Worship
Lesson 7
When they came to worship they…
Taught the Word of God
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)
Continued steadfastly as used in Acts 2:42
Strong's Number: 4342 Original Word: proskartereÑw
Definition:
Again looking at this verse found in Acts, we find another interesting fact. Not only were they taking the Lord’s Supper and praying, they were devoted to the teachings passed on to them by the Apostles.
Today we have the teachings of the Apostles within the written words of the New Testament. We too, need to be devoted, courageous and in constant readiness for, attentive and unremitting care to the New Testament scriptures.
You may be thinking that I am saying that the Old Testament should just be
removed from our Bibles. This is not at all what I am saying or implying. The
more we know from the Old Testament the better we can understand the New
Testament. Look at what Paul says about the Old Testament scriptures:
Also we see in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We see that “All Scripture” is important for us to be thoroughly equipped! The Old Testament teaches us of the coming of the New and better Covenant. Read Hebrews 8
Both Peter and Paul tell us that the written Word came from God through the men He chose.
for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21)
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (2 Tim. 3:16)
Now that we have a better covenant with better promises why would one want to be under a Law that had fault? Gentiles were never under the Old Law… The Old Law was given to the Israelites! It was not given to all people on the earth just the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob. If one were to study the Old Testament they would learn this. Paul tells us concerning the Gentile Nation:
For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. (Romans 2:12-16)
Today we are all, Jew and Gentile, equal and under the New Testament Teachings. His Special People are not physical Jews but spiritual Jews, those who obey and live by the teachings which are given to us by the only begotten Son of God, through the teachings of the Apostles which are found in the written words of the New Testament!
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. (Romans 3:21-31)
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (Romans 2:28-29)
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. (
Romans 10:12)
For by one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have
all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1
Corinthians 12:13)
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is
neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians
3:28)
where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians
3:11)
Christ Himself, after His resurrection from the dead gave the command for His followers to go teach others:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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.” Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Notice closely, he says to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” in order to make followers one must be taught to know what to follow. So here we see we are to teach others how to become a follower of Christ “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). One must be taught the basics to know how to be a true follower of Christ.
After we have taught one how to become a follower of Christ (a Christian), Jesus tells us that we should be “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;” We must teach and continue to teach so that we do not fall!
Now if we will look at this same command from a different writer we find what we are to be teaching others.
And He
[Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15- 16)We are to teach the Gospel and we learn that those who believe and are obedient to the teachings, being baptized, will be saved but those who do not have the obedient faith will be condemned:
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (
2 Thessalonians 1:8)We must continue teaching so one can know how to live faithful till the end.
Revelation 2:10
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Matthew 10:22
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
We must stand firm in the Word or in the end we will be found eternally lost.
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. (Acts 20:7)
Paul told the young Timothy to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” We should heed these words and do the same. We must teach others the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) even the parts that uncomfortable. If we do not teach the whole truth then we will cause souls to be lost, including our own.
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
We learn from these same verses that some will not heed the true Word. Let us be very careful what we teach and what we believe and obey. Not all ways are right! Let us be like the Berean’s and search to know. We must study to know and to be approved by God and without study we cannot learn to rightly divide the word of truth! These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (
2 Timothy 2:15)QUESTIONS
(Please give Scripture to prove your answers)
1. Today where do we find the Apostle's teachings?
2. Should we pick and choose what we teach and obey from the Apostle's teachings?
3. Where did the Apostles and those who wrote the scriptures get what they taught and say?
4. In your own words tell me what Acts 2:42 is saying.
5. Is teaching and obeying the Word of God always easy?
6. What law are we under today?
7. What does Acts 20:7 say Paul did when the followers of Christ came together on the first day of the week?
What did Paul tell Timothy to do?
8. What about the Old Testament, what do we do with it's teachings today?
9. Who was the Old Law given to?
10. Are the Physical Jews or Physical Israel God's chosen people today?
Explain:
11. In your own words, after Christ arose from the dead what command did He give His followers?
12. What teachings did the early church follow?
13. Will everyone hear the true Word of God?
14. How can we know that what we are taught is truth?
15. How are we approved of God?
How do we learn to correctly understand and teach the word?