Life Among the Believers

Acts 2:37-47                                                                                                                    June 7, 2026

What are the characteristics of a vital, Spirit-filled church?  First question: If you were to evaluate a church, what would you look for?  Second question: What kind of activities do Christians participate in which make a church vital?  Third question: What do we Christians need to do to build up our church so that we do what God is calling us to do?

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered together in prayer and the Holy Spirit came down upon them.  “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:2-4).”  The word tongues means that they were speaking in other languages.  They were so filled with the Holy Spirit that they went out of the room and into the streets.  People there were from all over the world and they heard them speaking in their own languages.

Peter began preaching—proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ Jesus.  As a result of his preaching, people were moved to repent of their sins and the church increased from around 120 to over 3000 people in one day.  In this morning’s Bible reading we heard what the early church did in their day-to-day activities as they sought to be faithful to the Lord Jesus.  In the reading from Acts 2:37-47, we learn of several characteristics of a Spirit-filled church.

First: The early church was “devoted to the apostles’ teaching.”  One of the main activities of a Spirit-filled church is to help people grow in their understanding of the Gospel.  The Scriptures are powerful and often complicated.  We do well listen to good teaching and thus increasing in our understanding of God’s Word in Scripture.  We want everyone to understand the basics of our faith.  It is good to move beyond the basics and delve deeply into the Bible.  When we do this, we can better discern good from evil and be on the move to become mature disciples.  Those who do not know the Bible and the proper interpretation of Scripture are more prone to   be seduced by cults and other groups that manipulate people.  In our culture, many have no basis for discerning bad religion from good.  In some denominations, people are espousing goddess worship as being within the boundaries of Christian faith.  A friend of mine graduated from a Catholic college in Minneapolis.  She reports that the teachers there are now caught up in the goddess.  It is good for young people to have a solid understanding of our faith so that they will not be confused by the secularism in most colleges and universities.  One of the key tasks of the church is to teach the truths of Christ Jesus.

On the other side of teaching is learning.  A solidly Christian church encourages everyone to be learners.  Even seminary educated pastors participate in life-long learning of the faith.  If one does not continue learning more about the faith, they will become stagnant.  Christianity has great riches for all people.  The Bible is a collection of books which are a treasury of great wisdom and truth.  If you are not involved in an on-going Christian learning experience, you are missing much.  Early Christians “were devoted to the apostles’ teaching.”   

Second: In the New Testament Church, the Holy Spirit produced a close fellowship of believers.  The early church was, at its best, a koinonia, a fellowship and a community of believers.  They were unified in Christ and devoted to caring for each other.  They were a friendly church that welcomed everyone.  A Gallup Poll once discovered that one of the key reasons people are involved in a church is so that they can develop friendships.  As a fellowship, one of the key tasks of the church is to create an environment where friendships can flourish.  Becoming a welcoming church always takes work.  Providing newcomers a place to enter and become a part of the community does not just happen.

Over the years, I have had mixed experiences visiting churches.  Years ago, I visited a smalltown church in Ohio near where I grew up.  The pastor and I graduated from the same high school.  I was amazed that I went from my car to the pew and back to my car and no one said anything me.  Being friendly just does not happen unless people make intentional plans to welcome newcomers and carry out those plans.  In contrast, I visited a large membership church in Indianapolis that knew how to welcome people.  There were people in the parking lot welcoming us.  There were couples stationed on the sidewalk in front of the entrance welcoming us.  Someone welcomed us with words and opened the door for us.  Inside someone gave us a bulletin and directed us to the welcome center and sanctuary.  By the time we sat down we were welcomed by nearly a dozen smiling people.  The more we can do to welcome people the better we are as a church.  Many live in a lonely cold world and are seeking the warmth of a genuine loving community and will best find it where Jesus is Lord.

Third: The early Christians went beyond welcoming newcomers.  They were a genuinely loving people who looked after the needs of others.  The Bible says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need (Acts 2:44-45).”  That kind of community sounds Marxist Socialist.  Karl Marx wrote: “From each according to his ability; to each according to his need.”  Over the decades countries have tried the way of Marxism.  It has failed miserably.  Marxism quickly takes on the garments of totalitarianism.  We saw that in the former USSR.  We see that in North Korea, China and Cuba.  Such societies had a majority in poverty or near poverty and a tiny wealthy upper-class. 

When it comes to the New Testament church, the point is that they saw themselves as one in Christ Jesus and took care of each other.  That was radical stuff in the First Century.  Roman writers were astounded at Christians because they not only took care of each other but helped non-Christians.  That generosity went beyond the values and expectations of the typical First Century man or woman.  Jesus taught us by example to be servants of others and to love one another as he loves us.  He taught by example a love that was beyond feelings and mere friendship, and calls us to a standard that far exceeds even Twenty-First Century conventions of friendliness.  

One of the tasks we have as Christians is to use what God has given us to build up the church, the body of Christ.  Being in Christian fellowship means that we work together to do what God calls us to do.  Friendship standards say we need to get along with each other.  Christian fellowship standards say we are a part of a holy community; one created by God himself.  We are to use what we have to make the church God’s holy community.  The early church used their resources to build up the church and make it what God wants it to be.

Fourth: The early church engaged in the “breaking of bread.”  The words, “breaking of bread,” speaks to a couple of things.  The early church frequently celebrated the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  They followed Jesus’ directive to remember him by sharing in a sacred meal.  Part of being the church is remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins.  In the Sacrament we not only hear about his goodness, but we see, taste and smell it.  The Sacrament tells all our senses what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.  Being the church means we often receive the Lord’s Supper.

The words, “breaking of the bread,” mean more than that of receiving the Sacrament.  In Jewish tradition and in the tradition of many cultures, mealtime is a sacred time.  In an old Middle Eastern tradition, to share a meal with another means that one is promising a lifetime of friendship with the guest.  Mealtime is time for receiving God’s gift of food.  It is a time when we recognize that all we have comes from God.  When the post-Resurrection Jesus ate with the two disciples on the journey to Emmaus, they recognized him in the breaking of the bread.  They recognized him as the Lord when he offered the traditional prayer, “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”  “The breaking of the bread” reminds us of Jesus’ promise of the Messianic banquet when we will all sit down with him at the end of time.  Every time you have a meal, remember that in the breaking of the bread, we remember God’s goodness to us in Christ Jesus.

Fifth: The early church prayed and worshipped together.  Their unity and power came from the presence of the Holy Spirit while they were in prayer and worship.  From the beginning, Prayer and worship have been a vital part of the Christian life.  A Spirit-filled church is one that worships and prays together.  Prayer is the key to renewal and spiritual refreshing whether it be church renewal and refreshing or personal renewal and refreshing.  James reminds us, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16c).”  Without prayer and worship, we soon fall back into worldly ways.  God strengthens us through prayer and worship. 

Prayer and worship are two means by which he gives us his grace.  

The Book of Acts gives us five characteristics of a vital, Spirit-filled church.  They were a Gospel teaching and learning people.  They worked hard caring for each other and building up Christian community.  They were generous with their possessions and gave to those in need.  They frequently met together for eating and celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  And they were a people who worshipped God and were devoted to prayer.  Through their faithfulness, God blessed them, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:47).”  In light of these teachings, what can you do this week to strengthen your own walk with Christ Jesus and build up his church?

A sermon preached by CH (COL) Michael W. Malone, USA RET at Veterans Memorial Chapel on June 7, 2026.