for those who have come in a little late this morning that we do have that fellowship time after the service this morning. We'd like as many as possible to stay. Maybe you haven't come prepared to stay. Well, let's like you to stay. There should be enough food for us all. So do make use of that time. We'd love to have you here and join with us for this time immediately after the service this morning. Acts chapter 2, continuing with our studies through this book. Last Lord's Day, we thought on verse 41 especially, coming into verse forty-two. Let's read the two verses together. And they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day they were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. We'll finish there. We pray the Lord will bless his word. I want to really take the opening two words the opening phrase in verse 42 the thought of continuing steadfastly and look at that thought the thought of perseverance in the things of God that we find here in this second chapter of the book of Acts you know the context 3,000 have been saved on the day of Pentecost, and this is the immediate testimony. They continued steadfastly, and we want to look at that today in our service now. So let's seek the Lord in prayer. Let's pray for His blessing upon us. Pray for help as we turn to the Word. The Lord will settle our hearts and minds and help us to consider these great things. It might be a benefit and a blessing to our own souls even in these days. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for Thy grace and Thy mercy that finds us in Thy house this morning. We pray, O God, for Thy power and Thy help now as we turn to the Word. We thank Thee for the Word that Thou hast given. We pray, Lord, for help as we seek to study it. Write these things upon our hearts and our souls. Lord, lead us on with thyself. Bless thy people. Lord, strengthen us. We know that these are days in which there is so much by way of carelessness and indifference to spiritual things. Lord, may that not be true of thy people. But, Lord, revive our hearts and quicken us. It may be that some have grown cold. Lord, we pray that we'll speak today. Speak with thy power and by thy spirit and through thy word. It may be that some are not saved in this meeting and are strangers to thee. Lord, have mercy upon them. And we pray that as we ponder thy word and as we meditate upon it, Lord, thou will do a work in the hearts of men and women, young people in this service. Fill me with thy spirit. I pray now for the power of the Holy Ghost, Lord, to give help and liberty in the preaching of the word, give help in the hearing of it as well, we pray. Answer prayer for Jesus' sake. Amen. During the mid-1960s, just around the time of the death of Sir Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister, Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, the famous Welsh preacher, commenced a series of messages on the subject of authentic Christianity. He had a very simple reason for doing that, and he stated that reason in these words. The great tragedy is that there is utter confusion with regard to what the gospel is, what the church is, and what Christians are supposed to do. I call your attention to this, he said, God knows, not because I am anxious to be controversial, but because I have a burden for the souls of men and women. I would not be a preacher but for that this is what originally put me into the ministry and makes me go on. I see the confusion. I see men and women bewildered asking what is Christianity and what is the church? It was in order to answer those questions and dispel that confusion and explain through Christianity that Lloyd-Jones turned to the book of Acts. and commenced that series of messages on authentic Christianity. I don't think it takes a genius to understand that some 40, almost 50 years later, there is still great confusion concerning Christ, concerning his church, and concerning true Christianity. In many ways, things have moved on since then, moved on since the mid-1960s. And we're now in a period of time where Christianity is openly questioned, and by many, openly rejected. Although our nations, and I'm thinking here of the US and the UK, although our nations have a rich Christian heritage and in the past understood something of the importance of Christianity for the spiritual and national prosperity of our people, we are now in a situation in both nations where Christian values, Christian principles, Christian influences are being eroded away. References to Christianity are frowned upon in certain schools. There is a reluctance to speak of Christian things, even to the point of speaking of Christmas and Easter, lest offense is given to Islam. Evolution is presented now and taught as a credible explanation for the existence of the world, whereas creationism is mocked and presented as unrealistic. I add into that the fact that the whole situation of homosexuality is promoted, the dismantling of the importance of the Ten Commandments, and we very quickly discover that we're living in a situation where Christianity, biblical Christianity, is under attack. Of course, some professing Christians have acted in a way that heaps scorn upon true Christianity and upon the message of the Scriptures. when I watched the interviews that were carried along the headlines concerning Harold Camping and his field predictions regarding the end of the world and the coming of judgment, the saddest aspect of it all was the sneering attitude of the world. they aren't able to distinguish truth from error. And so when a man claiming to be a Christian makes a prediction that fails to materialize, they dismiss Christianity as the stuff of fiction and the stuff of falsehood. And so Christ and his church and the subject of true Christianity, they're all battered and belittled all over again. We're in a world We're living in a world in 2011 that at best simply views Christianity as one of many viable and therefore acceptable religions and at worst dismisses and despises Christianity altogether. That kind of situation as it prevails at this present time, and I suggest it's going to get much worse as time goes on, But that situation places upon us a great responsibility, presents a great challenge to the church of Jesus Christ. As believers, we need to get back to knowing and then making known what true Christianity really is. That brings me right back to Acts chapter two. For this passage does anything. It clearly sets forth for us the character of true Christianity. and that answers the question, what is a true Christian? what we considered over the last two Lord's days especially and we know it back then from verse thirty-seven that when Peter preached, the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of three thousand people in Jerusalem and they were converted. They were pricked in their hearts. Verse thirty-seven carries that kind of language. They heard this. They were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? pricked in their hearts. The thought is that they were stabbed with conviction. They were brought to see their sin, brought to sense their sin, brought to sorrow over their sin, brought to the place where they repented and believed the gospel. Acts 2 41 then describes the event in these words, then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day they were added on to them about three thousand souls. For we thought on last Lord's Day especially there was conversion, there was confession, a public confession of their faith in Christ, and then their communion, their communion with the saints. They were added on to them about three thousand souls. The following verse, verse 42, stresses something more. because it stresses here, those who were saved continued. They continued steadfastly. I suggest to you that's a tremendous little statement. You note the words very carefully in verse 42 and verse 43. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers and fear came upon every soul. they continued steadfastly. Very interesting Greek term. Very interesting phrase there. It means to give on remitting care to. It means to adhere to or to be devoted to or to persevere. Has the thought of not fainting. Carries the idea of being strong or enduring. And however you look at that, whatever angle you want to come at that little phrase, the thought is that these converts did not fall away from Christ or from the faith that they had just professed. They continued in the things of God. And that perseverance is another feature of New Testament Christianity. We're living in a time when there is much by way of shallow and superficial professions in regard to the Christian faith. I know many who have claimed to have prayed a prayer when they were small, who have said that they have made a fresh start some point in their life. Many who have pointed back to some meeting where they responded in some way and they claim to become a Christian at that point in their lives, but very often there is no perseverance. There is no continuing. There is no going on with God. Now, I understand that we are all prone to wander. We are all prone to leave the God we love. I understand the reality of backsliding. I understand that every believer battles with the fear of losing and leaving our first love, and there are times when we do not seem to continue on with God as we should. I'm not speaking of that scenario here. I'm speaking of the case where there has been no continuing, no going on with God, no real evidence of salvation. And I fear that that kind of experience is like the seed in Christ's parable of the sower that fell among the thorns. It springs up quickly and then it's choked and no fruit appears. So there are many who appear to be and claim to be religious. But there's no continuing, no enduring, no persevering. And it must raise the question whether the root of the matter is really there or not. New Testament Christianity, genuine Christianity, solid-based Christianity, Christ-centered Christianity will be marked with perseverance. will be marked with continuance, or as it is here, continuing steadfastly in these various things. And that's the theme that I want to look at for a little time this morning. Let's notice, first of all, the cause of this perseverance. The cause of this perseverance. It's not something that ought to surprise us that these 3,000 souls that were converted on the day of Pentecost went on in the things of God. I say that not because of any extraordinary qualities in those people. Or not because it was an easy thing to be a Christian in those days, because it certainly wasn't an easy thing to be a Christian. Or because the apostles had some magical ability to keep these 3,000 believers going on with the Lord. None of that explains what's taking place here. Here are people who continue, and the reason why they persevered, the reason why they continued steadfastly, lay in the fact that they were now in union with Jesus Christ. You look closely at the words of verse 41. Verse 47 uses similar language when it refers to the Lord adding to the church daily such as should be saved. almost identical language appears in Acts chapter 5 and verse 14 where the word is there and believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of men and women. Acts chapter 11 verse 24 carries something very similar there's an adding taking place here in the conversion of these people not only in the day of Pentecost but subsequent to that as well throughout the book of Acts there's an adding in the conversion of the people an adding of those people to the church but also an adding of them to the Lord and they're added to the church of course because they're added to the Lord and this adding what's mentioned there in verse 41 is extremely important It suggests that something is joined to it. There is a separation from something and there's a union with something else. They're being added on to them. That's what took place in the lives of those almost 3,000 people in the day of Pentecost. Prior to their conversion, they were part of the world of sinners. Prior to their conversion, they were numbered among the ungodly. but on their conversion to Christ. They were brought out of that state, out of that being numbered among the world of the unconverted, and brought to experience a glorious union with Jesus Christ. And because they're in union with Jesus Christ, they're in union with his body, the church. They're added to the church. But the point here is they were added to the Lord. They were no longer out of Christ. They were now in Christ. They were no longer against Christ. They were for Christ. They're added to the Lord, joined to him, put to him in an unbreakable union. Now that thought of union, union with Jesus Christ, that's experienced when a person is converted, is one of the most important and essential aspects of the gospel. It relates to the believer's position in Christ. You see, salvation did not make these people merely come to know Christ in the sense of just a head knowledge. It didn't make them simply to trust Christ in the sense that they could believe he was a real person who really lived and really died. wasn't just that they were led to follow Christ's disciples. Though all of that was true, their conversion experience, this exercising of faith in Christ, this repentance towards God, brought them into a union, the experience of a union with Jesus Christ. There was a time when they were strangers to God. A time when they were full of sin. A time when they were out of Christ. A time when they were dead in their trespasses. A time when they were children of wrath who walked after and according to the prince of the power of the air. But then they were converted. And being converted they were brought into a saving union with Jesus Christ. that union with Christ is portrayed or set forth in various ways in Scripture. It's set forth by the picture of the vine and the branch. John chapter 15, verse 5, Christ said, I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. We often quote that verse, without me you can do nothing, in relation to our service. And without Christ we can do nothing for him, we can do nothing effective for him. And that's true. But the primary thought is here that without him we can do nothing to save ourselves. Without him, we are nothing. Without that union, the union that's pictured between the vine and the branch, and we are the branches. Without that union, we have nothing. We don't even have life spiritually. That's the thought that's being drawn to our attention there. The branch is part of the vine, and the branch only lives because it's joined to the vine. It has no life of its own. And in that sense, without him, we can do nothing. But there's the picture of union with Jesus Christ, the branch and the vine. That union is pictured also by the bond between a husband and his wife. That's the closest of all human bonds, all human relationships. And the apostle Paul frequently uses it as a description of the mystical union between Christ and his people. You take the words of 1 Corinthians 6 and 17, speaking of that intimate union, he says, but he that has joined on to the Lord is one spirit. Union with Christ. In 2 Corinthians 11 verse 2, he spoke of believers as being a spouse to one husband. and just as the husband and wife are joined together and become one flesh, so the believer is joined to Jesus Christ. There's a union that is in play now. And furthermore, this union between Christ and his church is further depicted by the human body. Christ is described as the head. His people are the members of the body. There's an evident union there. The body united to the head. The head joined to the body. Union with Jesus Christ. That's the union we have. That's the union a believer has. That's the union a true convert to Jesus Christ has. It's a union with the Lord Jesus Christ, a vital living union, continuing eternal union with Christ. And because of that union with Christ, true believers persevere. True believers continue. I use the term persevere here, or the thought of the perseverance of the saints. I'm speaking of it in the sense that perseverance means that they will—and this is important—they will neither totally or finally fall away from the state of grace and true holiness, but they will persevere therein to the end of life's journey and enter into everlasting life. Yeah, believers sin, believers feel. There's something we ought to note here. It deals with some very mistaken views on the theme of perseverance. The perseverance of the saints does not mean that a Christian will never sin again while he lives on this earth. It means he will never completely fall from the state of grace. and thus fail to attain eternal salvation, although he may sometimes be overcome by temptation and fall into sin. Christians do fail, Christians do sin, but they can never completely fall and lose salvation. Furthermore, the perseverance of the saints does not mean that the believer earns heaven or deserves heaven because he has persevered. This is not the basis of our hope. for that would make this a salvation by works, and destroy any possibility of assurance. For how could a person know? How could we ever know if we were persevering enough in order to deserve heaven? This is not the ground of our inheritance in eternity. Moreover, this does not mean that the Christian is solely responsible for his perseverance. And that's the great error that has crept into the lives and hearts and thinking of many, and that has led to great despair. They imagine that their continuance in the faith, their perseverance, their continuing steadfastly to take the words of verse 42, depends solely upon them. And they have been led to believe that it rests upon their continual activity. And therefore the Christian struggles and he strives. He must do that by himself. He must fight and he must force himself to continue in the way of God. Because if he doesn't struggle and he doesn't strive and he doesn't fight and he doesn't force himself, he's going to be lost at the last. But it all really depends on him. saved by grace, but then you finish it by yourself. That's not the case. The perseverance of the saints is not dependent on our human strength. But it is, to take the words of one theologian, it is that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer by which the work of divine grace that has begun in the heart is continued and brought to completion. To put it very simply, genuine believers, those who are in union with Jesus Christ, will persevere in holiness because of the continual work of the Holy Ghost in their hearts. This truth rests on the very simple but glorious truth that God will never forsake His work. in the hearts and the souls of his people. Here's the cause of our perseverance. We live spiritually not because of anything in ourselves. We continue not because we happen to be better than others. We go on and we endure not because we have superior strength rather it is because Christ lives in us and the life that we live. We live by the faith of the son of God who loved us and gave himself for us. Saints continue. That's what's in focus here in verse forty-two. That's why I say it ought not to surprise us. They had been brought into this union with Jesus Christ. Therefore, they continued steadfastly because they were in union with Jesus Christ. You think of the certainty, therefore, of our perseverance. This rests on God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit and our standing complete in Christ. If you have your Bible there, look with me at Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6. Notice what Paul writes there. He thanks these believers for their fellowship in the gospel from the first day he met them until now. The formation of that church in Philippi was in the midst of great controversy. Remember the jailer had been converted. Remember Lydia at the riverbank, the young woman, the young girl taken with the spirit of divination had all been converted. And Paul reminds himself of that. He remembers their fellowship in the gospel. Look at verse 6. Look at what he says to Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter 2. writing to this young man, seeking to encourage him in the things of God. And he writes to him, 2 Timothy chapter 2 and the 12th verse. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 12, he writes, for the witch cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. He tells him, Timothy, I'm persuaded that that which I have committed unto Christ, the salvation of my soul, he is able to keep that. He is able to keep me until that great day. 1 Peter 1 and verse 5, he deals with something similar. The apostle Peter, 1 Peter 1 and the 5th verse, he talks there about being kept by the power of God. who is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Kept by the power of God. Right throughout the apostles, these letters throughout their ministry, throughout their letters to these various people, these various churches, this truth comes up again and again. He which hath begun a good work, he will keep that. He will perfect that. Read Romans chapter 8. who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. There's the key part. In Christ Jesus. We are in union with Jesus Christ. We have the spirit of Christ and therefore we will continue. That's a very comforting truth. But let me give a word of caution here. It does not mean that we have no responsibility. Turn back to that text in Timothy, 2 Timothy chapter 1. If you have your Bible open there still, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 12. Notice what he says here. Paul reminds this young man that he knows whom he has believed and he is persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. So he's telling Timothy, you know, I know whom I have believed. I am persuaded he is able to keep that. And then he tells Timothy, it's almost as if he's saying to Timothy, you can do the same for you. trust him. Then look at verse 13. Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us. On one hand, he's telling Timothy that the Lord is able to keep him. On the other hand, he's telling Timothy, but you need to hold fast to these things. You need to keep yourself, in other places he writes this, keep yourself pure, keep yourself holy. So there's a very strong word of caution here, the perseverance of the saints, the fact that God does not forsake his own gracious work. And the fact that a true believer can never finally and totally fall away does not mean that we can just sit back and we have no responsibility, no duties here. We have a duty to live circumspectly. We have a duty to live in holiness. We have a duty to live in agreement with the Word of God. We have responsibility to live with strong desires for Christ. And while this is true that God will never forsake his own work in us, you think of the difference between justification and sanctification. In justification, we are passive. It is all of God. In sanctification, we cooperate with him. We must not fall into the snare of thinking, therefore this work will persevere, therefore I can do as I please." The person who thinks that way, that is not the heart and the mind of a true believer. And I say all of that because there are some who take this doctrine, and they seek to find some kind of false comfort. They think because they have made a profession of faith that they can do as they please, and they can live as they like, and they are still eternally secure. True conversion, as we talked about last week, means a complete change of attitude to the gospel, and a true convert will want to persevere in holiness. They will want to go on with God. They will want to live for Jesus Christ. He will want to have evident marks of grace in his life. That work of God will persevere through the genuine work of God, then that person will continue. He will continue. Here's the cause of the perseverance of the saints. It's not because of who I am, not because of what I have done, not because of what I have learned. Though all of that is important when I come to learn more and more of the gospel and increase in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and grow in grace, all of that is vital. but I grow in grace." Why? Because I'm in union with Jesus Christ, the cause of this perseverance. Notice the conduct in this perseverance. The theme of continuing is a very important one in Scripture. In fact, there are numerous exhortations for believers to continue. John 8, verse 31, the thought is, continue there in the Word. John 15, verse 9, it is, continue in Christian love or in Christ's love. Acts 13, verse 43, the thought is continue in the grace of God. Acts 14, verse 22, continue in the faith. Colossians 4, 2, continue in prayer. 1 Timothy 4, continue in doctrine. It's right through the New Testament. New Testament Christianity has this continual thought of continuing. This continual theme of persevering in the things of God. And all of those are extremely important exhortations. We are to continue. We are to persevere. And our persevering in the gospel, our persevering in the things of God, our continuing in Christianity will be marked by those things. And I think they're all brought together here in verse 42 of Acts. Acts chapter 2, they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers. Here's a distinctive feature of New Testament Christianity. Grace was followed by spiritual growth. Conversion was followed by continuing. Salvation was followed by steadfastness. Life in Christ was followed by loyalty to Christ. The new birth was followed by a new beginning, and these believers were characterized by perseverance. They continued steadfastly. Notice they continued in the truth of the Scriptures. Verse 42, they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine. Apostles' doctrine. There are some Christians who have developed a notion for whatever reason that doctrine is not important. Conjured up the idea it doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you believe something. gets to the point sometimes where if anyone mentions the name of God, their views are accepted as gospel truth. Because the thought is doctrine is not important. It's very often seemed and deemed to be a non-necessary aspect of Christian life. Why trouble yourself about doctrine? It's all about experience. It's all about how you feel and what you want yourself. Not so with these Christians. Notice, the doctrine is first. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine. Simply refers to the doctrine that the apostles taught, the message that they were bringing. And of course, we know from, we've studied this in Acts chapter 2, that what Peter preached that day in Pentecost was based upon the Word of God. And he refers to Joel, he refers to the Psalmist, he refers to David, he refers to Old Testament Scriptures. When he preaches here, he's preaching the Word of God, he's preaching the Scriptures. That's his doctrine. He's bringing a very biblical message. A message that centered on the person and the work of Jesus Christ. A message that draws on the Old Testament Scriptures. And therefore the Apostles' doctrine was not something the Apostles dreamed up in opposition to the message of the Gospel, but it was simply the preaching forth of the message, the preaching forth of the good news of Jesus Christ, preaching forth of the unsearchable riches of the Word of God, the Scriptures of truth, and they expounded those things concerning Christ, the doctrine of God's Word. Their ministry, to take the words of Isaiah chapter 8 and verse 20, their ministry was according to the law and the testimony of the Word of God. That was the Apostles' doctrine. And when these believers are saved, what do they do? They continue steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine. The thought has to be here. They were giving attention to the Apostles' doctrine. They were giving attention to the Word of God. It wasn't the case, well, now that we're converted, let us go our own direction. They want their lives fashioned and formed, molded and moved by the Word of God. And so they continue steadfastly in that doctrine that the apostles had preached, which was essentially the Word of the living God. Turn over to 2 Timothy chapter 3. Verse 16, very familiar text of Scripture, where Paul, again writing to this young man, he tells him in chapter 4 to preach the Word. And he does that for a reason. Chapter 4. He tells him in verse 1, So he's talking here about doctrine, about preaching the word. and rebuking and exhorting and reproving with all long-suffering and doctrine. Look at verse 16 of the previous chapter. He's referring here to the Word of God, all Scripture. Talks in verse 15 of the Holy Scriptures. Then in verse 16, 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 perfect, truly furnished unto all good works. Then he tells him, I charge you, Timothy, preach the Word. The doctrine that he wants them to preach in chapter 4 is explained in the words of chapter 3, verse 16. It's the Word of God. The God-breathed Word. Believer, we need to continue in the Word of God. Even though society has turned its back upon the Word of God. Even though some come to Scripture, and they try to cast out of Scripture the supernatural, and try to throw away from the Word of God the person and the work of Jesus Christ, if we're going to be in accordance with New Testament Christianity, there must be within our hearts and minds and souls a desire to continue steadfastly in the Word of God. We can never afford to turn from this book. New Testament Christianity perseveres in the truth of Scripture. Notice how they continued in the fellowship of the saints. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship. Doctrine first, then fellowship. The ecumenical movement would reverse that order. They would have fellowship without taking heed to doctrine. It's just all get together and it's gone beyond even just the link between Romanism and Protestantism. It's the link between Romanism, Protestantism, and anything else out there. But here the doctrine is first and then the fellowship, and there ought to be fellowship among the saints of God. New Testament Christianity emphasizes the fellowship of the saints. It emphasizes the assembling of the saints together. When Paul wrote to the Hebrews, he had to address a situation where some were forsaking the assembling of themselves together, withdrawing from the people of God, withdrawing from the saints of God. And Paul has to use strong language in chapter 10 He tells them, there, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. There were some in that day, and they were arguing against the assembling of the people of God. And Paul comes and he tells them, let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves. That's always a very dangerous thing. When God's people individually begin to think to themselves, there's no need for me to assemble myself with the saints of God. I know there are circumstances where coming to the house of God is impossible and there's some You're probably watching this service this morning, and they cannot get to a house of God where they feel the apostles' doctrine is being preached. So they have to meet at home, meet with us by electronic means. But there are others who could be in places of sound doctrine and gospel preaching, but there's a tendency to think it's not important. Never a good sign, never a good sign when there's not the continuing in the fellowship with the saints of God. And we'll come through this more and more throughout the book of Acts. You'll find the church together, seeing the work of God going on together. and they continued here in the fellowship of the saints. They continued in remembrance of the sacrifice. Verse 42, they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and then breaking of bread. Reference here to the remembrance of Christ's death, the sacrament, the ordinance was important to them. Makes you think that they understood these early converts having heard Peter preach about Christ and his sacrifice. being raised from the dead for the salvation of sinners. They realized the importance of Christ's work. They realized that their spiritual life rested upon Christ's death and resurrection. This was not an empty or meaningless feast to them. They viewed their standing with God, their love for God, in the light of the sacrifice of Christ and what Christ had done for them. And therefore, they continued in the breaking of bread. This was something that was a feature of New Testament Christianity. That's why we hold the Lord's table in the esteem in which we do. We are commanded by the Lord, this do in remembrance of me. Is it just something that has evolved, something that we hit upon as an idea in a church? It's part of New Testament Christianity. To continue steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, And notice they continued steadfastly in supplication too. In prayers. In prayers. I think the plural there, in prayers, suggests both public and private prayer. Do you see that prayer is a feature of the Christian life? It's spoken of here as continuing steadfastly in prayer. That suggests there was the very commencement of prayer. And when they were converted, they began to pray. And now, after their conversion, they're continuing steadfastly in prayer, and prayer is a vital part of the Christian life. In many ways, it's the hardest part, the hardest part to continue steadfastly, because we are beset with many infirmities, many weaknesses. Thank God we have the help and the power and the promise of the Spirit of God who helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be uttered. But here are believers, and they continued steadfastly in prayer." Isn't it strange that sometimes when someone is newly converted, they're at the prayer meetings, love to be there, They know it comes on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night, whatever night it happens to be. And they're there, there's a burning desire in their heart, their soul to be in the place of prayer. And then as time goes on, that seems to wane. Believer, we need to continue steadfastly in prayer. Public and private prayer for the work of God. You know, what strikes me here is that their whole lives were taken up with this. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, the fellowship of the saints, the breaking of bread, and in prayers. They rejoiced in their union with Jesus Christ. They continued because a genuine work of grace had been wrought in their hearts, and that was seen in their lives. I'll revisit that thought next Lord's Day. the conduct of their perseverance. Here they are, just newly converted, and they're continuing. Notice the consequences of the perseverance. These believers were evidently going on with God, evidently going on with God, and that had a tremendous impact upon others. look at this we'll come more to the details of this next time but look notice briefly look at verse 43 it speaks in verse 42 they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and then breaking of bread and prayers and fear a came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. Here, on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, three thousand souls have been converted. They have continued day after day, week after week, in the apostles' doctrine, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers, and as there's an evident move of God, and an evident giving of themselves to the things of God, fear comes upon the people. It makes an impact upon those who are watching, those who are observing, There's a real fear of God that descends upon that area. People can notice there's something different taking place here. And the fear of God comes. Do you know what's lacking in 2011? It's the fear of God. Fear of God among the unseers. some cases a fear of God among the believers. But when there was evidence of these people continuing steadfastly, going on with God, living for Jesus Christ, there was fear came. The fear of God came upon every soul. I can only imagine that the people in Jerusalem talked, and talked day after day, night after night, what is happening in this city. God is at work. The fear of God came. Notice not only was there a real fear of God, there was a real respect for the believers. Verse 47 tells us they were praising God and having favor with all the people. Favor with all the people. There's now respect. There's now something of an acknowledgment of these believers and they have favor with the people. How different it is in this age. Dare claim to be a believer, dare live as a believer lives, especially in the public eye. And you're ridiculed, mocked, scorned, slandered. Not in Acts 2, they had favor with the people. There was a respect, acknowledgement a listening to, an attention being paid to the saints of God. There was peace among the saints as well, verse 44, and all that believed were together and had all things common. Tremendous sense of unity there among the saints of God. All that believed were together and had all things common. There was no sense of selfishness, no sense of pride here, or no sense of being self-centered. It all was upon Christ and upon his church. Verse 45, they sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need. They're seeking to advance the cause of Jesus Christ. It wasn't one Christian trying to get the upper hand on the other. one Christian trying to outdo the other. They're there with a tremendous sense of unity for the furtherance of the cause of Christ. Verse 47, too, there was real progress in the church, praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. The church is growing, the church is being built, the church is being blessed. Here the Lord is adding more souls to the company of people, more souls to the church, adding more unto himself, souls are being converted, and the work of God is going forward. It all follows what's recorded in verse 42. They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and in prayers. Here were people who were genuinely converted. Their whole lives had been changed. 2 Corinthians 5, 17, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. They were made new creatures. Dramatic turnaround, a dramatic change has taken place. and now they are continuing steadfastly in the word of God and in the fellowship of the saints of God and thinking about Christ and his death and in prayers and they're praising God daily in the temple and the Lord is blessing them. And the world sits up and takes notice. Here's a church on fire for God. Is that not what we desire? is what you read in these latter verses of Acts 2, not the burden of our hearts. To see the Lord so move in such a way that what was evidently a feature of New Testament Christianity would be a feature of our Christianity too. Look at the joy. With this I close and I'll come back to this next time. Look at the joy that they have. Verse 47, praising God. Verse 46 talks about the gladness and singleness of heart. There was gladness in their heart and they were praising God. Is it the case, believer, that we have lost the joy of the Lord? Is it the case that we have lost the thrill of being a child of the King? We've lost the joy of being saved, what it means to be in the church of Christ, what it means to be a believer in the Lord Jesus. We've lost some of that. We're not continuing steadfastly as we ought to be. The things of God are not in the prominent place they ought to be in our lives. Other things have come in. We never intended it to be that way, but other things have come in. They've taken our attention. They've taken our affections. They've taken our thoughts. They've taken our time. They've taken our talents, and we have lost out with the Lord. It's a good question to ask ourselves individually and personally as we close. Am I continuing steadfastly with Christ? Now, we come to the end of another year almost. Tell me, are you continuing on with God today more than ever? Or is it the case we've lost out with him? You've lost out in the Word. You're not continuing in the apostles' doctrine. You've lost out in fellowship. You're not just so particular now about coming to meet with the saints of God. Maybe you've lost out at the Lord's table. Maybe you've missed a place of prayer. You're not continuing steadfastly. Let's cry to God that he might stir our hearts afresh, that we might be marked as this group of people in Acts 2 were marked with this thought of continuing steadfastly for Christ's sake. Let the Lord bless his word to us. Challenge our souls and lead us on with himself for Jesus' sake. Let's have a word of prayer. Our heavenly Father, we do thank thee for thy grace and thy word. We thank thee for our union with Christ. We thank thee, O God, for thy challenge to our hearts. Lord, we look at Acts 2, we look at the believers there, and we look then at ourselves. Lord, we pray for thy help that we might continue steadfastly in these things. Deliver us, Lord, from being careless, from being indifferent, from being slack. Forgive us, O God, for times we have not continued as we ought to have, and we have tried to excuse our lack of continuing. our lack of going on with God with all kinds of excuses. Lord, come and touch our hearts. Lord, if there are those here who are backslidden and the service touched their heart, draw them to thyself afresh. May they know their hearts be quickened, revived, their souls stirred even today. Lord, give back to thy people who are in that state, give back to thy people the joy of their salvation. And Lord, make us to be an effective testimony in a world that is sinking in its sin, that they might have a fear of God. We might have favor with people to point them to Christ. Add to the church daily such as should be saved, O God, we pray, and help us to continue steadfastly for thy glory. Bless our time of fellowship this afternoon, Lord, undertake for us there. We thank thee for thy people, for all who have gathered here. We pray, Lord, you'll bless as we linger on together. Bless the food, bless our fellowship, we pray in our Savior's name. Amen.