The Believers’ Devotion in Love

Announcements

Welcome Visitors to Anchor Bible Church.

The Men’s Chili Cook-Off is coming up on Saturday, October 11th from 5:30-7:30pm. Men, bring your best pot of chili and be prepared for fellowship, teaching from Pastor Jack, and some delicious competition. Your chili’d better be so good you’ll make us want to sell our birthright! If you plan to attend, please sign up on the app or website. When you do, you can also volunteer to bring some sides and stuff.

Also for men, the first Bible and Bacon men’s breakfast of the ministry year will be on Saturday, October 18th from 8:30-10:30am at the Bear’s home. Pastor Jack will be preaching and you can sign up on the app or website to attend.

Anchor Kids can be dismissed to their classes!

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2:1-13

Introduction

Anchor Weekend Away just finished. Hope it was a great time! Sad to miss it but reflecting on the blessings of brotherly love.

Hope this sermon will provide a biblical framework to understand what you just got to enjoy and how to make it everyday reality. This should not be the kind of thing where you think, “Oh good, got my fellowship out of the way for the next two years.” It’s really just meant to whet your appetite for brotherly love and expand your relational horizons.

And for those of you like myself who were unable to attend, this sermon should give you hope that you haven’t missed it all! While Anchor Weekend Away is a special time for our church, it’s not the be all end all for fellowship. In fact, it’s the day to day life with one another that really tests your mettle. We may have missed the opening ceremony, but the games have just begun. The summer is over, most people are are back home now, the school year has started, the winter is ahead, and it’s time for us to think about how we can be devoted in love.

Proposition

Read Acts 2:41-47.

In Acts 2:41-47, we will explore three types of Christian devotion so that you can excel still more in both personal holiness and brotherly love. Let’s look at the first one together.

1. Be Continually Devoted to Worship (41-42)

Read: Acts 2:41

Context: The Holy Spirit used the preaching of the Word in Peter’s sermon to lay the foundation, but it built on that foundation with the every member model of ministry (Eph 2:20, 4:12)

41a “received his word” - same word for welcoming a guest into your home

Ac 21:17 - welcomed us gladly

Ac 24:3 - welcome… with all thankfulness

41a “were baptized” - typically just Gentile proselytes; outward demonstration of inward purity and holiness

Idea: church is only composed of believers, the rest are just observing and must repent, believe, and be baptized to join

Read: Acts 2:42

42a “continually devoting” - full-time job / occuption

Ac 10:7 - soldier who was “personal attendant”

42b - four distinct activities, Greek articles. Idea: therapy doesn’t produce good relationships, devotion to worship does.

“the apostle’s teaching” - gospel and Scriptures

summarize the gospel here, foundation of fellowship

Ac 4:33 “bearing witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” / Ac 5:42 “teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ”

Matt 28:19-20 “go, baptize, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you”

Idea: we must move on from the milk to the meat (Heb 5). To those outside, the message of the gospel is primary. To those inside, “all of Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped, having been thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:15).

“the fellowship” - only use in Acts, sharing all in common

used elsewhere: the mutuality of marriage

Idea: fellowship together flows from fellowship with Christ; unity of Godhead is our model; fellowship among our leaders, spouses (1 John 1:3, “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”).

both material and personal dimensions in Acts

“the breaking of bread” - hospitality and communion

includes the Lord’s supper, but not limited to it

originally a full meal, not disposable cups (remembrance, unity, anticipation)

“the prayers” - something fixed, either content or occasions

Ac 3:1 “the hour of prayer in the temple” chronological day?

Ac 1:13-14 after Jesus ascended, all together devoted to prayer in the upper room (ongoing, homes)

Application: are these things present during fellowship in your home? Host on Wednesday, remember sermon from Sunday? Are you even sharing meals together? How much time do you spend in prayer when you have people over?

Consider bringing up points from the sermon, talking about how you are applying it during the week. Take some time after dinner and conversation to pray together about the relevant topics. Friendship versus fellowship. Balanced.

Start small with one family or individual. Easier to be intentional. Once practiced, do bigger groups. It’s harder to keep a party focused on the Lord versus entertainment.

Your life is to be a living sacrifice. It’s not just on Sunday. Men, you especially need to take the lead here. Guide the conversation, especially if you are the host.

You need to be continually devoted to worship (1).

2. Be Generously Devoted to Good Works (43-45)

Next, be generously devoted to good works.

Read Acts 2:43.

43 “fear” - from wonders and signs

Ananias and Sapphira (Ac 5)

Ac 9:31 “fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit” - double-sided sword

43 “wonders and signs”

performed by apostles, an office that ceased

prophets and apostles were foundation of church

prophecy went with prophets, tongues = prophecy

healings today, but not gift of healing

“leaky” cessationist - tribulation of Rev 11 will revive sign gifts / revelation

Read Acts 2:44-45.

44 “all those… together… all things… in common”

all the people shared all the things

Idea: everyone without exception; can’t assume this applies only to people who are naturally hospitable; also can’t just invite the same 2-3 people every time

common = unclean, without purpose / designation

equivalent of the “free” table at a yard sale

mi casa es su casa, my house is your house

absolutely no strings attached to anything

45 “selling…” a willing divestiture and sacrifice

must have been selling to nonbelievers, real estate

maybe local believers supporting out-of-towners

not continued or required, totally voluntary

not just because they expected Jesus to come back

44 “as anyone might have need”

on an as needed basis, not compulsory or constant

need should be genuine, not opportunistic

Jas 2:14-17 - provide what is necessary for the body.

Idea: test of true community, are material needs being met? or are we so heavenly minded so as to be no earthly good? misnomer against God’s will.

Idea: 43-45 imperfect verbs: ongoing background action for context. Personal time still used for service / good works.

Sometimes big and showy acts in public like miracles back then, but more often than not it is just silent and sacrificial.

If these believers were not gathered for worship and fellowship, then they were at home busy taking care of paperwork to sell off property as needs arose. How do you use your personal time? Selfish or generous purposes?

Are you working for the good of others, or only yourself?

Generous people are always thinking about +1s. If you’re cooking, cook for one more person. If you find a deal at the store, text someone else who might like it. If you’re working on a project, invite someone who may do it later. Going on a trip? Ask friends if they need anything before you leave, and think about getting something for them while you’re gone.

Pay attention to the needs of other people. If you just spend time with them, you’ll find all kinds of opportunities. If you are meeting people’s needs, they will find you :)

Loneliness is often an indication of selfishness.

Generosity is not giving people your leftovers. Some people work so hard to keep all their ducks in a row. If you are always fussing over the small details, you are going to waste a lot of time missing out on opportunities to serve others.

Remember that at some time or another you are going to be the one with a need. Be humble. If people invite you over for a meal or an event, don’t turn them all down. You can’t always be magnanimous, sometimes just say yes.

Be willing to share your needs, yet don’t demand help. Let others choose to give and to serve of their own desire.

When you are continually devoted to worship it will naturally flow out in generous devotion to good works.

3. Be Joyfully Devoted to One Another (46-47)

This leads to our third point, be devoted to one another.

Read Acts 2:46.

46 “daily”

cynical (no wonder they needed financial support)

Idea: converted at Weekend Away, stay there, have needs

may also have been engagement before / after work

closer proximity, smaller city, people near their homes?

46 “in the temple”

not unusual for Jewish believers

hub of Jesus and Paul’s teaching activities

eager for teaching, humbly received

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “And for this reason we also thank God without ceasing that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.”

46 “house to house”

led by Apostles’ example (1 Th 2:6-12)

Idea: vulnerability, graciousness. stuff in people’s houses and lives that makes your eyebrows go up, “oh really?” hold your eyebrows down and keep your mouth shut. be a model of good works, love them anyways. they will see stuff in your life and house too. show grace.

Idea: daily + house to house = lots of work.

Husbands - Abraham hurried in Genesis 18:6–8 “6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Hurry, prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to his young man, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree, and they ate.” #TrueHospitality

Wives - willing to spend time in the kitchen again to cook an extra meal, beyond everything for your family? do you maintain your home well enough that people can drop by? are you humble enough to let them in?

Kids - do you put your toys away when you’re done? do you share your things when people visit? do you ask how you can help clean up after people leave?

46 “gladness” - powerful testimony to nonbelievers

46 “sincerity” - simplicity of heart, Idea: no fussiness (diets)

Read Acts 2:47.

47 “praising” - deliberate and vocal, public proclamation

Lk 2:13 - angels in heaven when Jesus is born

Lk 2:20 - shepherds returning from seeing baby Jesus

Lk 19:37 - triumphal entry into Jerusalem

Ac 3:8-9 - lame beggar healed and leaping

Rev 19:5 - all the hosts of heaven before God’s throne

47 “favor” credit, grace, given without compulsion, voluntary

extended toward God and neighbor, commandments

later saw persecution from officials, but individuals appreciate what they see. it is totally unique for them.

elders required to have a good reputation with outsiders, so it is logical to expect it of the church too (1 Tim 3:7)

Idea: does the outside world even know about Anchor? Is our love for one another so obvious that it is attractive? I think if we are diligent in these things, the world will know. This sacrificial love is foreign to nonbelievers.

Gal 6:10, “let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Idea: some people read that like it says “let us do good to all people and only to those who are of the household of faith.”

47 “adding to their number daily” - If you’re a believer, you’re part of a local church. Inseparable. We cannot forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

You must be joyfully devoted to one another, in person.

Conclusion

These three types of Christian devotion will help you excel still more in both personal holiness and brotherly love.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 LSB

1 Finally then, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

By abstaining from sexual immorality, a key warning

By leading a quiet life, attending to your own business, and working with your hands so that you can meet needs.

I would encourage you to read 1 Thessalonians for inspiration from a church that Paul praised for imitating everything we have studied in Acts 2 today. Paul specifically told them in 2:14, “You, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.” He describes it so well.

So read 1 Thessalonians to learn more about this, and then consider on the flip side that the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 had lost their first love. Losing your first love means getting the doctrine and preaching right but missing everything we’ve been talking about today. Your knowledge of God only matters if it drives you to imitate His perfections in your love toward Him and others. Pray that God would spare our church from such a useless end. Let us be devoted in love toward one another.

1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 LSB

11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you, 13 so that He may strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness, before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.