THE APOSTLE’S DOCTRINE

Acts 2:41,42 – Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Things happened suddenly and spontaneously after the Holy Spirit had fallen on the 120 believers gathered in the upper room that Sunday. You would have to say that this was the very first Sunday morning service, the church had now been born. Like usual Peter found himself thrown into the deep end of the pool trying to sort things out, thankfully he was not left to it all alone, the Comforter had come. Many thousands of people opened their hearts to the Lord that day. Of all the things the disciples had witnessed in the last three years this was the greatest, the greater works that Jesus had spoken of barely fifty days ago were shockingly and suddenly coming to pass.

As the multitudes found themselves starting a brand new life they too were treading in places no one had every seen before. The choices they made by the leading of the Spirit were essential. One of those choices was to devote themselves to the apostle’s doctrine. The teaching of the apostle’s became critical, apparently this is what was taught as they gathered throughout Jerusalem in private homes. Continuing in the apostle’s doctrine is critical for us today. It gives us a solid foundation to help us navigate the power of the Holy Spirit and His new world. Here is how J. Gresham Machen describes this.

“Peter had not had the advantage of modern religious education. He had to content himself with another advantage—he had just been filled with the Holy Spirit. The result is that his sermon is doctrinal through and through. He just gave them the facts about Jesus. Not a bit of exhortation, nothing about a program. Just facts, facts, facts, doctrine, doctrine, doctrine. What was the result? They were pricked in their hearts. Then Peter told them what to do. Three thousand were saved. So it is everywhere in the Bible, my friends. First doctrine, then life.”

Many today have replaced basic Christian doctrine with some version of self helps and improvement teaching. It’s important to teach the scripture and dig into it in our church gatherings. Continuing in the Apostle’s doctrine is critical for us today.