwasinfectiousandunstoppableastheyreachedouttothelostworldaroundthem.
6. TheyWereWillingtoEndurePersecution.WeseetheheroicandsacriEicialchoicethattheearlyChristiansconsideredastheyfacedlivinginaworldthathatedthem.Theyactuallysurvivedandthrivedduringatimewhentheywerenottheculturalnorm.Thiswasatimeofintensepersecutionforalltruebelievers.
7. TheyExperiencedIncredibleLoveandSupernaturalJoy.TheearlyChristianswereknownfortheirChristlikeloveandforgiveness.TheearlyChristianswerejoyfulbothinworshipandfellowship.“Everydaytheycontinuedtomeettogetherinthetemplecourts.Theybrokebreadintheirhomesandatetogetherwithgladandsincerehearts,praisingGodandenjoyingthefavorofallthepeople.”(Acts2:45-46)Todaywealsoas“truebelievers”alsohavethesetraitsinourlivesaswefollowChristinbothwordanddeed.Mayweallexperiencethislifeaswelive“BeingChristian!”
CorePoint:WeseeintheBibleagreatwitnessandin'luencetheearlyChristianswereknownfor.Wecanlearngreatlessonsfromhowtheir“Christianity”waslived.Theselessonswillremindusandhelpusrekindlethelifethat“BeingChristian”trulyis.
CoreStatement:IamforevergratefultohavetruesalvationbyJesusChristinmylife!Iexperiencethetraitsof“trueChristianity”becausetruly,JesusChristismyLordandSavior!