Southland Students - Tuesday
Acts 2:42
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (NASB)
If you look at Acts 2, you’ll notice that what’s being described in today’s verse took place right after Peter preached a sermon and about 3,000 people were saved. All in one day! Our verse today gives us a great description of what this community of the early church looked like. They were devoted to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship.
But what does it mean to be devoted?
In my free time, one thing I really enjoy is carpentry. I love being able to build something myself and see the whole process of its construction, especially when it’s something that will be used to help people. There are lots of fun parts in putting a project together, but there are also some parts that hurt, too—like splinters and hitting yourself with a hammer. But even though some of the stages of construction may hurt, I know I can't just give up and stop a project. I have to keep going.
In devoting yourself to something, you have to keep going no matter the hardships that may surround you. And additionally, you have to make it high on your priority list.
When we read that the early church was devoted to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, this means they had to keep going when times got tough. When the apostles' made mistakes in everyday life, the believers had to choose to give them grace and keep listening to their teaching. When believers had disagreements with each other, they had to choose to forgive and keep their unity.
Being devoted doesn’t mean just going to church once a week and then living like the rest of the world the other days of the week. To be devoted, you have to actually live out being a Christian outside of church. This doesn't mean you won't make mistakes, and this certainly doesn't mean that you have to work for your salvation, which is a free gift from God. We’re saved by His grace through faith, not by our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But it can be hard to stay encouraged in this dark world without community, which is why the early church devoted themselves to fellowship. This is why it’s important for us to meet outside of church services in small groups, Bible studies, and other good-clean-fun activities so that we can encourage one another and strengthen our bond as followers of Jesus.
Whatever is going on in your life, I encourage you to keep pushing forward, keep attending church, keep reading the Bible, keep praying, and keep spending time with other believers. Let’s devote ourselves to living With Jesus, In Community, On Mission!
Tuesday’s Reflection
What would it look like for you to be more devoted to your faith and to fellowship? Do you have a community of believers that you consistently spend time with? If not, Southland Groups is a great place to start!