The fruit of the Spirit are listed in Galatians 5:22-23, but before looking at each of these over the next several weeks I want us to take a step back to consider the context in which Paul gives us this list. These verses are part of a broader section of Galatians (5:16-24) in which Paul is contrasting life in the Spirit with the desires and deeds of the flesh. And it is this contrast (Spirit vs. flesh) that I want us to explore together this morning. First, in vv. 16-18 we will consider the command to live in or by the Spirit. Second, in vv. 19-23 we will consider the criterion or standard that Paul gives us to determine whether or not we are indeed in living in Spirit (this is where the fruit of the Spirit comes in). Then, third, in v. 24 we will consider how the command to live in the Spirit is based upon the cross of Christ.

So the first thing to consider is the command to live in the Spirit in vv. 16-18. The command itself is given in the first part of v. 16 where Paul writes, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit…” What does Paul mean by the expression “walk in the Spirit”? In the Bible walking is a metaphor for life, for how one lives. So for example throughout the OT we hear about Israel’s calling to keep God’s commands and walk in His ways. The Israelites were to walk, to live, to conduct their lives in a way that corresponded to God’s commands. Well, in the same way Paul says that Christians are to walk, to live, to conduct our lives in or by the power of the Holy Spirit. This means that each and every day and all throughout the day we are called to yield to the Spirit’s influence in our lives. In v. 18 Paul introduces the image of being “led by the Spirit,” which calls to mind the way that Israel was led out of Egypt. Walking by the Spirit involves being led by the Spirit out of bondage to sin into the freedom to love and serve God and one another. It involves trusting God to deliver us, to defend us, to defeat the enemies that pursue us, and to bring us into a place of freedom to love and serve Him. It’s a summons to walk by faith not by sight, trusting in the promises of God.

Now Paul goes on in the rest of v. 16 and vv. 17-18 to state three reasons or motives for this command to live by the Spirit. The first reason to live by the Spirit is to keep you from gratifying the desires of the flesh. Paul says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” The word translated lust isn’t necessarily sexual. It has to do with our desires. To “fulfill” these desires is to gratify them by giving in to them. The reason that this is a problem is that these desires arise from what Paul calls the “flesh.” In Paul’s theology the flesh shouldn’t be equated with the body, which is good. He’s not talking about the proper desires that we have for food, drink, or even sex. Life in the Spirit isn’t somehow at odds with life in the body. Rather the “flesh” is a category that Paul uses to describe the perversion of our nature as a result of sin, which greatly complicates life in the body. I say this because our desires for things such as food, drink, and sex, have been disordered by sin, meaning that wrestle with the inclination to satisfy these proper desires in improper ways. Thus we wrestle with sins such as gluttony, drunkenness, and fornication or adultery. What Paul is saying is that if we will live our lives in conscious dependence upon the Spirit we can and will be kept from gratifying our desires in these ways.

He elaborates on this in v. 17, which gives us the second reason to live by the Spirit. He writes, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish.” The second reason why you ought to live by the Spirit is that there is battle raging between the Spirit and the flesh and the site of the battle is your own mind and heart. Paul describes a conflict between the Spirit and the flesh in which there are competing desires within you threatening to thwart the decisions that you make. The disordering of our desires by sin is in conflict with the Spirit’s reordering of your desires in Christ such that at times you fail to do what you set out to do. Now Paul isn’t describing a stalemate between the Spirit and the flesh, but what he is describing is a situation that calls for our active involvement. He is saying the Spirit isn’t the only influence upon you. You can’t simply coast through life and suppose that you will be kept from sin. You may not set out to gratify the desires of the flesh, but unless you are actively pursuing life in the Spirit, more often than not you will fail and you will fall into sin. But it need not be this way.

In v. 18 Paul gives a third reason why you ought to live by the Spirit, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” The third reason to live by the Spirit is so that you will be set from sin. When Paul uses this language of being “under the law” he is referring to life under the old covenant where sin and death reigned. To be under the law was to live apart from the life-giving power to keep the law. Paul’s argument throughout Galatians is that those who have put their faith in Christ and been clothed with Christ in baptism have been given the promise of the Holy Spirit who enables us to fulfill the law through faith working by love. In context, Paul is saying that those who are experiencing the power of the Spirit can resist the desires of the flesh.

Now thus far we have simply been considering the command to live by the Spirit in relationship to the desires of the flesh. And perhaps you’ve been thinking that all of this is a little abstract. Perhaps you’re wondering how to know whether you have been living by the Spirit or perhaps gratifying the desires of the flesh. Well, in vv. 19-23 Paul gives us a criterion or standard to determine whether or not we have been living by the Spirit. And it’s important to note a couple things preliminarily. First, Paul says that these characteristics are “evident” or “manifest.” This is the same term that Paul uses to describe the incarnation and return of Christ. The word has to do with visibility. In other words whether or not you and I are walking in the Spirit and/or gratifying the desires of the flesh isn’t a mystery. There are certain clear manifestations of the one and the other. Second, Paul uses two different terms to describe the two different lists. He refers to the list related to the flesh as “deeds” and those related to the Spirit as “fruit.” Deeds are done by us, fruit is produced in us. The difference isn’t necessarily that we active in one and passive in the other, rather the difference is one of origin. The fruit of the Spirit aren’t the result of human effort, but rather the divine effort of the Spirit in us.

Now as we look at the two lists several observations can be made. First, concerning the deeds of the flesh we can see several different categories of sins. Paul begins with sexual sins (adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lewdness), moves on to sins related to God/worship (idolatry and sorcery), then to social sins (hatred, contentions, jealousies, etc.), and finally to sins of indulgence (drunkenness and revelries). So we could say that if you are struggling with sexual sin, refusing to worship God rightly, constantly fighting with one another, and/or being unrestrained in food and drink, then it’s safe to say that you aren’t walking by the Spirit, at least not consistently. These are inevitable indicators of how the battle is being waged.

Second, here’s why this is important. If nothing major were at stake in whether or not you are living by the power of Spirit, then perhaps it wouldn’t be such a big deal; you could keep on coasting, attending church, checking the boxes. But note what Paul says at the conclusion of the first list: “…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Those who have given themselves over to sexual sin as a way of life, who consistently refuse to worship God rightly, who constantly cause divisions in the church, and who are consistently given over to excess in food and drink, will not inhabit the new heavens and new earth, regardless of whether or not they’re baptized, attend church, are officers in a church, etc. Now don’t go away from this sermon thinking that if you’ve ever committed any of the sins, you won’t go to heaven. That’s not Paul’s point, nor is it mine. But likewise don’t away from this sermon thinking that it’s alright to commit any of these sins, even occasionally. It’s not. That’s how practices are formed. Repent, trust Christ, and live by the power of the Spirit.

Third, I’ll have much more to say about the fruit of the Spirit in coming weeks, but for now I want you to recall something that Paul said earlier. The flesh and the Spirit are opposed to one another. The deeds of the flesh are in opposition to the fruit of the Spirit. This means that the cultivation of the one entails the elimination of the other. If your life is the garden in which this fruit is to be produced, then the deeds of the flesh are like the weeds, pests, and diseases that threaten the crop. Thus as we make our way through this list, I will be drawing our attention to specific sins that are incompatible with the fruit of the Spirit. One of the things that the Spirit empowers us to do is to tend the soil of our hearts and pull the weeds that take root therein. Paul describes this process in Romans 8:13 as putting these deeds to death by the Spirit. So again, there’s no cruise control in the Christian life and the fact the fruit of the Spirit are produced in us doesn’t render us passive in the process. Rather we must be active in cultivating this fruit by the power of the Spirit through repentance and faith and through the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer.

Now Paul concludes this section in v. 24 by noting how this life in the Spirit and battle with the flesh are based upon the cross of Christ. He says, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” This is the firm basis for your battle against sin. If you belong to Christ through faith and baptism, then in a sense the battle has already been waged on your behalf and the victory has been secured. Paul has already used this language once back in 2:20 where he declared, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” So in a very real sense the fallen aspect of your nature that Paul refers to as “the flesh” was put to death on the cross with the result that you now live in the Spirit. Now of course this doesn’t mean that you and I are no longer subject to the desires of the flesh, for that is a reality that we will live with until death. It’s analogous to the way that Satan had his head crushed on the cross, but still roams the earth seeking whom he may devour until he has been cast into the lake of fire at the last day. The fact that he still roams doesn’t mean that nothing has changed. Everything has changed. When we resist the devil, he must flee from us because he has been conquered. And in the same way, as you and I are faithful to live by the power of Spirit, putting to death the deeds of the flesh, we will experience victory over sin and produce a fruitful harvest of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. This is the harvest has been secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus for us and for our salvation. Let us pray.

So what will this look like? Well, in order to see how this passage should shape our practice, first I want us to consider the healing ministry of the apostles as Luke introduces it in v. 12 and unpacks it in subsequent verses. In particular I want us to think through how this ministry relates to our own. Second, I want us to consider the effect that this ministry had upon those inside and outside the Church in v. 13. Then, third, I want us to consider how this ministry attracted those outside the Church in vv. 14-16.

The first thing we need to consider is the nature of this healing ministry of the apostles as Luke introduces it in v. 12 and unpacks it in the verses that follow. In v. 12 Luke writes, “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.” The phrase “the people” in this verse is a reference to those Jews and others living in Jerusalem at the time. So Luke is describing a public ministry of the apostles to those outside the newly established Church. In the second half of the verse we learn that this ministry was ordinarily performed “in Solomon’s Porch,” which was a covered area that ran along the eastern wall in the Court of the Gentiles constructed by Herod. This location afforded the apostles an ideal location for ministry to those making their way into the temple or those consigned to the outer courts. And Luke says their ministry to these folks consisted of “signs and wonders.” From 3:1ff. we know that teaching also formed a part of their ministry in Solomon’s Porch, but here Luke is drawing our attention to these “signs and wonders.” What are they? Well, in short they were miraculous deeds performed by the apostles to bear witness to the arrival of the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ. Broadly speaking signs and wonders could take the form of both words (tongues, prophecy) and deeds (healing, exorcism, and other miracles), but again Luke’s emphasis is on deeds. And in this passage the miraculous deeds in question are healing and exorcism (v. 16).

Now I’ve already indicated that I don’t expect such miraculous deeds to be performed in our context, so how should we understand the relationship between this apostolic ministry and our own? Well, I believe that this apostolic ministry of “signs and wonders” was part of the foundation of the Church. I refer to this ministry of “signs and wonders” as being apostolic because of what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:12, “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.” Here Paul describes “signs and wonders” as “the signs of an apostle,” meaning that by performing these “signs and wonders” he demonstrated his apostolic office. Furthermore, through these miraculous “signs and wonders” the apostles (and NT prophets) provided a once for all witness to the once for all work of Jesus Christ. We see this understanding of the uniqueness of apostolic and prophetic ministry in Ephesians 2:19ff. where Paul describes the Church as “having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” The idea being that you only lay a foundation once. The apostolic ministry of signs and wonders can no more be repeated than can the cross.

That being said, however, I want to maintain some continuity between the apostolic ministry of signs and wonders and the ministry of the Church in the present. For starters I would want to distinguish between various “hard” and “soft” forms of cessation, the term used to refer to the fact that miraculous gifts have ceased. Although I agree that miraculous gifts and offices have ceased, I also believe that God is free to work however He wants to. Furthermore, I believe that certain contexts, such as mission fields in which the Church is not established nor the Bible translated, are analogous the situation in the 1^st century and that God can and often does demonstrate the truthfulness of the gospel in miraculous ways in these settings. But then, second, I believe we should go on to state that the gospel still requires some form of demonstration or attestation in our context. And while I don’t believe that this will ordinarily take the form of miracles, the form that it does take often bears some relationship to healing and exorcism. Let me unpack that.

When we read (v. 16) that “sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits” were brought to the apostles and “were all healed,” I hear in this a description of the church as the place where those who those lives are wrecked by sin and the curse are brought to find relief and restoration. Although we can’t offer “healing” beyond the anointing with oil and prayer by the elders, we can offer merciful care and support. We can offer food and drink, clothing and shelter. We can offer counsel and prayer. We can offer a community of love. This is precisely what we see at various times throughout the later history of the early church. A plague would strike a town. The pagans would leave and the Christians would move in to care for the sick and dying. They weren’t always or even often able to heal these folks, though some they nursed back to health. Instead the ministry they performed was one of mercy. Yet it bore witness to God’s love in Jesus Christ just as powerfully as did the apostolic ministry of healing. So these are the kinds of things that I want us to have in mind as move on to our second point.

The second thing I want us to consider is the effect that this ministry had on those within the church and without in v. 13. This verse describes the effect that the apostle’s ministry of signs and wonders had on two groups of people. In the first half of the verse we read, “Yet none of the rest dared join them…” This appears to be a reference to believers who were perhaps scared to join the apostles because of the threat that their ministry posed to the Jewish leadership. Following the healing in Solomon’s Porch recorded back in chapter 3, Peter and John were imprisoned. And the same fate awaited the apostles on this occasion because in vv. 17ff. we read that they were all imprisoned. So you can understand why “none of the rest dared join them;” doing so was dangerous. And while not many of us face the prospect of imprisonment in our ministry of welcoming and caring for the sick and oppressed, some will likely be intimidated by this kind of ministry. And that’s ok. It’s not for everybody. In this context it was the apostles. Later on it would likely have been the deacons. Still later various lay orders such as deaconesses, nuns, and monks assumed these responsibilities. We need to think through what it would look like for us to take this ministry more seriously.

In the second half of v. 13 Luke describes the effect of this kind of ministry on those outside the church, “…., but the people esteemed them highly.” The Jewish leadership may not have thought much of the apostles, but the people did. The word translated “esteemed them highly” means “to magnify or praise.” As the people observed the ministry of the apostles to the sick and oppressed and saw the power of God at work in them, they held them in honor. They talked about them. I believe the church in our day would see a similar response from the world around us if they were to observe us welcoming and caring for the sick and oppressed in tangible ways. What’s #1 criticism of the church in our day? Hypocrisy. Studies have been done which show that generally speaking non-Christians like Jesus, but not the church. Why? I think a lot of it has to do with the discrepancy between the way that Jesus interacted with outsiders and the way that we often do. The fact of the matter is that when the church has taken seriously her calling to minister to those in need, the world takes notice. And that’s not all they do.

The third and final thing I want us to consider is the how this ministry attracted those outside the church in vv. 14-16. In v. 14 Luke describes the response of those outside the church to the ministry of the apostles, “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” Here we see a large scale and, based on the tense of the verb, ongoing conversion of “multitudes” of unbelievers. So these folks not only receive healing; they receive a new understanding and commitment to the person and work of Jesus. The deed ministry of the apostles was never separated from the ministry of the Word. Demonstration and proclamation always go hand in hand. In the context of our ministry to those in need this would involve clearly communicating the reason for the care that we extend to folks. We explain to the sick and the oppressed that we are functioning as the hands and feet of our Lord; that in the mercy we extend to them they can come to know the love of God in Jesus Christ for them.

There’s one other thing to note concerning the attraction of these multitudes to the Lord and His church. They don’t come alone. In vv. 15-16 we see that they bring the sick along with them. This really should be the natural response to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. We want others to experience what we have found in being rightly related to God and one another. Luke tells us in v. 16 that the word spread to the cities all around Jerusalem and they brought their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits and they were all healed to. What we see is an outbreak of the kingdom of God. Instrumental to this outbreak however are the servants of the King who bring others along with them and who welcome others into the kingdom and minister to their needs. There’s no way the apostles could have done this alone and there’s no way the officers of our church can do it alone. The ministry that we’ve been called to exercise requires the active involvement of each and every one of you. We’re counting on you to do your part. For some of you that will mean getting more serious about hospitality. For others it will mean being responsive to the deacons as they seek recruit folks for various forms of service within and without over the next few months. For all of us it means looking beyond ourselves to the folks that God has put in our lives who are in need of His grace and salvation. This is the ministry of “signs and wonders” to which we’ve been called. For when we extend God’s mercy to the sick and oppressed, welcoming them into the church, that is a “wonder” a mighty deed of God and a “sign” that the kingdom has come in Jesus Christ. Let us pray.

Last week I argued that those who share in Christ through the teaching of the apostles, the breaking of the Eucharistic bread, and the prayers of the Church, will be those who share their possessions, their gifts, their time, their money with one another. Well, in Acts 4:32-35 Luke describes why and how the Church managed to share their lives in this way. First, Luke provides us a summary introduction of the sacrificial unity of the Church in v. 32. Second, he states the basis for this sacrificial unity in v. 33. Third, he describes how this sacrificial unity was practiced in everyday life in vv. 34-35. In all of this I want us to be thinking about how we at Holy Trinity can better reflect “the communion of the saints” in this area of our common life.

So then, the first thing that Luke does is to provide us with a summary introduction of the sacrificial unity of the church in v. 32. He writes, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” This “multitude of those who believed” is of course a reference to the church, which is now composed of the 3,000 people who gladly received the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, together with the 120 upon whom the Spirit fell on that day, and those we considered last week who “the Lord [was adding] to the church daily” as result of the church’s common worship and common life. So we’re talking about several thousand Christians “from every nation under heaven” scattered throughout the city of Jerusalem. They’re probably already being arranged into various “house churches”/parishes with the apostles providing teaching and oversight.

Now I want to note two things concerning this multitude. First, note the description of this large and profoundly diverse gathering of believers: they “were of one heart and one soul.” This large and diverse gathering of new believers was united and their unity ran deep. This was no special interest group or religious club. Rather that which united them sprang from the core of their being – their heart and soul. Second, note the expression of this unity: “neither did anyone say that any of things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” The unity of this large and diverse gathering of new believers was expressed sacrificially. For them people, preeminently the people of God were of greater value than possessions. That which united them made it worth it to them to sacrifice what belonged to them for the greater good of the community.

Now we’re going to come back to this in a moment, but before we do so I want us to consider the basis of this sacrificial unity as Luke states it in v. 33. This verse is something of a parenthesis in his description. You could begin reading in the second half of v. 32 with the phrase “neither did anyone say…,” read to the end of the verse and then skip over v. 33 entirely and resume reading with the phrase, “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked…” In fact there are some who think a later editor came along and put v. 33 in the wrong place. It should have been placed before v. 32. I think this is silly. I believe that Luke interjects this parenthetical statement in order to highlight the basis of the sacrificial unity that he is literally in the middle of describing. So what is the basis of this sacrificial unity? What could possibly unite such a large and diverse gathering of people and make it worth to them to sacrifice what belongs to them for the greater good of people they have probably just come to know over the past few days or weeks?

Luke states two things that serve as the basis of this sacrificial unity. First, he states that “with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” It is the Spirit-empowered proclamation of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that produces sacrificial unity among those who believe this message. This is because through the death and resurrection of Jesus God has formed a new humanity, the household and kingdom of God. Through faith and baptism you have entered this kingdom; God has placed you in this household. Thus you now have a vast and innumerable host of new siblings in Christ. Second, he states the result of this Spirit-empowered proclamation of the resurrection: “And great grace was upon them all.” It is the great or abundant grace of God that makes this sacrificial unity possible. Even though God has placed you within His household and given you new siblings in Christ apart from His grace you will not be able to fulfill your obligations to one another. This is because there are so many things for us to fight about and get frustrated with and that threaten to divide us. Ultimately it is only when we are firmly grasped by the grace of God, understanding ourselves to be sinners in need of His grace, that we will be able to extend grace to one another and practice sacrificial unity.

With this in mind I want us to consider, third, how Luke describes the practice of this sacrificial unity in everyday life in vv. 34-35. We’ve already seen the way that Luke described this sacrificial unity in v. 32, that “neither did anyone say that any that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” While that sounds great, it raises all kinds of questions about how this communal possession of goods worked. As I mentioned last week, this is where we bump up against questions concerning private property and socialism. And I want us to take just a few minutes to examine these questions before moving on to some broader points of application.

Now I want to be very clear from the start that I do not believe that what Luke is describing involves the renunciation of private property as such and the implementation of some form of Christian socialism. Why do I say that? In vv. 34-35 we read that “all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostle’s feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” What Luke is describing here is a gradual and ongoing sale of surplus property to meet the needs of God’s people as they arise. The little phrase at the end of the verse “as anyone had need” also occurred in last week’s passage where Luke wrote that folks “sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” If we put these two passages together we see that the needs of God’s people both determine the sale of property and the distribution of the proceeds from the sale. So a Christian who owns some land sees that the folks who he or she breaks bread with on Sunday have no bread for Monday and decides that rather than seeing their brother or sister go hungry, they will part with their land. Their decision to sell their property is unconstrained. The example of Ananias and Sapphira in the next chapter makes this clear. Peter says that so long as the possession remained theirs, it was at their disposal. Their sin was in committing all of the proceeds of the sale to the church and then holding some back for themselves. The decision concerning both the sale itself and the dedication of the proceeds was theirs to make. So some form of private property was retained.

But here’s where we’re in danger of mission the forest for the trees. As I also mentioned last week, when we have successfully defended some form of private property we still have to go on and ask the next question as to why God has given us the resources that we have. So why has God given you the resources that you have? Surely one reason is so that you can provide for the needs of your families.* This is good and proper and if we are careless in this area, failing to work faithfully and fruitfully with our own hands, then we’re just going to make ourselves an unnecessary burden upon others. And second reason that God has given you the resources that you have is for your enjoyment. Paul writes that God has given us all things freely to enjoy. So it’s alright to spend money on things that you enjoy such as art, music, and sports. To read some advocates of simple living you might think that you are supposed to get by with the bare minimum, but I don’t see that as being consistent with the abundant life that we are called to in Christ Jesus. Yet we can’t stop there.

Another primary reason that God has given you the resources that you have is in order to bless and provide for the needs of others. So for starters you tithe and you do so faithfully for in this way you support the work of the kingdom, including the care of the poor through the diaconate. It is important to note the references to the proceeds from these sales being laid at the apostle’s feet in vv. 35 and 37. This a clear reference to the centrality of the church in the care of the poor. Barnabas knew that folks were in need, but he also knew that apostles would know whose needs were the greatest. But the tithe is just the starting point. There will be occasions when God will lead you to give over above the tithe to meet specific needs such as the recent tornadoes in Alabama.

Furthermore, what Luke is here and in Acts is an entire way of life whereby we become keenly aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters and move to meet those needs as we are able. So for example, you know that the needs of your family are being met, but that you have excess resources, whether time, money, goods or services, that you could extend to a brother or sister in Christ who is in need. Do it. Take the step. If you’re not aware of various needs within the body, go talk to a deacon or perhaps better yet, spend more time together in settings where you can be open and honest with one another so that you know what’s going on in one another’s lives. I know that within Greenville Parish we’ve talked about meeting a little more frequently in more a “small group” setting where we can pray and talk a little more freely. We simply must find ways to do life together in more tangible and meaningful ways.

There’s one other thing I want to say in conclusion. I’ve sketched out three reasons that God has given you the resources you have, but you shouldn’t necessarily think of them as a progression of steps. First, provide for the needs of your family. Second, enjoy the things you have. Then third, bless and provide for the needs of others. That’s not necessarily a bad way to proceed, especially if you’re just getting started in thinking this way. But really, these three reasons, and others I’ve not mentioned, are a package deal. At times you should be ready to forego things you enjoy in order to bless and provide for the needs of your family or fellow Christians. At other times you might need to be ready to forego certain things that your family is accustomed to having in order again to bless and provide for the needs of others. You see it is this “foregoing” that as Christians we call “sacrifice” and it is central to who we are called to be. Jesus said that following Him involves denying yourself and taking up your cross each and every day, and you do this not just as individuals, but also as families. It is through this readiness to sacrifice for one another that you reflect the unity that is yours through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The abundant grace of God has been given to you in order to empower you to live this way together in Christ Jesus. Let us pray.

We begin where Luke begins by first considering the common worship of the church in v. 42. Luke tells us that those who had gladly received the preaching of Peter and been baptized, “continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Now there’s a couple ways to understand this description. In the past I’ve suggested that Luke is highlighting four things that marked the Church’s life: doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers. This time, however, I want us to think in terms of two main areas of the Church’s life, which I am referring to as her common worship. Those two main areas are doctrine and fellowship, with breaking bread and prayers being particular forms of the Church’s fellowship. So in other words the first Christian were characterized by devotion to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship/shared life, which was rooted in breaking bread and praying together. Let’s take a closer look at these two areas.

First, these Christians were devoted to “the apostle’s doctrine” or literally, “the teaching of the apostles.” Each of these terms (teaching, fellowship, bread, and prayers) is preceded by a definite article (“the”), which tells us that Luke has something particular and well known in mind when he uses these terms. He isn’t referring to just any old teaching, fellowship, bread, or prayers, but rather a distinctive set of teachings, a definite form of fellowship, a particular kind bread breaking, and a specific type of prayer. So what is the distinctive set of apostolic teachings to which Luke is referring? Although, the Bible doesn’t give us a list of these teachings and in a general sense “the teaching of the apostles” just is the NT itself, I think that we have some idea of what Luke is talking about. Basically, “the teaching of the apostles” refers to the message of the apostles concerning person and work of Jesus. In various NT passages this message takes on an essentially creedal form ranging from the very basic confession that “Jesus is Lord” and “God has raised Him from the dead” in Romans 10:9 to the somewhat fuller confession of “the mystery of godliness” in 2 Timothy 3:16 where Paul writes, “God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.” Over time the Church began to collect and arrange these various creedal statements into fuller, more comprehensive statements like the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds. So for us being devoted to “the teaching of the apostles” means something like being committed to the teaching of these historic creeds as they reflect the teaching of Scripture. And this has some important implications for us: 1. The teachings to which we are devoted have a center – Jesus; and 2. That center is a common possession with all Christians.

Now these Christians were not only devoted to the teaching of the apostles, but also second, they were devoted to what Luke calls, “the fellowship.” As many of you know this is a translation of the Greek word koinonia, which refers common or shared life, a partnership of sorts. It is sometimes translated “communion” or “partnership” and was often used in the ancient world to describe the mutuality of the marriage relationship. We find the same root of this term down in v. 44 where Luke writes that these Christians “had all things in common,” or koina. And it is from this repetition of the term that I’m getting the phrases common worship and common life. I believe that in v. 42 Luke is describing a shared life that is focused on gathered worship, whereas in vv. 44ff. he is describing a shared life that extends beyond worship into everyday life. The two are integrally related, but they are different. They can be distinguished, but they must not be separated.

Luke says that the common worship of these Christians, their fellowship, was expressed in two common activities: the breaking of bread and pray. As I’ve already mentioned both of these terms have a definite article before them in the Greek so that Luke says these Christians were devoted to “the breaking of the bread” and to “the prayers.” To what do these expressions refer? The first is almost certainly a reference to what we call the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist. In the early Church the Lord’s Supper was the climax of the worship service and thus could be spoken of as the very purpose of gathering (Acts 20, 1 Cor. 11). Luke’s point is that our shared life as Christians in rooted in our sharing or participation in the body and blood of Christ. Furthermore our shared life as Christians is expressed preeminently in “the prayers.” Throughout the Acts of Apostles Luke depicts the Church as a community of prayer. Close to a quarter of the occurrences of the verb “to pray” in the NT are found in Acts. The first Christians prayed at set times, morning, noon, and night, and they prayed at other times as circumstances permitted or required. They prayed for direction and they prayed for deliverance. They were a community characterized by prayer and these times of prayer only served to reinforce their shared life.

Now, thus far we have considered the common worship of the first Christians, but their life together extended beyond the times that they gathered for teaching, Eucharist, and prayer. In vv. 44ff. Luke goes on to describe the common life of these Christians. A church that is devoted to the apostle’s teaching and to the kind of shared life that is rooted in the Lord’s Supper and expressed in set and spontaneous prayer will take a certain shape in the world. Luke directs our attention to two aspects of the common life of these Christians. The first thing that characterized their common life was sacrificial material support of one another. In vv. 44-45 Luke writes, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” Luke develops this aspect of the church’s common life in a greater detail in the next summary (4:32-37), which we’ll consider next week, so I’m not going to spend much time on it this morning, but I do want to mention one thing. Those who share in the teaching of the apostles, the Eucharist, and prayer are moved to share their possessions and goods with another. I fear that when we got bogged down in discussions of communism vs. private property we end up missing the point that Luke is making. Once you have successfully defended the notion of private property, you nevertheless have to go to ask why God has entrusted you with that property, those possessions and goods, your time, talent, and treasure. And a major part of that answer is that God has blessed you in order that you might be blessing. He has provided for you in order that you might provide for others. When you pass the Eucharistic bread to one another with the words, “My life for yours,” that means, at least in part, that when your neighbor is in need and you have the means to meet that need, you will do so.

The second thing that characterized the common life of these Christians is glad and generous feasting. In v. 46 Luke writes, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” Here we see again the integral relationship between common worship and common life as Luke moves seamlessly from describing the church gathered for prayer to the church gathered for everyday meals. While the reference to “breaking bread” may be another reference to the Lord’s Supper, the statement that “they ate their food” seems to point in the direction of ordinary meals. Although, at this stage of the Church’s existence the Lord’s Supper was probably celebrated in the context or at the conclusion of a normal meal, so it probably doesn’t matter. What I want you to see, however, is that these Christians were regularly in one another’s homes. While our circumstances make it unlikely that we will be gathering for such meals daily, surely we can get together more regularly than we do now. I’ll have a little bit more to say about that when we come to the Table.

The other thing I want to note is the way they shared these meals. Luke tells us that they did so “with gladness and sincerity of heart.” The word translated “sincerity” is better translated, “generosity,” as in the ESV. It’s the same term that we discussed in the Sermon of the Mount where Jesus talks about the “good” or “generous” eye that fills the body with light. So what does mean receive food with glad and generous hearts? Well, it means that our meals should be times of joyful celebration. In v. 47 Luke goes on to mention “praising God” and thus it would be fitting for our meals to be characterized by music and song. Furthermore our meals should be expressions of generosity toward one another both in giving and receiving and in interacting with one another. We need look further than 1 Corinthians 11 to see how quickly these meals could devolve into altogether ungenerous affairs. We must labor to see to it that we put one another needs ahead of our own in our feasting.

The last thing that I want us to consider this morning the results that this common worship and common life had upon the wider world of these early Christians. Luke highlights two result particular. First, they had an effective presence in the world. In v. 43 Luke tells us that, “fear came upon every soul” in response to the devotion of these Christians. When the Church is devoted common worship and common life, the world sits up and takes notice. They stand in awe of what God has wrought among us because such shared life is ultimately a testimony to His grace. Second, they had an attractive presence in the world. In v. 47 Luke tells us that the Church had “favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” The people were not only in awe of the Church, they were attracted to the Church. The church was characterized by a graceful engagement with the world around them and as a result God blessed them with growth.

So as we consider this description and the others that follow, let us give ourselves to this calling to common worship and common life. Let us be devoted to the gospel of Jesus, to the Supper He instituted, and to prayer with one another. Let us be devoted to sharing life together throughout the week, to providing for one another’s needs and feasting in one another’s homes. As we take up these practices together, the world around us will sit up and take notice and with God blessing they will be drawn to Jesus and to His Church.

It was quite a scene. There had been a loud gust of wind, tongues of fire had descended, and the followers of Jesus had been filled with the Spirit and enabled to proclaim God’s salvation in Jesus Christ in the languages of those gathered from every nation under heaven to attend the feast of Pentecost. The crowds were understandably perplexed by all of this and some asked, “Whatever could this mean?” while others insinuated that these followers of Jesus “are full of new wine.” It was in response to these questions and accusations that Peter took his stand, along with the Eleven, and began to proclaim the meaning of what the crowds had seen and heard.

He begins, in the section we have passed over, by answering the charge of drunkenness and points out that it was only “the third hour” (or 9 AM) and Christians don’t start drinking that early. Instead he tells them that they are witnessing the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that in the last days God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. These followers of Jesus aren’t full of wine, they are full of the Spirit of God. It is here that our reading picks up in v. 22 as Peter goes on to explain the basis for this outpouring of the Spirit in the person and work of Jesus Christ. There are several things that I want us to note concerning this passage.

First, I want you to see the way that Peter shows the connections between the various stages of the work of Jesus. In vv. 22-24 he moves from the life to the death and on to the resurrection of Jesus before launching into an extended discussion of the resurrection in vv. 25-32, to which we will return in just a moment. In v. 32, though, Peter picks up where he left off in v. 24 with the phrase, “God raised up,” and then goes on vv. 33ff. to connect the resurrection of Jesus to His ascension, reception of the Spirit from the Father, and the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. So the life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, the ascension of Jesus, and the outpouring of the Spirit by Jesus is all intricately and inextricably connected. Each of these stages of the work of Jesus for our salvation must be understood in relation to others and to the overall purpose which the serve. It is easy to think of each of these events in isolation, especially since we commemorate each of them on a different day (Good Friday, Easter Sunday, etc.), but Peter shows us that we must never lose sight of how they fit together and the common purpose they serve.

Second, I want you to see how Peter unfolds the meaning of each of these events, with the resurrection of Jesus taking center stage. We begin with the life of Jesus in v. 22 where Peter emphasizes the activity of God as the one who “attested” or showed forth the identity of Jesus by the “miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him.” God was at work in the work of Jesus, a truth that Jesus repeatedly proclaimed. He told the Jews that if they had seen Him, they had seen the Father because He was speaking the words of the Father and doing the works of the Father. Jesus was and is God in the flesh and if you want to know what God is like, then you need look no further than the four Gospels.

Furthermore, the work of God continues as we move on the death of Jesus in v. 23. Peter forthrightly declares that Jesus was delivered over to death “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God.” The word “determined” has to do with something being bounded, definite, and settled; “foreknowledge” to do with something that has been known or decided beforehand. The death of Jesus for your salvation wasn’t an accident. It was the eternal plan of God the Father to secure your salvation. And yet, mysteriously, the fact that the death of Jesus was God’s plan didn’t relieve those responsible from their guilt. As Peter says concerning the death of Jesus, “you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” The crucifixion of Jesus was a lawless action that was freely undertaken by those, both Jews and Gentiles, who wanted Him dead. As creatures we always act in accord with our highest desires. The sovereign plan of God never frees us from responsibility for our actions.

So we’ve noted God’s activity in the life and death of Jesus and in vv. 24ff. we see the purpose of this activity. God was at work in the life of Jesus and planned the death of Jesus with a view to the resurrection of Jesus and what it would mean not only for Jesus, but also for us. It is Peter’s account of the resurrection of Jesus, which runs from vv. 24-32, that is the centerpiece and linchpin of the whole. It is the bridge between the life and death of Jesus on the one hand and ascension and outpouring of the Spirit by Jesus on the other. The first thing that Peter tells us is the meaning of the resurrection in relationship to death. In v. 24 he says that in raising up Jesus, God “loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” The term “pains” refers to the pain of childbirth and thus likens death to a womb from which no man had emerged. This womb of the tomb had held humanity captive since the sin of Adam and the death of Abel. But when God raised Jesus from the dead it was as if he cleared the birth canal for His people to follow Him into new life. Though the cords of death had encircled Him, God cut the cords and set Jesus and His people free.

Furthermore, Peter notes that there was a measure of inevitability or necessity to the resurrection. He says, “it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Why? Why was the grave unable to contain Him? In vv. 25-31 he gives us two reasons for the necessity of the resurrection of Jesus. First, the resurrection of Jesus had been prophesied by David. In vv. 25-28 Peter cites a section of Psalm 16 in which David expressed confidence in God’s favor and which contained the promise, “You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Then in v. 29 Peter states the obvious, “let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.” So if David died and was buried and had stayed dead and buried for nearly 1,000 years, Peter concludes that he must have had somebody else in mind when he penned this verse. Thus in vv. 31-32 he argues that David exercised the office of a “prophet” when he wrote this and “spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.” David prophesied the resurrection of Jesus.

But here we must hasten to add the second reason for the necessity of the resurrection. David prophesied the resurrection of Jesus because, second, the resurrection of Jesus had been promised to David. In v. 30 Peter says that David exercised his prophetic office “knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He [that is, God] would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne.” The language that Peter uses to describe this promise reflects Psalm 132, but the promise was given back in 2 Samuel 7:12ff. There God promised that David would have a son in whom his throne and kingdom would be established forever. And that promise, says Peter, has been fulfilled in the resurrection and, as we will see in a moment, the ascension of Jesus. So you see, the grave was unable to contain Jesus because of God’s covenant purposes to see His kingdom established in and through a son of David.

Yet, as I alluded to just a moment ago, the resurrection alone didn’t fulfill that purpose. Although the resurrection of Jesus was vitally important, the linchpin of God’s plan, without the ascension of Jesus the plan would have been incomplete. In order for the kingdom of God to be established forever, the king had to take his seat at God’s right hand. And in v. 34 Peter again states the obvious, “David did not ascend into the heavens.” Rather, he goes on to point out that David himself had likewise prophesied this stage of the work of Jesus when, in Psalm 110, he said, “The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” The one who would establish the throne of David’s kingdom forever would be both David’s son and David’s Lord. And that one was none other than Jesus Himself.

It is with the ascension of Jesus that God’s plan draws near to its goal. In v. 33 Peter says that “having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Father, He poured this which you now see and hear.” Peter had begun to address the crowd in response to the question, “Whatever could this mean?” and here we see that he has come full circle. This, that is the outpouring of the Spirit, means that Joel’s prophecy has been fulfilled. The Messiah has come. His name is Jesus of Nazareth. God had been at work in Him during His life, had planned His death, had raised Him from the dead, had exalted Him to His right hand, and had given Him the Spirit, which He has now given to His people. This was the plan all along. And it is this plan, the work of Jesus from start to finish, that bears witness to who Jesus is.

Thus the last thing I want us to see is that these events, considered together, tell us who Jesus is. In v. 36 Peter brings his sermon to its natural conclusion by saying, “Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”  God’s activity all along was unto this end. This was who God attested Jesus to be in His life, in His death, in His resurrection, in His ascension, and in His outpouring of the Spirit. This is the work of Him who is Lord of the world and Israel’s Messiah. He is the One in and through whom God’s purposes for Israel and the world are being brought to fulfillment. These purposes are brought to fulfillment as Israel and the nations come to terms with who Jesus is and what He came to do.

“Whatever could these things mean?” They mean that Jesus of Nazareth is Lord and Messiah. They mean that life and salvation can only be found in swearing allegiance to Him. They mean that if we hope to celebrate the resurrection aright, then we must celebrate the resurrection as obedient disciples of King Jesus. They mean that if we hope to celebrate the resurrection aright, then we must celebrate the resurrection in the power of the Holy Spirit. They mean that if we hope to celebrate the resurrection aright, then we must celebrate the resurrection as the goal of Jesus’ life and of His death. We celebrate the resurrection in the knowledge of what it cost Jesus to break free from the womb of the tomb. We celebrate the resurrection in the knowledge that Christ lived and suffered and died for us that we might live for Him. Let us therefore celebrate the resurrection by lives that given wholly to His service.