1
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The
First Built Church
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2
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All
the believers were together and had everything in common.
Selling
their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
(Acts
2:44~45)
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3
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After
Jesus ascended to the Kingdom of Heaven, churches started to be built.
When
the first church started, many surprising things happened.
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4
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Jesus
promised to send the Holy Spirit and the disciples of Jesus believed in that
promise so they prayed very eagerly. Then 10 days after the ascent of Jesus,
the promised Holy Spirit came down to the believers who were altogether
praying and waiting in a house.
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5
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An
amazing thing happened to those people who received the Holy Spirit.
They
received a special gift called speaking in tongues.
When
Peter spoke, the people from different countries heard in their own
languages.
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6
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Peter
and the other Apostles eagerly shared that Jesus died for them on the cross
and resurrected after three days. Then the people cried and repented.
They
realized that Jesus is the Messiah who came to save them.
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7
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Upon
hearing the words of the Apostles, many people believed in Jesus.
In
a day, about 300 people determined to believe in Jesus and they got baptized
by the Apostles.
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8
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The
people who got baptized gathered together and they continuously listened
about Jesus. Like
this, the church first started.
Church
is where believers of Jesus gather together.
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9
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Eagerly
listening to the words of Jesus was considered as the most important thing to
those people who gathered at the first church. The things the Apostles
preached were the things which Jesus said when He was in this world.
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10
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The
thing, which every one of you worshiping today should do most eagerly, is
listen to the words of Jesus. When you listen to the words of God, you should
listen attentively for you not to miss even a single word. When you do that,
God will soften your heart.
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11
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The
people who gathered in the first church listened to Jesus¡¯ words and they tried to
live accordingly to them. When Jesus was in this world, Jesus said, "love your neighbors
like your own self." The people
tried to obey what they heard.
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12
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The
people who gathered in the first church sold their properties.
They
helped people in difficult situations by giving to them the money they earned
from it. Also
they bought the things needed for the people-in-need.
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13
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They
brought and sold their properties and they used it together for those people
who needed it. No one claimed a thing as their own. They gave it out to use
together. No
one claimed a thing as their own because they knew everything was given by
God.
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14
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And
when they gathered, they brought something to eat, shared it and they lived
like one family. And not only in the church but even outside, they helped
each other and they invited each other to their houses and they ate food
together. They lived very close to each other.
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15
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The
people believing in Jesus lived so beautifully and upon seeing that, news
began spreading among other people.
"Hey, those people
who believe Jesus are so kind."
"Yes, they help so
well other people who are in difficult situations."
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16
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Wherever
people gathered, compliments about the believers who went to church
overflowed. And
upon seeing the beautiful and kind behavior of the church goers, more and
more people believed in Jesus.
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17
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Today,
God¡¯s words give us a
very important lesson. If friends who believe in Jesus will do good deeds and
become someone who is complimented by others, many friends will go to church.
Friends who believe Jesus should become the most kind and best person in
their school.
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18
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We
should become wide-hearted people who can help the needs of our friends. If
we have much, we should become people who can give gifts to others with
loving hearts and we should be kind to them. When we do that, God will move
that friend¡¯s heart and lead
that friend to believe Jesus like we do. I hope, dear friends, who believe in
Jesus and go to church, that you will become people who do good deeds just
like what the Christians in the first built church did.
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