(by pastor Norman)

After Jesus’ ascension into heaven there were 120 disciples who made up the early church (Acts 1:15). Jesus had instructed them to teach and preach the gospel of salvation and make disciples (Mark 16:15-18, Matt 28:18-20, Luke 24:47). He promised that their ministry would be accompanied by signs, wonders and miracles (Mark 16:17-18). The gospel is the good news of the life God has for us and how Jesus sacrificed His life so we could be forgiven of sin. As we repent of sin, ask God’s forgiveness and believe in Jesus, He comes and lives in us as the Holy Spirit, bringing the new God kind of life. This is salvation. In the early church they were all filled with the Holy Spirit which was an empowerment, particularly for witnessing (Acts 1:8, 2:3-4). The apostles taught the gospel with boldness (Acts 4:31-33, 5:41-42) and the disciples studied the apostles’ teachings constantly (Acts 2:42) but there were no bibles back then. In the early church there was ongoing fellowship, prayer and praise of God, observance of holy communion, (Acts 2:41,47), a great sense of unity (Acts 2:46, 4:32, 5:12) and a communal sharing of resources and finances such that no one was in need (Acts 2:44-45,4:32,34). Signs, wonders and miracles were experienced (Acts 2:43; 5:12) and people were saved and added to the church daily (Acts 2:47) such that numbers reached 5000 very quickly (Acts 4:4). God never changes (Mal 3:6) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb 13:8; NKJV). As Christians we are a continuance of the early church, let’s follow their example.