Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Worship: In God's Presence, For God's Purpose 

Bible Reading: Acts 2:42-47 

Key verse:  42


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

DEVOTION

Luke is unique among scripture writers as the only gentile contributor. Luke is also distinct in writing a two-volume sweeping history of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (Gospel of Luke) and the Early Church (Book of Acts). Acts 2 is a pivotal chapter that records the birth of the Church—Jesus’s ekklesia—with the following sections: (i) The Coming of the Holy Spirit (v.1-13); (ii) Peter's Sermon at Pentecost (v.14-41); (iii) The Fellowship of the Believers (v.42-47).
The devotional passage (Acts 2:42-47) is drawn from section (iii), depicting a special time in the life of the Early Church, on The Fellowship of Believers. The Church was born on the he Day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’s resurrection, marked by a sudden sound like a "mighty rushing wind", with "tongues of fire" resting on the disciples, who were “filled with the Holy Spirit”—fulfilling Jesus’s promise of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49, John 14:26)—that enabled them to speak “the mighty works of God” in “other tongues as the Spirit gave them” to a diverse multitude in Jerusalem.
When people were “amazed and perplexed” at the speaking in tongues, Apostle Peter stood with the other eleven disciples confirming that they were “witnesses” to God raising up Jesus by “loosing the pangs of death” (Acts 2:32–33), invoking the Old Testament prophet Joel’s transcendent message to Judah to repent, return to God, and receive the Holy Spirit, given His looming judgment of sin (Joel 2:28-32). He concluded the sermon proclaiming, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).
The listeners were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) by Apostle Peter’s Sermon, who instructed them to “repent, and be baptized” in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Those who received the Apostle’s word were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added that day to the fellowship, marking the birth of the Church.
The devotional text begins with a description of the worship practices of the Early Church (Acts 2:42). They were committed to “the apostles’ teaching”, encompassing both the teaching of the old covenant Scriptures and the new revelation given by Jesus Christ, written later. They were devoted to “the prayers”, comprising prayers from the Psalms, given their Jewish heritage, and the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13) by Jesus. They also partook in “the breaking of the bread”, the Lord’s Supper, often a part of a larger fellowship meal (1 Corinthians 11:17–34).
The ensuing verses (Acts 2:43-47) elaborate the nature of fellowship among the believers. The Apostles did many wonders and signs; all believers were together, with all things common; sold possessions and distributed proceeds as needed; attended the temple daily, “broke bread” in their homes; ate food with glad and generous hearts, praising God, receiving favor.
The theme and the devotional passage offer the following reflective questions:
(i) Are we repenting our sins daily, returning to God, and receiving the Holy Spirit?
(ii) Is our worship honorable and pleasing to God?
(iii) How can we replicate the radical generosity practices of the Early Church?

 

                                                                  PRAYER

 

 Fill us with your Holy Spirit  O LORD. Lead us and guide us.

Thought for the DAY

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:23

Dr. Cherian Samuel
Immanuel Mar Thoma Church, Virginia.

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