Today we're looking at the Book
of Acts again. Chapter 2. Chapter 2 of the Book
of Acts. And I'm taking the title from
the last sentence in Chapter 2. The last sentence. Verse 47,
and the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. Now, the Lord does not change,
right? He says, I'm the same yesterday,
today, and forever. He said, I am the Lord, I change
not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed. We can therefore
be confident and assured, right? The Lord right now, today, adds
daily to his body, his church, such as should be saved. Who
needs to be saved? Sinners. That's who needs salvation. So that's the title of the message
the Lord added daily to the church, which is His body. Now, we read
a moment ago in Matthew 16, upon this rock I'll build my church.
Remember our Lord said that to Peter. Upon this rock, He's not
saying upon Peter, but upon this foundation of Christ and Him
crucified, I'll build my church and the gates of hell will not
prevail against the will, purpose, grace of Almighty God. Can anything frustrate the purpose
of God? Can any demon in hell FRUSTRATE
OR HINDER THE PURPOSE OF GOD? ABSOLUTELY NOT. GOD IS GOD IN
HEAVEN, EARTH AND HELL. THE DEMONS ARE HIS SERVANTS. THE DEVIL HIMSELF IS GOD'S SERVANT. HE WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTER THE
COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL. NOW, WHAT AN AMAZING MIRACLE
OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN LOVE AND GRACE. THERE IS ONE CHURCH IN THIS WORLD
made up of guilty vile sinners chosen by electing love in eternity,
God chose them in eternity, saved by sovereign grace alone in Christ,
and made new creatures in Christ. There's just one church because
there's one Lord. There is one body, there is one
spirit, there is one hope, one Lord, one faith, and one church. I want to be in that church.
To be in that church is to have salvation. Now, there are many
different denominations in this world, right? I mean, you pick
your flavor and you can find one. Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist,
whatever you got, Confucius, Mormons, Methodists, Baptists,
Papists, whatever you want. There are denominations, thousands
in this world, but there's just one church, one. In scripture,
it's called the Church of God many times, the Church of God. Feed the Church of God, which
he purchased with his own blood, Acts 20, 28. And then in Romans
16, 16, Paul is writing to the churches, plural, churches of
Christ. You never one time read in scripture
the church of Christ. Now a lot of people want to take
that name and say, well, we have the name. You won't find that
name in the word of God. Not there. Church is plural of
Christ in Romans 16. And then the church of the Lord
Jesus Christ is called the church of the firstborn whose names
are written in heaven. Now, I want to be a member of
that church whose names are written in heaven. We know the Lord Jesus
Christ is the head of the church. Let's turn and see if we can
read that in Scripture. Hold your place there. Find Ephesians. Who is the head of this church? Well, let's see if we can find
out. Ephesians chapter 1. The Lord Jesus Christ, verse
20. God raised him from the dead, set him at his own right hand
in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and
might and dominion and every name that is named, not only
in this world, but also that which is to come. Ephesians 1
verse 22, and has put all things under his feet and gave him to
be head over all things to the church, read on, which is his
body. the fullness of Him that filleth
all in all. Reference you can if not, I'll
read it to you Colossians chapter 1 the Lord Jesus Christ is the
one in whom we have redemption verse 15 Colossians 1 who is
the image of the invisible God the firstborn of every creature
for by him are all things created in heaven and earth visible invisible
and Throne, dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created
by Him and for Him. He is before all things, by Him
all things consist. They exist because He holds them
together. He is the head of the body, the
church. One head, one Lord, one body,
one church, one gospel. Who is the beginning? Remember,
in the beginning, God, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things
ye might have the preeminence, were pleased with the Father,
that in him should all fullness dwell. Who is the head of the
church? The Lord Jesus Christ. He is
the head of the church. What we have given to us here
in Acts chapter 2, verse 41 down through verse 47, is God's description
of His church. As I said, I want to be included
in that church. I want to be a member of that
church, put in the body of Christ by the purpose, will, grace,
and power of God. For by one Spirit have we all
been baptized into one body. But of Him are you in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. Being in that church, not even
the gates of hell, can prevail against His church. Not one demon,
not one devil, not a host of devil, not an army of devil,
can hinder, frustrate the purpose of God from calling His elect,
saving His elect, and preserving them in Christ Jesus. Our Lord
said all that the Father giveth to me shall come to me and those
that come to me I will in no wise cast out for I came down
from heaven not to do my own will But the will of him that
sent me, that everyone would see the Son, and believe it on
him, I'll raise him up at the last day. He will not lose one
of his sheep." You see, they're part of his body, members in
his body. He's not going to have a dismembered
body in glory. He said, behold, I and the children
you've given me, they're all here. I've not lost one of them. Aren't you glad that he is our
head, our Lord? God hath made him both Lord and
Christ. Now, here's the description of
the Lord's people in his body. Verse 41, Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls. So the first thing we
know about these people in the body of Christ, his church, they
gladly, they gladly received his word. Now, if you want to
follow with me, you can. If not, just sit and listen.
1 Thessalonians chapter 1, he said, Knowing, brethren, beloved,
your election of God, 1 Thessalonians 1-4, where our gospel came not
unto you in word only, but also in power, And in the Holy Ghost,
in much assurance, as you know what manner of men we were among
you for your sake, and you became followers of us and of the Lord. Our gospel came, but it came
not just in word, it came in power. They received the word
of the Lord wholeheartedly gladly and then find first Thessalonians
chapter 2 now first Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 for this cause
also think we God without ceasing because when you receive the
word of the Lord which you heard of us you received it not as
a word of men but as it is in truth the word of God that affectionately
works in you now Every believer, because their heart has been
opened by the Lord, they've been given ears to hear, they never
weary or get tired of hearing the word of the Lord. They receive
it, oh boy, gladly, tell me again, the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And then secondly, it says to
them, they were baptized. They received the word of the
Lord, and they were baptized, as it says in verse 38, in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, because there is remission of
sin through the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers, and baptism is for
believers, to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Baptism is not essential to salvation. God saved that dying thief. and took him the glory, he was
not baptized. Now, if he had opportunity, he
would have confessed to the Lord. Baptism is not essential to salvation,
but it is essential to obedience to the Lord. essential to our
confession of our faith in Christ. That's how we publicly demonstrate
that the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, His burial, His resurrection
is all our hope of salvation. This ordinance the Lord has given
to us to identify with His gospel, with His people, and we're going
to see that all the way through the book of Acts. Like the Lord's
table, believers' baptism does show forth the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, His death, His burial, and His resurrection. Now, I'll give you another example
of this. We're going to see this many
times, but turn in the book of Acts here to chapter 16. I love
this story. I love all these stories, but
this is one of my favorite. When Paul came to Philippi, Acts
16, And on the Sabbath day, they went out of the city by a riverside,
where prayer was wont to be made. And we sat down and spake unto
the women which resorted there. And a certain woman, Acts 16,
14, named Lydia, a seller of purple, a businesswoman there
on a business trip. She was not even of that city
of Philippi. She lived in Thyatira, which
worshiped God, heard us, What did she hear? She heard the word
of the Lord, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended
to the things were spoken by Paul. She gladly received the
word. And when she was baptized, her
and her household, she besought us saying, if you have judged
me faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.
And she constrained them. So, she heard the word of the
Lord, God opened her heart, and she confessed the Lord Jesus
Christ in believer's baptism. And then it says in verse 41,
the Lord added the same day, The Lord added unto them about
3,000 souls. Now, how long did it take them
to baptize 3,000 souls? Must have taken a while. 3,000 souls were added, called
out of darkness and death. and ignorance unto light, liberty,
and a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. How did all
that happen? Was Peter such a powerful and
persuasive speaker that he coerced them into being baptized and
making, did Peter make them church members? No, sir. How did all that happen? I like
what David said in Psalm 118, this is the Lord's doing and
it's marvelous in our eyes. As I said, the title of the message
found in verse 47, and the Lord added to the church daily such
as should be saying. The Lord added, the apostles
did not add, Peter did not add. He didn't ask them to come forward
and make a decision. He didn't tell them to come forward
at the moaner's bench and pray through. He simply preached the
gospel and told them to believe and repent and trust the Lord
Jesus Christ. And a bunch of them did. The
Lord saved 3,000. The Lord added daily to his church such as should
be saved. Says in verse 47, the Lord added
daily to his church such as should be justified from all their sin. Now, who is salvation for? The Lord said he didn't come
to call the righteous, he came to call sinners to repentance.
The Lord Jesus Christ died for the ungodly. The Lord Jesus Christ
came to seek and to find that which was lost. This is the Lord's
doing. Now, the gospel was preached,
the Word was blessed, they were given life and ears to hear,
and they received the Word of the Lord. They trusted the Lord
Jesus Christ, and they confessed Him in believers' baptism. Now,
read on, verse 42, Acts 2, 42. And it says, they, again, they,
referring to those people, who were blessed to hear and
believe the gospel, they continued steadfastly in one accord." Look
down at verse 46, "...and they continuing daily with one accord."
Saving faith doesn't believe one day and then quit and forsake
the gospel. SAVING FAITH CONTINUES IN THE
FAITH. THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH. THEY
CONTINUED STEADFASTLY, VERSE 42, IN THE APOSTLES' DOCTRINE. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I DON'T KNOW
MUCH ABOUT DOCTRINE. DON'T PREACH DOCTRINE TO ME.
JUST PREACH JESUS. My friend, you can't preach the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ without preaching his doctrine,
singular. Notice it's singular. They continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine. Now that's important. And fellowship, and the breaking
of bread, and of prayers. They continued steadfastly in
the apostles' doctrine. Now, let me read you scripture.
Whenever you see in scripture that word doctrine in the plural
form, the doctrines it says of devils and the doctrines of men
and the commandments of men. Whenever you read that word doctrine
in the singular, it's always referring to the doctrine of
God and the gospel. For example, 2 John, Verse 7,
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver
and an antichrist. 2 John, verse 8, Look to yourself,
that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought, but that
which ye receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine,
Receive him not in your house, don't even bid him Godspeed. Don't even say good day. Say
goodbye, but don't say have a good day. Now, so we read, whenever
we read this doctrine, it is singular. Now, let me ask you
a question. What then is the Apostle's doctrine? What would
you say the Apostle's doctrine Now, these folks to whom Peter
preached, they didn't have ready access to what we have today
laid out for us in what we say and call the New Testament, Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and then the epistles. All they knew is what Peter had
preached to them on Pentecost. That was the apostle doctrine. So what did he preach at Pentecost? Verse 22 of Acts 2. You men of
Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which
God did by him in the midst of you as yourselves also know,
him being delivered by the determinate counsel, For knowledge of God,
you have taken him by wicked hands and crucified and slain,
whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it
was not possible that he should beholden of it. Verse 32, this
Jesus has God raised up, whereof were witnesses. Therefore him
being by the right hand of God, exalted, having received of the
Father, the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed this forth,
which you now see and hear. Verse 36, Therefore let all the
house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same
Jesus both Lord and Christ. That the Apostles doctrine. His
person, His work, His redeeming blood, His successful atonement,
His glorious resurrection, Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel for knowledge of God. He was delivered for our offenses,
raised again for our justification. He's seated at the right hand
of God. Dare he ever live to make intercession for us. This
is the apostles doctrine. It's the gospel of Christ all
about his person and his work. We preach nothing more, nothing
less, and nothing else. Wherewith Paul determined to
preach nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That is the
doctrine of Christ. And that's the doctrine of the
gospel. And believers continue steadfastly. You see that? They
continue steadfastly. That is earnestly, diligently
in the faith being kept by the power of God. They continue,
you see that? They continue. Now let's read
this together. Turn to Colossians chapter one
again. Colossians chapter one. We read
verse 19, for in him, it pleases the Father that in him should
all fullness dwell, having made peace therefore through the blood
of his cross, you got it, Colossians 1.20, By Him to reconcile all
things unto Himself. By Him I say whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven. And you that were sometimes
alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He reconciled
in the body of His flesh through death to present you holy, unblameable,
unreprovable in His sight." Read the next verse. If you continue
in the faith, Now, if you walk off from the gospel and deny
the gospel, it's only because you never did believe the gospel.
Saving faith continues in the faith. If you continue in the
faith, grounded, settled, being not moved away from the hope
of the gospel, which you've heard, there's that hearing, which was
preached to every creature under heaven, wherefore I, Paul, am
made a minister." There is the continuing in faith, continue
in the apostle doctrine. Our Lord said to those in John
8, You are my disciples indeed, if you continue in my word. And
that's what saving faith does. Now, Acts 2, verse 42, they continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, in their word, the
truth they preached, and then in fellowship, Breaking of bread
and of prayers. Now, they continued in fellowship. One of the best definitions that
I've heard, what does fellowship mean? Fellows in the same ship. They're shipmates. They're in
the same situation, blessed by the same Lord God Almighty. They have fellowship one with
another. Being in union with Christ and
being one with Him in His body, we have fellowship one with another. They love one another. They forgive
one another for Christ's sake. Galatians 6, 2 says they bear
one another's burdens. They forbear one another in love. They comfort one another with
these words. They edify one another. and they
exhort one another daily. Why do they do that? They're
in fellowship with one another in the Lord Jesus Christ. We're
one body, members one of another. And then he mentions there in
verse 42, the breaking of bread. And I believe this is referring
to the Lord's table. As the Lord set forth in Luke
22, he said, this do in remembrance of me, his broken body and his
shed blood, the blood of the new covenant, which is shed for
you in the breaking of bread. Now, how often should we observe
the Lord's table? There's no exact date or time
given. He says, for as often as you
eat this and drink this, you show forth to the Lord's death.
Some people are inclined to do it every Sunday, some people
every quarter, and that's the way we observe it, every three
months or so. In the breaking of bread, what
a privilege to come together in fellowship around the Lord's
table and remember his broken body and he shed blood. And then
he mentions there fourthly in verse 42, in prayers, they continue
steadfastly in fellowship, in doctrine, the breaking of bread,
and in praying. Now, someone said believers ought
to pray. My soul, believers do. Believers
do pray. You don't have to encourage.
Do you have to encourage one another to breathe? You don't have to encourage one
another to breathe. Prayer is the live breath of
the believer. At just what comes to him, it's
the heart cry. Like you breathe. That's what
you do. And that's what a believer does.
He's given a new heart, a new life, made a new creature in
Christ, and the cry of his heart is unto the Lord. Someone said
to me one day, well, preacher, I just don't know how to pray.
I don't know what to pray for. And I said, I've got the solution.
I've got the answer. Seven words. What should you
pray for? What should you pray about? What
should you, we're told to pray without ceasing and in everything
give thanks. And the Lord said, our Lord said
in Luke 18, men not always to pray. Okay, preacher, tell me. What should I pray for? Seven
words. You wanna know what to pray unto
the Lord? Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. That's my prayer. Constantly
to the Lord, I am a sinner in need of great mercy. As David
said, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude
of thy tender mercy, blot out my sin. That's a cry of our heart. Mercy, have mercy. That blind
Bartimaeus said, Lord, I'm blind. You can heal me if you will.
Lord, have mercy upon me. That's the cry of our heart.
It's not this long, lethargic, rudimental, legislated. It's just the cry of the heart
for mercy. Mercy. Have mercy upon me, the
sinner. Prayer certainly is a privilege,
is it not? Rejoice evermore and pray without
ceasing. Believers do. You know, I always
get quite amazed about the government that we live in.
You know, they are all concerned about legislating where people
cannot pray. You cannot legislate people not
to pray because prayer is the cry of the heart. Now, you may
put laws in the books that say we can't go over to the courthouse
and hold hands around the flagpole. But my soul, what is that? That's
just a show of the flesh. That's all that is. Our Lord
said, when you pray, go to your closet and pray. And the Father
which sees you in secret, he'll hear that cry. So you can't legislate
people not to cry unto the Lord. His people cry unto the Lord. Believers are always in a constant
state of looking, asking, depending upon the Lord to meet their every
need. And he does, generously. My God shall supply all your
need according to his riches in glory through the Lord Jesus
Christ. Verse 43, back in our text. And
fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done
by the apostles. Now we're going to see more of
that in chapter 3 and chapter 4, but this fear that's mentioned
here is a reverential awe. It's a reverential fear of God. Believers have a high respect
and a holy reverence unto God who has called them out of darkness
into this marvelous light. It's a reverential fear and love
and reverence of the Lord. By nature, there is no fear of
God before their eyes, but when God does that work of grace in
their heart, there is that high and holy awe and respect for
God Almighty. Fear came upon them, and many
wonders and signs were done by the apostles to demonstrate they
were servants of the Lord. Verse 44, And all that believed
had all things together, had all things common. Down in verse
46, And they continued daily with one accord in the temple,
breaking bread from house to house, that eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart. They had all things common, continuing
in one accord. They were of one heart, one mind,
one spirit, striving together for the faith of the gospel.
Look back at chapter 1 verse 14. These all continued with
one accord in prayer and supplication with the women, Mary and the
brethren. They all did what? They continued
in one accord and one prayer. They had all things in common.
One mind, one heart, one spirit, striving together for the faith
of God's elect. We read in scripture about the
common faith, and that's the faith of God's elect that look
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Titus 1 verse 4. We read of the
common hope we have in Christ. There is one God and one mediator. We have a good hope through grace.
Christ in you is a hope of salvation. And then we have a common salvation. Now, that doesn't mean that it's
something just ordinary. It's something special, but it's
common to all God's elect. They have all have been saved
by His marvelous grace. Now, this is interesting, and
I'm almost through here. And they continuing daily with
one accord. Now, notice it says in the temple.
In the temple. Now, he's talking about that
Jewish temple where all those Jewish laws and ceremonies and
traditions of man They were about the temple, not observing the
tradition and ceremonies of the law, because the Lord Jesus Christ
has fulfilled the law. Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law. They went about the temple preaching
the gospel of Christ, even though they were beaten and told not
to mention his name one more time. Look over at Acts chapter
5. And that's why they went to the
temple. That's where the people gathered together. That's where
they could get a hearing, an audience. We're going to see
that in chapter 3, when they went to the temple and healed
that cripple. But look at Acts chapter 5. When they were called,
they were beaten, verse 40, and commanded that they should not
speak in the name of Jesus and let them go, verse 41. They departed from the presence
of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer
shame for his name. And daily in the temple and in
every house, They ceased not to teach and to preach Christ. That's why they went to the temple.
Not to observe the law, but to preach the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And they continued. in one accord
with gladness of heart, singleness of heart. Gladness of heart is
Christ, we rejoice in him. And singleness of heart is faith
that looks to Christ, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith. Verse 47, praising God. And that's what faith does. Praising
God. And what praising God is? Worship. worship God in the heart. He
seeketh such to worship him in spirit and in truth. Praising
God, God gave them favor. With all people, God gave them
a hearing, an audience to preach to, and the Lord added daily,
such as should be saved. Now how does the Lord save his
people? Well, by His grace. Justified freely by His grace
through the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the
Lord added, such as should be saved. Now religious men add
to their church roles, don't they? They add names to their
membership books. To their books. Only God can
write a name of His child in the Lamb's Book of Life. Now, I want to be a member of
the Lord's church, found in his body, blessed by his grace. That's why Paul said, oh, that
I may win Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is found in Christ. To
be united with him, to be made one with him by faith, he that
hath the Son hath life. May God grant that for us right
now, that we may win Christ and be found in Him, praising God
and having favor, favor blessed of God, and being added to the
Lord's body. That's grace.