ACTS of the Apostles

Learning How to be Daring and Dynamic

Read Acts 2:42-47

Focus Verse: Acts 2:42

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to breaking of bread and the prayers."

I am just beside myself, ladies. It's one Friday after Good Friday, and we have spent a week studying the very first Jesus followers after His death and resurrection. It's been awesome.

The section we are reading today is labeled "The Fellowship of the Believers" in my Bible. So, these words were written about the very first fellowship of believers. And, what did they do? They were taught by the apostles, participated in fellowship, remembered Jesus through the breaking of bread (communion), and prayed together. That seems awfully simple.

Dr. Luke went on to tell us these believers had everything in common, so they met together daily in the temple courts and in homes, sold their possessions to give to anyone in need, and ate together with sincere and glad hearts. That seems nearly impossible.

Do you have a fellowship of believers?

I am not asking you if you have a church home. I am asking if you have a group of people that you pray and fellowship with, that care for and who care for you, and who you are sincerely happy with? I hope so! That's your fellowship of believers!

Can we talk for a minute about being like-minded, though? Luke said this very first fellowship of believers had EVERYTHING in common. Do you think that's even possible? I mean, should we believe they were all the same in every way?

Honestly, I don't. I haven't done enough study in the first century church to speak with certainty. Still, I have to believe these people came from all different backgrounds, upbringings, and family systems. I feel almost certain the first century church had many things that made them different. But, they had one very important thing making them exactly the same.

They loved and followed Jesus Christ with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. THAT gave them everything (that mattered) in common.

I long for that kind of unity. I think you'll agree prayer in the Holy Spirit is the only way we are getting back there. So, I won't add any more commentary. I'll just pray. I encourage you to spend time reading this short passage several times. We can't go backwards. But, we can move forward with a focus on JESUS, the unifier of hearts and souls.

Jesus, we need your help! We've come so far from the unity expressed by the first fellowship of believers. We don't sincerely celebrate our joy in Christ together. We notice our differences and we fight for our own way, our own preferences, and our own opinions. I wonder if we'd find it easier to focus on you if we stuck to the basics; prayer, Bible teaching, communion, and fellowship. Could it be that simple? I don't know, but I know You do. So, I'm resting! The same Holy Spirit that showed up in power and might and signs and wonders in Acts 2 lives in all of us today. So, come, Jesus. Invade our spaces. Remind us that we have YOU in common and nothing else matters. Amen.