An X-ray of the first Christians - 4 elements of the effective Church
Dr. Roberto Miranda(Audio: Español)
RESUMEN:
In Acts 2:41-47, we see the characteristics of a powerful Church that is effective in evangelism. The Church persevered in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. These four characteristics made the Church biblical, diverse, united, and focused on God. The Church was an example of the move of the Holy Spirit, and people were added to the Church every day. The Church's life and love for one another were the greatest apologetic, and it attracted people to the community. A Church that honors sound doctrine is a Church that will prosper and be blessed. We must persevere in sound doctrine, even if it costs us, and remain firm in our faith.
The effective Church has four elements: 1) persistence in doctrine, 2) fellowship with one another, 3) breaking of bread, and 4) prayer. The communion of Christians is important for the Church to be effective in evangelism, and God sends blessings where there is harmony. Christians should invite people of different ethnicities and customs to enjoy each other's food and appreciate their diversity. The breaking of bread was symbolic and represented the sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary, which gives us entrance to the Kingdom of God. Christians should persist in prayer and praise, meeting to pray and worship together in a basic way. The early Christians did not have bibles, instruments, or the New Testament, but they met to pray, sing, and worship with passion and anointing.
The speaker reminisces about the powerful choirs of the Church in the past and believes that many choirs today do not compare. The Church has great power when it unites and prays together, and can achieve great things when it declares and binds things in the world of the Spirit. The Church should persevere in doctrine, break bread with one another, have intimate fellowship with one another, and pray and adore the Lord in spirit and in truth to be effective in Evangelism. The speaker prays for these qualities to become a structural part of their life as a Congregation.I want to invite you to go to the Book of Acts in chapter 2, verse 41 to 47. Here we have an X-ray of the first Christians at the very beginning of the Church after Pentecost and after the first great evangelistic sermon of the apostle Peter, and We know that there was a great harvest of souls in that first sermon that God, inspiring the apostle Peter, gave him.
In verse 41 he says that: "As a result of that evangelistic sermon those who received his Word were baptized and about three thousand people were added that day, wow what a great impact, 3,000 people as a result of a single public sermon that was given there in the street practically, there were tongues, baptism of the Holy Spirit, noises, people gathered from everywhere.