Day 27: Partnering Church

Daily Devotional

Acts 2:42-47

42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Because of our culture in America that values individualism it is easy for us to apply this same principle to our faith. However, when we take a look at the early church we see that this was not the case. In today's passage we get a beautiful picture of what the early church was like. The author, Luke, recorded the activities of the church immediately after hearing the Gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit. We see the early believers were marked by their devotion to fellowship as Luke tells us they were hungry to learn about God’s Word, they were committed to meet together to break bread, worship, and pray. They were filled with awe together, witnessing the power of God move in and through them. They also were committed to supporting one another especially those who were in need. Essentially, we see the early believers being united to become one family and body. This is the kind of church God wants Grace Church to mirror and reflect to the world. A church that is united together for the things of God and for each other. And as we see in the passage when this took place, God added to their number day by day because the kind of fellowship the church is meant to experience together is something that is not like any other partnership we can experience outside of the church. It’s a community that truly reflects the fellowship that our Triune God experiences as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let’s find ways to devote ourselves to true Biblical fellowship with other believers so we can taste a glimpse of what heaven will be like here on earth.

Weekly Application

As part of God’s church, we are called to be a unified body, partnering with one another to grow in our relationship with God and to fulfill His purposes. Although there is strength in our differences, we must remember that we are all different parts of the same body, each with our own unique gifts and callings. Start this week by asking God to give you a heart of unity and compassion. Then, reach out to three others throughout the week to listen, encourage, and pray for them. As you do, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of pride, selfishness, or unforgiveness that may hinder your relationship with others. Let us prioritize building up one another and be intentional about growing together in our walk with Christ this week.