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The First Built Church

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.