FELLOWSHIP IN THE EARLY CHURCH-YEAR 9

  FELLOWSHIP IN THE EARLY CHURCH

               

CONTENTS:  1.TOGETHERNESS IN THE EARLY CHURCH. ACTS 2:41-47.

                       2. FRAUD IN THE CHURCH. ACTS 5:1-11.

SUB-TOPIC 1: TOGETHERNESS IN THE EARLY CHURCH

At the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven, the number of

 disciples including women were about one hundred and

 twenty (120). After Peter’s speech on the day of Pentecost

 about three a thousand souls were baptized and added to the

 Church. Also after the prayer of Peter and John for the

 the crippled man at the beautiful gate who got healed during the  hour of prayer, about five thousand men were converted and  added to the church.

The converts all stayed in Jerusalem with the disciples. 

They formed the early Church. There was a sense of

 togetherness and belonging among members of the early

 Church. They were of one heart and one mind, they did

 everything in common.


The Characteristics of the early Church can be

 summarized as follows:


1. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and fellowship.

2.  They lived communal life; they had everything common.

3. They broke Bread together. This means they took Holy

 Communion together.

4. The rich and others sold their properties and possessions

 and brought all the money to the apostles’ feet.

5. They worshipped in the temple daily.

6. They distributed food and clothing to all the members, as any had need.

7. They prayed Together.

8. They were always praising God.

9. They ate food with glad and generous hearts.

10. Everybody worked for the good of others in order to build

 a strong Church.

 

 

 FRAUD IN THE CHURCH

Fraud is a form of cheating or stealing that results from dishonesty. It is a way of denying others their share from the Church, State or Nation through deceit and corruption. 

In our present-day, people in churches and society engage

 in widespread fraud to enrich themselves. Some people

 who collect tithes for the Church or taxes for the Nation, keep part of the money collected for their personal use. 

Such acts are fraudulent. Just as fraud (corruption) is today,

 so it was in the early Church.

Some members of the early Church were not honest.

  Ananias and Sapphira .The two agreed to sell their property

 and bring the money to a common fund but after they had

 sold the property, they surrendered part of the money and

 kept back the rest for their own use. The husband came first and lied to Peter that he had brought the entire money. 

Peter made it known to him that he had told a lie not to him but to the Holy Spirit. Immediately Ananias fell down and died. Some people came in, carried him away and buried

 him.

After a while, his wife Sapphira came in and also lied that she and her husband had brought the entire amount. Immediately,

 she also fell down and died and was buried beside her husband. A great fear came upon all the members of the early  Church.

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