They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe.
~Acts 2:42-43a
It’s week two of the new year…how are your resolutions going? I heard a statistic recently that something like 88% of people who make resolutions have broken them within two weeks. Yikes. There are a lot of reasons why this happens: we set unrealistic goals, we have no strategy, or we simply abandon the initial enthusiasm of it all.
In diving into the second chapter of Acts, within Peter’s first big sermon after the promised Holy Spirit came upon those gathered, some spiritual resolutions jumped off the page. Now, in addressing the crowd of new believers, Luke (who wrote Acts) didn’t call them “resolutions” per se…he spoke about how they “devoted themselves”. This is beautiful, isn’t it? Yes, we can “resolve” or make a decision to do something. But “devoting ourselves”…this connotes throwing ourselves fully into whatever it is we’re devoted to. As Luke describes the response of the 3000 newly saved, five areas of devotion are clearly defined. And before you think, “Well, these are for newbies in the faith,” let me say that we are never done maturing! From the moment we surrender to Jesus until we’re in His presence in glory, we must grow spiritually. We must devote ourselves to it!
So, what are these five never-ending to-dos from verses 42-43?
- Savor God’s Word. Carve out time daily to delight in, learn from, and be convicted by Scripture. And sit under the teaching of a solid Bible teacher. And with podcasts, you can also hear from pastors from around the country (whether living and active teachers like John Piper, Ben Stuart, or my own pastor, Joby Martin, or those who have gone to be with the Lord, like John MacArthur and Voddie Baucham). Just be careful of the many popular heretics of our day, who are satisfying itching ears (Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Steven Furtick, to name a few).
- Engage in fellowship (literally, “partnership”) and discipleship. We are called to not give up meeting (Hebrews 10:25) and to spur one another on as fellow believers (Hebrews 10:24). We’re to sharpen one another, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). We do this by being part of a local church community. (Again, online and podcasts are fine, but being present among a church fam is vital!) Maybe this year, you can find a younger believer (younger in the faith, not necessarily chronologically) to disciple. And (note I didn’t say “or”) find someone to mentor/disciple you this year—to keep you accountable and carry your mat when it’s needed (note I didn’t say “if”).
- Participate in communion. Jesus instituted two ordinances for us believers: baptism and communion. It doesn’t matter how often your church body celebrates communion, as long as it does! Communion is the opportunity for us to remember the Lord’s sacrifice—to contemplate His death and resurrection, proclaiming the gospel through this action.
- Pray. Without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18). We pray alone, with our spouse or mat-carriers, and in the church gathering. We talk with God, cry out to Him—or just cry to Him, praise Him, thank Him, beg Him. And we listen to Him, through His Word and through the Holy Spirit, our counselor.
- Stay in awe (verse 43a). Do you “keep feeling a sense of awe” for what the Lord has done for you? For God’s creation? For the astonishment of our senses that point to heavenly reality? For the fact that we were dead, and now we’re alive in Christ? Sweet friend, this is one that I’m particularly focused on being devoted to (immersed in, constantly aware). May we never cease to glorify God for, well, everything.
If you’ve been a follower of Jesus Christ for a day or 50 decades, I challenge you (and me) this year to be devoted to the things that will deepen our relationship with the Lord and make us more like Christ.
Lord, You have given us all the tools we need—including the indwelling Holy Spirit—to be transformed into the likeness of Christ on our way to glory. May I continually devote myself to this purpose.
encouraged by grace 