They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. Reverential awe came on everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that anything that belonged to him was his own, but everything was held in common. With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. For there was no one needy among them, because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need. 

Acts 4:32-35

I. The Gathering of the Church

The Church that gathers will focus on:

1. Community and Care for One Another

Acts 2:44 – “All who believed were together and held everything in common.”

Acts 4:32 – “those who believed were of one heart and mind…”

2. Connection to God, our source of Power

Acts 4:33 – “With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all.”

Acts 2:47 – “…praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.

Matt. 28:19-20 - “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Luke 24:49 – “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” 

Acts 1:8 – “But you shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” 

II. The Scattering of the Church

And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them.

Acts 8:1-5

Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message to no one but Jews. But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks too, proclaiming the good news of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 11:19-20

The Church that scatters will:

Chose to Evangelize instead of Agonize

We are called to be both the Church in community and the Church on mission – both a fellowship and a force in the world!

What can we learn from the gathered and scattered church in Acts?