Creating A Culture Of Consecration

Acts 2:42-47

English Standard Version

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.

Culture - The customary belief, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. A way of life shared by people in a place or time.

Consecration - Cleansing someone or something from sin and ritual impurity and then dedicating the person or thing for a specific purpose. (The Lexham Cultural Ontology Glossary)

A Culture of Consecration - A way of life shared by people in a place or time. Cleansed from a life of sin for a life of fulfilling God’s purpose in the Earth.

Simply put: Consecration is a lifestyle.

Acts 2:42-47 (Message)

41–42  That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.

43–45  Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met.

46–47  They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Consecration)

CONSECRATION. Persons or things being separated to or belonging to God. They are holy or sacred. They are set apart for the service of God. The Hebrew qadesh and Greek hagiazo are translated by several different English words: holy, consecrate, hallow, sanctify, dedicate.Old Testament God is said to be qadesh or “holy.” When persons or things were “consecrated,” they were separated to or belonged to God. “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev. 19:2 NASB). “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod. 19:6 NASB). When persons were “consecrated,” they were set apart to live according to God’s demands and in His service. In the OT the ordination of persons to the service of God is indicated by the phrase “to fill the hand.” This phrase is usually translated “consecrate” or “ordain.” Numbers 6:1–21 sets forth the vow of the Nazirite. Nazir from which Nazirite is derived, means “to separate” and is translated “consecrate” in Num. 6:7, 9, 12. New Testament. This ethical understanding of God’s holiness is found throughout the NT. In Matt. 23:16–24 Jesus criticized the scribes and Pharisees on the basis of their neglect of justice, mercy, and faith. He said it is “the altar that sanctifies the gift” (Matt. 23:19 HCSB). The cause to which persons give themselves determines the nature of the sacrifice. When the cause is God’s, the gift is consecrated. Jesus’ mission was to sanctify persons. Paul said that Christians are called to be “saints,” and their sanctification comes through Christ.

Acts 2:42-47 (NLT)

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.

44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.

45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.

46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—

47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Tony Evans Commentary

2:42–47 So what did the fledgling church do? Luke says the early church was known for four activities that should be foundational for every kingdom-minded local church.

First, there was devotion to the apostles’ teaching (2:42). The church was learning divine truth from God’s Word (only the Old Testament was written at this point, but in the years to come the apostles would be inspired by the Holy Spirit to write what would become the New Testament). You cannot grow beyond what you know. The teaching of the apostles was to give believers God’s perspective on every matter so that they could learn, obey, and experience spiritual growth and make kingdom impact.

Second, they devoted themselves to fellowship (2:42)—mutually sharing the life of Christ within the family of God. We are not to live as Lone Ranger Christians but to engage in the life of faith together. We are called to “love one another” (John 15:12), to “carry one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2), to forgive one another (Eph 4:32), to “encourage one another” (1 Thess 5:11), and the list goes on. A disconnected Christian is a disobedient and unfruitful Christian. Each of us is an integral part of the body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12:12–26; Heb 10:23–25).

Third, the church regularly prioritized worship, reflected in the breaking of bread (i.e., Communion or the Lord’s Supper) and prayer (2:42). Worship is the recognition and celebration of who God is, what he has done, and what we are trusting him to do. The church is called to make a big deal about God because this is what he deserves.

Fourth, the church was clearly engaged in outreach because every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved (2:47). Everyone was involved in evangelism. They weren’t merely letting the apostles take care of it. All of the believers were living out their faith publicly (2:44–47). Such public love, devotion, joy, ministry, and testimony convinced unbelievers to trust in Jesus Christ.

As a result of these activities, everyone in the church was filled with awe and experiencing wonders and signs … performed through the apostles (2:43). The Holy Spirit will cause amazing things to happen when the church is unified in its devotion to God and to its members in fulfillment of God’s kingdom program.