Acts Lesson 8: Early Church Life {An Awe-some Church}

Acts Lesson 10: Second Church Sermon {Peter’s Sharpened Sword}

The healed lame man (see Lesson 9) was not only immediately very public about his over-flowing joy, but also about his praise to God and his thankfulness to the men the Lord used to perform his miracle.  Those men were Peter and John.  The Apostolic sign-miracle was divinely orchestrated to draw a large, very willing-to-listen crowd to whom Peter than had an opportunity to preach "The Second Church Sermon.  The theme of the first sermon was that God made Jesus Who Israel had crucified both Lord and Christ (2:36).  The theme of this second sermon was the God wanted to bless the people through His Son Jesus by turning them from your iniquities (3:26). In just seven verses, Peter again yielded his new sword (the Word of God), under the leading of the Spirit, to exalt the name of Jesus.  He referred to Jesus as "the Holy One," "the Just," "the Prince of life," "Christ," and a Prophet of the Lord like unto Moses.  The sermon was Christ-centered, Scriptural, highly theological, bold yet compassionately confrontational, and applicational.  Peter's sermon was only seven verses long because it was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the priests with the captain of the Temple guard and the Sadducees.  They came collectively to arrest both Peter and John (and maybe even the former lame man with them).

Acts Lesson 9: Greater Than Silver or Gold {New Life for the Lame}

This lesson is on Acts 3:1-11, Peter's healing (with John) of a lame man (who had never walked) at the Beautiful Gate, begging for alms.  To his plea, Peter spoke the famous words, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" - and the man who had never stood on his own legs before, much less know how to walk, immediately leaped up, walked, went into the Temple walking, leaping, and praising God!  Isn't it wonderful the former lame man knew to whom the praise belonged?  He did not kiss the hand of Peter; nor did he even praise Peter.  His praise went to the Lord, Who the man knew and understood had done the healing through His servants!  "The power was Christ's, but the hand was Peter's" (Thomas Walker).  This was the Lord continuing His work on earth through His Church by His Spirit.  This was an Apostolic miracle.  This miracle confirmed the great sermon he had just preached (his first, and the first of the Church Age).  Remember - the miracle confirmed the message, and it was the message that produced the fruit!

Acts Lesson 8: Early Church Life {An Awe-some Church}

From Acts 2:42-47, Luke takes us into the early life of the Church; the days and weeks that followed as the 3,120 "charter members" of the Church met together and grew, both in knowledge and in number ("deep and wide")!  The Book of Acts is the record of the first generation of the Church and how that one generation expanded to the uttermost part of the world at that time.  If we really want to know what the Early Church was like in her character, we look at these verses (2:42-47).  We discuss the desired characteristics of the surrendered Early Church, the divine confirmations of the Spirit-filled Early Church, and the daily consequences of the sanctified Early Church.   The Early Church had an invigoration and vibrancy that was yet unaffected by the wrinkles, scars, and gray hairs that come from troubles and trials.  She was yet naive about the things that lay ahead.  Like the freshness, wonder, and purity of a newborn, the Early Church had leaders who had a vivid remembrance of Jesus, Who had so recently walked with them.  The Early Church was unified!  She may have been inexperienced and naive in certain ways, but she was a model Church in spirit (not perfect, for she was comprised of sinners saved by grace).  We can benefit greatly by studying the characteristics that made-up the Earthly Church.

Acts Lesson 7: Early Church Growth {Piercing 3,000 Hearts}

In the previous lesson (Lesson #6), we discussed "The First Sermon" ever preached during the God-designed period of time known as "The Church Age".  I was preached by a completely restored Peter, who now yielded a new sword, the two-edged sword of the Spirit, the only offensive weapon of the Christian warrior.  It was the "fully come" Day of Pentecost - the fulfillment of all God planned it to be when He first gave His prophetic, Messianic, redemptive calendar to His people in Leviticus 23.  It was the day proclaimed through Joel when God would pour-out His Spirit on "all flesh" - whether Jew, Gentile, man, woman, free, or slave.  When the Spirit came, as the Father promised once His Son was glorified, the 120 believers were baptized by Christ with the Spirit into the mystical, spiritual body the Old Testament saints knew nothing about - the Church! In this lesson, we review Peter's powerful, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Christ-centered sermon, and then we discuss the results!  There was: 1. Great Conviction, which was summarized by the people with one question, "What shall we do?"  Then there was 2. Peter's Great Solution, "Repent!  Come to Jesus for the remission of sins!"  3. This was followed with Peter's Invitation (2:40), and the wonderful conclusion was Great Addition!  Much fruit in 3,000 human souls was added to the new-born Church!

Acts Lesson 6: The First Church Sermon {Peter’s New Sword}

This lesson (from Acts 2:14-36) is our look at the first sermon of the Church Age!  It was preached by Peter, who (amazingly) only 53 days earlier had committed the greatest denial of the Lord Jesus in history (it was the greatest because it was committed by a believer - and one who had the fantastic spiritual privilege of being the leader of the Lord's Apostles).  When we hear what "foot-in-mouth," impetuous Peter preached - now that he had been fully and gracious restored to his position in the Apostolate by the resurrected Lord Himself (John 21:15-19 - see our podcast Lesson #  from the Life of Christ study), we realize the answer to Christ's prayers for Peter (who Satan had desired to sift as wheat).  Peter's Spirit-filled, Spirit-led message was entirely Christ-centered, which is what all preaching should be!  It was also very practical, which all preaching should be!  His sermon is filled with application (what to do with the Truth one learns about Christ). Learn what Peter meant when he quoted from the Prophet Joel in his sermon!  Learn what the terms "day of the Lord" and "prophesy" in his sermon refer to.  Learn, too, about the tremendous fruit from this very first Church sermon in the lesson to follow, Lesson 7, "Early Church Growth".