Devotion: A Life Committed to Jesus and Community

Devotional

Day 1: Wholehearted Devotion

The early church exemplified a deep, persevering dedication to their faith. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This devotion was not a casual commitment but a full-hearted adherence to their newfound faith in Jesus Christ. Their lives were marked by a profound sense of community and spiritual discipline, which allowed them to endure difficult times and grow in their faith. This kind of devotion is a model for us today, challenging us to examine the depth of our own commitment to Jesus and His teachings. [05:36]

Acts 2:42 (ESV): "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to deepen your devotion to Jesus in one of these areas: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, or prayer?

Day 2: Examining Our Devotions

In our society, people are devoted to various pursuits like pleasure, fame, and wealth. These devotions shape their lives and priorities. The challenge for us is to examine what we are devoted to and whether it aligns with our faith in Jesus. Are we arranging our lives around temporary pursuits, or are we committed to eternal values? This reflection helps us to realign our priorities and ensure that our devotion to Jesus is at the center of our lives. [06:42]

Matthew 6:21 (ESV): "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: What is one thing you are currently devoted to that might be taking precedence over your devotion to Jesus? How can you begin to shift your focus today?

Day 3: Motivations for Devotion

Devotion can stem from various motivations, such as fear of punishment or a desire to earn God's favor. However, true Christian devotion should come from a revelation of who Jesus is—His greatness, goodness, compassion, and love. This revelation leads to a genuine submission to Jesus' Lordship and a transformed way of life. Understanding the true reasons behind our devotion helps us to cultivate a more authentic and heartfelt commitment to Jesus. [12:20]

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (ESV): "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

Reflection: Reflect on your motivations for following Jesus. Are they based on fear, obligation, or a genuine love for Him? How can you deepen your understanding of His love for you today?

Day 4: Devotion to Jesus and His Body

True devotion to Jesus cannot be separated from devotion to His body, the church. Loving Jesus means loving His people. This involves serving one another, being committed to the community of believers, and living out our faith in practical ways. Our love for each other is evidence of our discipleship and a testament to the world of the transformative power of Jesus' love. [21:04]

1 John 4:20-21 (ESV): "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can show love and support to a fellow believer in your church community today. How can you make this a regular practice?

Day 5: Empowered Devotion

Living a life of devotion to Jesus requires the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do it in our own strength. The Holy Spirit enables us to live righteously, perform wonders, and be fully committed to Jesus and His ways. This divine empowerment is essential for true discipleship and allows us to live out our faith with boldness and integrity. [19:23]

Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need the Holy Spirit's empowerment to live more fully for Jesus? Take a moment to pray and ask for His help and guidance today.

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into the book of Acts, focusing on the early church's life and devotion. Acts provides a raw and real historical account of the early believers, showing us how they lived and endured difficult times. We read from Acts 2:36-47, which describes the aftermath of Pentecost when Peter preached to the crowd, leading to the conversion of about 3,000 people. These new believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Their lives were characterized by a deep sense of devotion, which we explored in depth.

Devotion, as we discussed, is more than just a casual commitment; it is a wholehearted, persevering dedication. We examined how people in our society are devoted to various pursuits like pleasure, fame, and wealth, and how this devotion shapes their lives. The question posed to us was: What are we devoted to? What would our family and friends say we arrange our lives around?

We also explored the reasons behind devotion. Some people are devoted out of fear, trying to avoid punishment or earn God's favor. However, the early church's devotion stemmed from a revelation of who Jesus is—His greatness, goodness, compassion, and love. This revelation led to a submission to Jesus' Lordship and a new way of life empowered by the Holy Spirit.

True devotion to Jesus means being fully committed to Him and His body, the church. We cannot separate our love for Jesus from our love for His people. This devotion is not a part-time commitment but a way of life. It involves being with Jesus, learning His ways, and putting them into practice. This kind of devotion requires the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit, as we cannot do it in our own strength.

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Key Takeaways

1. hearted, diligent adherence to something or someone. This kind of devotion is exemplified by the early church, who devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Their lives were characterized by a deep sense of commitment and faithfulness. [05:36]
2. The Object of Devotion: The issue is not a lack of devotion in our society but what we are devoted to. People devote themselves to various pursuits like pleasure, fame, and wealth, arranging their lives around these things. The challenge for us is to examine what we are devoted to and whether it aligns with our faith in Jesus.

3. Reasons for Devotion: Devotion can stem from different motivations, such as fear of punishment or a desire to earn God's favor. However, true Christian devotion should come from a revelation of who Jesus is—His greatness, goodness, compassion, and love. This revelation leads to a genuine submission to Jesus' Lordship and a transformed way of life.

4. Devotion to Jesus and His Body: True devotion to Jesus cannot be separated from devotion to His body, the church. Loving Jesus means loving His people. This involves serving one another, being committed to the community of believers, and living out our faith in practical ways. Our love for each other is evidence of our discipleship.

5. Empowered Devotion: Living a life of devotion to Jesus requires the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do it in our own strength. The Holy Spirit enables us to live righteously, perform wonders, and be fully committed to Jesus and His ways. This divine empowerment is essential for true discipleship.

### [05:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:54] - Introduction to Acts
[01:48] - Peter's Sermon and Pentecost
[02:34] - The Early Church's Devotion
[03:35] - Characteristics of Early Believers
[04:45] - Understanding Devotion
[05:36] - Defining Devotion
[06:42] - The Object of Devotion
[08:00] - Example of a Devoted Surfer
[09:20] - Personal Reflection on Devotion
[10:58] - Reasons for Devotion
[12:20] - Revelation of Jesus
[13:17] - Submission to Lordship
[14:57] - Personal Responsibility in Devotion
[15:47] - Call to Full Commitment
[17:06] - Devotion in Marriage and Money
[18:43] - Learning from Jesus
[19:23] - Empowered by the Holy Spirit
[20:19] - Devotion to Jesus and His Body
[21:04] - Love for One Another
[22:07] - Evidence of Discipleship
[23:03] - Arranging Life Around Jesus
[24:40] - Sacrificial Giving
[25:24] - Walking Like Jesus
[26:01] - Prayer for Empowerment
[27:11] - Call to Devotion
[27:48] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What were the four main activities that the early believers devoted themselves to according to Acts 2:42?
How did the early church respond to Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost? ([01:48])
What was the result of the early church's devotion in terms of their community life and growth? ([03:35])
What does the term "devotion" mean as described in the sermon? ([05:36])

Interpretation Questions

Why is it significant that the early church's devotion was a response to a revelation of who Jesus is? ([12:20])
How does the sermon describe the difference between devotion out of fear and devotion out of love and revelation? ([10:58])
What does it mean to be devoted to Jesus and His body, the church, according to the sermon? ([21:04])
How does the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit enable believers to live a life of true devotion? ([19:23])

Application Questions

Reflect on your own life: What would your family and friends say you are devoted to? How does this align with your faith in Jesus? ([09:20])
Have you ever found yourself being devoted to something out of fear or a desire to earn God's favor? How can you shift this devotion to be based on a revelation of Jesus' love and goodness? ([10:58])
In what ways can you practically show your devotion to Jesus by serving His body, the church? Think of specific actions you can take this week. ([21:04])
How can you arrange your daily life to reflect a wholehearted devotion to Jesus, similar to how a devoted surfer arranges their life around surfing? ([09:20])
Identify one area in your life where you need the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit to live out your devotion to Jesus. How can you seek His help in this area? ([19:23])
What steps can you take to ensure that your love for Jesus is evident in your love for fellow believers? How can you demonstrate this love in your small group or church community? ([22:07])
Think about a time when you felt overwhelmed by the call to live a life of devotion. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and ability to persevere? ([26:01])

Sermon Clips

1. "And if I were to ask you what your understanding of devotion would be, what word would you use? What synonym would you use to describe devotion? Consecration. Consecration, being set apart fully to, yep. What? Dedication. Faithful Faithful commitment. So if you've devoted yourself to something, it's your heart. It can be. It can be. I know, it sounds very mysterious, doesn't it? I don't want to say you're wrong, because you're my wife and I love you. But let me just say that it can be." [04:45] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "And if we think about it, generally, typically, it's not a lack of devotion that's a problem in our society. It's not a lack of devotion, but it's what we are devoting ourselves to. There are many, many ways that we devote ourselves. We see plenty of evidence to people being fully committed, fully given to, sincerely dedicated to, all around us." [06:42] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "What would your family and friends say? What would your family and friends say that you are devoted to? What do they see as evidence in your life of what you arrange your life around, what you give your time and finances and what you think about more than anything else? And before we look at what it is that the early church devoted themselves to, it's really important to know why they devoted themselves. Because it's not just a matter of what, but why." [09:20] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "But when we read about this group of people who are following Jesus, we read here that their devotion was in response to a revelation. Their devotion stemmed from a revelation of who Jesus is. It was a revelation in response to what Peter was preaching, that this is the Christ. This is the Messiah. This is the one who did all of this. This is the one who did all of these miracles. This is the one who lived perfectly. This is the one who represented and perfectly presented God the Father to those around Him." [12:20] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "And the result of that revelation was a submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and a new beginning. Where the old was gone. That baptism put that old sinful nature that was bound by sin to death. They were raised again into a new way of life. Empowered through the Holy Spirit. A new heart. New motives. New passions. And they devoted themselves. No one can do that on your behalf. A life of devotion is something that has to come from within. And so what had happened was this changed inner man led to a change in how they lived." [13:17] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Church, if we think about a word that so beautifully describes discipleship. And helps us to understand discipleship. It is that word, devotion. That full commitment. We see this throughout the New Testament. From the time that Jesus calls Andrew and Simon Peter. We see right there and then. They left everything behind. Family business. Security of the future. All the things they were familiar with. Their village. They left all of that to follow Jesus. There was a full commitment that was required of them." [15:47] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We realize very quickly church that this is not a part time commitment. That isn't something that I give myself to on a Sunday. Or maybe on a Wednesday if I'm really religious. I'll go to a life group. This is something that is a way of living. Where we are devoted to Jesus. And that's really important. Because we don't devote ourselves to principles. We don't devote ourselves or fully commit to teachings. We devote ourselves and we commit and fully give ourselves to the person of Jesus." [17:06] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "But more than that to put those into practice in his own life. So that he would become like the rabbi. Church when we speak of devotion. That's what we're devoting ourselves to. That's what we're committing ourselves to. As followers of Christ. Not some pastime. Not something that we give ourselves to every now and then. But it is our lives that are given to be with Jesus. To learn to know who he is. To learn his ways. To put those into practice in our own lives. Through the empowering grace of the Holy Spirit." [18:43] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "And so because. Of our devotion to Jesus. That outworks in devotion to the things that he is devoted to. If we are becoming like him. Not only in our practices but in who we are. Then we devote ourselves to the things that Jesus devoted himself to. And that is to his body. Jesus fully committed himself. To serve his body. The church. The people of God. Even to death. And so we cannot separate Jesus from his body. Jesus and his church." [20:19] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "But if we are called to arrange our lives around being devoted to Jesus. Then we are equally called to devoting our lives to the way that we serve his body. The church. Those are not two separate things. They are one and the same. And so that means being devoted to what Jesus devotes himself to. And that is serving in love one another. For our good. That means discipling one another. That doesn't mean just words of encouragement and soft-soaping the whole time. But those words of love that speak truth into the heart. That wound but bring freedom. That means teaching with love. That means correcting. That means admonishing." [24:40] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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