I wish I would have been able to experience a house church gathering with the first century church. To partake in communion. To worship without the years of church tradition. To pray for boldness. To see the sold out commitment of each Christian.  

Today’s devotion is centered on Acts 2. Below I make a few observations of the early church. These characteristics aren’t a complete list but merely a collection from my own personal devotions and studies on Acts 2. This isn’t an eloquent post but my thoughts on these passages. 

12 Characteristics of the Early Church

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 

THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO SCRIPTURE

First was the teaching of the apostles. Just as the apostles had been instructed by Jesus, so they passed along that instruction to the new Christians. 

This would have included such subjects as his resurrection, the Old Testament Scriptures, the Christian witness, and surely their experiences during Jesus’ ministry. 

The content of the church was centered on God’s Word. They learned spiritual truths.  

The church is a place where God’s Word is proclaimed, explained, and applied. 

THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO FELLOWSHIP

The second activity to which they devoted themselves was “the fellowship.” The Greek word used here (koinōnia) 

Its basic meaning is “association, communion, fellowship, close relationship.”

They were with other believers. They had people in their life who knew Jesus and knew where they were at in their spiritual life. 

It is hard to Love God and love people when we are not around people.

THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO BREAKING BREAD

It was either participating in the Lord’s Supper or simply eating meals together. 

Either way, they came around the table to remember Jesus and engage in spiritual conversations. 

We know that they observed the Lord’s Supper. Remember the sacrifice of Jesus and keep their focus on him. 

THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO PRAYER 

Praying together in their homes. 

Praying individually and corporately. 

Prayed for needs, boldness to share the Gospel. Gratitude. 

THE CHURCH WAS AWE-INSPIRITING

Acts 2:43

Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.  

“Everyone” probably refers to those outside the Christian community who were awed by apostolic miracles

People outside of the faith noticed their faith. Stories of life-change. It was amazing.

Do people notice our faith? 

Do people hear about the stories of life-change that are happening? 

THE CHURCH WAS DEVOTED TO SCRIPTURE

Acts 2:44

Now all the believers were together and held all things in common.

The gathered community had a strong emphasis on their unity.

This was a unity in theology and oneness. It doesn’t mean that they were uniform. 

Uniformity: Remaining the same in all cases and at all times. 

Unity: The state of being joined together as a whole. 

Unity is different from uniformity. 

We can be unified around a goal, mission, idea, or vision while celebrating our diverse gifts, experiences, and backgrounds. 

God is glorified when we are unified around the Gospel. 

The global church is a powerful picture of unity. Diverse gifts, styles, and cultures unified around the Gospel of Jesus. 

Unity can happen without uniformity. Promoting uniformity – that we are all the exact same, isn’t biblical and goes against the teaching of the Body of Christ with it’s diverse parts. 

THE CHURCH WAS GENEROUS 

Acts 2:45

They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 

There are times where people sold their property and gave it to the apostles to distribute as needed. Here we see a continual giving. 

This debunks the myth or not having enough money to help. Do you have stuff? Are you willing to get rid of what you have so that someone else can eat? Pay their medical bill?  

THE CHURCH WAS EVANGELISTIC

Acts 2:46

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 

Peter does this in the next chapter. Peter went into the temple, met a man couldn’t walk begging for money and he healed him. As a result, many heard about Jesus.  

The early church wasn’t separate from the community. They were around people – ministering, praying, and serving in an effort to share about the Gospel of Jesus. 

THE CHURCH WAS JOYOUS

Acts 2:46

Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 

Why is it that church people seem so worried and fearful about everything. Can we relax a little?

We can lose sight of the torment, pain, and persecution the church is experiencing and has experienced. 

We get upset when we have a flat tire when the majority of the world doesn’t even own a car. 

We get upset when we have to wait for 20 minutes for a meal when millions of people around the world don’t know when their next meal will be. 

When Jesus is our focus our lives will be joyous. The first church understood that life with Jesus was always better than life without Jesus. 

We have nothing to worry about if Jesus is leading our lives. 

We have nothing to worry about if Jesus is leading the church.  

We have nothing to worry about if Jesus is our one and only King. 

We have nothing to worry about if Jesus is our redeemer and Savior. 

Let’s not make such a big deal about the problems we face and start to make a bigger deal about the Jesus that we follow. 

THE CHURCH WAS WORSHIPFUL

Acts 2:47

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. 

Their joy was connected with their worship. 

Worship provided them with praise, centered them on Jesus, and express gratitude. 

THE CHURCH WAS REPUTABLE

Acts 2:47

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Their lives were attractive to those outside of the faith. 

Know what the statistics say is the biggest hindrance when it comes to sharing your faith with others? The way that we live. 

Do your actions point other people to Jesus?

Do your words point other people to Jesus?

Do your social medias point other people to Jesus? 

They enjoyed favor with “all the people” which includes people outside of the faith. 

THE CHURCH WAS GROWING

The Lord added to their gathering daily. 

Jesus is the one who will grow the church. This is not a step-by-step manual for church growth. 

The people were faithful to God and their numbers increased because others were coming to the faith. 

Follow the Bible reading plan in the FBC Loganville App or at www.fbcloganville.org/bible

Do you believe that God wants to grow the church? 

Do you believe that God has a plan for the local and global church?

Do you believe that God’s plan for the church involves your obedience?

From the foundation of the church Christians were supposed to be the church, not simply attend the church. 

But over the years we have fallen into some toxic patterns of selfishness that have focused our attention on the benefits we gain from church without living as a witness for Jesus in our community. 

We have made the strategy about bringing people into the church, not sending people out of the church. 

The church has provided a list of amenities for you just like a hotel instead of a pathway for discipleship and evangelism. 

When you provide amenities, what you provide changes with what people want. 

“If the church had better _____ I would be able to bring people here.” 

I hate when people say “I go there because I like the music, preaching, children ministry, etc”

My hope is that they experience and witness the love, power, and grace of Jesus at work in our local church and they are drawn to Jesus not what we provide. 

When the goal is to grow a local church congregation the aim is to bring people in and you might not make disciples because you are building programs instead of building disciples.

When the goal is to make disciples we grow the church people and send them out the church definitely makes disciples and grows both spiritually and numerically. 

In Acts 1:8 Jesus gave the disciples one last command before he ascended into Heaven. 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The Holy Spirit is the source of power and the strategy is for Christians to be a witness for Jesus around the world.  

Acts 1:8 clearly lays out the outline of the book of Acts and what the church is to be doing until Jesus returns. 

He is not mentioning an optional ministry activity for individuals with cross cultural interests and churches with surplus funds. The Great Commission is the primary task the Lord left his church. 

What was he talking about when Jesus used the word “WITNESS”?

Witness – A person who shares his/her experience and personal knowledge about an event. 

When people in the first century killed these witnesses the word became synonymous with someone who laid down their life because of their religious beliefs. 

Witness in GK is Martyr

To be a witness (martys) is to speak from personal knowledge of facts and their significance. The apostles, as eyewitnesses of the saving events, were witnesses in a unique sense. But all those who will believe and appropriate the truth of their testimony also qualify as witnesses.

Acts 1:8 is a call for Christians to stop attending church and begin being the church on more than just Sunday mornings.

To be Jesus’ witnesses in both word and deed means communicating the verbal content of the Gospel and living God’s way and not our own. 

The Best Way To Grow A Church

As a Christian you ARE a witness. 

The question isn’t if you are a witness – if you are a Christians you are a witness. 

The question is – are you are an effective witness that shows Jesus as immeasurably better than anything this world has to offer? 

• Do you show that Jesus is all-glorious or do you show that other things in the world are more important? 
• Do you help others understand how to live out one’s faith or do you live hypocritically?
• Do you build your life on the rock of biblical truth or is your foundation crumbling?
• Would your co-workers think it is weird that you are a Christian by your words and actions? 

Jesus told the disciples to start evangelizing where they are, in Jerusalem the center of the Jewish people. To their families and friends.

Then they are to move out into all Judea, the Jewish countryside, Samaria, populated by half-Jews; racial boundaries and finally, in fact, to go to the ends of the earth, that is, to reach Gentile peoples. 

The strategy for church growth, multiplication, evangelism, discipleship, and missions is simple: 

• Every Christian, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, should be a witness for Jesus. 

Do you want to know the secret of how the early church grew? 

The church grows when Christians go out into the community and do ministry. 

If you aren’t a witness for Jesus, people around you will not witness Jesus. 

Apply:

How can you be a witness for Jesus?

• It begins with your spiritual life. 
• You can’t make Jesus known if you don’t know Jesus
• Daily time to spend time in the Spirit with Jesus
• It is modeled through your daily life. 
• How you act must line up with what you believe. 
• Share your story about what Jesus has done in your life.  
• Invite someone into repentance and to accept Jesus. 
• Barna study – 65% of millennials believe being a witness for Jesus is important. But 47% of professing millennial Christians believe that it is wrong for an individual to evangelize and “share about one’s personal beliefs with someone who has different beliefs. 

Respond:

Pray for opportunities and boldness to share your faith today. 

Want to receive devotions to your email inbox Monday-Friday? Join today and receive devotions each morning. Subscribe to the email list.

The F260 NT Bible reading plan and HEAR Journal method is from Replicate Ministries. 

Follow the Bible reading plan in the FBC Loganville App or at www.fbcloganville.org/bible

Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten about you?

It is easy to assume that God has more important things to consume his time with other than your situation. 

Perhaps you think he is too busy. 

Maybe you think God is too detached to know about your struggles. 

More often than not, we think that God will cast us to the side because of our sin. 

In Luke 23:42-43 we read about a guilty man who asked Jesus to reminder him. 

Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion. As he hung on the cross he was beside two other men being executed. Unlike Jesus, these other two men were guilty and were being justly punished for their crimes.

Both criminals mocked Jesus while he was on the cross, but one criminal had a change of heart at some point during their execution. 

The one criminal asked defended Jesus from the insults of the other criminal and asked Jesus to “remember him” when Jesus enters into his kingdom. 

The request is a confession that Jesus is a king and has the power to forgive. 

Jesus responds by saying, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This man, whose name has been forgotten by history, would be remembered by the King of the Universe – even though he was a condemned sinner. 

Jesus was willing to save the criminal even though his sin and guilt were on display for everyone to see. 

Forgiven, Not Forgotten

This shows us a truth about Jesus. 

Jesus is willing to save you even though you are guilty of sin. 

He will forgive you of your sin and not forget about you.

The second criminal missed Jesus because he didn’t see his own need for Jesus.

Don’t miss Jesus because you think you can handle life on your own.

There are people who are at risk of missing Jesus because you think you can handle life and death on your own. 

You won’t have a need for Jesus until your realize your need for Jesus. 

What I mean by that:

Jesus lived the life you couldn’t live, died the death you should have died, so that we may have the life that we don’t deserve.

He is willing to save you, even if your guilt and mistakes are on complete display. 

Apply: 

• Do you realize your need for Jesus?
• Have you confessed your sin and called out to Jesus to forgive you? 

Respond:

Thank Jesus for his grace and faithfulness to forgive sin. Thank him that he has not forgotten about you but loves you so much that he died so that you can have life. 

Want to receive devotions to your email inbox Monday-Friday? Join today and receive devotions each morning. Subscribe to the email list.

The F260 NT Bible reading plan and HEAR Journal method is from Replicate Ministries. 

Follow the Bible reading plan in the FBC Loganville App or at www.fbcloganville.org/bible

Jesus encountered many people who desired to follow him during his earthly ministry. Jesus’ impact crossed  social-economic levels, racial divides, and nationalities. 

In Luke 18 we read of an encounter Jesus had with a young rich ruler. 

By the world’s standards, this man had it all. He was the total package.

Despite his success, he had feelings of inadequacy, incompleteness, and emptiness. How do we know? Because he asked Jesus how he could have eternal life. 

I believe this was a humble approach with this question. It seems like something was bothering him and he wasn’t embarrassed or afraid of the crowds to approach Jesus with the greatest question a human can ask, “How can I have eternal life with God”?

He sensed his need for God, but he couldn’t figure out what he lacked and why he felt empty. After all, he was a rich ruler who either earned his wealth or was the recipient of an inheritance and rich family. 

Here is the interaction between Jesus and the young rich ruler. 

A ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not bear false witness; honor your father and mother.” “I have kept all these from my youth,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he told him, “You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich. Luke 18:18-23 

When it was time to test if his heart was in it, the young rich ruler walked away from Jesus.

The young rich ruler was unwilling to surrender his identity to follow Jesus. He walked away from Jesus, not just because he was rich, but because he was more attached to his wealth than to Jesus. 

There is a lesson for all of us to learn from the young rich ruler. Are we willing to surrender our minds and hearts to Jesus or is there something we are unwilling to let go of in our lives? 

Salvation is for those who understand that their sin stands in opposition to Jesus and the only way to receive life is to turn to the giver of life – Jesus.

Everyday people walk away from Jesus because they come searching for solutions not longing for a Savior. Sin brings spiritual blindness, but it can’t get rid of feelings of inadequacy, incompleteness, & emptiness. These feelings stem from the core problem of separation from God. This feeling of spiritual separation is further exasperated when we try to find our identity is things other than Jesus, like our power, affluence, wealth, family, and social status.  

Sin brings feelings of worthlessness that can’t be fixed by your own efforts, but Jesus shows us our true worth and true identity.

In Jesus you are:

• Accepted rather than rejected
• Set free rather than in bondage
• Covered by grace instead of under the law
• Adopted instead of orphaned

Apply: 

• What is keeping you from Jesus? 

You might be able to identify what is keeping you from saying “yes” to Jesus  by answering these two questions:

• • Where do I find my identity?
  • Where do I run for comfort?

Respond: 

Confess your need for Jesus and repent of any sinful desires to find your identity in something other than Jesus. 

Want to receive devotions to your email inbox Monday-Friday? Join today and receive devotions each morning. Subscribe to the email list.

The F260 NT Bible reading plan and HEAR Journal method is from Replicate Ministries. 

Follow the Bible reading plan in the FBC Loganville App or at www.fbcloganville.org/bible

Do you know anyone who is ungrateful? 

As we talk about gratitude it is important for us to clarify how an ungrateful person operates. 

You know them. 

Ungrateful people tend to be people who: 

• Are never content and are always in need
• Rarely say “thank you”
• Don’t sacrifice for others but expect others to sacrifice for them
• Are focused on their needs more than the needs of others
• Think that God or others owe them.

Now, I know what you are thinking – that is my boss, kids, or husband.  It is easy to identify ungrateful people around us. 

Truthfully, we need to recognize that at times we are all ungrateful.

We are all ungrateful from time to time and it hinders our spiritual growth. We don’t think we are ungrateful – just in need. 

Sure, we can use more finances, time, resources, or recognition. But will those things bring us closer to Jesus? 

Christians should be the most joy-filled and hopeful people in the world. 

But some Christians seem so unhappy. They are frustrated with what they don’t have and are overlooking all of the blessings that God has given.

In Luke 17:11-19 we read that Jesus healed ten men with leprosy. These lepers were unable to be with their family, hug their children, or worship in groups of people because of their skin disease. When Jesus healed them their entire lives changed. They were able to return back to their homes and back to a normal life.

All ten men had received the answer to their prayer. But only one man returned to Jesus. 

The healing that the ten men had been praying for only brought one of them back to Jesus. 

Before he approached his family and reenter society, he reentered the presence of Jesus. 

Before he was unable to approach Jesus. Now he doesn’t keep his distance, he humbly approaches Jesus and falls at Jesus’ feet. He realized that he owed everything to Jesus. Falling at his feet is a posture of respect and reverence. 

Healing drove him into the presence of Jesus not away from Him. 

He did not seek a private session to say thank you. He screamed praise and thanksgiving to God so everyone could hear. He knew what Jesus did had come directly from God. The man fell at Christ’s feet to say thank you.

Jesus’ grace and mercy caused this man’s heart to overflow with gratitude.

Be Grateful For God’s Blessings

We are all praying for something aren’t we? 

Health, healing, finances, our families, and more.

What if God answers your prayer with a yes?

Will a yes to that prayer draw you closer to Jesus or would it cause you to rely on gift and miss out on the God who gives? 

Would you run back to the feet of Jesus if you receive what you are praying for or would you carry on with life as usual?  

I know that many of the prayers I voice are to receive things that will help me rely on my own power. 

Answered prayer and provisions should always point you back to worship Jesus not to sustain your own journey.

Gratefulness comes from a realization that you are nothing without Jesus and for some reason He has gifted you with another day to follow Him on this planet. 

Gratitude overflows from your connection to the Holy Spirit. It is difficult for you to be grateful if you aren’t connected to Jesus through prayer and study of God’s Word. 

So how do we cultivate a grateful heart this week?

Apply: How to be grateful for God’s blessings. 

Through your study of God’s Word and be reminded of the:

• Goodness of God – He is for you and with you.
• Your Need for Jesus – you are a sinner in need of the grace of Jesus.
• The Purpose God Has for You – you are still on this planet to make disciples and glorify Jesus. 

Gratitude is a life-giving attitude because it draws us to the feet of Jesus. And as we overflow with gratitude to God, we will begin to overflow in expressing our gratefulness for others. 

Respond: 

Spend some time being grateful for God’s blessings in your life – the air you breathe, the job you have, your friends, family, your health, your salvation, His grace and mercy, etc. 

Want to receive devotions to your email inbox Monday-Friday? Join today and receive devotions each morning. Subscribe to the email list.

The F260 NT Bible reading plan and HEAR Journal method is from Replicate Ministries. 

Follow the Bible reading plan in the FBC Loganville App or at www.fbcloganville.org/bible

 Is being rich a sin? 

This is a debate that has been waged for thousands of years. 

In the Old Testament times there were patriarchs that followed God and were extremely wealthy. People like Abraham, David, Joseph, Job, Solomon, and more. 

In the New Testament Jesus was homeless and often spoke out against the rich. He taught such things as: 

“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24) 

“When Jesus heard this, he told him, ‘You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’” (Luke 18:22)

Are there conflicting teachings on wealth and money? Is it wrong for a Christian to have money?

Is being rich a sin? 

The answer is simple. It is not a sin to be rich but the failure to use your money to serve God is sinful. 

In Luke 16 Jesus taught the disciples that no one can serve two masters fully. If you are trying to serve two separate masters one will inevitably win your time, energy, and devotion. The one you are devoted to will become the one you love. If you devote your life to serving money then you are unable to devote your life to God.  

Using this logic, Jesus says that a person “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). Why? Because you will be intoxicated by serving money it will cause you to forsake serving God. 

Being rich isn’t a sin but it does bring other temptations for us to be less devoted to God. 

Being “rich” could cause you to depend on yourself instead of God to provide for you. It can cause you to become prideful and arrogant. It can cause you to look at others as less worthy than yourself. It is sinful to put anything other than God as your primary pursuit in life. Many people pursue financial gain more than honoring God. 

This isn’t true of every person who is rich. Money is an item and items can’t force you to sin. They are just there. One person will use a baseball bat for recreation. Another could use a baseball bat to hit another human. The deep seated desires to sin cause us to use objects and items in ungodly ways. It is our desire for control, provision, and power that tempts us to use money for selfish purposes. 

Money is a powerful item. It can be used to serve God or serve yourself. Generosity can give life and hope. On the other hand, greed can bring pain and destruction. 

Investing, saving, giving to the poor, and frugal spending all are biblical ways to spend your money. The money you have has been given to you by God. Use it for his glory. 

Apply: 

• Would you consider yourself to be “rich”? 
• Keep in mind the world’s average annual salary is $18,000. (https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17512040) 
• Do you think about money more than you think about God? 
• Do you spend more time trying to get more money or get closer to God? 
• Are you using the money that God has given you to serve God and others? 

Respond: 

Pray for God to reveal any unhealthy motives to gain wealth and to build your personal kingdom instead of the kingdom of God. Thank God for the money you have and pray for wisdom to spend it as God desires.

Want to receive devotions to your email inbox Monday-Friday? Join today and receive devotions each morning. Subscribe to the email list.

The F260 NT Bible reading plan and HEAR Journal method is from Replicate Ministries.