Sabbath: Life in the Early Church
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 2:42-46; Acts 4:34-35; Acts 3:1-26; Acts 4:1-18; Acts 5:1-11; Acts 5:34-39.
Memory Text: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47, NIV).
The early church’s sense of urgency could not have been stronger. The way that Jesus had answered the question concerning the establishment of the Messianic kingdom, leaving the issue of time open (Acts 1:6-8), could be understood to mean that everything depended on the coming of the Spirit and the completion of the apostolic mission. So, when Pentecost came, early believers thought that everything was fulfilled: they had received the Spirit and shared the gospel with the whole world. Not that the apostles had left Jerusalem and had gone out to the world, but the world had come to them (Acts 2:5-11).
What happened next was the church’s detachment from material goods. Sensing that the time was short, they sold all they had and devoted themselves to learning and to fellowship while continuing to witness about Jesus, but only in Jerusalem. The communal life they developed, though effective in helping the poor, soon became a problem, and God had to intervene to keep the church united. This was also the time when they began to find themselves facing opposition. Yet amid it all, their faith remained unshakeable.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 21.
(52)
Broke Bread remembering the sacrifice of Christ.
It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour. If we would be saved at last we must all learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross.
RH September 21, 1886, par. 7 (The Review and Herald)
Meeting Together and studying the word EVERYDAY was important to the early church.
How fortunate we are that our church prepares lesson studies for us to study EVERYDAY.
I am told, if we study our quarterly faithfully we would have studied the entire bible in depth every five years.
SSNET.org Daily Lessons postings a great way to study and share the word.
Newbegin, I am to bring our blog readers what the Review and Harold, 1886, paragraph 7 actually says:
“Those who are so gloomy and desponding, gathering clouds of darkness about them, would find strength and encouragement if they would spend one hour of each day in searching the Scriptures for these precious promises, gathering and treasuring them like precious pearls(she had just finished illuminating on: 1 John 1:9. 1 John 2:1. In paragraph 6). Let them dwell especially upon the mercy of God and his willingness to forgive sins. Many who have all their lives walked under a cloud, would be filled with amazement as they view the channels overflowing with mercies instead of dark clouds heavy with wrath and denunciations.” Review and Herald, September 21, 1886, paragraph, 7.
Your thoughts are more in tune with this quote:
“It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.” Desire of Ages, page 83.
You are correct that is the quote I meant to give.
Desire of Ages, Page 83.
Thank You for the correction.
Newbegin Devaraj
So why is this apostolic zeal so rare today? Have the stories of hoping to have seen Jesus by now, told by our elder members as they slip away to their rest, led most to think their experience will most likely be the same?
Or has the world not fully lost its luster in our hearts? Whatever is most important to a person will get their greatest attention, most of their time and means, and will be the subject of most of their conversations.
Remember, this is the church that doesn't know its true condition and thinks all is well.
I was thinking the same thing myself. We have lost our zeal and focus, personal as well as a church. As I looked back on my personal life- how I was so enthusiastic to go out and evangelize. Now even though I'm happy to share, it's only as the opportunity comes and not as I would have gone out in the past. Lord help me/us to return to our first love.
The church(community) reflects the personal(individual) experience. As individuals, we effect the community.
Our greatest need is deterchment from worldly possessions, that we may work earnestly .
In the midst of prosperity lurks danger. Throughout the ages, riches and honor have ever been attended with peril to humility and spirituality. It is not the empty cup that we have difficulty in carrying; it is the cup full to the brim that must be carefully balanced. Affliction and adversity may cause sorrow, but it is prosperity that is most dangerous to spiritual life. Unless the human subject is in constant submission to the will of God, unless he is sanctified by the truth, prosperity will surely arouse the natural inclination to presumption.