APPLICATION WEEK 7
• What is your idea of church, and how does it differ from what the
Church Community
Bible says about it? What’s one thing you learned today and how will
you apply it in your life?
• Are you part of a church community that Christ can use to draw
others in and change lives? What can you do to grow in your faith NOTES
with other believers?
• Who among your family and friends is not yet part of a church
community? What can you do to invite them to be part of our
community this week?
PRAYER
• Thank God for your Victory group and those in your church
community who are willing to walk with you in devotion to the Word
of God and to fellowship.
• Ask God for opportunities to be generous, show compassion, and
share meals with your family and friends in the church.
• Pray for a chance to draw family and friends who have not yet heard
and understood the gospel into your church community this week.
WARM-UP
• Tell us about one of your favorite family celebrations.
• When was the last time you met someone new? Share
your experience.
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• What is the most recent get together you had with your friends? What
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), Copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. did you like the most about it?
Permission to photocopy this material is granted for local church use. This is not for sale.
victory.org.ph
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of
38
WORD you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, 2 Shared Life
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. . . .” 41So those
who received his word were baptized, and there were added that
44
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
day about three thousand souls. ACTS 2:38,41
45
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing
the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the
^
temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their
food with glad and generous hearts . . . ACTS 2:44-46
^
The apostles and followers of Jesus preached the gospel for the first time
during the Festival of Pentecost to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem. Peter The new shared faith of the believers brought them into one
told them to repent and be baptized as an external and public display of community. They shared and even sold possessions and belongings to
their decision to follow Jesus. On that day, 3,000 Jews were added to the provide for those in need. They went to the temple and ate together.
disciples (around 120 in number), creating the very first church community. This is what our church community today should be like. We should
Here we will look at three qualities that defined the first church community, share life together: be generous, have compassion, and actively be
which we can apply in our context as well. with those in our church community. How did you learn to value the
church and share life with others?
1 Shared Faith
42
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came
upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through
the apostles. ACTS 2:42,43
^
The book of Acts says that the first church community devoted [itself]
to the apostles’ teaching. With only 120 disciples to teach 3,000
3 Shared Mission
new believers, they would have had to come together to listen to
. . . praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord
teachings about Jesus. The new believers began to share expressions
added to their number day by day those who were being saved. ACTS 2:47
of faith, such as the Lord’s Supper, or communion. This gave them a
^
unique common ground. This shared faith eventually led to shared The 50,000 or so inhabitants of Jerusalem surely noticed a
life. What does it mean to “devote” yourself to something? How have 3,000-member community that sprang up literally overnight. The first
you learned to devote yourself to the Word? thing they would see is the way the believers shared faith and life
with one another. God used this first church community to change
the hearts of those who saw them, adding to their number day by
day those who were being saved, and giving the community a shared
mission. The purpose of being together is to tell others about Jesus,
and lead more to Him. What’s the mission of our church, and what’s
our role in it?
