Be devoted to these simple principles of Christian living.
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Acts 2 Summary
The newly reconstituted group of 12 disciples are all together when the Holy Spirit loudly and powerfully arrives and fills each of them.
It just so happens that thousands of Jewish expats and converts from all over the world were in Jerusalem for the Jewish Pentecost celebration. Seeing the noisy commotion and hearing these Galileans speak in numerous languages, they assume them to be drunk.
Peter responds with the most powerful weapon Christians have: expository preaching: Peter works his way through several passages of scripture, expositing (explaining) them and showing how they all point to salvation:
that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:21, Joel 2:32)
Over three thousand people have their hearts pierced by the Spirit - they were cut to the heart (v37) - and were added to the church.
Dig Deeper
These new Christians devoted themselves to growing in their faith; literally they focused every bit of their energy & effort on four simple habits:
To being taught by the apostles;
To fellowship (koinonia = mutual accountability & discipline);
To the breaking of bread (not just the fellowship of eating meals together, but partaking the Lord's Supper together);
To unceasing prayer.
This Spirit led recipe for Christian living hasn't changed in over 2,000 years, and it remains the guide for faithful churches:
The foundation of a Christian church must be faithful, expository preaching, through which the scriptures are opened up, explained, and used by the Spirit to pierce hearts;
Christians surround themselves with a fellowship of Godly people, enjoying their encouragement & discipline.
We enjoy great meals for sure together as God's people for sure, but especially around the simple elements of bread and wine;
Constant prayer, both when gathered, and as we go about our work.
AAA Prayer:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our sovereign Father, whose deliberate plan and foreknowledge controls all things (v23)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will continue to "cut you to the heart" so that you might be saved "from this corrupt generation." (v37, 40)
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
