使徒行传2:42-47
恩惠、平安从教会的主，基督归于你们同为教会成员，同为基督身体一部分的人。阿们。
今天的讲道经文很短，但信息量很大，因为这段经文是对基督徒教会生活的概括性描述。要做基督徒，就一定有教会生活，我们之前多次强调，没有所谓离开教会而单独存在的基督徒，这是我们这个时代个人主义盛行对教会和基督徒的影响所带来的错误认识。“信的人都在一处……主将得救的人天天加给他们。”（徒2:44，47）这不仅仅是一个描述，好像可有可无的，好像不在一处也行；和合本说都在“一处”，这个很容易理解，因为信徒聚会总要有一个地方；但后面“天天加给他们”，这个“他们”的原文跟“一处”是同一个词，而且都是单数，你可以说是归于一，完全的、不可分割的一体。我们不是在信经里面宣认“我信圣徒一体”吗？就是这个意思。
那么，教会唯一的主，就是基督，如何招聚我们在一处呢？如何使得救的人天天加给我们呢？首先，这个“一处”不仅是指空间或地方，更是指属灵层面的合一于基督，连于基督。主耶稣用的是祂的话语，祂的道，也就是今天经文所说的“使徒的教训”。路加在给我们这一段关于教会生活的概括性描述之前，提到彼得以及其他使徒是如何藉着传道，让三千人受洗归主的。主耶稣在大使命的经文，马太福音末尾里面也指出，叫人做他门徒的方法乃是：“凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守”，当然与这教训并列的就是施洗，其实两者是同一个事情，一个整体，可以说，洗礼就是福音或主的教训的实现。
而信徒，信了的人过教会生活的最重要、也是处在第一位的事情，就是听道，遵守主的道，“都恒心遵守使徒的教训”。弟兄姐妹们，我们的理性主义思维很容易欺骗我们，让我们误以为我们聚会时牧师讲的道或者我们一起宣信的信经是人的东西，是不纯正的，不全是神的道。这是错误的认识和想法。因为教会所信和宣扬的道，都只能是主自己的、并且藉着使徒们传下来的道，并且我们有圣经，特别是新约作见证。彼得前书4:11也吩咐说，“若有讲道的，要按着神的圣言讲。”保罗劝勉提多也说，“你所讲的总要合乎那纯正的道理。”（多2:1）再有，保罗劝勉提摩太，“提摩太啊，你要保守所托付你的”（提前6:20）。这个“托付的东西”就是使徒的教训，保罗在提摩太后书称之为“纯正话语的规模”。“你从我听的那纯正话语的规模，要用在基督耶稣里的信心和爱心，常常守着。从前所交托你的善道，你要靠着那住在我们里面的圣灵牢牢地守着。”（提后1:13-14）
你可能会问，牧师传道人讲道不得用自己的话讲解吗？那肯定有人的东西在里面，肯定不百分之百是主的话语。考虑到有这么多不同的教派和对圣经的解释，那我们的教会里面，或者说没有任何一间教会可以称得上是完全遵照主的话语讲的。这是错误的认识。我们何不推论说，既然有争辩和纷争，那就说明圣经说的，主吩咐我们的都是对的，教会一定可以宣认和传讲百分之百主的道，就是纯正的话语规模（简称为“纯正的教义”），那怕地上的教会仍然会遭遇魔鬼的欺骗，许多假教师、虚假道理的引诱和蒙蔽。
因此，我们的基督徒信仰不是个人的信仰，或者个人的见解，而是教会的信仰，“独一圣洁和大公的教会”的信仰，就像我们在使徒信经中所宣认的那样。正是因为我们拥有同一个“使徒的教训”，而不是我们自己的教训，所以，我们可以“天天同心合意地”、“恒切地”聚会。弟兄姐妹们，在这个越来越分裂、处处都是争斗和分门别派的社会中和媒体熏陶之下，还有什么东西能够让一群人同心合意呢？我们在基督里面的，是不一样的一群人，因为我们的“同心合意”是基于从天上来的救恩，救主耶稣，上帝的儿子亲自向我们传讲的天国福音，也是藉着使徒忠信纯正地交托给教会，传承给我们的教训。我们已经信从主的道，接纳耶稣为救主的人，是已经成为上帝的儿女，是重生了的，心思意念被更新了的人。我们思想的角度都不再是地上属世的，而是属天的。我们是以属天的身份过地上的生活。而不是相反，好像我们可以以属世的、属邪情私欲的心思意念和态度来过属天的生活——这是不可能的。
我们说完了这教会生活的第一部分，就是神的话语和教训的宣讲以及信靠；那教会生活的第二部分，紧挨主的道的是什么呢？就是圣礼的生活，他们“彼此交接，擘饼，祈祷。”这个“彼此交接”就是我们信经里面所宣认的“圣徒一体”或者说“圣徒相通共融”。这不仅是指我们属灵层面的一体，也是围绕着擘饼，即基督的身体和血，圣餐礼来实现。这样围绕圣餐礼圣徒可以相通团契，因为基督亲自降临在圣餐礼中，赐给我们赦罪和生命。我们也在其中献上感谢赞美和祈祷的祭。
正是在这样的教会生活中，被主的道不断更新和赦免的聚会中，“众人都惧怕”。他们惧怕不是害怕神的审判和定罪，而是一种合宜的敬畏之心，敬畏神是一切智慧的开端。你也可以翻译成“众人都敬畏”，一种健康的“惧怕”态度。标准译本说，“每个人都起了敬畏之心。”我们怎能不敬畏呢？因为上帝藉着祂的话语和圣礼，就临在我们中间，祂与我们同在，把天堂的门为我们敞开，此时此刻，我们就是与天使和天上的众圣徒一起围绕着主的宝座敬拜祂，领受羔羊的血，献上祷告和赞美。使徒们行了许多神迹奇事，更让信徒们明白，神就在他们中间。
正因为他们得了主的救恩，得了新的生命和永恒的盼望，他们就彼此分享所有的产业。“凡物公用，并且卖了田产、家业，照各人所需要的分给个人。”（徒2:44-45）这是多么美好的在地如在天的画面。他们变卖一切，不是因为明天末日就要到了，而是因着主的爱，因为他们共同的信仰和盼望，他们就不再考虑自己的快乐，而是要一起欢喜快乐，“存着欢喜、诚实的心用饭”。我们从国内来的对这样乌托邦的共产现象非常警惕，但事实上，这就是真实的教会生活，或者说，是教会生活的高光时刻，高光景象。他们想都没想，就把自己的奉献出来，“照各人所需用的分给各人”，看起来没有人出于贪婪而多拿，也没有人为了公平和避免养懒人而拒绝这样的“凡物公用”。他们的心此刻是单纯和火热的。存着“欢喜、诚实的心”，其中的“诚实”一词也可以翻译成“单纯、没有杂念”，就是毫不沾染世俗的经济思维，不受罪性的捆绑，也不考虑任何预防措施。
这样的单纯、不分心的爱和心思都是朝向天国和救主自己，那位丰丰富富供应我们的创造者和救赎者。你知道共产主义的根本问题出在哪里吗？就是不带着基督信仰和信心去模仿基督徒的教会生活。但我们因着信，就领受了神的国，就知道一切是神的恩典，就看见这样真实的、美好的教会生活。或许我们达不到路加给我们描述的这完美和谐的教会生活场景，因为罪总是在作怪，在拆毁我们的生命、拆毁教会的生活，就像我们也看到的那样，使徒行传后面并没有告诉我们教会一直这样下去，有很多问题需要解决，尤其是有人欺哄教会、欺哄圣灵说自己全都奉献了所卖的款项。那怕我们并不总是体验到这样完美的教会生活，但我们总是可以回到起初的信心和爱心，因为我们加入教会是凭着信心，过教会生活的根本也是信心，是信心让我们知道教会是圣洁的——不是我们多么完美，而是教会的主基督把教会洗净、分别为圣属于祂，“我信圣而公之教会。”
是的，神没有吩咐他们这样“凡物公用”，信徒都是出于单纯的爱自发地这样做的。路加也把这个场景记载给我们，让我们一瞥天国荣耀和教会生活的本质。但是，我们基督徒蒙召，是要彼此照顾，彼此担当重担，爱弟兄没有虚假，爱他人如同爱自己，谁的腿痒了，胳膊不会去挠一下呢？谁的脚瘸了，不会手扶拐杖行路呢？我们是同为基督的身体，互相联络，彼此交接，过教会的生活。如果我们这样，教会在社区当中的见证会是多么大啊。门徒们赞美神，也“得众民的喜爱”。不是吗？愿我们从这共融相通的圣餐礼中学习主的大爱，并且以这样的爱关心肢体，身边其他的基督徒，甚至身边不信的人。也叫众人看见我们的好行为就归荣耀给神，或许他们也因此被吸引来认识真理，得着救恩。奉主耶稣的名。阿们。
Acts 2:42-47
Grace and peace be to you from Christ, the Lord of the church, to you who are fellow members of the church and part of the body of Christ. Amen.
Today’s sermon text is brief but packed with information, as this passage provides a summary description of the life of the Christian church. To be a Christian is to have a church life. As we have emphasized many times before, there is no such thing as a Christian who exists apart from the church. This is a misconception brought about by the influence of rampant individualism in our era upon the church and its believers. "And all who believed were together... And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:44, 47). This is not merely an optional description, as if being "together" were unnecessary; the Chinese Union Version says they were in "one place" (yi chu), which is easy to understand because believers must have a place to gather. However, in the phrase "added to them daily," the original word for "them" is the same as "one place," and both are singular. You could say they are gathered into one—a complete, indivisible unity. Do we not confess in the Creed, "I believe in the communion of saints"? This is exactly what it means.
So, how does Christ, the sole Lord of the church, gather us into one place? How does He add those being saved to us daily? First, this "one place" refers not only to space or location but more importantly to a spiritual unity in Christ, being connected to Him. The Lord Jesus uses His Word—His Logos—which today’s text calls "the apostles' teaching." Before Luke gives us this summary of church life, he mentions how Peter and the other apostles, through preaching, led three thousand people to be baptized and join the Lord. In the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, Lord Jesus also points out that the method for making disciples is: "teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Of course, baptism is listed alongside this teaching; in fact, the two are one matter, a whole. One could say that baptism is the realization of the Gospel or the Lord’s teaching.
For the believer, the most important and primary thing in living a church life is hearing the Word and obeying the Lord’s way: "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching." Brothers and sisters, our rationalistic thinking easily deceives us, leading us to wrongly believe that the sermons preached by the pastor or the creeds we profess together are merely human things—impure and not entirely the Word of God. This is an error. The Word that the church believes and proclaims can only be the Lord’s own Word, handed down through the apostles, and we have the Scriptures, especially the New Testament, as witness. 1 Peter 4:11 commands, "whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God." Paul also exhorted Titus, "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1). Furthermore, Paul exhorted Timothy, "O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you" (1 Timothy 6:20). This "entrusted thing" is the apostles' teaching, which Paul calls in 2 Timothy the "pattern of sound words." "Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you" (2 Timothy 1:13-14).
You might ask: "Mustn't a pastor use his own words to explain the message? Surely there is human element in it; surely it isn't 100% the Lord's Word." Considering there are so many different denominations and interpretations of the Bible, one might think no church can claim to speak entirely according to the Lord’s Word. This is a misunderstanding. Why not conclude instead that since there are disputes and divisions, it proves what the Bible says and what the Lord commands is true? The church certainly can confess and preach 100% of the Lord's Word—the pattern of sound words (simply called "pure doctrine")—even if the earthly church still encounters the deception of the devil and the allure of many false teachers and false doctrines.
Therefore, our Christian faith is not a personal faith or a private opinion, but the faith of the Church—the "one holy catholic and apostolic Church," just as we confess in the Apostles' Creed. It is precisely because we possess the same "apostles' teaching" rather than our own that we can meet "day by day... with one accord" and "steadfastly."
Brothers and sisters, in this society and media environment that is increasingly divided and full of strife and factions, what else can make a group of people be of one accord? We who are in Christ are a different kind of people, because our "one accord" is based on the salvation that comes from heaven—the Gospel of the Kingdom preached to us by the Savior Jesus, the Son of God Himself, and faithfully and purely entrusted to the church through the apostles' teaching. We who have believed the Lord’s Word and accepted Jesus as Savior are already children of God; we are born again, with minds and hearts renewed. Our perspective is no longer earthly but heavenly. We live our earthly lives with a heavenly identity. It is not the other way around, as if we could live a heavenly life with earthly, sinful desires and attitudes—that is impossible.
Having spoken of the first part of church life—the proclamation of and trust in God’s Word—what is the second part that closely follows the Lord’s Word? It is the sacramental life: they devoted themselves to "the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." This "fellowship" (koinonia) is what we confess in the Creed as the "communion of saints." This refers not only to our spiritual unity but is realized around the breaking of bread—the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper. In this way, believers have fellowship around the Eucharist, because Christ Himself descends in the Sacrament to give us forgiveness and life. There, we also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, praise, and prayer.
It is in such a church life, in a gathering constantly renewed and forgiven by the Lord’s Word, that "awe/fear came upon every soul." Their "fear" was not a terror of God’s judgment or condemnation, but a proper awe—the fear of God that is the beginning of all wisdom. You could also translate it as "everyone felt a sense of reverence." A healthy attitude of "fear." The Standard Chinese Version says, "awe came upon every soul." How can we not be in awe? For God, through His Word and Sacraments, is present among us. He is with us, opening the gates of heaven for us. At this moment, we worship Him around His throne together with the angels and all the saints in heaven, receiving the blood of the Lamb and offering prayer and praise. The many wonders and signs performed by the apostles further helped the believers understand that God was indeed in their midst.
Because they had received the Lord’s salvation, new life, and eternal hope, they shared all their possessions. "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need" (Acts 2:44-45). What a beautiful picture of "on earth as it is in heaven." They sold everything not because the world was ending tomorrow, but because of the Lord’s love.
Because of their common faith and hope, they no longer considered their own pleasure but rejoiced together, "receiving their food with glad and generous hearts." Those of us from [Mainland China] are very wary of such "utopian communist" phenomena, but in reality, this is true church life—or rather, a "highlight" moment of church life.
Without a second thought, they offered what they had, "distributing to all as any had need." It seems no one took more out of greed, and no one rejected this "commonality" for the sake of "fairness" or to avoid "enabling the lazy." Their hearts at that moment were simple and fervent. With "glad and sincere hearts"—the word "sincere" (or "honest") can also be translated as "simple, without distraction," meaning entirely untainted by worldly economic logic, unbound by sin, and without considering any "precautionary measures."
Such simple, undivided love and focus are directed toward the Kingdom and the Savior Himself—the Creator and Redeemer who provides for us abundantly. Do you know where the fundamental problem of Communism lies? It is in attempting to imitate the church life of Christians without Christian faith.
But through faith, we receive the Kingdom of God; we know that everything is God’s grace, and we see this true and beautiful church life. Perhaps we cannot reach the level of perfect harmony Luke describes because sin is always at work, tearing down our lives and the life of the church—just as we see later in Acts, which tells us the church did not stay this way forever. There were many problems to solve, especially when people tried to deceive the church and the Holy Spirit by lying about their offerings.
Even if we do not always experience such perfect church life, we can always return to our first faith and love. For we join the church by faith, and the foundation of living a church life is faith. It is faith that lets us know the church is holy—not because we are perfect, but because Christ, the Lord of the church, has washed the church and set her apart as His own. "I believe in the holy Christian Church."
Yes, God did not command them to have "all things in common" like this; the believers did it spontaneously out of pure love. Luke recorded this scene for us to give us a glimpse of the glory of the Kingdom and the essence of church life. However, we Christians are called to care for one another, to bear one another’s burdens, to love our brothers without hypocrisy, and to love others as ourselves. If someone’s leg itches, won't the arm scratch it? If someone’s foot is lame, won't the hand hold a staff to help them walk?
We are together the body of Christ, joined to one another, in fellowship, living the life of the church. If we live this way, how great the church's witness in the community would be! The disciples praised God and had "favor with all the people." Is it not so? May we learn the Lord’s great love from this communion of the Holy Supper, and with such love, care for the members of the body—the other Christians around us—and even those who do not believe. May others see our good works and give glory to God, and perhaps they too will be drawn to know the truth and receive salvation. In the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.