◄ What Does Acts 2:42 Mean? ►

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 2:42(NASB)

Verse of the Day

As members of Christ's Body, we are living in a season of history that both angels and the prophets desired to look into; a season when God's revelation to the Church is speedily hastening towards its close. We are living in an age when the Lord Jesus Himself is shortly going to return in the clouds to take us to be with Himself, forever. We are also fast approaching the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will finally return to earth with all His saints and set His feet upon the Mount of Olives; a time when Jesus will set up His Millennial Kingdom in Jerusalem. It is that prophesied time: "When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea."

As Christians, we also look back fondly to that period in history when the Church was birthed at Pentecost, when 3000 souls were saved in one day. It was a time when the Holy Spirit of God came to indwell the hearts of all who trust in the Lord Jesus as Saviour. A day when Christ's disciples, who walked with Immanuel on the shores of Galilee, were taught by the Spirit of God: "A day when believers in Christ were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Today, as we recognise the shocking apostasy that is exploding in Christendom and the multiplication of false teachings in the churches, we often look back to those early days, when apostolic teaching, communal fellowship, the breaking of bread, and earnest prayer was the beautiful signature of the Body of Christ. And in our nostalgic reflections, we start to long that Christianity today would return to such godly ways.

But this was a time that the fledgling Church was setting out on its 2000 year journey towards our present generation. A time when the New Testament canon had not yet been written; a time before the mystery of the Church as the spiritual Body of Christ (with all the other the great teachings of the apostle Paul), had not yet been revealed. This was a time when the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave the apostle John on Patmos, had not yet been penned, and today we are living in those times about which Christ's beloved disciple wrote.

There may be times when we are discouraged by all that is going on today, but Christ Himself said from the beginning, "I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Today, 2000 years later, the Body of Christ continues to grow and multiply but it does so quietly and secretly. Today the Church of God is expanding into many areas, in God's way, and in God's time. Today, the age of grace still opens its arms of salvation to whosoever will, with the promise from our Federal Head: "If any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful example of the early Church who continually devoted themselves to apostolic teaching, Christian fellowship, the breaking of bread, and earnest prayer. As I look for the any day return of our Lord Jesus Christ, may I follow the wonderful example of these early members of Christ's Body. And may I seek to share the truth of the glorious gospel of the grace of God with everyone I meet, in humility and love. In Jesus' name, AMEN.