N EW D URHAM B APTIST C HURCH P ASTOR F RANK C UOZZO L ESSON 12 “T HE F AITH OF THE F IRST C ENTURY C HURCH ”

N EW D URHAM B APTIST C HURCH P ASTOR F RANK C UOZZO L ESSON 2: “T HE M EASURE OF THE F IRST C ENTURY C HURCH ” “I T ’ S L IKENESS TO J ESUS C HRIST ”

II Corinthians 8:1-7, “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.” L ESSON 12: “T HE F AITH OF THE F IRST C ENTURY C HURCH ”

As we study God’s Word we find that the first century church always moved forward by faith. A church with faith in God brings to their ministry what God can accomplish in them and through them. Faith is described in Hebrews 11:1 where it says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is defined in Hebrews 12:2 where it says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

The Christian life cannot be lived by sight, it must be lived by faith. *S EVERAL THINGS ARE CHARACTERISTIC OF A CHURCH THAT LIVES BY FAITH : -They Believe God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” -They Believe that the Church was established by the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:13-18)

-They Believe That Christ Satisfies. Colossians 1:17, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” -They Believe that God Hears and Answers Prayer. James 4:2-3 says, “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” -They Believe They Must Attempt Great Things For God. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

-They Believe They Are To Faithfully Attend Church. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” -They Believe That The Christian Life Is A Holy Life. 1 Peter 1:13-16 says, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

-They Believe & Keep the Sacred Covenant of Marriage Genesis 2:24, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” -They Give a Clear Presentation of the Gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

-Their Worship Services Bring Honor & Glory to Christ. 1 Chronicles 16:29, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” -They Have Changed Lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” -They Live In Submission to the Headship of Christ. Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church : who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

-They Have Holy Spirit Power. Ephesians 5:17-18, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” -Their Families Read the Bible & Pray Together. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” Acts 17:11, “These (The Berean’s) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

-They Are A Joyous People. John 15:11, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” James 1:2, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” -They Love One Another. John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

-They Are Deeply Committed to the Task of World Evangelism. Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” -They Place the Proper Emphasis on the Lord’s Day. Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Three things about a Church of Faith: #1) The Membership of a Believing Church: Believers who live by faith identify with a local body of believers by their church membership. Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” #2) The Motive of a Believing Church: The motive of a believing church is to bring glory to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ. John 15:8, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

#3) The Methods of a Believing Church. The means used to get out the Gospel may change but the Biblical methods never change! We are not to sit around and say we are people of faith; rather we are commanded to go into the highways and hedges and compel sinners to be saved. (See Paul’s example below) Acts 20:17-21, “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:31, “ Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”