November 6 Bible Reading: Acts Chapters 1-3
NEW LIFE in CHRIST demands a CHANGED LIFESTYLE!
"Then
those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three
thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in
prayers." (Acts 2:41-42)
In the above passage, we see that Luke shifts from what took
place on the day of Pentecost to a more general description of the lifestyle of
the early Jerusalem church believers shortly after that day (see Acts
4:32–5:11; 6:1–6). The impact and the infilling of the Holy Spirit in the lives
of these trailblazing believers (numbering 3,120 - see Acts 1:15; 2:41)
transformed their lifestyle to adopt four
important regular habits (Acts 2:42–47):
- They followed the
apostles’ doctrine: Uniformity
of belief concerning the person of Jesus Christ—based on the eyewitness
testimony of His followers—was essential. The disciples followed the apostles’
doctrine - the inspired teachings of the apostles, which were delivered orally
at first, and were now preserved in the New Testament. These included the Old
Testament Scriptures as well as the teachings of Christ on earth and the
revelations He gave to the apostles from heaven.
- They practiced the community
fellowship: The
Greek word translated ‘fellowship’
means sharing in the lives of other
believers. There was a great desire among the new believers to be with the
people of God and share things in common with them. There was a sense of being
separated to God from the world, and a community of interests with other
Christians. They demonstrated their lifestyle changes by even sharing their
possessions with one another.
- They remembered Christ
by breaking bread:
The “breaking of bread” probably
included the Lord’s Supper as well as a meal in connection with that
celebration (see 2:46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23–25). This may refer primarily to the Lord’s Table as it
would be quite unnecessary to say that they continued steadfastly eating their
meals. From Acts 20:7 we learn that the practice of the early Christians was to
break bread on the first day of the week. However, some scholars believe this
is a broader reference to the “love
feast,” a meal of fellowship in the early church.
- They worshiped God with
prayers and praises:
Through this, they expressed complete dependence on the Lord for worship,
guidance, preservation, and service. In prayer the believers praised and
thanked God, and interceded for His glory. Corporate prayers were viewed as an
essential part of the spiritual growth of the church. The feeling of awe that
the obvious working of God in their midst inspired, continued among all the
people in Jerusalem.
Thus, we see the pattern that had become a trendsetting
lifestyle for true Disciples of Christ.
People heard and received the word of God; they publicly professed their faith
through baptism; then they united in the fellowship of the church, continued in
the apostles’ doctrine, remained in fellowship with the brethren, and
frequently observed the Lord’s Supper and prayer as a part of responsible
church life. Church membership was a privilege granted to those who had
experienced genuine conversion followed by believer’s baptism. These essential
behaviors of the first believers form a challenging summary of behaviors that
should characterize believers today as well.
Based on the above passage, this is a question that we need
to ask ourselves: has our lifestyle
changed as a result of our adopting a new life in Christ? If not, we need
to make the changes that are lacking for this is what Christ expects from our
daily life.
