THEY DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO THE APOSTLES' TEACHING, AND TO FELLOWSHIP, AND TO THE BREAKING OF BREAD, AND TO PRAYER." ACTS 2:42
DEVOTED: committed, ardently dedicated and loyal (Merrian-Webster)What am I (are you) devoted to?
If I am honest, I am probably most steadfastly devoted to my morning cup of coffee. No matter when I wake up, how late I am running, even if we are out of coffee in the house, I make it happen. Without. Fail. I am also committed to my computer...email and the internet. I am committed to certain TV shows. I am committed to my phone. It is with me where ever I go. And the list could go on.
Of course I am also devoted to more substantive things in life. I am devoted to God--to walking with Him and yielding to Him, to my husband, my children, dear friends, etc. But as I contemplated devotion in my life, I was struck by how easily, even thoughtlessly devoted I am to some things, yet the more important things in life require discipline and intentionality to truly live a life of devotion beyond simple lip service. And I was also saddened by my devotion to somethings that actually takes me farther away from the person I want to be.
When does my devotion to things (bad or good) other than God cross the line into idolatry?
Of course I am also devoted to more substantive things in life. I am devoted to God--to walking with Him and yielding to Him, to my husband, my children, dear friends, etc. But as I contemplated devotion in my life, I was struck by how easily, even thoughtlessly devoted I am to some things, yet the more important things in life require discipline and intentionality to truly live a life of devotion beyond simple lip service. And I was also saddened by my devotion to somethings that actually takes me farther away from the person I want to be.
When does my devotion to things (bad or good) other than God cross the line into idolatry?
As Tim Keller says, idolatry is when we make a good thing into an ultimate thing. I loved Kelly’s talk last Wednesday because we so easily keep a pace in life that leaves no room for self-examination, no room to stop the busy doing, to silence the noise, and reflect. And that pause and reflection often exposes the idols of our heart and the insanity of how we live inconsistent with what we believe and value. We so easily drift into sleep-walking. So be it entertainment or money, our job, the noise of the phone and internet, materialism, whatever, or even more subtle things like our marriage or desire for it, our children, friendships, it is so easy for good things to creep in our hearts to a place of wrong priority and idolatry, to become ultimate things that we hinge our hope and happiness upon. It is so necessary to pause often and take inventory of our hearts. To confess and repent and re-align our hearts to God; to that which is true, and noble, and pure, and right, and lovely (Philippians 4:8).
What does it mean, what does it look like to be devoted to these things?
I love that the verse says, “They devoted themselves...” not that they were devoted to these things but that they actively committed themselves to these things. One translation actually says, “they were continually devoting themselves” showing that it wasn't one and done, but an ongoing choice. They intentionally together purposed to faithfully pursue these things. On Sunday, Kurt quoted Dallas Willard as saying, “grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” The early church did not commit themselves to these things to make a new, ‘Good Christian Checklist’ for earning favor with God, but rather they understood that these disciplines or efforts would lead them toward ultimate things... towards knowing God and walking with Him.
THE APOSTLES' TEACHINGS
For us to be committed to the Apostles’ Teachings today, is to be committed knowing the scriptures, particularly, the good news of Jesus and the implications of salvation through grace. By reading the Bible we better know who God is and what He is like. We come to know His character is good and trustworthy. We come to know truth, most significantly in the person of Jesus. Devotion to truth is submitting to it. Letting the gospel inform every aspect of our lives, our choices and actions, even our view of ourselves and others.
FELLOWSHIP
I think Christians often romanticize fellowship or living in community. The truth is true fellowship requires sacrifice, caring for the needs of others, and it also requires transparency and vulnerability, a willingness to lovingly engage in the lives of others and to receive the same. We can often be in love with the idea of community, but overlook the cost. It isn’t always pretty. It almost always is messy. But if we allow it, it can be a place for encountering God and real transformation in our lives.
THE BREAKING OF BREAD
Some people believe “breaking of bread” is referencing communion while others think it actually is referring to sharing a meal together, sharing life together on an intimate level. I love both. It is in many ways, a restating and emphasis of the first two things--to remember Jesus, the cross, to stay anchored to the gospel, but Together--in a corporate context of relationships. To share the gospel and your life with one another in an intimate (again, not always easy or pretty but) authentic and deeply meaningful way.
PRAYER
To have a healthy, cultivated prayer life is to be surrendered and dependent upon God.
I love this John Ortberg quote that Marie Matthews posted on facebook last week. I think it does a beautiful job of giving us a vision for how prayer leads to a transformed life.
Prayer, more than any other single activity, is what places us in the flow of the Spirit. When we pray, hearts get convicted, sin gets confessed, believers get united, intentions get encouraged, people receive guidance, the church is strengthened, stubbornness gets melted, wills get surrendered, evil gets defeated, grace gets released, illness gets healed, sorrows are comforted, faith is born, hope is grown, and love triumphs. In prayer - in the presence of God - we come closest to being fully ourselves.
So this is the substance of our name, Warehouse 242. This is what we desire our DNA to be. What a beautiful and powerful thing if we truly purposed together to live this out.
written by: Holly Norton
What does it mean, what does it look like to be devoted to these things?
I love that the verse says, “They devoted themselves...” not that they were devoted to these things but that they actively committed themselves to these things. One translation actually says, “they were continually devoting themselves” showing that it wasn't one and done, but an ongoing choice. They intentionally together purposed to faithfully pursue these things. On Sunday, Kurt quoted Dallas Willard as saying, “grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” The early church did not commit themselves to these things to make a new, ‘Good Christian Checklist’ for earning favor with God, but rather they understood that these disciplines or efforts would lead them toward ultimate things... towards knowing God and walking with Him.
THE APOSTLES' TEACHINGS
For us to be committed to the Apostles’ Teachings today, is to be committed knowing the scriptures, particularly, the good news of Jesus and the implications of salvation through grace. By reading the Bible we better know who God is and what He is like. We come to know His character is good and trustworthy. We come to know truth, most significantly in the person of Jesus. Devotion to truth is submitting to it. Letting the gospel inform every aspect of our lives, our choices and actions, even our view of ourselves and others.
FELLOWSHIP
I think Christians often romanticize fellowship or living in community. The truth is true fellowship requires sacrifice, caring for the needs of others, and it also requires transparency and vulnerability, a willingness to lovingly engage in the lives of others and to receive the same. We can often be in love with the idea of community, but overlook the cost. It isn’t always pretty. It almost always is messy. But if we allow it, it can be a place for encountering God and real transformation in our lives.
THE BREAKING OF BREAD
Some people believe “breaking of bread” is referencing communion while others think it actually is referring to sharing a meal together, sharing life together on an intimate level. I love both. It is in many ways, a restating and emphasis of the first two things--to remember Jesus, the cross, to stay anchored to the gospel, but Together--in a corporate context of relationships. To share the gospel and your life with one another in an intimate (again, not always easy or pretty but) authentic and deeply meaningful way.
PRAYER
To have a healthy, cultivated prayer life is to be surrendered and dependent upon God.
I love this John Ortberg quote that Marie Matthews posted on facebook last week. I think it does a beautiful job of giving us a vision for how prayer leads to a transformed life.
Prayer, more than any other single activity, is what places us in the flow of the Spirit. When we pray, hearts get convicted, sin gets confessed, believers get united, intentions get encouraged, people receive guidance, the church is strengthened, stubbornness gets melted, wills get surrendered, evil gets defeated, grace gets released, illness gets healed, sorrows are comforted, faith is born, hope is grown, and love triumphs. In prayer - in the presence of God - we come closest to being fully ourselves.
So this is the substance of our name, Warehouse 242. This is what we desire our DNA to be. What a beautiful and powerful thing if we truly purposed together to live this out.
written by: Holly Norton
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