46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Verses 46 and 47 show the daily routine of the early church. Chapter 2 concludes with one of seven progress reports (Acts 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:30; 28:30-31).
10:46
So continuing daily [emphatic] with one accord in the temple,
The church continued to worship in the location of the Temple, the place where the crowds were. The specific venue was probably the courtyard of the Gentiles (non-Jews). Solomon’s Colonnade ran along the east side of the outer court (Acts 3:11; 5:12). They did not have physical places to worship. Physical church building did not occur until years later.
The early church had fellowship daily with a great sense of unity. The words “one accord” are a theme in the book of Acts (Acts 1:14; 4:24; 5:12, and here].
and breaking bread from house to house,
Partaking of food together is a form of fellowship in most cultures. The church fellowshipped by sharing meals in different homes. The house is where the home and a church can be. Sharing a meal is an informal mode of worship.
they ate their food with gladness [sense of joy]
Believers shared common meals together.
and simplicity [single-mindedness] of heart,
The Greek word for “simplicity of heart” occurs only here in the New Testament. It is a word for generous self-giving. “Simplicity” here refers to purpose: they were singular in their purpose as a church; the church was single minded in their devotion to the Lord. They were openhearted toward others, making fellowship with each other a delight.
10:47
praising God
The New Testament uses the Greek word for “praising” nine times (seven by Luke: Lu 2:13, 20; 19:37; 24:53; Acts 3:8-9). This word also occurs in Romans 15:11 and Revelation 19:5. Praise to God is the result of His work among the church.
and having favor with all the people.
Everyone who met these new Christians had a favorable attitude toward them. The early church drew others to themselves because what they believed and how they loved one another was attractive (Jn 13:35).
And the Lord added [was adding or kept adding] to the church daily those who were being saved.
The church grew numerically because of its devotion to the Lord. Non-Christians saw the reality of their faith and embraced it for themselves.
It was not the apostles who were winning people to Christ every day; it was the Lord who did it (1 Co 3:6-7). People came to Christ daily. Regular conversion is an indication of a healthy, dynamic church. Nothing demonstrates the reality of Christianity as clearly as people coming to Christ with transformed lives.
PRINCIPLE:
A dynamic church is a productive church.
APPLICATION:
When God truly works in the local church, people praise God, for they see what He has done as over against what the pastor or congregation did. A dynamic church possesses not only excellent fellowship but aggressive evangelism
