When an individual seriously considers the benefits of knowing Jesus, how can anyone not want to be saved? Why would you not receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Why would you not accept his gift of grace? The apostle Paul describes to us in our text, the amazing benefits of justification by faith. There…
Does God respond to man? Does God act in response to the prayers of men? These are very difficult questions to consider. Those who believe that God does not act in response to man will have a very difficult time explaining certain passages of scripture. There are those who feel that God controls the very…
The final component of discipleship in the local church is unity. The believers in the early church had all things common and were together. Notice what the text says in Acts chapter two, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon…
The fourth component of discipleship is that of prayer. The early church continued in the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and in prayer. One of the least used resources of the local church today is the resource of prayer. The church lacks power because there is very little time spent on our knees. Souls…
Silence is one of the most difficult things to bear. There is a lot that silence can communicate. A husband is always concerned and worried when his wife is silent. There is an awkwardness that comes when you walk into a room that is completely silent. When a child has disappointed his or…
Acts 2:42 says, And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” [1] The third component of discipleship is that of Breaking Bread. This phrase is used several times throughout the Bible. ‘Breaking Bread’ basically refers to food or eating together. However, it has…
After John sees Jesus opening the first six seals of the scroll, he witnesses groups of people that he did not recognize as he listens to an explanation of who these people are. The 144,000 sealed Jews. Notice what Revelation 7:1-8 says, “After these things I saw four angels standing at the…
A second component of discipleship as seen in Acts 2 is, fellowship. Often times we mistaken fellowship with having fun with one another or sharing a meal together. These activities may include fellowship, but they are not fellowship in and of themselves. In order to be a disciple making church, there must be true Biblical…
We come now to a very sobering time in our study of the book of Revelation. We saw the four horsemen of the Apocalypse in 6:1-7. As we come to the opening of the fifth and sixth seals, we are at the mid-point of the tribulation period. The first 3 ½ years are coming…
The entire ministry of the local church is to be centered on Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and driven by discipleship. In Acts 2:42-47, we see how the early church practiced discipleship. In this passage, we find five key components that drove the ministry of the early church. These components, rightly practiced and…
Pastor Chris Noland 