warm-up

What is one meal or hobby you think you will never get tired of? Why?

How do you know that someone is your friend?

Share about the craziest or most elaborate thing you’ve done for someone.

word

⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ⁴²And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:41,42

At the start of His ministry, Jesus invited ordinary people to follow Him (Matthew 4:19). The invitation for His first disciples was a call to follow Him, fish for people, and fellowship with others who do so as well. This meant that they were on a journey to seek and follow Him with others, with a willingness to leave everything behind as they embraced the purpose He had for them. One of the first people to accept this invitation was Peter. From a humble fisherman, he became a bold preacher of the gospel. He left behind the life he knew so well to devote himself to obeying Jesus. And because he dedicated his life to the purpose God had for him, it resulted in many more people following God. Let us look at the lives of the early disciples to know what we must be devoted to.

1
Apostles’ Teaching

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

The followers of Jesus in this story were new believers who had been added to the church after being moved by the preaching of the Apostle Peter. He told them about Jesus’ life, sacrifice, and resurrection. The apostles proceeded to teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded them (Matthew 28:20). To be a devoted follower of Jesus, we must embrace His promises and follow his commands. And we can know these things by reading the Bible, which has a collection of the teachings Jesus left with His apostles. Have you developed a habit of reading the Bible? How has it helped you obey Jesus’ commands?

2
Fellowship

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

(Read also Acts 2:43–47.)

In their culture, breaking of bread signified good relationship among people. Sharing a meal with someone meant more than just eating food with people—it meant having a sense of brotherhood with them. Because following Jesus is not easy, these relationships help us follow Him. We need other people who will encourage us—with their lives and words—to do what He says and embrace His calling in our lives. As we fellowship with other people, they can also remind us of the promises of God in the midst of this busy and often discouraging world. What are some benefits of fellowship that you have experienced?

3
Prayer

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

The disciples also devoted themselves to prayer. Prayer is how we communicate with God. It is the way we get to speak to God and seek Him and His will for our lives. We get to strengthen our relationship with God as we communicate with Him through prayer, in the same way that communication grows our relationships with other people. But prayer is not just done when we need something from God or when we are told to. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, how should we pray?

application

How do you show your devotion to God? Which of the three (apostles’ teaching, fellowship, and prayer) do you need to do more of and what can you do to develop this habit?

Read and reflect on Acts 2:41–47 this week. How can the way the disciples lived help and encourage you to become a more devoted follower of Christ?

Who among your family and friends can you encourage to be a follower of Jesus? Commit to meet with and preach the gospel to this person this week.

prayer

Thank God for calling us to follow Him through Jesus Christ. Pray that as you follow Him, He will align your thoughts and ideas to His plans and purposes for your life.

Ask God for people who can help you follow Him. Ask Him for the grace to build relationships with them and walk with them.

Pray for God to open the hearts of the people you are planning to preach the gospel to. Ask God for the right words to say to them.

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Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®)
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