God’s Prototype of the Local Church Sermon Series – Part 8
A Daily Church
Acts 2:46, 47 And they, continuing DAILY with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church DAILY such as should be saved.
Intro: We see in our text that “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple…”
This was a church that was doing something EVERY SINGLE DAY???
They didn’t want to miss out on what God was doing there.
They didn’t just pop in and pop out, they continued daily.
Somehow, they found an opportunity every day to go to the house of God.
A church where there is daily activity is exciting.
A constant hub of activity.
It’s open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is a DAILY activity.
- Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
We can break down this early church’s daily activities into three categories:
I. There was a Daily INVOLVING – this is our DAILY DUTY toward God.
This is found in verse 46 – “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple,…”
A. Praise
We see from verse 47 that they were a church that was busy “praising God.”
For this to be a part of the description of the Acts 2 church, you can believe it wasn’t a random act.
This wasn’t a once a month or a few times a year testimony service.
These people were in the habit of praising God! They were actively involved in praising God.
Let me say this morning – God deserves our praise DAILY.
The Psalmist David was a firm believer in praising God DAILY.
- Psalms 61:8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.
- Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.
Why??
- Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
B. Prayer
See verse 42 – “…continued stedfastly…in prayers.” This wasn’t just at church time.
SEE Acts 3:1 – Peter and John went up to the Temple at the HOUR of prayer; not the day of prayer.
They prayed for boldness Acts 4:24-31 – not the first day of the week.
C. Preparation
- Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
II. There was a Daily INVESTING – this is our DAILY DUTY toward each other.
Notice the verse:
“…and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart…”
The Bible is clear – we need each other.
The church was put here to help minister to the spiritual and social needs of the believer.
God’s word is clear – we should separate ourselves from the world and from the lost.
That means we have only each other and God.
A church where the people in the church are involved in each other’s lives daily.
God intended for the church to be a place where His people encourage and edify each other.
The relationship with the church should exist outside the four walls of the sanctuary.
These early church Christians interacted with each other on a close, personal level.
They went to each other’s house, broke bread with each other.
This church was amazing because it provided not only the basis for a relationship with God, but with others also.
There’s not a one of us that do not need others; people; other Christians.
A vital part of God’s plan for the church was the interaction aspect.
God intended for the church to minister to each other DAILY.
Notice this verse in Acts 6:1 that tells us of the daily ministry of the early church:
- Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Paul urged the early church to help one another daily.
Hebrews 3:12, 13
- Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
- But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
A great verse to illustrate this DAILY NEED FOR MINISTRY is found in 2 Corinthians. Paul is giving this long list of problems and challenges that he had to deal with outside the church. Then he made the point that caring for the church was a DAILY WORK.
- 2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
A thriving New Testament church has needs that must be met each and every day.
Here is just a short list of things that God’s word describes that would make the church a place for daily ministry to one another:
We need to love one another DAILY.
- John 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
We need to serve one another DAILY.
- John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
We need to pray for each other DAILY.
- Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
We need to consider each other DAILY.
- Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
We need to comfort one another DAILY.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
We need the support of each other DAILY.
- Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
We need to edify each other DAILY.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
This is just a short list of our responsibilities to each other; to serve and help one another.
This is not a Sunday chore list. This is our daily lives; daily obligations; daily service to one another.
God’s Prototype of the Local Church was a church where people served one another DAILY.
III. There was a Daily INCREASING – this is our DAILY DUTY toward the lost.
Notice verse 47 – “And the Lord added to the church DAILY such as should be saved.”
The church should be a place that is fulfilling the Great Commission seven days a week.
A church should have an evangelistic ministry on which the sun never sets.
The Father’s business is not a Wednesday night and Sunday only business.
This church was reaching the lost every single day of the week!
- Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
By the way – the lost are dying DAILY.
The lost need a witness DAILY.
The unsaved are begging DAILY.
The door to reach folks is open DAILY.
SEE Acts 3:2 – …a certain man lame…whom they laid DAILY at the gate of the temple…
The opportunities are presented DAILY.
Our obligation to tell them is DAILY.
We need a church that is busy witnessing, sharing the Gospel and pointing souls to Christ DAILY!!
Look at these examples of DAILY WITNESSING:
- Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
- Acts 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
Look at the Apostle Paul’s practice in Acts 19.
- 8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.
- 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
- 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Paul’s burden was a DAILY burden.
Notice Paul’s testimony to the Ephesian church leaders in Acts 20:
- Acts 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
- Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.