Reading for today: Acts 2:42-47
The newly-founded church in the book of Acts has just added 3,000 new people. How would you like to be the director of discipleship for that church?
The first thing this new church did was to develop a healthy pattern of spiritual disciplines for these new believers. Interestingly, what they did then is still very much applicable today. Four things are emphasized: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread (worship), and prayer.
As a follower of Christ, how much of a priority do these disciplines have in your life?
As these new believers did these important things, there was a sense of awe that developed among them of the power of God, and the apostles became agents through which miracles took place. These miracles were not for display, but rather to confirm the Word that was being taught.
Is it possible that we do not see more miracles take place because we are so casual about, and lack commitment to the spiritual disciplines that put us in more intimate relationship with God? Just a thought to ponder.
Ultimately, the more these new believers grew in their relationship to God, the more concerned they became about taking care of one another. As needs arose, they were willing to sacrifice in order to help out another needy person. Learning to really love God is a good cure for selfishness in our lives. If we love Him, how can we help but love and care for those He created?
Next week: A detour on the way to the prayer meeting
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2 comments:
We just talked last night at our small group about the change in who we started with and who has slipped away. It is such a difference in becoming accepting Jesus' offer of forgiveness and taking the first step to becoming a follower and to keep on following and being a disciple. It is really the most challenging thing I've ever done in my life. I am glad that I have done it and I have closed the door but I can see that the new believers in Acts really seemed to set other things aside and completely commit to God through the disciplines in a way that I find to be boggeling.
Just my thoughts.
Yeah, I agree. I think that following Christ is the hardest thing anyone could ever set out to do. It is challenging for a follower to keep his/her eyes on Jesus when the world is so full of distractions. I find that the “narrow road” is just that… tougher, rockier harder at times to traverse but the benefits far out weigh the cost. I think it’s interesting what P. Dean said that the more the ACTS church people grew in Christ the more concerned they became about taking care of one another. They became more Christ focused vs. self focused. That’s the challenge in a nut shell.
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