and they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, — [acts 2:42a]
a devoted church
this section of acts displays the beauty of a church that is devoted to learning how to be ‘the church’. the Christianity on display here is not a ‘feel-good’ event, a once a week event, or a rally to try really hard to be a good, moral person.
this was Christianity before it was called Christianity.
devoted to the apostle’s teaching
this young church had knowledge of torah and the prophets, but what would instruct them in the truth of the torah and prophets that had been fulfilled?
fortunately, Jesus did not leave a void.
he empowered peter and the other apostles to teach with authority through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. in their day as in ours, there were many versions of ‘truth’ to be found, but the church was devoted to the teaching that came from God alone. This devotion kept their faith informed and true to the teachings of Jesus.
devoted to fellowship
this new explosion of faith that would one day be referred to as Christianity consisted of a band of people who they had not only embraced Christ but had also embraced one another. this church of people who may have had little else in common was now unified. They believed that the purpose of their lives was to trust in a messiah they had seen executed weeks before, yet who they were confident was now risen, and fully in control of the universe. they were devoted to one another because they were devoted to their king.
these believers had found their lives by losing them. they had dared to believe the unbelievable, and were learning to live more powerfully than they had ever been before because of the power of Christ in them.
~ jason soroski