Acts 2: 42-47 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved
Those who heard
The subtitle of this passage is “The Fellowship of the Believers” and I think it’s important that it be noted that even through there were about 3,000 of these people, the 3,000 doesn’t include everyone who heard Peter tell the crowd who Jesus was and what his coming meant.
Those who did not
No, others thought the disciples were drunk and they laughed at them. Too often we don’t use those appendages on the side of our head and actually listen to what we’re told. Too often also, we don’t commit as these people did. Just look at what they did.
Acts of the hearing
They devoted themselves to the teaching, they prayed, they stayed together and they gave up what they had to those in need. I can only imagine what type of label people would have slapped on them today if they acted this way. Can you picture it?
What it might look like
Here are a group of men, who have been known to hang out together that suddenly, have their leader taken from them and killed. They’re seen together a while later in public, speaking in gibberish. Then the most gung ho one of them calls attention to himself to say that their slain leader was the messiah. Who raises their hand and says, “I’ll follow these guys”? Still, some did and we’re all the beneficiaries of their courage and belief to this day.
What it took
They might just as well have all turned their backs, assumed these guys were overcome with grief or something else and just making no sense. But they didn’t. It took guts. It took will. It took courage, but they did it. Thank God.
Something to think about
How is God calling you to step out or step forward in faith today? Will you be up to it? If you are or if you aren’t, what are the consequences?