Episode 2 - The Disciplines (Part 1)

Christianity 101

Christianity 101 episode #2

There are 4 disciplines that the early church practiced.

1.Apostles teachings

2. Fellowship

3. Breaking of bread

4. Prayer

This week we will cover 2 of the 4 disciplines found in Acts 2:42

The Disciplines Part 1: Apostles teachings, Fellowship.

Acts 2:42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

We can break down this verse into 4 specific points of distinction in which the early church devoted themselves to practice regularly:

1. Apostles teaching

2. Fellowship

3. Breaking of bread

4. Prayer

In context – Acts chapters 1 & 2:

· Jesus has been resurrected, he has appeared to them for a period of about 40 days (eating with them, teaching them & preparing them for what was next).

· Jesus gives them the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

o Passover Jesus gives His life > Pentecost He gives them the Holy Spirit (Pentecost in the GK: means 50th day) they were gathered together in an upper room (about 120 people). The Pentecost was a required feast that was in remembrance of the giving of the Law. The significance of this feast is that the HS would now become the means of a believer to follow and obey the Lord rather than a system of Law. The next required feast would be the feast of Trumpets (which coincides with the rapture) > The birth of the Church.

· Peter preaches the first Evangelistic Sermon and we are told that about 3,000 new converts are added to their number (acts 2:40-41).

Acts Chapter 2 takes us through about a 1½ -2 years after the resurrection. Acts chapter 3-7 conspire over about 4-5 years, in fact when you get to chapter 5:1-11 it could be as much as 6 or 7 years after Christ’s ascension.

I mention all of this because in just a short few years we get a glimpse into the lives of the new believers and make observations to draw from and apply to our own lives.

Acts 2:42 is a statement that we can use as a sort of blueprint for life inside the church!

Remember that when you get to Acts 2:42 the church has grown to over 3,000 people which happened nearly instantly.

#1 Apostles Teaching/Doctrines: 2Tim. 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Q: What are the Apostles teachings/Doctrines?

A: The Apostles teachings are the message of Jesus, His redemptive work, and His call to selfless discipleship that is found in the books of the New & Old Testament.

There are 3 ways that the scriptures are used to represent “Apostles Doctrines”

1. The Old Testament predicted Jesus’ coming

2. The gospels presented Jesus

3. The epistles practiced Jesus’ teaching and continued to proclaim the truth

The Old Testament use:

The OT is pointing toward Jesus while the NT is the display of Jesus.

3 examples of use of the OT found in the NT

1. Found in the Gospels used by Jesus Himself: Luke 24:25-27 - He (Jesus) said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Jesus used the OT from beginning with Moses and all the prophets concerning himself! Jesus often used OT scriptures during His ministry when interacting with different groups like the Pharisees, Sadducees or the Scribes. (Incidentally the best part of Luke 24 is the response to Jesus after they receive all this great teaching from Him. [Luke 24:31 - They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”]

2. Used by Peter in the first ever public sermon (resulting in over 3,000 being saved). Acts 2:14-40 (to long to read) Peter sites 3 different OT verses to explain Jesus to the crowd. Joel 2:28-32,Psalm 16:8-11, Psalm 110:1 (all of these are prophetic and messianic in nature)

3. Stephen (Acts 7 uses virtually all of the history of Israel, starting in Genesis at the call of Abraham.) He ends by quoting Isaiah 66:1 - This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?

The uses of Old Testament scriptures were to reveal Jesus and the promise that God would provide a messiah.

Letters used in the New Testament from the original Apostles:

Criteria to be considered for acceptance into the NT Canon of scripture:

Acts 2:42 is a reference to the original eyewitness accounts of Jesus by the 12 apostles. This “doctrine” consisted of their first-hand reports of His life, teachings, death, and resurrection (4 Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke & John). This was, at first, an oral message spread by the Twelve and those that heard them. It was later written down in what we know as the four gospels. Paul’s writings were later added to this original testimony (13 total letters) (Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 &2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon), with the addition of James, Jude, Hebrews, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John , and Revelation these became into what we know as the New Testament canon.

2Tim. 1:13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.

Psa. 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Matt. 4:4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’’”

Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Heb. 2:1 We mu...