Acts 2:42-47

 Acts 2:42-47

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Spirit brought thousands of people into a personal relationship with Jesus and with one another.  There were at least three marks that were characteristics of these new believers in the Lord Jesus.  These are the realities of life in the Spirit that should be a part of every group of believers.  The Spirit of God is still the same and is still working to make these traits a reality in the lives of believers.  It is important for us to evaluate our lives and make sure that these works of the Spirit are present in us.

DEVOTION TO THE LORD: A new believer in Christ should be marked by a hunger for the Word of God.  This is a desire to know God’s Word and a delight in obeying God’s Word.  When the Lord saves us and sends His Spirit to dwell in us, the result will be a restructuring of our lives on every level.  God has given us His Word and the instruction manual for that restructuring and the Spirit equips people within His body to help us understand and apply His Word.  The Christian life is meant to be lived out in community, not in isolation or independence.  Loving one another, spending time with one another, praying with one another, and worshiping the Lord together are vital part of what it means to walk with the Lord.  The observance of the Lord’s supper is another important aspect of our new lives in Christ.  We are so prone to forget and the breaking of bread together is designed to help all members of the body remember Christ and all He has done to reconcile us to the Father.  These were the marks of the early church and its new believer’s devotion to the Lord.  They should also be descriptive of every church, believer and any program for discipleship.

COMPASSION TO ONE ANOTHER: Love is an attribute of God that is reproduced by the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.  There are hurting people all around every part of the world due to the consequences of sin.  The apostles were given the power to heal people of diseases and restore their health.  This was a demonstration of the power of God but was also a demonstration of God’s love and His intention.  One day all sickness and the effects of the fall of man will be eternally eliminated.  This care for others extended to the body of new believers in that they shared their possessions generously with one another.  Many who had property sold it to be able to care for the needs of one another in the body of Christ.  This type of uncommon generosity requires a great deal of faith in the provision of the Lord and love for other people.  It is the response of those who realize how deeply they have been loved by God through Christ.  In light of His loving sacrifice, this generosity makes complete sense.  Those who recognize the love of God for them will rejoice to see the love of God flow through them.

SALVATION OF THE LOST: Multiplication is the natural indicator of health in living beings.  The result of the Spirit’s work in the life of the church was growth as people were being saved through the testimony of the people.  The actions and attitudes of the believers caused them to gain the favor of the people.  The message attesting to the person and work of Jesus convinced many to become followers of Jesus.  We are called to attract people to the Gospel through the way we live and the services we render to a lost and hurting world.  We are also called to announce the Gospel wherever we go.  These two ways of witnessing should be consistently present in the lives of believers.  When either of the two are neglected impact is diminished.  When both work together, salvation is the result.

APPLICATION: Seek a life of intimacy with God through spending time in His Word, prayer, the Lord’s supper and communion with other believers.  Have compassion on those who are hurting.  Be generous with the resources the Lord has entrusted to us.  Accept help from others and give help to others as members of the same body.  Faithfully share the Gospel with others in both actions and words.

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