Monday
And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” - Acts 2:40 (ESV)
Courageous Preaching
In the sixteenth century, there was a great protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. Once he found that he was to preach before King Henry VIII of England. As he thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the king he realized that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the king would want to hear.
As he began his sermon he said, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII; who has power to command you to be sent to prison, and who can have your head cut off, if it please him? Will you not take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?” He then paused and continued, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you not remember that you are speaking before the King of kings and Lord of lords; before Him, at whose throne Henry VIII will stand; before Him, to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master, and declare all of God’s Word.” (Source: Not Corrupting the Word, a sermon by J. C. Ryle)
The early church was marked by courageous preaching. In Acts 2, the Apostle Peter “bore witness" and “exhorted” his listeners. This is not a suggestion but an emphatic statement that this is serious business that has to do with their eternal destiny. Eternal punishment is a long time and Peter didn’t waste time or words trying to warn His listeners!
Reflection
Why would it be tempting for churches today to embrace preaching that is not confrontational or offensive?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God that we are part of a church committed to preaching God’s Word with courage. Pray that God will give you courage when you have the opportunity to share God’s word with others.
Courageous Preaching
In the sixteenth century, there was a great protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. Once he found that he was to preach before King Henry VIII of England. As he thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the king he realized that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the king would want to hear.
As he began his sermon he said, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you remember that you are speaking before the high and mighty King Henry VIII; who has power to command you to be sent to prison, and who can have your head cut off, if it please him? Will you not take care to say nothing that will offend royal ears?” He then paused and continued, “Latimer! Latimer! Do you not remember that you are speaking before the King of kings and Lord of lords; before Him, at whose throne Henry VIII will stand; before Him, to whom one day you will have to give account yourself? Latimer! Latimer! Be faithful to your Master, and declare all of God’s Word.” (Source: Not Corrupting the Word, a sermon by J. C. Ryle)
The early church was marked by courageous preaching. In Acts 2, the Apostle Peter “bore witness" and “exhorted” his listeners. This is not a suggestion but an emphatic statement that this is serious business that has to do with their eternal destiny. Eternal punishment is a long time and Peter didn’t waste time or words trying to warn His listeners!
Reflection
Why would it be tempting for churches today to embrace preaching that is not confrontational or offensive?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God that we are part of a church committed to preaching God’s Word with courage. Pray that God will give you courage when you have the opportunity to share God’s word with others.
Tuesday
So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. - Acts 2:41 (ESV)
Consistent Discipleship
Four scholars were arguing over Bible translations. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beautiful, eloquent old English. Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its literalism, the way it moves the reader from passage to passage with confident feelings of accuracy from the original text. A third man preferred Moffatt because of its quaint, penetrating use of words, the turn of a phrase that captures the attention of the reader. After giving the issue further thought, the fourth scholar admitted, "I have personally preferred my mother’s translation.’ When the other scholars chuckled, he responded, "Yes, she translated it. She translated each page of the Bible into life. It is the most convincing translation I ever saw. " (George Mansfield)
What a beautiful picture in Acts 2:41, they did not just hear the Gospel. They "welcomed" the good news! Much modern evangelism tries to make becoming a Christian as easy as possible. We dodge the issue of sin. We don’t talk about the cost of discipleship. We wouldn’t dare call on people to make a radical break with their culture. But Peter called them to repentance and baptism. The discipleship culture of the early church started with conversion which led to baptism, and continued with growth.
Reflection
What are some of the ways you have been discipled since you were saved? How have you helped disciple others?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the people and resources He has used to help you grow spiritually. Pray that God would continually grow our corporate commitment to discipleship-specific ministries.
Consistent Discipleship
Four scholars were arguing over Bible translations. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beautiful, eloquent old English. Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its literalism, the way it moves the reader from passage to passage with confident feelings of accuracy from the original text. A third man preferred Moffatt because of its quaint, penetrating use of words, the turn of a phrase that captures the attention of the reader. After giving the issue further thought, the fourth scholar admitted, "I have personally preferred my mother’s translation.’ When the other scholars chuckled, he responded, "Yes, she translated it. She translated each page of the Bible into life. It is the most convincing translation I ever saw. " (George Mansfield)
What a beautiful picture in Acts 2:41, they did not just hear the Gospel. They "welcomed" the good news! Much modern evangelism tries to make becoming a Christian as easy as possible. We dodge the issue of sin. We don’t talk about the cost of discipleship. We wouldn’t dare call on people to make a radical break with their culture. But Peter called them to repentance and baptism. The discipleship culture of the early church started with conversion which led to baptism, and continued with growth.
Reflection
What are some of the ways you have been discipled since you were saved? How have you helped disciple others?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the people and resources He has used to help you grow spiritually. Pray that God would continually grow our corporate commitment to discipleship-specific ministries.
Wednesday
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. - Acts 2:42 (ESV)
Correct Doctrine
Little by little Christians these days are being brainwashed. One piece of evidence is that increasing numbers of them are becoming ashamed to be found unequivocally on the side of truth. They say they believe, but their beliefs have been so diluted as to be impossible of clear definition. Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever. (A. W. Tozer)
The early church told the truth in love. We must continue learning sound doctrine taught by qualified leaders (v.42). The Bible is filled with instruction for living, and we should take every opportunity to learn from it, apply it to our lives, and teach others. They were “continually devoting themselves” - The imperfect tense means this was ongoing, occurring over and over, again and again. And notice the first "target" at which their "devotion" aimed? Not praise and worship songs (as wonderful as they are), but the pure milk of the Word of God.
Steve Lawson says "Doing God’s work God’s way requires an unwavering commitment to the primacy of biblical preaching and teaching....The early church experienced spiritual vitality, not because of gimmicky techniques, but because it focused on the priority of biblical teaching.
Reflection
Above, A.W. Tozer wrote about dogmatism with a smile. Who do you know that embodies this characteristic? Do you feel you share firm convictions with a gentle spirit?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the people who came to mind above and have modeled firm convictions with a smile. Ask God to grow your passion for sound doctrine and to grow your heart for sharing it with love.
Correct Doctrine
Little by little Christians these days are being brainwashed. One piece of evidence is that increasing numbers of them are becoming ashamed to be found unequivocally on the side of truth. They say they believe, but their beliefs have been so diluted as to be impossible of clear definition. Moral power has always accompanied definite beliefs. Great saints have always been dogmatic. We need a return to a gentle dogmatism that smiles while it stands stubborn and firm on the Word of God that lives and abides forever. (A. W. Tozer)
The early church told the truth in love. We must continue learning sound doctrine taught by qualified leaders (v.42). The Bible is filled with instruction for living, and we should take every opportunity to learn from it, apply it to our lives, and teach others. They were “continually devoting themselves” - The imperfect tense means this was ongoing, occurring over and over, again and again. And notice the first "target" at which their "devotion" aimed? Not praise and worship songs (as wonderful as they are), but the pure milk of the Word of God.
Steve Lawson says "Doing God’s work God’s way requires an unwavering commitment to the primacy of biblical preaching and teaching....The early church experienced spiritual vitality, not because of gimmicky techniques, but because it focused on the priority of biblical teaching.
Reflection
Above, A.W. Tozer wrote about dogmatism with a smile. Who do you know that embodies this characteristic? Do you feel you share firm convictions with a gentle spirit?
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the people who came to mind above and have modeled firm convictions with a smile. Ask God to grow your passion for sound doctrine and to grow your heart for sharing it with love.
Thursday
Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. - Acts 2:44-45 (ESV)
Common Fellowship
A young fellow who was fed up with church went to see this wise old Christian in his cabin to get some advice. He told him all the things that were bothering him about church, and how he felt that he would be better off without the company of other Christians. As he was speaking, the old man silently took the fire tongs removed a red-hot glowing coal from the middle of the fire, and set it on the hearth. The coal glowed for a while, but eventually dimmed and turned black. He let it sit there a while and then took the tongs and placed the coal back in the middle of the fire. Within seconds the coal was glowing red hot once again. The young man took the wordless lesson and left determined to stay with church. Just as coals soon burn out when they are removed from the company of other coals, we will not last long in the faith if we are removed from true fellowship.
The early church knew they needed each other to continue burning hot for Christ. The early church did not share everything. They shared generously when they saw a need. James Boice wrote, “The early Christians shared their possessions, not because they were communists or socialists – not because they were forced to share their things – but for a far better reason. They shared their goods because they were generous, and they were generous because they had learned generosity from God. God had been generous with them. So because God had been generous with them, they were determined to be generous with one another.”
Reflection
In a book by Miraslav Volk called Exclusion and Embrace, he says that there are really only two options available to us in relationships. We can either “Embrace” people by doing life with them and opening our hearts to them. Or we can “Exclude” people by withholding resources, shutting them out, or keeping our distance. Give a recent example of both you have witnessed.
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the Second Church family and the way we have been able to share resources with each other when the need arises. Ask God to help “Embrace” someone with a need this week.
Common Fellowship
A young fellow who was fed up with church went to see this wise old Christian in his cabin to get some advice. He told him all the things that were bothering him about church, and how he felt that he would be better off without the company of other Christians. As he was speaking, the old man silently took the fire tongs removed a red-hot glowing coal from the middle of the fire, and set it on the hearth. The coal glowed for a while, but eventually dimmed and turned black. He let it sit there a while and then took the tongs and placed the coal back in the middle of the fire. Within seconds the coal was glowing red hot once again. The young man took the wordless lesson and left determined to stay with church. Just as coals soon burn out when they are removed from the company of other coals, we will not last long in the faith if we are removed from true fellowship.
The early church knew they needed each other to continue burning hot for Christ. The early church did not share everything. They shared generously when they saw a need. James Boice wrote, “The early Christians shared their possessions, not because they were communists or socialists – not because they were forced to share their things – but for a far better reason. They shared their goods because they were generous, and they were generous because they had learned generosity from God. God had been generous with them. So because God had been generous with them, they were determined to be generous with one another.”
Reflection
In a book by Miraslav Volk called Exclusion and Embrace, he says that there are really only two options available to us in relationships. We can either “Embrace” people by doing life with them and opening our hearts to them. Or we can “Exclude” people by withholding resources, shutting them out, or keeping our distance. Give a recent example of both you have witnessed.
Praise/Prayer
Thank God for the Second Church family and the way we have been able to share resources with each other when the need arises. Ask God to help “Embrace” someone with a need this week.
Friday
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - Acts 2:47 (ESV)
Continual Growth
Many parents have been guilty of doing their kid's homework. We’ve all seen the project that’s turned in that has clearly been built by the child's father who is an engineer or contractor by trade. We may have thought, “There’s no way that kid did that by himself.”
When the early church began to grow exponentially, there was no way they did it by themselves. Acts 2:47 tells us “and the Lord added daily.” God was doing the saving! Daily means souls were continually being saved. Acts 2 was a healthy church family. They were sharing as people had need, they were praising God for His provisions, and they had favor with the people around them. When a church is healthy, the natural result is a growing church.
Reflection
Psalm 127:1 says, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” What is a sign that a church is trying to build without God? Where in your life might you be trying to build without God?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for the souls He has added to our Second Church family. Ask God to help us to continue to be used by Him to reach our community and ask Him how He wants to use you.
Continual Growth
Many parents have been guilty of doing their kid's homework. We’ve all seen the project that’s turned in that has clearly been built by the child's father who is an engineer or contractor by trade. We may have thought, “There’s no way that kid did that by himself.”
When the early church began to grow exponentially, there was no way they did it by themselves. Acts 2:47 tells us “and the Lord added daily.” God was doing the saving! Daily means souls were continually being saved. Acts 2 was a healthy church family. They were sharing as people had need, they were praising God for His provisions, and they had favor with the people around them. When a church is healthy, the natural result is a growing church.
Reflection
Psalm 127:1 says, "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” What is a sign that a church is trying to build without God? Where in your life might you be trying to build without God?
Praise/Prayer
Praise God for the souls He has added to our Second Church family. Ask God to help us to continue to be used by Him to reach our community and ask Him how He wants to use you.
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