Devoted to the community God is building
Daily Scripture
Acts 2:42-47
42 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. 43 A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. 44 All the believers were united and shared everything. 45 They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. 46 Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. 47 They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The earliest Christians were a largely unknown group, living out their faith in a city that had crucified their Lord. But they trusted that the risen Christ was with them, a trust built on the apostles’ teaching, prayer, fellowship, and a radical spirit of helping one another. That bound them together. They shared their faith in appealing ways that made people’s lives better (cf. Acts 2:36-41). In the end, the obscure movement they belonged to would shape the world more effectively than the Roman Empire’s armies.
- What challenges do you face when it comes to contributing to the well-being of others? What holds you back? The foundations of the early Christians’ powerful impact were the five practices we call “the walk” at Resurrection: worship, study, serve, give and share. In which of these areas do you sense God inviting you to grow in the weeks and months ahead? (Resurrection doesn’t want you to just “attend,” but to belong. Click here to learn more about ways to start that.)
- The Holy Spirit’s power moved the first Christians to live in ways that connected them to one another. It wasn’t just a few things—it was meals, it was prayers, it was worshiping and learning together. Verse 44 said they “were united and shared everything.” The Spirit empowered them to set aside a focus on their own gain to bless others. In what ways has the Spirit broadened the horizons of your life, guiding you to share that life to lift other people up?
Prayer
Living Lord Jesus, you gave yourself fully for my sake. Grow in me a heart that more fully mirrors your generous spirit as I relate to others in my world. Amen.
GPS Insights
Shannon Starek
I love my small group. We are a group that isn’t afraid of deeper conversation, but also never takes ourselves too seriously. A few years ago, the study we were working through included some of the questions that John Wesley and his “Holy Club” would ask themselves each day. I knew I had found the right group as we shared some of the same responses to these questions. (Q: “Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?” A: “No, John, I NEVER, EVER exaggerate.” 😉)
We have been together for over 4 years and have connected at homes, on Zoom, through texts, by serving and even socially. I’m not sure that I would’ve naturally met any of these people and immediately started a friendship. However, through our group, we have grown together and shared some life along the way.
I hope you have a group like this, but if you don’t, now is the perfect time to find some people, ask some questions (hopefully not the Wesley Challenge Questions, at least right at first 😉) and grow together. And here’s the thing…I don’t know that my small group will be in my life forever or that we’ll always stay in touch. But I do know this, I am thankful for the season through which we are able to walk together.
***Learn more about and sign up for Small Groups at groups.cor.org.
