the church in action. lesson 6 lesson text—acts 1:14 acts 1:14 these all continued with one accord...

The Church in Action

Lesson 6

Lesson Text—Acts 1:14

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.


Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.


Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.


Acts 5:12And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.


Acts 8:6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.


Acts 15:25It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul.


Acts 17:26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.

Focus Verse—Acts 2:44

Acts 2:44And all that believed were together,

and had all things common.

Focus Thought

Jesus’ disciples united themselves in submission to God, godly

leaders, and each other. Unity preceded the Spirit’s outpouring

and prefaced the church’s subsequent advance and growth.

IntroductionIntroduction

It is indisputable that unity is essential to the well-being and growth of the church, both in the Book of Acts as well as today. Although most people agree about the need for unity, there are many opinions as to how to define or to achieve unity.

IntroductionMany people mistakenly define unity as an emotion or feeling of being included in the group. Some have considered low participation in their particular activity as an indication of poor unity, while high participation is a sign of good unity. This too is an inaccurate portrayal of unity.

IntroductionThe root of the word unity comes from the Latin word unitas, a derivative of the word unus, which means “one.” Other definitions of unity include the following:

Introduction1. The state or quality of being one; singleness2. The state or quality of being in accord; harmony3. The combination or arrangement of parts into a whole; unification4. A combination or union thus formed5. Singleness or constancy of purpose or action; continuity

IntroductionUnity occurs when a collection of parts work together to create a whole unit. A clock exemplifies unity. Hundreds of individual parts operate in conjunction with one another to allow it to function, and yet we see the clock as a single unit.

IntroductionThe Bible begins with the story of Creation. God spoke into existence a universe that portrays perfect unity within the natural world. From vast galaxies to the smallest atom or cell, the universe displays the harmonious working of numerous parts that comprise the whole. The symmetry in art, the harmony in music, and the balance in ecology are all indications of how God has placed unity in the world around us.

IntroductionUnity can be a wonderful force for good; however, unity—as an end within itself—can be evil and destructive. For example, a lynch mob unites to carry out an evil act. The pages of history reveal that Nazi Germany was unified in its destruction of the lives of many innocent people.

IntroductionThe people who built the Tower of Babel had unity, which would have facilitated the achievement of their objectives had God not intervened. God was displeased with their efforts and brought confusion into their languages, which resulted in division.

IntroductionUnity is also a powerful spiritual force, but it too can be either good or bad. When the unified entity does not acknowledge God or lacks biblical truth, the result may be extremely dangerous. When churches or religions discuss setting aside doctrine for the sake of unity, they have stepped into a risky place, for truth is the only basis for godly unity.

IntroductionChurches that suffer from disunity and division should seek to resolve conflicts in a spirit of love and tolerance. A win-lose mind-set should never be a part of the equation. However, the ultimate outcome that resolves any disagreement also must be one that is scripturally sound.

IntroductionIn the Book of Acts, the early church encountered a major disagreement, which they needed to resolve. (See Acts 15.) A major point of contention had arisen in the church over the matter of requiring circumcision for Gentile converts to Christianity, and the early church leaders met to reconcile the matter.

IntroductionJust as today, the brethren expressed differences of opinion that could have threatened unity. After “much disputing” on the issue (Acts 15:7), they did not become fractured or divided. Instead, they heard discussion from all sides of the issue and together reached a consensus that everyone could follow. Unity resulted from agreement on biblical principles.

I. Unity Preceded the Church’s Birth

Unity Preceded the Church’s Birth

Centuries before the Day of Pentecost, David anticipated the need for the church to be of one accord when he observed, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). Likewise, Jesus’ last prayer for the disciples before His crucifixion was for their unity. (See John 17:21-22.)

John 17:21-22 “That they all may be one; as

thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in

us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the

glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may

be one, even as we are one” (John 17:21-22).

I. Unity Preceded the Church’s BirthJesus did not intend for each of His

disciples to establish his own separate church. Rather, His plan was that they would all contribute to His church. Our commission is to enrich His kingdom, not to establish our own. It is not surprising that Jesus saw this need, considering some of the strife the disciples had experienced earlier when they were jockeying for the position of being greatest in the coming kingdom.


Years after Jesus prayed this prayer, Paul encouraged the Philippian church: “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:2-5).


Apparently, the disciples also understood the need to come together. After Jesus’ resurrection, they “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14). This unprecedented measure of unity continued for the next ten days preceding the Day of Pentecost.


When God’s church gathers with one accord in earnest prayer, an outpouring of the Spirit follows. On the Day of Pentecost, the people in the upper room may have expressed prayers in differing ways through their individual personalities, but their focus was the same—the outpouring of the Spirit.


Tremendous power results when people rally behind a united purpose. The Bible declares that God went to investigate the people who were building the Tower of Babel and discovered such unity that He declared nothing would restrain them: “And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (Genesis 11:6).


It is ironic that when the people gathered at the Tower of Babel in unity, great power was the result. However, since they had united without including God, He sent tongues to divide them. On the other hand, when the people united before the Lord on the Day of Pentecost, tongues brought them together.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s Advance

Unity Accompanied the Church’s Advance

“And the multitude of them that believed were of one

heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught

of the things which he possessed was his own; but

they had all things common” (Acts 4:32).

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceThe early church was united and

mobilized with a mission to reach the lost. Realizing that together they could do more than they could accomplish separately, their group identity had become more important than their individual roles. Their unity revolved around a common mission as they worked toward shared goals.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceUnity does not mean everyone doing

the same thing at the same time. Rather, unity is everyone as individuals working together toward a common ideal or goal. Each does his unique job, but all focus on the same united vision.


Wounded in battle, a soldier was ordered to the nearest military hospital. Arriving at the entrance, he saw two doors: one marked, “For Minor Wounds,” and the other, “For Serious Wounds.” He entered the first door and walked down a long hallway. At the end of the hall, he saw two more doors. The first read, “For Officers,” and the other, “For Enlisted Men.” The soldier went through the second door.


Again, he found himself walking down a long hallway with two doors at the end. One read, “For Party Members,” and the other, “For Non-party Members.” The wounded soldier took the second door and found himself back out on the street.When he got back to his unit, his buddies asked, “How’d your trip to the hospital go?”


“The people really didn’t help me much,” he said, “but, man, are they organized!”

The unity of the New Testament believers resulted in great miracles. (See Acts 5:12.)

Acts 5:12

“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders

wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch” (Acts 5:12).


The mission was simple—to seek and to save the lost. Their unity brought great power and attracted many people to the Lord. Not only did a common mission result in unity, but it produced a mobilized ministry to the Lord, to each other, and to lost sinners. Divided churches seldom impact their communities; however, people coming together for evangelism can produce a great harvest of souls.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceNo greater illustration of the

purpose of unity in the church exists than in the analogy to the human body. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul referred to the church as a body. (See I Corinthians 12:12-14; 12:27.)

I Corinthians 12:12-14 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the

members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is

Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,

whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into

one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many”

(I Corinthians 12:12-14).

I Corinthians 12:27

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular”

(I Corinthians 12:27).

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceThe human body consists of many

different parts, each of which fulfills a critical role that serves the rest of the body. In the church, each of us is an individual member, but we are members of one another because we are members of the same body. We cannot all be the same part or be designed for the same purpose. However, we all work to the same end.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceStrife often results when we wonder

why others are not more like we are. Unity begins, however, when we celebrate our differences and combine them to achieve greater things than we could achieve by ourselves. Paul admonished the Ephesian church to strive for unity: “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceIt is interesting that he used the

phrase “endeavoring to keep,” which denotes an ongoing attempt to maintain a particular attitude or spirit. For any organization or group to have unity, each person within that entity should manifest an ongoing desire for it to continue.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceThe church was created with no

barriers of race, gender, or social status. Paul declared that God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). A continual quarreling and upheaval exist in our world regarding the things that make people different.


However, we should leave those things behind after experiencing the new birth. J. L. Hall wrote: “When we came into the church we left a world filled with division and dissension over nationality, race, religion, politics, personal and cultural values. In the church, we become one people in Christ. While we still live in nations with political, racial, and value conflicts, we must not be caught up with the spirit and behavior of the unsaved around us.

II. Unity Accompanied the Church’s AdvanceWe are to be lights in a dark world, a

city set on a hill to show the glory of God to all the world” (The Pentecostal Herald, August 1996, pp. 6, 8).

A. Ministry to the Saints A. Ministry to the Saints

A unified church understands its responsibility of ministry to its members. Just as pain in any part of our human bodies affects the entire body, so it is within the church. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (I Corinthians 12:26).

A. Ministry to the Saints Thus, we feel each other’s pain if we are properly connected to the body. Because we truly care for one another, we will share each other’s joy, sorrow, heartaches, and disappointments.

A. Ministry to the Saints A few years ago during the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants—all physically or mentally challenged—assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the sound of the starting gun they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with the relish to run the race to the finish and win.

A. Ministry to the Saints All, that is, except one boy who stumbled. He tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and paused. Then they all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with Down syndrome bent down and kissed the boy and said, “This will make it better.” Then all nine of them linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for ten solid minutes.

A. Ministry to the Saints They all had the same heart and they knew that the goal was to win, but the greater goal was to cross the finish together without leaving anyone behind, hurt and alone.

A. Ministry to the Saints The key to feeling and doing better is to help other parts of the body to become better. Zig Ziglar observed, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

A. Ministry to the Saints Nancy Ortberg shared a story of how her daughter’s concern for the wider church community spoke a word of conviction into Nancy’s own heart:

A. Ministry to the Saints “One evening, my oldest daughter came home from a Sunday evening worship service. She had been deeply affected by the experience and in response had written on a piece of paper, ‘Help me not to be okay just because everything is okay with me.

A. Ministry to the Saints I was so moved by what she wrote that I tacked that piece of paper up on our corkboard in the kitchen as a reminder that in community it is always we. In community, if someone else is not okay, then to some degree, I am not okay” (Nancy Ortberg, Looking for God, Tyndale, 2008, p. 31).

B. Ministry to SinnersB. Ministry to Sinners

A church unified around the mission of evangelism naturally becomes a growing, thriving church. Evangelism and unity go hand in hand, and it is nearly impossible to sustain one without the other. When church members work together, the body of Christ will effectively reach out to unbelievers with the gospel.

B. Ministry to SinnersEvangelism is difficult work, and it requires the concentrated effort of many people with differing roles: intercessors, teachers, outreach workers, preachers, altar workers, mentors, and disciple makers.

B. Ministry to SinnersAlthough these roles usually overlap, they are most effectively done by more than one person. When a sinner comes into a unified congregation, it will be noticeable in every aspect: worship, fellowship, service, and prayer. Likewise, a divided church will likely drive away unbelievers who quickly sense the strife.

C. Ministry of Conquering Satan and His Kingdom

C. Ministry of Conquering Satan and His Kingdom

Whenever the church is portrayed in the battle against Satan and his kingdom, it is shown collectively, not as individual members. By ourselves, we are a poor match against the devil and his forces. However, the church as a unit is unstoppable. Jesus referred to this when He told the disciples, “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

C. Ministry of Conquering Satan and His Kingdom A gate is part of a city’s defense that is intended to keep out an army of intruders. In the analogy of Matthew 16:18, the church is the mighty army that hell cannot keep out.

C. Ministry of Conquering Satan and His Kingdom One of the first priorities in an effective military program is to establish absolute unity. The soldier is knit together with the others in his unit, and they rally around their commanders. Disorder and disunity in an army is the recipe for disaster and defeat. Likewise, a church without order and unity is bound for disaster while a unified church that rallies around the Great Commander is unstoppable. Satan understands this, which is why he seeks to sow discord and effectively stop the church from achieving victory.

Reflections

Jesus’ disciples united themselves in submission to God, to godly leaders, and to each other. Unity preceded the Spirit’s outpouring and prefaced the church’s subsequent advance and growth. The driving force of unity was a common mission, which led to shared ministry goals.

ReflectionsWord Aflame Publications Editor Richard M. Davis wrote, “It is important to understand, however, that talking about unity and possessing it are distinctly separate. Talking about having unity does not guarantee its existence. Further, there is a point where talking about having unity—no matter how positive we are trying to be—becomes empty rhetoric when unity simply does not exist.

ReflectionsWe cannot talk ourselves into a position of unity; it comes only through reaching agreement through persevering prayer, tolerance for differences, and love, preferring our brethren before ourselves. Jesus Christ modeled this holy attitude of love through the Cross, not doing what was expedient for Himself, but doing what was vital to the salvation of humanity. And He wants us to exhibit the same attitude of unifying love”.

ReflectionsWhen the church is unified, we celebrate the abilities of all parts of the body, and the Spirit cares for the needs of every member of the body. Only a unified church can effectively reach the lost and overcome the powerful forces of Satan at work in our world. A unified church, with Christ at the helm, is unstoppable.

the church in action. lesson 6 lesson text—acts 1:14 acts 1:14 these all continued with one accord...

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