People say it all the time: “Let’s get back to the early church!” But what does that even mean? In Acts 2, Peter preaches at Pentecost, and 3,000 people come to Christ—baptized, just like that! Wow, imagine being there.
So, what did this newborn church do next?
Acts 2:42 (CSB)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”
They were all in on:
- The Bible (apostles’ teaching)
- Deep fellowship
- Shared meals (breaking bread)
- Prayer
Today, we might hear a sermon, chat for a few minutes, and bounce. But them? They dug into life together. “Breaking of bread” wasn’t a quick ritual—it was full-on meals, remembering Jesus’ past sacrifice, present grace, and future return. That’s grounding. And prayer? They lived it.
Then this:
Acts 2:44-45 (CSB)
“All the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions… and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
Incredible! Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). They proved it.
Now check out the result:
Acts 2:46-47 (CSB)
“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple… They ate… with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
Are we practicing what the early church was doing? Are we digging into the Bible, sticking together like family, sharing meals together, and devoted to prayer? Are we loving each other so much that joy spills out? Man, if we lived like that, people would totally notice! They’d be like, “Hey, I want in on that!” I think we’d see more folks getting saved, just like the Lord did back then.
We might wear different clothes and play different music, but the substance of what it means to be the church has not changed. Let’s be devoted to these things and watch God work.
