And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Acts 2:44-45

The church in the book of Acts lived under the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were united under the risen Lord, living as one body, and having all things in common. No one considered possessions as their own- instead, believers voluntarily gave up all they had to be able to share with anyone in need. How is this possible? The zeitgeist of individualism in today’s age might dismiss these verses as archaic and radical, but the gospel makes all things possible today, just as it did then. We continue our study in Acts to see how this incredible selflessness and love in the church were in fact the practical impacts of Jesus’ resurrection.

The church became one family by Jesus’ resurrection. Those who believe in Jesus’ resurrection become a part of the household of God. We have all been born again of God, adopted into His family through the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have one Father, whose will we obey to love one another. (Jn 20:17-18)

By Jesus’ resurrection we practice self-denial. Self-denial is more than mere discipline- it is the evidence of your salvation. (Matt 16:24) Self-denial is tested during the times we get offended, hurt, and angry. Without denying self, forgiving others is impossible. How do you know you’re saved and forgiven? By forgiving. Those who are forgiven will forgive. It is possible only in Christ. As we deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus, we will experience true fellowship with Him as we share all things with Him. (Eph 4:32; Jn 17:10)

Under the resurrection we become one body. Divisions, factions, and partiality will arise within the church when the resurrection is not central to every member’s life. We must understand that we are one body- if one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1Cor 12:26)

The church under Jesus’ resurrection lives sacrificially. No one in the early church was poor, because everyone practiced their faith sacrificially towards one another. God created sound doctrine to be applied and practiced, so that faith might be perfected by works. (James 2:22) A faith that is not practiced towards others is an incomplete faith- it is the type of faith Jesus hated. (Matt 23:23) The church followed Jesus’ example as their living head. (1Jn 3:16) They constantly pursued holiness and godliness, treasuring the kingdom of God above all else. (Matt 15:44-46) These believers were heavenly people, whose hope and citizenship were in heaven. (Phil 3:20) They knew how to spend their money wisely as faithful stewards of God, because they understood what was truly valuable. Nothing compared to Christ. (Matt 6:19-21)

Moreover, the early church knew how to be content. Though they were in need, they were confident, faithful, and sacrificial towards others because Jesus was Lord of all. In Him, they had all things- it was simply a matter of God’s provision. These believers were truly converted, because they practiced their love and faith in Christ towards the church. They had peace in their heart- a peace not dependent on circumstances, but on their eternal relationship with the risen Lord. If the resurrection is real, what else matters in this world? What is more valuable than having peace with God? It is the risen Lord Jesus Christ who has made peace between us and God. (Jn 20:19) Let us therefore ponder the ways of the early church, and live out the same faith that we confess, practicing the lordship of Christ in every area of our lives.

A gospel without the resurrection is an incomplete gospel. If Christ were not raised, our faith would be worthless, and we would still be in our sins. (1Cor 15:17) Jesus’ resurrection is the ringing culmination of God’s salvation, but far too often we fail to understand its impact on our everyday life. If you desire to live a triumphant life, you must live centered on the resurrection. It is practical, victorious, and working in the church today.

How does Jesus’ resurrection impact us?

The church’s faith endures. (And all those who had believed…v. 44) Faith rooted in Jesus’ resurrection will be victorious. The early church in the book of Acts didn’t merely endure persecution, but they grew stronger in faith because they were fixed on the risen Lord. (Acts 4:19-20) Though most believers in the early church of Acts did not physically witness Jesus’ resurrection, their faith did not differ from that of the apostles, because their conviction did not depend on sight, but on the gospel. How did the early church have this kind of faith? When we trace back to their conversion after hearing Peter’s sermon, we see that they repented. Repentance is not by man’s effort- it is not an attempt to be sad and sorry over sin. Repentance is a gift from God, effected by the Holy Spirit. True repentance will not leave a man to continually love sin more than Christ. The early believers believed they singlehandedly killed Jesus Christ, crying out, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:36-37)

Upon repenting, the church in Acts believed Jesus in their heart. The resurrection was more real and tangible to them than anything in the world. (Rom 10:9) Since they were now one with Christ by His substitutionary death and resurrection, they willingly denied themselves, choosing to faithfully walk the same path of Christ’s sufferings and persecution. They believed that Christ would be the ultimate Judge of all men, because God raised Him from the dead. (Acts 17:31) The empty tomb is the sure proof for our faith today. Our faith is not sustained by our own will and effort, but by the power of God. (2Cor 4:7-9) We live in the presence of the risen Lord- He is our strength and motivation to live faithfully until the end. (Phil 3:12; 2Tim 4:1,7)

The church was formed by the resurrection. (And all those who had believed were together…v.44) The first church began in the Book of Acts after Jesus was resurrected. The church is God’s most precious gift on earth for the believer, wholly planned and built by God. (1Pet 1:12) Man himself can not subjectively define the church. The Bible never refers to the church as an individual or a household, but it is a body of believers who devote themselves to God’s Word, fellowship, Communion, and prayer. (Acts 2:42) The church is where Jesus’ resurrection is central; it is the salt and light of the earth, commissioned by God to point this dying world to Christ. (Acts 2:13-14,23-24) Every believer is fully equipped to reach the lost. The gospel message that has saved you is the power of God that can save anyone, because Jesus is Lord over the living and the dead.

Healing. After healing the beggar who was lame from birth, Peter proclaimed it was by faith in Jesus that gave the man perfect health. (Acts 3:16) The gospel can heal anyone. It breaks the power of sin, changes the course of death, and makes us wholly new. Even if a man does not get cured of his physical illness, the gospel heals his perspective on all things- God, man, life, death. Only the gospel can penetrate and permeate the soul of man, making him to be in perfect health.

We can have victorious lives. Believers persevere by the power of the gospel. (2Cor 4:7-9) No man apart from Christ is able live victoriously over sin and death- only Christians are able to forgive because they have been forgiven; they are able to overcome evil with good, because the risen Lord lives in them. We are kept by God’s power, and our victory is won through Him.

Salvation. Salvation is the wonder of all wonders. God owed nothing to man- all have sinned, and earned eternal punishment in hell. Our spiritual death was as final as a physical death- there was no way to make ourselves right with God. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace we have been saved. (Eph 2:3-5) This wondrous salvation is truly the greatest miracle of all.

The church today has the same Scripture, same Spirit, same God. We fail to experience the wonders of Christ because of little trust in His Word. Distrust begets little prayer, which begets little obedience. We must trust the Lord with bold faith, depending on Him through prayer. As we obey Him, all things will be possible because of our risen Lord.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the primary proof of God’s existence, Jesus’ deity, and the infallibility of Scripture. God raised Jesus up from the dead to show all men that He is the Messiah who came to save His people from their sin. (Acts 17:31) Christians do not live in blind belief- we have the evidence of the resurrection that solidifies our faith in Jesus Christ. He lived on earth to fulfill all righteousness, He died on a cross to bear the judgment for our sin, and He was risen from the dead to become our eternal Lord and Savior.

In Acts 2, Peter preached to a crowd of Israelites of their guilt in crucifying the Son of God. By the Holy Spirit, they were stripped bare before the Word of God, pierced to the heart, and completely convicted of their sin. Hopeless in guilt, they cried out, “What shall we do?” to which Peter answered, “Repent.” (Acts 2:37-38) We are in the same situation as these Israelites. We have crucified Jesus with our sin- our sin of unbelief. We’ve rejected Jesus as Lord so that we can be lord over our own lives apart from God. (Jn 16:9) Peter’s admonishment to his hearers is meant for us as well. We must repent of our unbelief and believe in Jesus Christ in our hearts. The Lord is merciful. The Holy Spirit helps us see that Jesus is the incomparably precious treasure worth more than anything in the world. (Matt 13:44) He is God incarnate, who came to die for our sins, and be raised for our justification. The gospel is the believer’s power, because it is the power of God for salvation. To believe in Jesus in your heart is to love Him. Our love for the risen Lord causes us to see the world for what it is, in its darkness and sin. Our hope is no longer in the world, but in Christ alone.

Those who were converted by the Holy Spirit after hearing Peter’s message became the first church in the book of Acts. They lived by the grace of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, set apart from the world. (2Cor 2:15; 1Cor 1:2) In the midst of persecution, believers renounced their lives by being baptized, publicly confessing faith in Jesus Christ. They continually devoted themselves to gathering together with fellow believers. This must be evident in the church today. True believers desire to gather together to experience fellowship, teaching, breaking of bread, and prayer. To the Christian, there is nothing in the world that can compare to these things. We are a people who have been called out by God to be His heavenly family. (Matt 12:50) We are the living church, and Christ is the head who leads us as our loving Shepherd. (Col 1:18) God has chosen each individual to be a member of His church. There is no one who is insignificant, but each member is essential to one another to grow as the body of Christ.

Love for the church is the first sign of those who have been born again in the risen Lord. Do you have a constant desire to come together with fellow believers? Let us examine ourselves, repent, and renew our devotion to the risen Lord and His church.

The early church in the book of Acts overcame the threat of death by living in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection every day. Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and He was buried and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1Cor 15:3-4) The church held fast to this one supreme miracle that proved God was with us- the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ resurrection is an actual historical event. The infallible and inerrant Word of God testifies of it, and includes the fact that He appeared to more than 500 of His followers after His resurrection. (1Cor 15:4-6) By His resurrection, Jesus overcame man’s most dire plight- death. God’s infinite power is at work in the resurrection, giving believers final victory over the sting of death, and anchoring us to a sure hope in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. (2Cor 4:4; 1Cor 15:56-57) Why then, do so many Christians live unaffected by Jesus’ resurrection? It is because Satan will do whatever it takes to blind us from seeing the glory of God in Jesus’ resurrection. Therefore, based on this excerpt in Acts 2, before seeking to learn how to live in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection, there are necessary conditions that must first occur in each and every man and woman.

You must be converted. You must be saved according to the Scriptures. In his message to the crowd in Acts 2, Peter preached of the risen Lord and Christ- this Jesus, whom they crucified. He pointedly accused his hearers of killing Jesus, though the crowd was not the actual ones who nailed Jesus to the cross. But Peter was showing that all men are murderers of Christ because of their sin. Unless you realize that your sin nailed Jesus to the cross, you will remain blind to the gospel. Sin is to consider yourself lord over your own life. It is to hate Jesus’ reign; it is to reject Him so that you can preserve your self-centered, self-righteous life. Peter preaches of this Jesus, whom you crucified.

You must repent. The crowd heard Peter’s words and realized they rejected the only way God had provided for salvation. They were convicted; pierced to the heart by the gospel message. They therefore cried out, “What shall we do?” This is a true sign of impending conversion. It is only by an understanding of sin, that one can cry out to God. “Lord, what shall I do?” Peter answers, repent. Repentance is a thorough change of man’s natural heart. It can only be done when the Holy Spirit changes our hearts, helping us see how lost we are; how completely hopeless we are without God. We have tried so many ways to mend our lives and do good, but it has led to nothing but failure and guilt. Repentance is to turn to God in your heart, acknowledging His Word to be true. It is to confess Jesus as Lord, and to believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. It leads to faith and love for the risen Christ, who came to die for our sins, and was raised to make us perfectly righteous before God. (Rom 10:9)

You must be baptized. Baptism itself does not save- it is a symbol of inner faith in one who has been saved by God; a public confession that you have died with Christ in His death, and are raised with Him in His resurrection. (Col 2:12) The sign of true conversion is obedience, and baptism is the first command we must obey. When a person is converted by the Holy Spirit, he begins to see God and himself as never before. Many try to effect salvation on themselves through their own efforts, but they still remain in the bondage of sin. God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to work a genuine conversion in our hearts. (Jn 14:26) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus- He dwells within us. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is now in us, decimating the sin of unbelief in our hearts, and convincing us of our true repentance and baptism. All sin comes from the sinful root of unbelief. Even believers practice unbelief. To believe in Christ is to walk with Him in all our ways, but believers often try to break away from Jesus, or they try to lead Jesus by their own desires and situations. They restrict Jesus’ lordship in certain areas of their lives- they refuse to surrender to Christ. This is why we need the Holy Spirit. He helps us to surrender to Jesus as Lord, and to love Him above any other. (1Cor 12:2-3)

The Holy Spirit separates us from the world. This is evident in every true Christian. If there is no clear distinction between you and the world, you are not saved. Salvation is a supernatural work- it is not by human will or effort. God changes our hearts to hate the world, and to hate our old life of sin. You can not love the world and love the Lord- the Bible declares this impossible. All that is in the world- the lust of the flesh and the eyes, and the boastful pride of life- is not from God; it is from the world. (1Jn 2:16) True salvation frees us from self- in other words, it makes us selfless. We now live by the Word of God and see all things through the lens of Jesus Christ, our risen Savior and Lord. His Word is sufficient for everything. By His Word, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to repent and be baptized, and by His Word, He will guide to live in the light and power of Jesus’s resurrection.

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31

If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… Romans 10:9

When Apostle Paul found himself in the city of Athens, he was exceedingly provoked by the city’s rampant idolatry and paganism. He could see that the Athenians desired to know the true and living God, but they sought truth in the darkness of their own ignorance. Stirring with conviction, Paul proclaimed that Jesus was the “unknown god” they sought to worship, and His resurrection was the ultimate proof that He was the Christ whom God had appointed to be the coming Judge, Savior, and Lord of all.

It is not a far-fetched idea to liken modern day Americans with the ancient Athenians. Millennials can often be dismissed as progressively secular and worldly, but it is apparent that a desperate desire for spiritual truth and peace moves this current generation to seek them through philosophy, knowledge, or New Age ideas. (Acts 17:22) Paul’s message to the Athenians is the same message the world needs today- God is now declaring all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world through Jesus Christ, whom He has raised from the dead as proof to the world that Jesus is the true and living God.

No miracle compares to Jesus’ bodily resurrection. In it, God’s supreme power is displayed, and this power- the Holy Spirit- dwells within those who are united to Christ by faith. The resurrection is the proof of who God declares Jesus to be, and it is the proof of our salvation in Christ. Many have been historically crucified, but only One was raised from the dead. Do you believe in Him? Paul writes, if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. What does it mean to confess? Paul wrote these words in a day when Christianity was despised in the world. It was a great cost to publicly confess Jesus as Lord. Doing so endangered all your possessions, and even your life. Christians expected to be hated for the sake of Jesus. In America today, our faith is not tested with the kind of persecution the early church faced. It is all the more reason to seriously consider and examine the genuineness of your faith. Before God, secret faith equates to no faith.

We confess Jesus as Lord. He is the image of the invisible God, through whom all things were made, and who is exalted above every name to receive worship, honor and glory forever. (Col 1:16-18, Jn 1:1-4; Phil 2:8-11) To confess Jesus as Lord is to say He is in charge of everything you possess, including your very life. When hard situations arise, who leads- you, or Jesus? To confess Jesus as Lord is to entrust all things to Christ. He has the complete right to do as He pleases with His supreme authority over all creation. Not only do we confess Him as Lord, but we believe in Jesus’ resurrection in our heart. Believing without the power to live out and obey is not truly believing- it is merely acknowledging. Genuine belief comes with understanding and obedience. It renders your body to live according to what you believe. It is not just of the mind, but in your heart- your emotions, intellect, will, and conscience. Your heart is who you are- therefore, when you truly believe in the resurrection of Jesus and love Him in your heart, you are ready to die for His sake.

We believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. By this we are saved. It is the gospel. Without the resurrection, the crucifixion is meaningless. When the resurrection is not at the center of faith, there is no life, no power, and no hope. We must all seriously consider our salvation. How long have you believed? How long have you stalled in spiritual growth? Do you believe in your heart that Jesus was raised from the dead? If Jesus’ resurrection is not working in you, your faith may be in vain. (1Cor 15:14-17) The early church believers were able to withstand- more than that, rejoice- through Nero’s brutal persecution because Jesus Christ was alive in their hearts. (1Pet 1:8) Apostle Paul was overwhelmingly compelled to convince men that Jesus was alive, not because he simply knew, but because he experienced Jesus’ presence daily. (Acts 25:19; 23:11) We must repent of our unbelief in the resurrection. We too, can meet the living Jesus everyday through Scripture and the Holy Spirit. Let us continually meditate on the resurrection of Jesus Christ until it is the controlling belief in our lives. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. (Rom 14:9)

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. Lk 1:31-35

There are many men and women in this world who have merited our respect and admiration, but there is only one true God who alone is worthy of our worship and obedience. We continue through Luke’s account of the virgin conception to see why we must worship and obey Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus is the Christ. Gabriel the angel told Mary that she would conceive in her womb and bear a son, speaking specifically of Jesus’ humanity. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We read of moments through the gospels when Jesus wept, felt hunger and fatigue. He was fully man, yet He was sinless, because He was fully God. (Jn 10:30) He came to the world to reconcile sinners to God. (Matt 1:21) The gospel is all about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus has freed us from sin, and He is our Mediator who has established peace between God and man. (1Cor 15:3-4; Rom 5:1) There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Jesus Christ is great. Every renown man in history died in search of truth, but Jesus outrightly said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” There is no one who can compare to Jesus Christ. In terms of great men, John the Baptist was one whom even Jesus commended, declaring him to be the greatest man there ever was. Gabriel the angel prophesied that he would be great in the sight of the Lord. John was a mere man, great in the sight of Jesus Christ who is wholly other. All men die weak, broken, and sick- they all die in Adam, but in Christ, all are made alive. (1Cor 15:22) We must count all things as loss in view of the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ. If Christ is not supreme in your heart, you can not worship and obey Him wholeheartedly. (Phil 3:7-8)

Jesus is the Most High God. Jesus is the Son of God, who inherits all things from God the Father. Scripture tells of Jesus as the Most High God. In His ministry on earth, even demons confessed who Jesus was. (Lk 8:28) John the Baptist clearly distinguished Jesus to be the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power, and He sits at the right hand of God the Father. (Heb 1:3) Jesus is God Almighty- every form of authority belongs to Him. He is the source of all things, and He is sovereign over all. There is nothing outside of Jesus’ authority. (Col 1:15-17) He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords- Jesus is in absolute control. He is the final Judge of all men; all will be accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ. (Jn 5:22)

Jesus is the King. Jesus is the Messiah, and his kingdom will have no end. (2Sam 7:12-13) Jesus is not only King over the Church, but He is King over all- even over Satan and hell. We must understand the power of Jesus’ kingship. Only Christ has the power to save; He deserves all worship and obedience. He controls everything, and He works all things together for His good purpose. (Rom 8:28) Behold, the reigning King came as a suffering servant. He died and rose again for our sake- for our ultimate salvation. The early church was bold in faith because they understood Jesus’ complete reign. He was alive in their hearts, and by His power in them, they obeyed. As we understand Jesus’ power and His everlasting Kingdom, we will likewise be bold in faith to worship and obey Him. (Matt 11:12)

Jesus is holy. Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus. Jesus is completely different from created man- He is God. Jesus knew no sin. (2Cor 5:21) He pleased God perfectly, who demands us to be perfect like Himself. We ourselves can never be perfect before God. We need the righteousness of Jesus to be accepted. It is only by faith we can experience the resurrected Christ in our hearts. Because Jesus is holy and He lives in us, so are we. (Gal 2:20)

Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus shares the same nature of God the Father. He is pre-existent, and He came to us as God incarnate. On our own, we are hopeless. We are born in sin and we live in sin, unable to save ourselves, with guilt that earns the wrath of God. The Son of God came to carry our burdens to the cross. In love, He died in our place, and He was raised from the dead, that we might die with Him and be raised with Him to eternal life.

We must worship and obey Jesus alone. There is no neutrality in this matter. As we behold Jesus as He is, let us worship and obey our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.