Initiative and Devotion
Having been a Firefighter myself, I can tell you from that experience that Firefighters learn to take initiative. Along with the training Firefighters receive, being flexible and adapting to different scenarios in an emergency is very important. To see what needs to be done without having to be told to do it can be a huge advantage. As the incident progresses, so must the strategy. It’s not much different in the Kingdom of God. I want to share with you three of the most powerful words ever written about the early church. I believe these words is a key to the success and growth of the church. You rarely (if ever) hear a sermon on these words because they wouldn’t be considered dynamic in and of themselves. Yet, these three words reveal the reason for the phenomenal spread and endurance of the church. Let’s read these three overlooked, underestimated and undervalued words.
Acts 2:42 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. v43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. v44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. v45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. v46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, v47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
Everything so far is what the church people did. Now notice what God did as a result. v48 And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The early church thrived on a devotion to God which sprang from within them. The energy and motivation for living a Christian life in the early church (which is our model) came from within the people, not from external stimulus. Their zeal didn’t come from programs, it sprang up from within them. The text we read today show us that one of the greatest assets of the church was initiative and devotion. What you can do for yourself you need no one else to do for you. These devoted Believers were saying to the Apostles: “You don’t have to worry about us showing up to church or Connect Groups or outreaches. You don’t have to worry about me reading my Bible or having a prayer life or taking care of one another’s needs.
We are DEVOTED all by ourselves”. Taking spiritual initiative and being totally devoted to the cause of Christ will make a huge difference in the time we found ourselves living. What can you devote yourself to that will cause growth and add value to people’s lives. Have a wonderful summer.
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