Acts 2:36-47 Biblical Fellowship Part I  © 2015 WF Cobb  Truthbase.net DailyTruthbase.Blogspot.com

I.  Basis of Fellowship=desire to follow God, rooted in repentance, self-denial, and sanctifying self-sacrifice & unified discipleship
A. Lk 9:20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ/Messiah of God."  21 He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day." 23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

B. Acts 26: 15 So I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as fr om the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.' 19 "Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.  21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.  22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come ---23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

C. Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  13 Then fear came upon every soul...Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,...46 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, 47  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

D. Heb 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
{Because Christ is superior to the way we were, believers should live in faith (chap 11), hope (ch 12) and love (ch 13) while awaiting Him.}
E. Rm 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present/yield  Rm 6 your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable/spiritual service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may demonstrate/prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly/sound-mindedly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one Body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Eph 4

F. Mt 28:18  Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore as you go,  make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe/obey all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

G. 2Tim 2: 1 be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2  the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

II. The Unified Body builds itself up in love (other-centered service)  as  believers learn to obey the truth and live in victory (Part 2)

2Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure/clean heart  1Tim 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee (1Cor 6:18) these things (pride, discontent, materialism, “theology,” love of money, lusts) and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, patience/endurance, humility. 12 Fight the good fight of faith (4:7), lay hold on eternal (of The Age) life (Dominion), to which you were invited...14 keep this commandment w/o spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing,

Questions for Discussion/Reflection/Response:

1. How do  Communianity/Churchianity differ from Biblical Christianity? How do they hinder true Biblical Body fellowship?
2. When was the last time you exhorted or were exhorted to love and good deeds? What was the response? How would you like to be “provoked”?
3. What physical and spiritual needs do you notice in the lives of those around you? How could you help meet those needs?
4. How can you demonstrate to other believers the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated to us (1Jn 4:11)? What will it cost you?
5. What love or good works could you “incite” four people to display or do this month?