February 14, 2010
6:00 pm Worship Service
Mr. Jim Stein
Covenant Christian Reformed
Church
Winnipeg, Canada
Call to Worship: Psalm 89:1-2
I will sing of
your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your
faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.
Opening Prayer
Hymn: 430 - We Sing the Mighty Power of God (Tune 378)
Greeting Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and
Christ Jesus our Lord.
Confession of Faith – Belgic Confession Article 5 p. 820
Hymn: 161 – The Lord’s My Shepherd
Prayer
Scripture:
Act 2:37-47
Sermon: What
was important to the New Testament Church according to Acts?
Prayer
Hymn: 591 - Savior, Like a Shepherd lead Us
Offering:
Union Gospel Mission
God's
Blessing: Now may
the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be
with all of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 NRSV
Hymn: 169 - I Will Sing of the Mercies of the
Lord
Acts 2:37-47
Now when they heard
this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles,
“Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.”
And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save
yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three
thousand persons were added.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came
upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the
apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all,
as any had need.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at
home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising
God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to
their number those who were being saved.
“Acts highlights two
aspects of the evangelist’s understanding of the church, namely his vision of
the church of Jerusalem as the ideal and mother church with Peter in the
initial position of leadership and his vision of the spreading of the witness
to Jesus to Samaria and the Hellenistic world by means of Phillip and Paul.”
The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible
Considerations:
“Does “church” mean a
well-defined social organization with fixed structures, or is it simply the
continuation of the Jesus movement in the light of Jesus’ resurrection and the
coming of the Holy Spirit?”
The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible
Core beliefs of the
early church;
-
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
- Jesus as the wisdom of God Col. 1:15-20; John 1:1
- Jesus is the key to understanding
Hebrew Scriptures
- Jesus was/is the fulfillment of
God’s promises
- The second coming of Jesus 1 Cor. 16:22; Rev. 22:20
So, what is “primitive” about this church?