Acts 02_42-47 Sold Out to Something Great

Read Acts 2:42-47 – Doing church in our day has often become about who can provide the most creative entertainment. In that regard, it would be hard to beat the First Unitarian Church or Richardson, TX which not long ago featured exotic dancer Diana King performing a strip show. Pastor Wm Nichols said the dance fit “very well into our service,” and Miss King said she’d be happy to conduct classes, and “I would like to do a sermon using the exotic dance, and members of the congregation could join me if they liked.”

Thankfully, that’s an extreme example! But the trend to entertain is rampant. We’ve commercialized church! John Mac: “Numerous publishing companies peddle topical-sermon series in a box, complete with prefabricated PowerPoint slides, most of which are based on movies, television programs, popular music, or other icons of pop culture. Everything from Greenpeace to Ultimate Fighting has been harnessed by worldly church leaders in a misguided attempt to connect with "culture." No secular fad or catchphrase is too trite, to vulgar, or too frivolous to be expounded in the church.”

Such things had no part in the early church. It was perseveringly devoted to right things. Devote is a strong word meaning to give yourself away. Be sold out! Like Churchill regarding the Nazi threat in WWII: “We shall not fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” That’s devotion to a cause, Beloved, and a true church is filled with people of equal devotion to Christ, not gimmicks.

This great model church was devoted – not to trivia, but to truth, to each other, to God and to reaching the world. They were about God as revealed in Christ. It’s a stunning model of what church is all about. Let’s examine their driving devotions. To what did they give themselves away?

They Were Devoted to Truth

42) “And they [continuously] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” Here was the foundation of truth that ran deeper than their human existence – the apostles’ teaching. Our society insists that since no on can understand truth absolutely there is no absolute truth. But that is a lie. Truth is truth whether we understand it fully or not. The fact that I don’t understand how my text message gets from me to you doesn’t mean it won’t go. It’s truth, and God has truth as well. These people were devoted to the apostles’ teaching because there they saw profound eternal truth. And they were right.

Jesus told Pilate in Jn 18:37b: “For this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth.” Earlier He told the disciples, “I am the truth.” So how did the truth of Jesus get to His followers? Jn 14:26: “But the Helper, the HS, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” So truth went from Jesus to the HS to the apostles to these who were devoted to it.

Now v. 43: “And awe (literally fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” Fascinating. Here is God authenticating His messengers with miracles, which are throughout Acts – healings, demons cast out, even a couple of resurrections. But what amazes me is the reaction this caused. It caused a healthy fear or respect as the people realized God was at work. Some signs were negative. Ananias and Saphira are struck dead for lying to God. These knew God was real, loving and dangerous.

Also note the people “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”, not to the miracles. That’s fascinating, but biblical. Miracles are temporary; teaching of truth is forever. I think they knew Heb 2: 3) “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4) while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” This church knew it was the foundation of faith was the message, not the miracle. So, they devoted themselves to the teaching!

So, now it’s the 21st century. The apostles are long gone. At best the power, immediacy, and frequency of the miracles are gone. Are we missing something? Oh, no, Beloved. The apostles’ teaching is still with us. God had them write it down. We have the teaching just as they did! Our truth is here – in the Book!

The Word is its own authentication. That doesn’t mean God never does miracles anymore. He does as He chooses, but the Word is its own authority. The written Word needs no further authentication. When the rich man in hell thought a resurrection would get his brothers’ attention, Abraham told him in Lu 16:31, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” And that was God’s final word on the subject – just as His final Word to us is His written revelation.

So we must be people of the Book – devoted to it – giving ourselves to it. We rob ourselves of our foundation when we are not people of the Word. I Pet 2:2: “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up in salvation.” If you’ve ever seen a hungry newborn, you know what it means to give yourself to getting food. So we need to hunger for the Word.

John Wesley captured the spirit that should characterize all of us: “I am passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God, and returning to God: a few moments hence and I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, -- the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God himself has taught me the way. For this very end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price, give me the book of God! Let me be homo unius libri (man of one book).” Modern translation: I’ve got a short shelf-life. Take the entertainment and give me the Book! Devoted to truth!

II. They Were Devoted to Each Other

Koinonia is more than a cup of coffee. When needs arose, they 45) “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.” This was not communism or socialism as is sometimes suggested. It was not compulsory; it was not a complete pooling of resources; what it was was – love. They not only heard the Word, they obeyed the Word.

The apostles taught Jesus’ words in Jn 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35) By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” They didn’t just hear it; they did something about it. Fellowship is expressed thru the multitude of “one another’s” found in the NT. Love one another; serve one another; honor, encourage, forgive, forbear, welcome, instruct, prefer one another just to name a few.

Fellowship is κοινωνια – root word common. V 44 – they “had all things in common (κοινος)”. Fellowship is sharing. Not communism. But “as any had need”, (note, need, not want) some sold possessions and shared the proceeds. They still had homes (v. 46). But they were quick to help when needs arose. They did life together -- gladly: 46) And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” What a picture of genuine fellowship in Christ.

Such extreme sharing is our example. However good we are at this, we can get better! The genius of real fellowship is seen in Heb 10:24-25: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25) not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” This is sharing across the board – physical, emotional, spiritual. That’s fellowship. The redwoods in CA are a wonder -- some older than the time of Christ, up to 30’ feet in diameter and 250 plus feet tall. You wonder how they can stand. The secret is, beneath the soil, you’d their roots are intertwined with each other. This interconnectedness means a tree that’s far from water can survive bc it draws moisture from the roots of trees that are closer to water. They thrive and suffer together because of their interconnectedness. That’s what Xn community looks like. Devotion to fellowship – to loving one another in deed as well as word – is our key to physical and spiritual survival.

III. They Were Devoted to God

They were devoted to God, not entertainment. First, they regularly celebrated Communion together. The phrase “breaking bread” can mean eating together. That phrase is used twice here in vv. 42 and 46. But there is a difference. In v. 42, it literally reads, “they devoted themselves . . . to the breaking of the bread.” That suggests a specific designation – the Lord’s Table. That may also involve a meal, as in I Cor 11, but it is certainly a reference to celebrating Communion while in v. 46 the phrase is “breaking bread” – no articles – so shared meals. Acts 20:7 clarifies that they shared Communion each Sunday.

This is Christ-centered worship. In Communion believers meet on common ground at the foot of the cross, equally sinners saved by grace. The self-evaluation that attends Communion has a purifying effect and reminds us where our devotion truly lies. These people never forgot whose they were or why they were there. Communion re-centers us on Christ as the focus of life. I love one old prayer of a church father – “Christ be with me, Christ in the front, Christ in the rear, Christ within me, Christ below me, Christ above me, Christ at my right hand, Christ at my left, Christ in the Chariot seat, Christ at the helm, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.” This is the worship of Communion.

Second, we see their devotion to God in “the prayers.” What’s prayer? Jn 14:13: “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” It’s all there – our asking, but in His name, not ours. Seeking His will, not ours. For His glory; not ours. Prayer is about tuning my desires to align with those of Father and Son. There’s a place in LA where you can stop your car, put it into neutral and roll up hill! No really, of course. It’s an optical illusion. Your eye is deceived. So we have one view of life, but God inevitably has another. Devotion to God in prayer is an expression of our desire to align with Him rather than ourselves. It is a wonderful discipline.

The third aspect of worship – “praising God” (47). Do you praise God well? Lafayette was once stopped by admirers in the streets of Paris. So devoted were they that they unhitched the horses and personally pulled his carriage to its destination. Later, someone suggested he must have felt much honored by that gesture. He replied, “Yes, it was delightful. But one thing disturbs me – I never saw anything more of my horses.” Raises a question, doesn’t it? Do we accept from the Lord, then take the glory to ourselves? How many times have we prayed, then chalked it up to coincidence when the answer comes?

Praising God involves two things – a thankful heart, and a complete trust in His sovereignty and goodness – regardless of circumstances. That is the expression of a heart that is absolutely devoted to Him.

IV. They Were Devoted to the World (in Outreach)

This church was 47) praising God and having favor with all the people. The community liked this group! Why? Bc they loved each other and they loved God. What a surprise! Their lives found favor with outsiders – just like an elder must. I Tim 3:7: “Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders.” This doesn’t mean everyone will love us. Some won’t, as Jesus warned. But we must insure that it’s because of the message, not our harshness or hypocrisy. Our lives individually and as a congregation ought to find favor with people – ought to raise the reputation of God among them.

The result was, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” The lives of the church drew others in – showed there was something different here – something desirable. But, as always, it was the Lord who saved them. Don’t you want to be an instrument of God to do this? Devoted – giving yourself away – to see others come to faith in Christ?

Conc – I love the strategy one missionary developed. He’d go to a village, sit with the people around the fire and ask, “What has your god done for you?” Good question, bc everyone has a god. He would listen as the people would tell him about their god. Usually by the third night, the hosts would turn the question around – “What has your God done for you?” – thus opening the door to the good news of a God paid the penalty for our sin so He could offer forgiveness, cleansing, release from guilt and eternal life to believers.

This was the message that caused this first church to devote themselves – give themselves away to – the Truth of the Word, Love for each other, Worship of God and Outreach to others. A church like that doesn’t need gimmicks and fads. They have the real thing. They have Jesus. That’s real living. That’s a true church. That’s truth to live by – so let’s do it – together. Let’s pray.

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