Persevering in the Important Things

There are things that I do every day. Some I don’t have to think about, like breathing or having my heart beat or digesting my food. Others take planning, like stretching in the morning with Sherry or brushing and flossing my teeth each night or calling my Mom on the phone. God’s Word shows five important things to do regularly: pray, study, fellowship, give to others, and share God’s Word.

Acts 2:42-47:
And they continued stedfastly [persevering] in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 
And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 
Praising God, and having favour [sharing grace] with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. 

Ministers in the church have an important goal: to help believers in the body of Christ to persevere in doing these five things.

Ephesians 4:11,12:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
For the perfecting of the saints [mending of those sanctified], for [with a view to] the work of the ministry [energizing of service], for [with a further view to] the edifying of the body of Christ.

There are five ministries with one main goal: to mend and perfect believers, those sanctified by God. This is done with a view to believers being so joined together, that God can work in their hearts and energize them as they serve. Further, as the believers are energized to serve, the body of Christ will be built up.

Furthermore, when Christ returns to gather the church together, faithful believers will be rewarded for the good works they have done (Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:10; I Corinthians 3:12-14).

II Timothy 2:5:
And if a man also strive for masteries [athleō, compete as an athlete], yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 

In ancient Greek games, competitors were crowned when they won. God figuratively speaks of future rewards for believers as “crowns.” Unlike the corruptible crown an athlete may receive, these rewards are eternal.

I Corinthians 9:25:
And every man that striveth for the mastery [competes in the games] is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

The following chart shows how these five practices from Acts 2 relate to the ministries of Ephesians 4 and the “crowns” in the New Testament. We are to persevere in doing these things, with the help of ministers. There are eternal rewards for this kind of service.

Practice	Acts 2:42-47	Ministries	Crowns
Prayer	Continued steadfastly in prayer	Apostles – sent by God to give prayerful direction	Crown of Life – for prayerful endurance (James 1:12)
Studying the Word	Continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine	Teachers – expound the truth of God’s Word to others	Crown of Righteousness – for those who love Christ’s appearing (II Timothy 4:8)
Fully sharing	Continued steadfastly in fellowship and breaking bread	Prophets – speak for God to help others stay in fellowship with the Father and each other	Crown of Rejoicing – for sharing fully to establish and comfort others (I Thessalonians 2:19)
Giving to others	Had all things common, sold unneeded goods, parted as each had need	Pastors – care for God’s people and handle physical needs	Crown of Glory – when chief shepherd appears (I Peter 5:4)
Sharing God’s Word	Had grace with all the people, and the Lord added those saved	Evangelists – bring God’s good news of salvation	Crown incorruptible – disciplined to preach (I Corinthians 9:25)

Prayer

Our first priority is fellowship with our heavenly Father, which is the basis of prayer.  This is true for all believers.  The Word is also full of examples of how we are to pray for each other.

II Thessalonians 1:11
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:

II Thessalonians 3:1
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

The first ministry listed in Ephesians 4:11 is an apostle. Apostles pray and give the believers godly direction. Ministers give themselves to prayer (Acts 1:14,24; 2:42; 3:1; 4:31; 6:4,6; 8:15,22,24; 9:40; 10:9; 11:5; 13:3; 14:23; 16:9,13,16,25; 20:36; 21:5; 22:17; 23:18; 24:4; 27:34; 28:8).

A crown or reward that results from prayerful endurance is called “the crown of life.” The context of this crown is “them that love him (God)” and those who prayerfully seek God’s wisdom so that they can carry out God’s will with endurance.

James 1:5,12:
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Studying the Word

Acts 2:42 says the believers persevered in the doctrine they had been taught. They studied God’s Word to know how to live. We are to do the same.

II Timothy 2:15:
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

Teachers are ministers who expound the accuracy of God’s Word and make it clear to those who want to understand and live it.  This requires that they study and understand the Word they teach.  Teachers are “put in trust with the gospel” (I Thessalonians 2:4) and speak it with love and authority.

A crown that results from personally studying God’s Word and teaching it to others is called a “crown of righteousness.” Paul encouraged Timothy to study God’s Word and then teach it to others. Paul knew that he would be rewarded for finishing his course in teaching the truth to others.

II Timothy 3:15 – 4:2,7,8:
And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Fellowship (Fully Sharing)

Fellowship is listed in Acts 2:42 and includes the “breaking of bread.”  The Greek word for “fellowship” means to share fully with one another. Daily fellowship with other believers is how we grow together as members in the body of Christ.  Eating together is a great way to cement our relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prophets are ministers who help maintain fellowship among the believers by speaking God’s Word to them.  Prophecy exhorts and comforts believers to stand together in fellowship and be established.

Acts 15:32
And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed [established] them.

I Corinthians 14:3:
But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 

The “crown of rejoicing” is for those who establish and comfort others by faithfully sharing fully of what they have to give.

I Thessalonians 2:19-3:2:
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
For ye are our glory and joy.
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith.

Giving to Others

Giving and receiving are great principles in life. At the beginning of the Christian church, believers sold their unneeded belongings and “had all things common” (Acts 2:44,45). They recognized God as their sufficiency and had every need met.

Pastors are ministers who support the believers in every way—physically, mentally, and spiritually.  They keep the wolves out and protect the “sheep.”  The Greek word for “pastor” refers to a shepherd who feeds, houses, protects, and nurtures. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of a pastor as the “good shepherd” (John 10:11).

The “crown of glory” results from faithfully pastoring God’s people, like Jesus Christ, “the chief shepherd,” did.

I Peter 5:1-4:
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Feed [shepherd, pastor] the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
And when the chief Shepherd [Jesus Christ] shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Sharing God’s Word

The early church shared God’s Word with each other and reached out to those around them. Acts 2:47 says they had favor, or shared grace, with the people—then the Lord could add daily to the church as people were saved. They preached that Jesus Christ was lord and that God had raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10). Then Acts 3 and 4 show Peter and John healing a lame man among the people. The result was that “many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand” (Acts 4:4).

Evangelists preach Christ so that people are born again of God’s gift of holy spirit. The Greek word for “preach” is euangelizō and means to bring the “good news” of salvation to others. Philip is called an evangelist (Acts 21:8), and he “preached Christ” to the people of Samaria and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:5,35).

A crown of righteousness is given for disciplining oneself to share God’s Word with others.

I Corinthians 9:18,19,25:
What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel [euangelizō], I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate [disciplined] in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible [crown].

What are some things that come easily for you or that take planning to accomplish? How can we “persevere” in what our Father wants us to do? With help from the energized ministries in the body of Christ, we can include in our lives these five: prayer, study, fellowship, giving, and sharing God’s Word.