The Jerusalem Church is born.
With the Spirit's coming, Jesus Christ--the Head--baptizes 120 Jews into His Body. The first churches born on the Earth! There is now a community of people who contain God's life and are expressing God's nature! Jesus Christ is being expressed in Jerusalem!
ON PENTACOST, THE HOLY SPIRIT INITIALLY ENTERS DIRECTLY INTO THE JEWISH CHURCH.
The Holy Spirit reveals Himself speaking through a sign spiritual gift of tongues.
Before the Holy Spirit was in a walled off- secluded place (the heavy veil-curtain of the temple separated the holy of holy's from the common man. Now the Holy Spirit was in the believers heart.
Before the Holy Spirit was in a walled off- secluded place (the heavy veil-curtain of the temple separated the holy of holy's from the common man. Now the Holy Spirit was in the believers heart.
The noise from the upper room provokes a crowd of Jews to see what has happened. The Jews are bewildered to hear many of their own dialects from the various nations being spoken by 120 Jerusalem residence. Some question what this strange phenomenon means. Others accuse the hundred and 20 of being drunk.
Peter surrounded by the 11 apostles, stands in the midst of the crowded Jerusalem. He preaches Jesus Christ to a Jewish audience, and exhorts them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. 3000 Jews respond and are added to the newly formed church. The Fellowship of the Trinitarian Community has now broadened from 12 to 120 to 3000 people.
THE JERUSALEM CHURCH LIFE
Every day, the 12 Apostles minister to the multitudes in Solomon's porch (also called Solomon's colonnade or portico). Solomon's porch is a large open area located on the east side of the outer court of the Temple. It is simply a large porch with a roof over it.
This type of meeting with the large numbers and with all the common people--all the foreigners surely would not have been allowed in the temple itself. As mentioned above, they would have met the outer court.
There the church worships the Lord and hears the apostles preach, and study what they have written. The church also meets in homes. In the houses, the church had what was called their loved feasts--to take the Lord's Supper, to share meals together, to Fellowship, and to share how God has blessed them or to share a burden, no doubt to pray for each other. This is for where the church really received their encouragement and support to live the Christian life.
In the Bible this is called koinonia, which literally means common--sharing. The English word community is derived from this word.
New converts are made daily and are added to the church. The church finds favor with the people of the city.
This type of meeting with the large numbers and with all the common people--all the foreigners surely would not have been allowed in the temple itself. As mentioned above, they would have met the outer court.
There the church worships the Lord and hears the apostles preach, and study what they have written. The church also meets in homes. In the houses, the church had what was called their loved feasts--to take the Lord's Supper, to share meals together, to Fellowship, and to share how God has blessed them or to share a burden, no doubt to pray for each other. This is for where the church really received their encouragement and support to live the Christian life.
In the Bible this is called koinonia, which literally means common--sharing. The English word community is derived from this word.
New converts are made daily and are added to the church. The church finds favor with the people of the city.
Acts 2:41-42
Church life will follow this pattern of church attendance throughout the New Testament. Their church was the people--actually Greek word means something like "called out ones", and had nothing to do with the building. They understood that the Greek word for church is the assembly of people.
A MAJOR CHANGE HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH WITH CONSTANTINE''S HELP.
This change dramatically changed everything, in the time of Constantine, where he started building basilicas and cathedrals. No doubt the Emperor strongly encouraged all Christians to meet in one of these very impressive beautiful buildings.
Consideri the situation--that the house-- leaders or pastors faced in this situation at this time.
The Emperor Constantine had just come to the rescue of the church and stopped the terrible state persecution that the church had faced for centuries. The overpowering influence, prestige, and power and wealth of the Roman Empire had entered into what was volunteering before. One can imagine how house churches could hardly criticize or compete with this new change.
A MAJOR CHANGE HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH WITH CONSTANTINE''S HELP.
This change dramatically changed everything, in the time of Constantine, where he started building basilicas and cathedrals. No doubt the Emperor strongly encouraged all Christians to meet in one of these very impressive beautiful buildings.
Consideri the situation--that the house-- leaders or pastors faced in this situation at this time.
The Emperor Constantine had just come to the rescue of the church and stopped the terrible state persecution that the church had faced for centuries. The overpowering influence, prestige, and power and wealth of the Roman Empire had entered into what was volunteering before. One can imagine how house churches could hardly criticize or compete with this new change.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 3HREE HUNDRED YEATS EARLIER.
The church as it existed in Acts 2-3 church life must have been very fluid. They moved about "breaking bread from house to house." The believers are the church not the buildings-houses they met in. They met in house churches and continued this practice until about the third century as evidenced by archaeological evidence. However community areas must have adopted their own sin problems as evidenced by the letters in Revelations. The letters written by Paul and John in Revelations refer the community areas. Ephesus the first
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH EXISTING IN JERUSALEM
The church as it existed in Acts 2-3 church life must have been very fluid. They moved about "breaking bread from house to house." The believers are the church not the buildings-houses they met in. They met in house churches and continued this practice until about the third century as evidenced by archaeological evidence. However community areas must have adopted their own sin problems as evidenced by the letters in Revelations. The letters written by Paul and John in Revelations refer the community areas. Ephesus the first
THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH EXISTING IN JERUSALEM
The first instinct of these new Christians is to meet and meet constantly. The Galilean experience of informal gatherings with Christ as the center is now brought to Jerusalem by the twelve. And it is being reproduced among 3000 people. Those in the church devote themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the Lord's Supper, prayer, and fellowship. The 12 or performing signs and wonders in the city. The church is in all as it beholds God's power made visible.
Many of the Jews will come to Jerusalem for the Pentecost feast choose to remain in the city. They wish to learn from the 12 apostles rather than return to their homes. (Jerusalem has the only church on earth!) These pilgrims leave their homes, their jobs, and settle in the city. The Jerusalem believers cellar possessions and pool their resources together to take care of the new visitors.
The Jerusalem church is a microcosm of the city. It includes both wealthy and poor as well as a substantial number of Jews who speak Greek only (Hellenists) and Jews who speak aromatic only or both aromatic and Greek (Hebrews).
THE CHURCH BEGINS WITH GENTILES IN A GENTILE HOUSE
Ten years will pass and the HOLY SPIRIT WILL DO THE SAME THING WITH CORNELIUS GROUP. He will baptize Gentiles into this same Body, as on the day of Pentecost with the Jew. The Jew and the Gentile will be baptized into one Body, comprising a new race in a new spiritual community.)
pp.4748, "The Untold Story of the New Testament Church"; FRANK VIOLA
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