OUTSTANDING CHARACTERISTICS OF CHRIST’S CHURCH IN ACTS
File 19 - #32
TEXT: Acts 2:41-47
INTRODUCTION:
A. Often, we hear about “church growth,” and various “methods of evangelism.”
B. God has recorded the facts and circumstances of evangelism in this New Testament book.
C. The Book of Acts can be called “The Manual of Church Growth.”
TS: Let us look into the inspired book of God for characteristics of Christ’s church.
I. CONVERSION
A. ACTS 2:36-38
B. Those who were in Christ’s church were Christians: there were no non-Christians in the church,
nor were there any Christians out of the church.
C. The church is the saved! EKKLESIA – see also Ephesians 5:23, For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
II. UNITY
A. ACTS 2:41-42, 46
B. ACTS 4:32
C. This is what Christ prayed for: John 17:20-21
D. Brethren working together in love, patience, and unselfishness, will be able to fulfill this prayer.
E. ILLUS: A father asked his son to break a bundle of sticks. The young fellow tried and tried, putting the bundle
over his knee, then under his foot, then against his side – all to no avail. The father saw his frustrated son, walked over
to him, untied the bundle, and easily broke the sticks, one at a time. So it is with Christ’s church – as long as we stay in
the bundle, we’re strong and not easily broken. United we are strong; divided we can be broken. * Kentucky’s motto!
III. SHARING
A. ACTS 2:44-45
B. ACTS 4:32, 34-35
C. When one is in need, others will sacrifice to help; not just what was left over or unwanted.
D. Paul described the same attitude in 1 Corinthians 12:13-26
IV. MORAL PURITY
A. ACTS 5:1-11
B. 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6-7
C. God’s holiness must be reflected in His people; Christ’s church is to be holy in life!
D. A difference between the church & the world: that difference must be reflected in our life!
E. What makes something “holy” (like “Holy Bible”)? It belongs to God! We are to be holy,
because we belong to God!
V. DOCTRINAL PURITY
A. ACTS 15:1-2, 4-6
B. EPHESIANS 1:22-23
C. A congregation must be in harmony with Christ’s will to belong to Him; He is Head, and His
commandments must be fulfilled!
VI. EVANGELISM
A. ACTS 5:42
B. ACTS 6:7
C. ACTS 8:4
D. ACTS 11:22-24
E. The New Testament church must be aware of the lost, and reach out to them: a church not
hungry to teach lost souls does not possess the spirit of Christ!
F. The salvation of man – that’s the very reason Jesus came into this world!
CONCLUSION:
A. It is important for us to continually study the New Testament – particularly the book of Acts –
with a view toward understanding the first-century church, for that is our whole plea: to be today
what they were then.
B. So let us continue to focus on God’s plan and pattern, that we might mold our individual lives –
and the life of this congregation – to be in harmony with the will of God.