Hey, That’s Us!

It is important whenever we read Scripture, especially an excerpt as brief as our reading this morning, into some kind of context. In our passage this morning this is on the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost marks the day when the Holy Spirit rushed upon the people gathered, and we read: Acts 2:3

Acts 2:3 ESV

And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Perhaps it looked like this:

Okay, I’m kidding. I’m sure there were no marshmallow’s brought in on that day. What is important to remember is how as the Holy Spirit rushed upon them, that they began hearing the disciples words in their own language. They were amazed and perplexed. It was then that Peter lifted up his voice and addressed the crowd. He quoted from the prophet Joel, and from the words of David, and the resurrection. Acts 2:32

Acts 2:32 ESV

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

The response was a drastic change in heart. Acts 2:37

Acts 2:37 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

And he responded: Acts 2:38-39

Acts 2:38–39 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

And ultimately: Acts 2:41

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

That gives us the context of what’s going on in our passage. These people’s lives are being changed radically in the midst. Can you imagine doing 3000 baptisms in a single day!?

Oprah famously said, “You get a new car, you get a new car, you get a new car…” Here the disciples are saying, “You get a new life, you get a new life, you get a new life…”

And their lives were changed.

We forget often that the early church was comprised almost entirely by Jews. In this scene they were devout Jews, and their hearts were being changed from the preaching of a fisherman. Clearly God was doing something profound when we read 3000 of them change to recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. And our passage this morning is the result of that change.

Let’s look a bit closer. The opening sentence of our passage this morning reveals so much: Acts 2:42

Acts 2:42 ESV

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

The first part is important - they DEVOTED themselves to the Apostle’s teaching, which would have included Jesus’ earthly teaching plus what he taught the disciples in his 40 days of resurrection appearances. That is a challenge for each one of us. Are we devoted to what the Apostle’s taught?

Later in the passage we read they attended the temple together. They continued to learn from the Hebrew Scriptures together, to worship in the temple and then in their own homes. It is the living out of Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ““Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

It is one thing to worship at the temple or in our case in a church, but what about our homes? Does our worship end as we exit the church building? Does our devotion to the teaching of Scripture end as we pass through those doors? It shouldn’t, I would contend it doesn’t.

I know many of you throughout the week are reading your Bibles, many of you gather in Bible study either with us on Monday night or Wednesday at noon, some are involved with Bible Study Fellowship, and you gather around God’s Word often. I know many of you are reading on your own as well. You’re thinking about Scripture is evidenced by questions with which you challenge me.

They devoted themselves also to the fellowship was more than hanging out together. The Greek word is koinonia, “participation, sharing” of their lives and material goods as we see later when they are selling their possessions and belonging and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. I look at this church and I see the many ways that we give throughout the year and I see this kind of generosity pervasive among you.

They were devoted to the breaking of bread and the prayers. The breaking of bread likely covered both the celebration of the Lord’s Supper/communion, and a larger fellowship meal. The prayers took place in house meetings - they no doubt followed Jesus example and learned the Lord’s prayer from the apostles.

These people’s hearts were changed.

Their hearts were changed…

Think for a moment, is your heart different because of your faith? If (as some have asked) Christianity were illegal would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Is your faith a regular topic of conversation? Is it on your heart? Do you talk about your faith when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise?

If not, why not?

Has your heart not been changed?

In our text this morning we read, Acts 2:43

Acts 2:43 ESV

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

Every year several of us go to the Men’s Conference at Capernwray Harbor in Canada - there are still spots available.

On that trip, perhaps one of the greatest gifts is having the time to sit back and share our stories, and hear how God is working in the lives of other men. Men we don’t share personal stuff with each other often enough. We don’t share where we’re struggling readily enough.

It’s when we come to the end of ourselves that we’re able to let go, and see God work. Often through others.

We all know that we’re called to be compassionate - we read of the early church believers “selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need,” (v. 45). When we hold back from sharing of our needs, we hold back the opportunity to allow another to demonstrate generosity.

It’s more than that. We deny the community from being inspired by the modeling of humility and generosity.

That’s worth emphasizing.

When we withhold our weaknesses and needs we deny the community from being inspired by the modeling of humility and generosity.

Yet that vulnerable and generous example is sorely missing in our world. The truth is, none of us is “self-sufficient,” though we may try to be. I’m reminded often, by many of you, I don’t need to try and do it all by myself.

Life is better together. We’re told in the very early verses of our Bibles, “It is not good for man to be alone…” We were created for community.

Acts 2:43 ESV

And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

When we are vulnerable and when we are looking for opportunities to be generous - we are giving and given the opportunity to see wonders and signs and to live in that awe of the way that God provides.

If you’re like me, you think you’ve learned this lesson. And yet, I look back in my own life and realize how many times I doubted this lesson and had to learn it yet again.

When I was in seminary in one of my classes the professor stopped the class, and told us that he felt there were many burdens in our class. He invited us to break into groups of 3 or 4 and simply share burdens we were carrying and to pray for one another.

We had a group of three. Three of us gathered together, and I still remember the other men’s burdens shared in our triad.

One said, he was training for the mission field and God had really laid upon his heart that he was so busy focusing on the future and the mission field that he was missing the needs right around him. The two of us listening agreed to pray for him.

Then the other man shared how his wife and he had an autistic daughter. He shared how the burden was a challenge to them both and how they were now overwhelmed by the latest doctor sharing with them their daughter was also deaf. It hit us like a thud. We agreed to pray for him.

It was my turn. I said, “Well, mine’s easy, my rent is due and I don’t have it.” I was a substitute teacher but had not had any assignments recently. The man with the autistic daughter asked, “how much is it.” I told him. Then the missionary said, “I’m supposed to pay it.” WAIT? WHAT? He then shared how he’d just received an unexpected financial gift. God had given him a dream the night before that someone was in financial need around him and he was now in a position to help. And he did.