Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Last week - looking at dramatic events
• Recap:
• Suddenly
• Tongues of flame
• The gift of languages
• Peter preaches
• The people repent and are baptised
• Great phenomenon on the day of Pentecost
• It was the preaching of Christ crucified
• The message of the gospel that was life transforming
• This evening - v42-47
• The fruits of Pentecost
• Devotion to the word of God, fellowship, the breaking of bread, prayer
• The marks of the Spirit filled church

A love for God's word

• They continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine
• They continued daily in the temple
• They continued under the teaching of the apostles
• Likely all types of people
• Hearing and receiving teaching every day
• There must have been great awe as the apostles healed and did many signs and wonders (v43)
• This confirmed their teaching was of God
• The first fruit of Pentecost - a great love for the word of God
• Do we have such a love for the word of God?
• Is God's word being sidelined in churches today?
• We must not takeaway from the word of God
• The word of God is given - examples
• We must remember the early church and their simplicity of worship
• In lean times we faithfully sow the word of God

A love for one another

• They continued steadfastly in fellowship
• Not a priority or order in the list of v42
• They are all equally important
• The word fellowship in Greek means sharing and partnership
• Some opened their homes
• Some sold their possessions and gave charity
• Fellowship - they were "together" and had "all things in common" (v44)
• They sold the possessions to meet needs
• Unlikely to be a teaching of the apostles but a work of the Holy Spirit
• They were very generous
• Their love was not in word only, but also in deed
• Love from a pure heart
• Their brotherly love continued (4:32-35)
• The Jews were used to tithing and helping needy people
• Now extra help was required
• The second fruit of Pentecost - a great love for the people of God

A love for the means of grace

• They devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and the prayers
• i.e. to Communion
• We should devote ourselves to all the means of grace
• i.e. gathering together to pray
• 1:14 - they all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication
• 2:1 - they were all with one accord in one place
• 3:1 - hours of prayer
• 16:16 - "as we went to prayer" (on their way to a prayer meeting)
• Scheduled prayer meetings
• Spontaneous prayer meetings - 4:24, 12:12
• Christians should be committed to prayer
• Examples
• The third fruit of Pentecost - prayer and communion

A love for the Lord

• Worship was at the centre of this church
• They met together daily "praising God" (v46-47)
• This was their focus - their hearts were on fire
• They worshiped God
• The mark of a Spirit filled church is that they worship the Lord

A love for the lost

• The Lord was adding daily to their number (v48)
• The apostles were continuing to preach the Gospel
• God was adding to the number that were saved
• God added converts daily
• We must pray for a great love for the lost
• A Spirit filled church is a mission church

Closing Remarks

• Not mystical experiences
• The fruits of Pentecost - preaching, prayer, giving, love
• Glorious fruits
• If you are lacking - pray
• We need a strong foundation
• Every building needs a foundation
• Jesus Christ is our foundation
• Every church needs these four pillars