Today, on New Year’s Thanksgiving Day, I would like to share the Word about the “Early Church.” The early church shows us the beautiful example of a community that believed in Jesus Christ, received the Holy Spirit, devoted itself to the Word of God, prayed with one heart, loved one another, and boldly testified to the gospel.
Through today’s Word, we should not seek to exalt any person, church name, or organization. Rather, we should learn from the faith and devotion of the early church and seek to become believers and churches that are pleasing to God. The church that God desires is a church centered on Jesus Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, rooted in the Word, united in love, devoted to prayer, and faithful in sharing the gospel.
Reasons to learn from the early church that was pleasing to God
The early church was born through the gospel of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. After Jesus died on the cross, rose again, and ascended into heaven, His disciples and believers gathered together, prayed, received the Holy Spirit, and began to proclaim the message of the cross. Through them, many people repented, believed in Jesus Christ, were baptized, and became part of the body of Christ.
The power that sustained the early church was not human ability, organization, or worldly influence. It was faith in Jesus Christ, the grace of God, the truth of the Word, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and love among the believers. As seen in Acts 2:42-47, the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They gathered with one heart, shared what they had, praised God, and lived with sincerity and joy.
This is the kind of faith and church life that believers today should also desire. We should become people who love the Word of God, pray without ceasing, serve one another with love, live according to the truth, and obey God with faith. When Christians live in this way, the glory of God is revealed, not through human boasting, but through lives changed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, learning from the early church does not mean claiming that one church or one group is greater than others. It means returning to the biblical foundation of faith: Jesus Christ as Lord, the Word of God as truth, prayer as the breath of faith, fellowship as the expression of love, and mission as obedience to the gospel.
When the church lives according to the Word and follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it can become a faithful witness of Jesus Christ in the world. Such a church does not seek its own glory, but gives all glory to God.
The Early Church and the Saints
After Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven, His disciples and believers began to preach the message of the cross. Many people repented, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit. They gathered often to hear the Word of God, to pray, to fellowship, and to share their lives together. This was the beginning of the church, and the early church was formed through the grace of God.
Among the disciples and believers who became the foundation of the early church, there were many who had personally seen the works of Jesus while He was on earth. They had heard His teaching, witnessed His compassion, seen His miracles, and some had also witnessed His resurrection and ascension. After receiving the Holy Spirit, they were strengthened in faith and became bold witnesses of Jesus Christ.
Even in the midst of persecution and severe opposition, the early church continued to grow. The believers did not depend on worldly power, wealth, or social status. They depended on the Lord. Through their faith, prayer, love, and witness, the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and eventually to the nations.
Then, let us look at the spiritual characteristics of the early church.
First, the early church worked hard to gather together with one heart.
Acts 2 shows that the believers gathered together continually. They met in the temple courts and also broke bread in their homes. They were not merely attending religious meetings; they were sharing life together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
This was possible because they loved the Lord and loved one another. Those who are united in Christ share a spiritual bond that is deeper than ordinary human relationship. They have one Lord, one faith, one hope, and one Spirit. They encourage one another, pray for one another, comfort one another, and strengthen one another in the truth.
Today, many people who say they believe in God are becoming reluctant to gather. In some places, prayer meetings, small group worship, and fellowship are becoming weak. Some attend worship only as a weekly habit and quickly return to their own private lives. When believers lose spiritual fellowship, their hearts can more easily become cold, and they may gradually be influenced by the values of the world.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.” This Word teaches us that gathering in the Lord is important, especially as we wait for the return of Christ.
Therefore, believers today should not neglect worship, prayer, fellowship, and mutual encouragement. Gathering together is not merely a tradition. It is a spiritual blessing through which believers receive strength, share grace, and grow in love.
Second, the early church made every effort to fellowship, break bread, and pray.
The “bread” here is not only physical bread. Jesus said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.” Spiritually, the bread points to the Word of God and to the life that comes from Christ.
Therefore, breaking bread also teaches us that believers must receive the Word of God, meditate on it, share it, and live by it. The early church did not simply hear the Word once and forget it. They continued in the apostles’ teaching. They learned, remembered, shared, and practiced the truth in their homes and daily lives.
Acts 2:46 says that they broke bread from house to house and ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart. This shows that their faith was not limited to the temple or public worship. Their faith continued in their homes, relationships, meals, conversations, and daily life.
Likewise, true faith today is not only attending church once a week and listening to a sermon. True faith is to receive the Word, meditate on it, obey it, and practice it throughout the week. The Word of God must become food for the heart and light for daily life.
The early church also devoted itself to prayer. Prayer was one of the strongest spiritual foundations of the early church. The believers faced persecution, threats, and suffering, but they did not give up their faith. They prayed earnestly, and through prayer they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31 says that when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God with boldness. Their courage did not come from human confidence. It came from the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, believers today must also pray. A church without prayer becomes weak. A believer without prayer easily loses spiritual strength. But when believers pray with faith, they receive grace, wisdom, courage, repentance, love, and strength from God.
The believers of the early church were not afraid even in the face of persecution. Some were threatened, imprisoned, beaten, or killed. Yet they continued to confess Jesus Christ as Lord. They glorified God not because their circumstances were easy, but because their hope was in heaven.
Third, in the early church, God confirmed the gospel through signs and wonders according to His will.
Acts tells us that many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. These works were not for the glory of human beings. They were signs that pointed people to Jesus Christ and confirmed the truth of the gospel.
John 4:48 says, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” This shows that signs can awaken people and lead them to consider the truth. However, the Bible also teaches that faith must not depend only on visible signs. Jesus said in John 20:29, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Therefore, we need a balanced understanding. The works of God reveal His compassion and power, but true faith is rooted in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We do not seek signs for curiosity or human glory. We seek God Himself. When God works, all glory must be given to Him alone.
The early church proclaimed the gospel, prayed for the sick, served the needy, and witnessed to Jesus Christ. God worked according to His will, and many people came to faith. The purpose of every work of God was not to exalt the apostles, but to testify that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.
Today also, believers should pray with faith and trust the living God. God is still able to heal, restore, comfort, guide, and save. Yet we must always remember that the greatest miracle is salvation through Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, the new birth by the Holy Spirit, and a transformed life that glorifies God.
Therefore, if God allows visible works of grace, we should give thanks. If we do not see visible signs, we should still believe, obey, and follow Christ. Faith that pleases God is not built on signs alone, but on the truth of the gospel.
Finally, the early church shared all things with one another and gave according to need.
The believers of the early church did not live selfishly. They saw one another as members of the same body in Christ. They sold possessions and goods and divided them among all, as anyone had need. This does not mean that every believer was forced to give up everything. Rather, it shows the love, generosity, and voluntary devotion that flowed from hearts changed by the grace of God.
Many people in the world value material possessions as if they were life itself. People often seek security, status, and satisfaction through money and possessions. But believers who have hope in the kingdom of heaven learn to hold earthly things with open hands.
If we truly believe that everything belongs to God, we can use what we have to serve others. If we truly love our neighbors as ourselves, we cannot ignore those who are in need. If our hope is in heaven, greed loses its power over our hearts.
The early church teaches us that Christian love must be practical. Love is not only words. Love shares, serves, gives, forgives, encourages, and bears burdens together. A church filled with the love of Christ is a church where the weak are cared for, the lonely are welcomed, and the needy are not forgotten.
Therefore, believers today should examine their hearts before God. Are we using what God has entrusted to us for His glory? Are we willing to serve others? Are we free from greed? Are we storing up treasure in heaven rather than living only for this world?
No matter how much wealth a person gathers on this earth, he cannot take it with him into eternity. But what is done in faith, love, and obedience before God will not be in vain. Therefore, we should live with heavenly hope and practice love in concrete ways.
Why believers today should learn from the Early Church
First, the example of the early church invites us to live a more passionate and faithful life before God.
The early church was not spiritually passive. The believers were devoted to the Word, prayer, fellowship, worship, and mission. They did not treat faith as a small part of life. Their faith shaped their whole life.
Today, many believers have received much grace from God. We have the Bible, worship, teaching, fellowship, and many opportunities to hear the gospel. Yet we must not become complacent. Receiving grace does not mean we can relax spiritually and live carelessly. Grace should lead us to deeper love, greater obedience, sincere repentance, and faithful service.
The blessings God gives on this earth are not a reason to become spiritually lazy. They are reminders of His goodness and faithfulness. They teach us to trust Him more and to live with hope for the eternal kingdom of heaven.
The blessings of heaven cannot be compared with any blessing on earth. Those who truly believe in eternal life should not set their hearts on the world. Instead, they should grow in faith, holiness, love, and obedience while waiting for the return of the Lord.
Second, the example of the early church prepares us to receive and serve many souls who need the gospel.
The early church was not closed in on itself. It was a worshiping community, but also a witnessing community. The believers gathered together, but they also went out to proclaim Jesus Christ. Through their faith and testimony, many people came to know the Lord.
Today, many people around the world still need to hear the gospel. Some have never clearly heard about Jesus Christ. Some know religion but do not know the grace of salvation. Some are wounded, confused, lonely, or bound by sin. The church must be ready to serve them with truth and love.
When people come among believers, what should they see? They should see not human pride, not organizational boasting, and not devotion to a human leader, but the love of Christ, the truth of the Word, sincere worship, humble service, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
If believers live like the early church, those who come will be able to say, “This is a community where Christ is loved and His Word is obeyed.” They may be moved not by outward greatness, but by the beauty of faith, love, humility, unity, prayer, and holiness.
Therefore, every church and every believer should examine themselves before God. Are we truly centered on Jesus Christ? Are we living according to the Word? Are we loving one another? Are we praying? Are we ready to share the gospel with those who need salvation?
The early church teaches us that the gospel spreads through believers who are filled with the Holy Spirit, united in love, and willing to obey God. Just as the gospel was preached through the early church, God still calls His people in every generation to bear witness to Jesus Christ.
The members of the early church could not always enjoy a free and comfortable religious life. They faced persecution, misunderstanding, hardship, and even the threat of death. They could not place their hope in worldly riches or social safety. Yet they had hope in heaven and unshakable faith in Jesus Christ.
Because they possessed this precious treasure, they gathered together, shared the Word of God, prayed, and encouraged one another. They experienced the kingdom of God in their hearts even before entering the eternal kingdom.
Luke 17:20-21 says, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” The early church lived with this spiritual reality. Though they faced suffering outwardly, they had the joy and hope of the kingdom within them.
In the same way, when believers today live by the Word of God, pray in faith, love one another, and follow Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God is formed in their hearts and among them. Such a community becomes a living testimony of the gospel.
Therefore, through the Word about the early church, let us seek to become believers who first establish the kingdom of God in our hearts. Let us be devoted to the Word, prayer, fellowship, love, holiness, and the gospel. Let us not glorify any person, church name, or organization, but lift up Jesus Christ alone.
May we become faithful believers who learn from the early church, live in the grace of Jesus Christ, walk by the Holy Spirit, and spread the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world.
In the name of the Lord, I pray that we may live with the faith, love, prayer, and devotion of the early church, and give all glory to God alone.