A Repentant Life (Acts 2:41-47)
What do we do when a great gift has been offered to us? Typically we say, “Thank you!” Then, we move on. But that’s not what they did. What if the gift was the greatest gift ever given to anyone. It’s resurrection to eternal life with God. To put things into perspective, consider who is receiving this gift. It’s not being given to the bravest, strongest, or most intelligent. Those things count for nothing---they kind of work against you as you try to find eternal life. The people receiving the gift of eternal life first are the very people who murdered an innocent man. Imagine going from being guilty of that to receiving the greatest gift.
Today we will look at verses 42-47 to understand what a repentant life looks like.
Acts 2:42--47 (ESV) --- 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Devoted To Four Things (42)
Notice in the first verse that it says they were devoted to four things. I’d like us to take some time to digest those four things because these are the four things that repentant people should be devoting themselves to.
Devotion indicates an extreme commitment. We are devoted to a lot of things. You might be devoted to your spouse, children, friends, family, pets, jobs, or favorite TV show. To be devoted, you would always be there for them with whatever they need.
The Teachings
The first thing they devote themselves to is the teachings of the apostles. The Holy Spirit inspired the apostles to reveal the truth about Jesus. These men could explain how Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament Scripture and how he had provided everyone with eternal life. Their words were just as valuable as the words of Jesus.
These men and women are devoted to understanding the will of God for their lives. They do not want to go on living the way the world lives. They want to know how to live like Jesus.
John 8:31--32 (ESV) --- 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They were set free by the knowledge of the truth. Now they want to grow. Peter illustrates this with the picture of a baby longing for milk.
1 Peter 2:2--3 (ESV) --- 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation--- 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Our sweet baby, Phoebe, shows us what that yearning for Bible teaching is all about. Whenever she sees or hears a bottle, she grunts, and whines about it. When she finishes a bottle, she cries for more. It doesn’t matter how much we give her. She wants more. I don’t believe that she has ever been fully satisfied with the amount of milk in her bottle, and it shows. She wants that milk so severely that she can’t be distracted from it for about two or three minutes after finishing.
Is that the way we are toward the word of God? Are we longing for “the pure spiritual milk of the word” like a baby longing for the milk? Why not? Why don’t we devote ourselves to learning the will of God through the word?
Devotion to God’s word is the only way we can find the transformation we are looking for. Learning about what God has done and who Jesus is helps us understand the best path forward in every situation. It inspires us and motivates us to be more than we are. Without the pure milk and meat of the word, we will never grow to be what God has called us to be.
The Fellowship
When we read the word fellowship, what do we often think of? I’m sure we think of potlucks. After all, many churches build a space where potlucks can be held on the church grounds. That place is often called a “fellowship hall.” But is fellowship really about food? Does it make sense to say that these Christians devoted themselves to potlucks? Is that on the same level as devoting yourself to the word of God or prayer? I’m all for devoting myself to eating food, but is that the most likely interpretation here?
Looking elsewhere at the term fellowship, we often see a different idea than gathering to eat food. Usually, fellowship refers to the connection, sharing, joint participation, and union. Look at some examples with me.
1 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV) --- 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Notice here that the fellowship is something God called into us. It is a fellowship that belongs to Jesus. In other words, when we submit to Christ, we connect ourselves to this fellowship.
1 John 1:2--3 (ESV) --- 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--- 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Fellowship is created through the word of God. There is a fellowship or connection we gain when we believe the word that is taught. If you don’t feel connected to the Christians who meet here, ask yourself, “Are you connecting to others through the word of God?” Think about it. How connected are you to those who meet here on Sunday mornings? What is it that connects you? The connection and fellowship are even greater if you meet here on Sunday Bible Class, Sunday nights, and Wednesday nights.
These Christians are connected. Verse 44-45 shows us how deeply connected they felt. It says they were sharing everything they had with one another. They have a solid connection to Christ and a strong connection with one another. Why? The gospel is transforming them together. This group is becoming a new spiritual family as they deal with their sin together and as they work toward glorifying God together. They grew close enough to know when their brethren were suffering. They shared their struggles as they explained the gospel to the world around them together. They share in the obstacles and the trials.
Is this what our fellowship looks like? Why is it that many Christians want to act as individuals in the body of Christ instead of acting like family? The body of Christ is not supposed to be divided into different pieces. Every part of the body is supposed to work together. Think about how many different people were gathered in Jerusalem. They were men and women from different walks of life and with different levels of knowledge and experience. We should all be able to connect. This text shows us that the more connected we are to Christ, the more connected we will be with each other.
A lack of fellowship makes it impossible for the people of God to fulfill their purpose. That’s why the whole “I’ll do church from home” idea will never work. Christ established the church to assemble and work together. It kills us to miss gathering with our brethren. If you aren’t going to come, give, share, sacrifice, and connect, who will? This place will die. It’s not like a fast food restaurant where you pay your money and enjoy your service.
The Breaking of Bread
Once again, I doubt this is about being devoted to eating food. The breaking of bread is a phrase that is often used to represent eating the Lord’s supper. I’m not saying that they didn’t spend time together and eat together, but I think they were devoting themselves to the Lord’s Supper. This makes sense because the Lord’s supper is the only command Jesus gave for his disciples to remember him. It seems as though they were devoting themselves to remembering Jesus.
How important is it for us to remember what Jesus did? Is it important enough for us to be devoted to it? Think about the historical events that have happened. Does Pearl Harbor mean what it once did? What about 9/11? The reason behind this supper is to stop what we are doing and focus on Jesus. These Christians were devoting themselves to doing that.
We also call this communion because it is when we consider our fellowship with one another. We think about the common union we have in Christ.
1 Corinthians 11:17 (ESV) --- 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse.
1 Corinthians 11:20 (ESV) --- 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
1 Corinthians 11:33 (ESV) --- 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another---
This is a common action that we should be doing beside other believers.
1 Corinthians 10:16--17 (ESV) --- 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
When we eat and drink beside other believers, we signify our togetherness with each other as the people of God and our connection with and sharing of Jesus. Remember, Jesus said he would eat and drink this anew with his disciples in God’s kingdom (Matt 26.29)
This is also where we proclaim the Lord’s death and his return.
1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV) --- 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
And it’s where we examine ourselves to consider our role in helping the body grow and strengthen. If we don’t have a role, we should examine ourselves and see how we could be more effective as a worker in the kingdom.
1 Corinthians 11:27--29 (ESV) --- 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Prayer
Finally, we see that the disciples were utterly devoting themselves to prayer. We don’t get the sense that they were feeling obligated to pray. Devotion does not imply an obligation to any of these things, but they were committed to making each of these things a regular part of their lives. Prayer is one of those things that we might feel we can live without. But the New Testament Christians recognized its importance and habitually pursued God in prayer.
They recognized two things.
God Wants To Hear From Us
The sacrifice of Jesus sends a loud message to us that God is a loving God. He wants us to draw near to Him and lay our prayers before him.
Luke 11:5--13 (ESV) --- 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
He Is Better Than The Best Father
This text points out God is not like us. Jesus tells us that he is that God wants us to ask, seek, and knock. He doesn’t want us to hold back on our requests from God because God is a better than the best Father.
Look at the illustration he brings up in verse 11. We as parents want to give our children good gifts. It’s hard to stop ourselves sometimes. We want to reward them for their hard work.
James 1:17--18 (ESV) --- 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
How Devoted Are We?
The description of the first disciples’ devotion is motivational. Their reaction to salvation shows that they have truly committed themselves to a transformed way of life. They no longer live independent lives, focused on themselves. Their lives revolve around the Lord and what he would have them do. He is their vision for life going forward.
Is that you? Does God’s word saturate your thoughts because you cannot get enough of it? Are you devoted to remembering Jesus’ death and promises? We take the Lord’s Supper as a weekly memorial. Still, it is also an opportunity to examine ourselves and consider each other and the connection or fellowship we have in Christ. Are you connected to this fellowship with God and Christ? As a result, you should be connecting to other believers and sharing your life with them. That is the command of our Lord.
Finally, are you devoting your life to prayer? Do you have that as your number 1 task to start every day? Throughout the day, God is with us, wanting to hear from us and help us along the way. Will we let him in?
Conclusion
From the beginning, the body of Christ was made up of men and women who were fiercely devoted to God and one another. There is no reason why we can’t be like that today. There is no excuse. We should see ourselves as even more blessed than they because we are Gentiles and foreigners to this blessing. But God, in His great mercy and love, has shared this salvation with us. He has devoted Christ to us. Will we devote our renewed lives to him?