A Rooted Church

Opening Comments:

Journey with me in your copy of God’s Word in Acts 2:42-47. Page # 857 in our church Bibles.

Today is the last Sunday of 2025, and that naturally gives us a moment to pause, and reflect on what has been and to look ahead.

For some, this year was filled with joy: marriages, graduations, new ventures, new life. For others, it carried real grief, the loss of loved ones, relationships, jobs, even churches.

As we come to the end of the year, instead of asking simply, “What’s next?” I want to challenge us to ask a deeper question: What will shape us in 2026?

I believe that’s why the Lord has led us to this passage today.

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.

Introduction:

Acts 2 records the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers in Jerusalem, what we now know as the “Day of Pentecost.” Following this, Peter preached Christ crucified and risen, and thousands believed.

But Luke doesn’t rush ahead to celebrate momentum, numbers, or visible success. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he intentionally slows the story down.

Before telling us what the early church accomplished, he shows us how the church lived.

Verse 42 tells us that they “devoted themselves.”

Devotion is steady and unglamorous. It describes persistence more than passion. It’s not a burst of enthusiasm, but a settled pattern of obedience that, over time, molds and shapes a people.

Acts 2 gives us a picture, not of a perfect church, but of a devoted church; shaped by the gospel and committed to living it out together.

Much like a healthy tree, everything visible above ground was sustained by what was quietly happening below the surface. Roots grow slowly and unseen, but they determine whether a tree stands firm when storms come.

Luke takes us below the surface of this first church to show us its roots; roots that anchored them then and will help anchor us in the new year.

1.) A Rooted Church is Devoted to God’s Word (v.42)

The first thing Luke tells us this newborn church devoted themselves to is “the apostles teaching”

Display don’t read

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…

Apostles teaching- This was the Word of God as it had been revealed and explained to them.

God’s Word, doesn’t just inform the christian life, it forms and shapes what we believe, anchors how we think ,and corrects us when we drift.

The christian life grows from steady exposure to God’s truth, over time. Not singular dramatic occurences.

Like the growth of a tree over centuries as its is exposed to sunlight, air, water, etc

This is why the Bible isn’t optional for the christian as an individual and for the church collectively. We need it to grow like we need air to breathe.

Now, let me be very clear about this: Our goal should never be to read more Bible than someone else, or because we think it will impress God. Our goal is to simply be faithful in exposing ourselves to God’s word on a regular basis.

I want to help you with this in the new year, so we have made available, in the lobby, three Bible reading plans for the new year that are intentional and sustainable.

One for those who have never had a habit of approaching God’s Word on a daily basis.

One for those who have a regular habit but want to go a little further and read the bible from cover to cover in 2026.

And one for those with an established habit of doing this for a long time and want to push themselves further.

Pick one you can sustain and devote yourself too faithfully, in the new year.

Application: When a church is rooted in the Bible, it isn’t phased by the winds of culture. It doesn't lose it’s bearings when life gets chaotic or hard. It remains anchored, steady, and sure.

That devotion is both private and public. It shapes how we live together. Which is where Luke takes us next. A person rooted in God’s word, will always be drawn towards God’s people.

2.) A Rooted Church is Devoted to God’s People. (v.42)

v.42 goes on to tell us that the early church not only devoted themselves to the apostles teaching but also to:

Read second part of verse.

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Their devotion to God Word naturally flowed into devotion to God’s people.

The members of the church at Jerusalem:

Prayed together.

Ate together.

Bore burdens together.

Rejoiced together.

Mourned together.

Their faith wasn’t just something practiced in isolation or merely within their own families, it was lived out together in community.

In the ancient world, no one would have imagined following Jesus apart from others. Biblical Christianity assumes community. To belong to Christ was to belong to His people.

American culture is shaped by rugged individualism. We value self-reliance and independence.

One of the most enduring figures in the American fabric is the Lone Ranger. He rides alone. Answers to no one. Shows up when he wants, does what needs to be done, and then disappears.

And without realizing it, that image has shaped how many approach the Christian life.

Me and God

My Bible

My Walk

My journey

Here’s the problem: “Lone Ranger Christianity”, it’s not biblical Christianity! New Testament Christianity is all about being known, accountable and walking side by side with others.

Another by-product of “rugged individualism” is extreme customization. We live in a world where everything is customizable.

We build playlists instead of listening to whole albums. We stream what we want, when we want and skip what we don’t like. We order everything our way.

“Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us. Just have it your way.”

When we approach the church like that, we become consumers instead of members.

We’ll go to one church becuase we like the preaching. Another for the music. And another because of a program that fits our stage of life.

And slowly, though we’d never admit it, we build a version of Christianity shaped by preference.

“Customizable Christianity” turns:

Servants into spectators.

Correction into intrusion.

Commitment into casualness

And, overtime, makes us spiritually fragile.

Real growth happens inside of relational community, not apart from it. To belong to Christ is to belong to his people.

This is where participating in ministries like Heritage Men and Heritage Women play such an important role; creating space for honesty, encouragement, and accountability is vital. That will not happen in isolation.

This matters deeply for our children and teenagers as well. Culture is pushing radical autonomy at younger and younger ages, and it’s lead to anxiety, confusion, hyper-sexualization, and an epidemic of despair and suicide.

In response starting in January we’re launching a new direction for teen ministry. We’re transitioning from a Sunday morning Bible lecture to a monthly intentional time together on the fourth Sunday afternoon. There will be pizza, time to hang out, and excitement. But also a place for honest, practical, conversational time in God’s word where you can ask the hard questions about real issues you’re facing.

We’ll talk about anxiety, identity, peer pressure, social media, sexuality, doubt, fear about the future, climate change, social awareness, etc. and we will root all of those things in the Bible. This ministry will be led by myself, Jennifer, Joe, and Brittney French-Lujan.

We want our teens to know that they are seen and valued as a vital part of Heritage Church.

Express gratitude for our current Teen Sunday School teachers, who have served faithfully. This shift is not a critique of their service, it’s a pastoral decision about the direction ahead.

Application: Parents, let me encourage you to stop training your kids to be church consumers and start forming them into disciples!

Church we have to do better than offering a bible story and cheesy slogans.

When a church is devoted to God’s people, it resists isolation and embraces accountability. When believers, young and old, lean into the body of Christ, they find strength and growth that cannot be found alone.

3.) A Rooted Church Commits to a Shared Life together. (v.44,46)

Acts 2:44 ESV

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common…

Acts 2:46 ESV

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes,…

The early church were deeply commited to each other, which led to stability and health.

Like roots. Roots grow stronger the longer something is planted. They grow deeper with time, which then makes the plant more stable.

One of the greatest challenges facing the church in America today is how easy it is for people remain at surface level. To attend without ever fully attaching themselves. To be present but not allow yourself to ever be known.

I want to speak directly to two groups of people here in our church:

A.) New People

For some of you, being at Heritage is something you didn’t plan on. You went to church one Sunday and God, in His providence, brought unexpected change into your life. That change came with a step of trust to follow his leadership to a place you were unfamiliar with.

That transition, no doubt carries a lot of mixed emotion. Sadness for what has ended. Gratitude for what has been. Uncertainty about what’s ahead. Hope mixed with a dose of hesitation.

And, I hope you’ll hear me warmly this morning: We are genuinely thankful God has brought you to Heritage Church. Your presence here is a gift to this body.

But, I want to offer you some gentle encouragement: If this is where you feel like the Lord has brought you, don’t remain on the margins.

Make Heritage home!

Don’t just dip your toe in the water, dive in head first.

Thank God for what he has done in the past, but embrace the work God is doing in you now.

B.) Long time attenders

Some of you have been attending Heritage for a long time. You know all the rhythms and vocabulary. You recognize all the faces, call me Pastor and benefit from all of the ministry of Heritage Church but you remain on the fringes and resist commitment as a member.

Can I ask you, in love,

Why?

What are you protecting?

What are you waiting for?

What would it look like to trust God enough to plant where He has already placed you?

At some point a refusal to commit moves beyond caution and becomes reluctance. It keeps you at an arms length from christian accountability, limits your investment in the body, and weakens both you and the church.

Christianity that lack commitment is fragile and vulnerable. Believers without deep roots, are easily shaken.

Acts 2, doesn’t have a category for the indefinitely uncommitted. Being a casual spectator wasn’t really an option in the early church. Shared life requires shared responsibility.

Application: This is where church membership comes into view. It’s a clear, biblical way of saying:

“These are my people. This is where I’m commited to grow, serve, give, and practice accountability.”

That’s why we offer our newly renamed “Heritage Essentials” class. Where you can explore membership in an informed way. It’s not a sales pitch, it’s a pathway to belonging. A chance for you to understand who we are, what we believe, and how we can walk together as a church. “Heritage Essentials” does not make you a member, it’s where the path to membership starts.

Our next Heritage Essentials class will be January 10, from 9:30 to 12:30.

Consider this an invitation to clarity. Stop hovering at the edges and truly consider if this is where God has called you to plant your life.

When God’s people commit to stay, invest, serve, give, forgive, and grow side by side together it creates something strong and lasting.

That’s the kind of church Acts 2 describes. And that’s the kind of church we are praying to be.

4.) A Rooted Church Devotes Itself to God’s Mission Together. (v.45-46)

The devotion of the church at Jerusalem moved outward.

Acts 2:45–46 ESV

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,

They gave of their time, resources, and aligned their priorities to serve the greater mission of God: to reach more people with the Gospel.

A rooted church is outward facing, but not pragmatically focused on growth. It faithfully serves where God has planted it and trusts him with the results.

A.) Local and Global Evangelism and Missions.

This coming year we will bring back our “Saturate” ministry (explain) and our “Take 5” campaign (explain).

February is Missions month where each week we highlight a different aspect of our missions work locally, nationally and globally. As part of that, we’ll be encouraging you to prayerfully give toward a missions goal for the 2026 fiscal year.

B.) Building Campaign.

We’ve reached a point where space is no longer a future concern it’s a present limitation.

The Lord has brought us new people. Families are growing. And new ministry opportunities are presenting themselves on a regular basis.

Our job is to respond wisely and faithfully to everything the Lord is doing in our midst.

We need to build! Our goal is to raise $300,000 toward a new building, in order to increase our capacity for ministry.

This spring, we’ll receive a special Jehovah Jireh offering toward that building fund. We’re asking everyone to pray about a financial gift and come prepared to give on that day. All offerings that day will go toward the building fund and missions as a focused and prayerful act of generosity.

10% will be given directly to world missions, supporting the work of the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, and Vision Virginia.In practical terms, that means we’ll operate on 51 weeks of giving instead of 52.

Application: A rooted church devotes itself to God’s mission. When it gives, serves, sends, and prays it creates a living testimony that the Lord is at work among His people.

Conclusion:

Notice, Luke doesn’t say here that the first church was perfect, never struggled, never got tired, and had everything figured out. Far from it.

But, they were incredibly devoted to God’s Word, His people, sharing lifer together and being on mission.

Now look with me at what God’s response to their devotion was:

Acts 2:47 ESV

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.

The Jerusalem church didn’t grow because the people were clever and they had the best facilitates. It grew because God was at work among his people. People who were imperfectly faithful and wholeheartedly commited to how God called them to live.

So, Heritage Church, on the last Sunday of 2025 we need to ask ourselves:

What will we be devoted to in 2026?

Invitation:

Before you can put down roots in the church, you must first come to Jesus.

The Bible tells us that every one of us has sinned against a holy God, and no amount of effort, commitment, or religious activity can make that right. But God, in His mercy, sent His Son. Jesus lived the life we could not live. He died the death we deserved to die. And He rose again, defeating sin and death. Forgiveness and new life are offered freely to all who repent and trust in Christ alone.

So if the Lord is stirring your heart today, don’t ignore that. Turn from your sin. Trust in Christ. Put your roots down in Him.

And for those in Christ, as we step into a new year, don’t feel the pressure to change everything at once.

Roots grow slowly. Quietly. Over time.

I challenge you to identify one area where God is calling you to deeper devotion in 2026.

Take one faithful step.

Stay planted.

And trust God to bring the growth.

Because when a people are rooted in Christ and devoted to one another, the Lord is pleased to work among them.

Let’s pray together.

Father, Root us deeply in Christ, and shape us into the church You are calling us to be. And for any here today who have not yet trusted in Him, draw their hearts to Jesus and give them new life. Help all of us take the next faithful steps You are calling us to take together. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.