June 7
Bible Reading: Acts 2:42-47
Acts 2:42, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
My good friend Pastor Henry expressed to me his need. The village churches in Uganda, like his, needed some resources to help in the discipleship of new believers, as they didn’t have any books in their language. I took that concern back with me to America and decided to write a book which I entitled “First Steps with Jesus.” The book focuses on the spiritual disciples mentioned in Acts 2:42. Spiritual disciplines I like to call “Spirit-led disciplines.” I wrote of the things I’d like to have known when I was a young Christian. God providentially led me to a man in the Seattle area who knew Lugandan, who agreed to translate the book into that language. Our mission teams eventually delivered about two thousand copies of the book to churches and believers in Uganda. I used to joke that I was the bestselling author in that region. Of course, it helps when you’ve got the only book, and you give it away for free!
Not surprisingly, there’s no verse between Acts 2:41 and Acts 2:42. In Acts 2:41, we read of the thousands that were saved. In Acts 2:42, we find them right-away engaged in these four things— “the apostle’s teaching,” “the fellowship,” “the breaking of bread,” and “the prayers.” As newly saved persons, they knew instinctively (they were Spirit-led) to engage in these disciplines. The same was true for you when you were saved, as you were Spirit-led to do so. Notice something else about these four things. They all have to do with Jesus: to listen to Him through His Word; to experience Him in the fellowship of His people; to remember Him in the breaking of bread; and to talk with Him in prayer. These Spirit-led disciples all have to do with knowing Jesus better and growing in Him together with other believers. We neglect these disciplines to our spiritual peril and delight in them to our spiritual growth and well-being.
How are you even now doing with these four important fundamentals of the faith? Are you devoted to them, as were those early believers? Are you in the Word and in prayer? Do you delight in gathering together with your fellow believers? Are you consistently reminding yourself of the price Jesus paid to save you from your sins (Galatians 2:20; 1 John 3:16)? Are these disciplines a burden, or are you being led by the Spirit to delight in them for the sake of knowing and growing in Jesus? These disciplines go beyond our first steps in our walk as Christians. They are the practice of those both young in the faith and those who have journeyed far!
“I must take care above all that I cultivate communion with Christ, for though that can never be the basis of my peace – mark that – yet it will be the channel of it.” ― Charles Spurgeon
MORE ABOUT JESUS
More about Jesus would I know,
More of His grace to others show;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.
Refrain:
More, more about Jesus,
More, more about Jesus;
More of His saving fullness see,
More of His love who died for me.
More about Jesus let me learn,
More of His holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my teacher be,
Showing the things of Christ to me. [Refrain]
More about Jesus in His Word,
Holding communion with my Lord;
Hearing His voice in ev’ry line,
Making each faithful saying mine. [Refrain]
More about Jesus on His throne,
Riches in glory all His own;
More of His kingdom’s sure increase;
More of His coming, Prince of peace. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 