Acts of the Early Church
Many people call the book of Acts, the acts of the apostles, but as you study through
the book, you will see that the Holy Spirit used ordinary people and empowered them
to perform extraordinary feats. The book of Acts offers invaluable information about
the development of the early church. It is the one historical book of the New
Testament which traces the activities of the early church.
Peter – a faltering apostle is empowered to address multitudes. Peter who denied
Christ three times because he was afraid, but after the Holy Spirit came upon him, he
preached and 3000 excepted the Lord (Acts 2:14-17) “but Peter, standing up with the
eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them. You men of Judaea and all you that dwell
at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and hearken to my words. For these are not
drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that by
the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of
My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”. “Then Peter
said to them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise
is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord
our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). I take this scripture to count me in, because I have
received the Holy Spirit.
Peter did many mighty works, Peter and John spoke to the man lamed from birth and
told him “silver and gold I have not, but in the name of the Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked and
entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:1-
8). Then in Acts 5:15 we see that as “they brought forth the sick into the streets, and
laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might
overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about
to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits and
they were healed every one”.
Acts contains portraits of many outstanding Christians of the early church. Barnabas
– was called “son of encouragement”, his given name was Joseph or Joses; when he
became a Christian, he sold his land and gave the money to the apostles (Acts 4:36-
37). He was later Paul’s companion; in fact he was able to calm the fear of Saul
among the Christians in Jerusalem, after Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:27) “but Barnabas
took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the
Lord in the way, and that He had spoke to him, and how he had preached boldly at
Damascus in the name of Jesus).
Stephen – a deacon defends his faith. He was one of the first seven deacons of the
early church (Acts 6:3-6,8) “wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the
word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Stephen, a man full
of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and
Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. Whom they set before the apostles,
and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And Stephen, full of faith
and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people”; and the first Christian
martyr (Acts 7:59-60) “and they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep”.
Philip – an evangelist, one of the seven men chosen to serve the early church,
because he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5). Philip became an evangelist
and in Samaria, preached the gospel, worked miracles, and brought many to faith in
Christ (Acts 8:5-8) “then Philip wend down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ
to them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip
spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with
loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with
palsies, and that were lam, were healed. And there was great joy in that city”. Philip
was to minister to an Ethiopian eunuch, an official under Queen Candace of the
Ethiopians (Acts 8:26-39). The eunuch was returning, and sitting in his chariot read
Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, go near, and join yourself to this
chariot. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and
preached to him Jesus. And as they continued on the eunuch seeing water, asked
what hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you
may. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then
Philip baptized him.
Timothy – was a son of a Greek and had a Jewish-Christian mother (Acts 16:1) “then
came he to Derbe and Lystra; and behold a certain disclple, named Timothy, the son
of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek”.
Timothy was called Paul’s “beloved and faithful son in the Lord”. He was held in high
regard in Lystra and Iconium and he was taken by Paul on his second missionary
journey.
Paul – formerly known as Saul, who persecuted the church, had a Damascus road
conversion. And after being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, he did many
exploits. Paul wrote by the Spirit of God most of the epistles, and as you study
through the Bible, you will see he was used to heal many, and even raised several
from the dead.
Others like Silas and Gauis were used by the Holy Spirit in the early church. When
people only think that the book of Acts was the acts of the apostles, they grieve and
limit God, because Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. If you
don’t think you can do anything, you can’t. Jesus said “all things are possible to them
that believe”.
Instead as we read the book of Acts and see that it could be called “the Acts of the
Holy Spirit” because the Spirit is mentioned nearly 60 times in the book.
Jesus as He was departing told the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, that
they would receive power, after the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and on the day
of Pentecost it happened (Acts 2:1-4) “and when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them. And they wee all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. Jesus said that He only spoke what He
was taught of the Father and only spoke what He head the Father say. Then in Mark
16 Jesus said “go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast
out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if the
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they
shall recover” (Mark 16:16-18); verse 20 says “and they went forth, and preached
every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following;
Amen”.
The church has been through many things, from persecution and being scattered
through out, then Constantine made Christianity legal and the Roman authorities
made the rules on how the church should operate, that’s when Judaism and
Christianity traditions were separated and the feast of the Lord were forbidden; and
while the persecution stopped, they were force to stop certain traditions, and worship
according to the Roman State Church. The dark ages took the Bible out of the hands
of the people and people only heard what the officials wanted them to hear, so they
drew back from God because they could not hear His word. This led to the people
trying to earn their salvation by works, Martin Luther got a revelation concerning grace
through faith, and this was called the Protestant Reformation. Then the crusaders
drove the church under ground.
The good news is that God has in this time been rebuilding the church. Jesus said in
Matthew 16:18 “I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
Jesus prayed for us (John 17:20) says “neither pray I for these alone; but for them
also which shall believe on Me through their word”. This sounds like what we read in
Acts 2:39 “for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call”.
This establishes the fact that the acts of the church is still going on and will continue
until Jesus returns. Daniel foresaw this when he interpreted the vision of King
Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:31-45, Daniel explains to the king that his kingdom was
the head of gold, and that the Persian kingdom would be the silver, and another would
be the Greek kingdom would be the brass. And the fourth kingdom would be iron with
would be mixed with clay; verse 44-45 says “and in the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut
out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the
clay, the silver and the gold. The Great God has made known to the king what shall
come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain , and the interpretation thereof
sure”.
All it needs is for someone to yield themselves so that the Holy Spirit can use them.
Let’s us take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to use us. Praise the Lord.
Even though the world think that they are winning, it is not over yet. Our part is to
yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to use us for His glory (II Timothy 2:19-
21) “nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows
them that are His, and, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from
iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also
of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore
purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified, and meet for the
master’s use, and prepared to every good work”. So let us strive to be a vessel to
honor. It is up to us, the good news is that we don’t purge ourselves by ourselves, it is
the Spirit of God within us that purges these things from us. As we continue in His
word, the word washes and cleanses us; and as we renew our minds, we will see God
working in our lives.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 28, 2008
Many people call the book of Acts, the acts of the apostles, but as you study through
the book, you will see that the Holy Spirit used ordinary people and empowered them
to perform extraordinary feats. The book of Acts offers invaluable information about
the development of the early church. It is the one historical book of the New
Testament which traces the activities of the early church.
Peter – a faltering apostle is empowered to address multitudes. Peter who denied
Christ three times because he was afraid, but after the Holy Spirit came upon him, he
preached and 3000 excepted the Lord (Acts 2:14-17) “but Peter, standing up with the
eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them. You men of Judaea and all you that dwell
at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and hearken to my words. For these are not
drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that by
the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of
My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”. “Then Peter
said to them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise
is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord
our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). I take this scripture to count me in, because I have
received the Holy Spirit.
Peter did many mighty works, Peter and John spoke to the man lamed from birth and
told him “silver and gold I have not, but in the name of the Jesus Christ of Nazareth
rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked and
entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:1-
8). Then in Acts 5:15 we see that as “they brought forth the sick into the streets, and
laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might
overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about
to Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits and
they were healed every one”.
Acts contains portraits of many outstanding Christians of the early church. Barnabas
– was called “son of encouragement”, his given name was Joseph or Joses; when he
became a Christian, he sold his land and gave the money to the apostles (Acts 4:36-
37). He was later Paul’s companion; in fact he was able to calm the fear of Saul
among the Christians in Jerusalem, after Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:27) “but Barnabas
took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the
Lord in the way, and that He had spoke to him, and how he had preached boldly at
Damascus in the name of Jesus).
Stephen – a deacon defends his faith. He was one of the first seven deacons of the
early church (Acts 6:3-6,8) “wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men
of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the
word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Stephen, a man full
of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and
Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch. Whom they set before the apostles,
and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And Stephen, full of faith
and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people”; and the first Christian
martyr (Acts 7:59-60) “and they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay
not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep”.
Philip – an evangelist, one of the seven men chosen to serve the early church,
because he was full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5). Philip became an evangelist
and in Samaria, preached the gospel, worked miracles, and brought many to faith in
Christ (Acts 8:5-8) “then Philip wend down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ
to them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip
spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with
loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with
palsies, and that were lam, were healed. And there was great joy in that city”. Philip
was to minister to an Ethiopian eunuch, an official under Queen Candace of the
Ethiopians (Acts 8:26-39). The eunuch was returning, and sitting in his chariot read
Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit said to Philip, go near, and join yourself to this
chariot. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and
preached to him Jesus. And as they continued on the eunuch seeing water, asked
what hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you
may. And he answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then
Philip baptized him.
Timothy – was a son of a Greek and had a Jewish-Christian mother (Acts 16:1) “then
came he to Derbe and Lystra; and behold a certain disclple, named Timothy, the son
of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek”.
Timothy was called Paul’s “beloved and faithful son in the Lord”. He was held in high
regard in Lystra and Iconium and he was taken by Paul on his second missionary
journey.
Paul – formerly known as Saul, who persecuted the church, had a Damascus road
conversion. And after being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, he did many
exploits. Paul wrote by the Spirit of God most of the epistles, and as you study
through the Bible, you will see he was used to heal many, and even raised several
from the dead.
Others like Silas and Gauis were used by the Holy Spirit in the early church. When
people only think that the book of Acts was the acts of the apostles, they grieve and
limit God, because Proverbs 23:7 says “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. If you
don’t think you can do anything, you can’t. Jesus said “all things are possible to them
that believe”.
Instead as we read the book of Acts and see that it could be called “the Acts of the
Holy Spirit” because the Spirit is mentioned nearly 60 times in the book.
Jesus as He was departing told the disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, that
they would receive power, after the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and on the day
of Pentecost it happened (Acts 2:1-4) “and when the day of Pentecost was fully come,
they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them. And they wee all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. Jesus said that He only spoke what He
was taught of the Father and only spoke what He head the Father say. Then in Mark
16 Jesus said “go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe. In My name shall they cast
out devils, they shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if the
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they
shall recover” (Mark 16:16-18); verse 20 says “and they went forth, and preached
every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following;
Amen”.
The church has been through many things, from persecution and being scattered
through out, then Constantine made Christianity legal and the Roman authorities
made the rules on how the church should operate, that’s when Judaism and
Christianity traditions were separated and the feast of the Lord were forbidden; and
while the persecution stopped, they were force to stop certain traditions, and worship
according to the Roman State Church. The dark ages took the Bible out of the hands
of the people and people only heard what the officials wanted them to hear, so they
drew back from God because they could not hear His word. This led to the people
trying to earn their salvation by works, Martin Luther got a revelation concerning grace
through faith, and this was called the Protestant Reformation. Then the crusaders
drove the church under ground.
The good news is that God has in this time been rebuilding the church. Jesus said in
Matthew 16:18 “I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
Jesus prayed for us (John 17:20) says “neither pray I for these alone; but for them
also which shall believe on Me through their word”. This sounds like what we read in
Acts 2:39 “for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call”.
This establishes the fact that the acts of the church is still going on and will continue
until Jesus returns. Daniel foresaw this when he interpreted the vision of King
Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:31-45, Daniel explains to the king that his kingdom was
the head of gold, and that the Persian kingdom would be the silver, and another would
be the Greek kingdom would be the brass. And the fourth kingdom would be iron with
would be mixed with clay; verse 44-45 says “and in the days of these kings shall the
God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut
out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the
clay, the silver and the gold. The Great God has made known to the king what shall
come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain , and the interpretation thereof
sure”.
All it needs is for someone to yield themselves so that the Holy Spirit can use them.
Let’s us take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to use us. Praise the Lord.
Even though the world think that they are winning, it is not over yet. Our part is to
yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to use us for His glory (II Timothy 2:19-
21) “nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, the Lord knows
them that are His, and, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from
iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also
of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore
purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified, and meet for the
master’s use, and prepared to every good work”. So let us strive to be a vessel to
honor. It is up to us, the good news is that we don’t purge ourselves by ourselves, it is
the Spirit of God within us that purges these things from us. As we continue in His
word, the word washes and cleanses us; and as we renew our minds, we will see God
working in our lives.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 28, 2008
