Articles
Devoted Disciples
Think with me about Acts 2:42. It is Luke’s summary of the conduct of 3,000 people who became Christians on the day of Pentecost. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Modern disciples too often minimize the apostles’ teaching instead of devoting themselves to it. Some think doctrine doesn’t matter at all, as long as one is sincere in what be believes. Some think only what Jesus said personally matters; the apostles’ teaching is just their opinions. That view is self-contradictory because it ignores what Jesus said about the apostles’ teaching (Matthew 28:20; John 16:12-15; etc.). Some go to great lengths in search of ways to dismiss specific apostolic instructions they do not like. And some who profess respect for the apostles’ doctrine really know little about it because they spend so little time reading and studying it. Could Luke describe you as “continually devoting yourself to the apostles’ teaching”?
The word fellowship simply means sharing or partnership. It is sometimes used of the early Christians’ collection for and distribution to needy saints (2 Corinthians 8:4). At other times it is used more broadly of Christians sharing together in blessings and work in Christ (Philippians 1:5; 1 John 1:3). Either of these senses fits the context of Acts 2:42. Could Luke describe you as “continually devoting yourself to fellowship,” or would accuracy demand that he depict you as one who only occasionally shares in these things?
The phrase breaking bread sometimes refers to eating the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), while other times it refers to eating common meals (Acts 2:46). The spiritual nature of the other activities in our text verse points to the former as the sense here. Isn’t it interesting that so many churches take up a collection every Sunday but only eat the Lord’s Supper a few times a year? Could Luke describe you as “continually devoting yourself to the breaking of bread”?
Jesus teaches us to pray at all times (Luke 18:1). There is always a challenge to be overcome, a need (either in self or others) to be met, and a blessing to be thankful for. Could Luke describe you as “continually devoting yourself to prayer”?
A new year is upon us. Let’s determine to be devoted disciples, like those Luke describes in Acts 2:42.
