Saturday, April 18, 2026

Opening Scripture

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, your Word says that we who follow the Lord Jesus are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who belong to you. You have called us out of darkness into your marvelous light so that we may declare your praises to this lost and fallen world. Help me to live today in such a way that others might glorify you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 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, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Reflection  

Luke quickly tells us how the young “church plant” in Jerusalem responded to the huge influx of new converts. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 is inscribed in the floor of our church’s rotunda on Center Street. We want to be equally devoted to these priorities.

It’s worth noting here that the Church is not called to monitor evil in society, but rather to provide an attractive alternative to Christless living. In his sermon, Peter pleaded with his listeners to “save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

Perhaps Peter was calling on those who sensed the Spirit’s prompting to separate themselves from the mockers who were cynically confusing being filled with the Spirit to being drunk with wine (Ephesians 5:18). As Psalm 1 teaches, “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”

The three thousand new converts joined those who were already believers to form the first Christian community under the leadership of the Twelve. All that Jesus had said and done with the apostles during His three years with them was now being “distributed” – like the fish and bread on the hillside – to the “hungry” people. Collectively, they grew in the knowledge of the truth through the apostles’ teaching.

In addition to dedicated times of instruction, the group fellowshipped with one another, developing new relationships, eating together, worshiping together, and serving each other through acts of kindness. A bond began to grow among them as they oriented their lives around their new faith.

There was communion as the apostles established the “remembrance” of the Lord’s Supper based on their experience at the Last Supper. “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

There was collection as those who had plenty shared with those in need. This benevolent ministry continued to expand as the Jerusalem Church grew. As we see a few chapters later, it included a daily distribution of food to widows. Even though the church at this point consisted entirely of Jews, division and disputes sprang up among them. Even something good can be spoken ill of.

The human tendency to complain is always a danger, even for followers of Jesus.  Paul warns the Church against it: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky” (Philippians 2:14-15).

It’s evident that the Holy Spirit was still present – even after the wind and fire were gone – because others continued to come to faith in Jesus as “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

Our theme this week has been “Pentecostal People.” As followers of Jesus – the New Covenant people of God – we all have our roots in Acts 2. The Church was birthed at Pentecost, and we are an expression of that reality today.

Our friend, Kate Long, and her husband, Paul, were shaped by and currently serve in the Pentecostal Church. We have grown to love and appreciate Kate as she leads us in this Flourishing and the Church study. In the context of our “Pentecostal People” focus this week, I asked Kate and Paul to share some thoughts about their experiences and perspectives. Here is some of what they shared:

“Growing up in the Pentecostal world meant a sense of expectation for God’s voice and Spirit in our everyday lives.”

“There is a sense that the Holy Spirit will guide all of our decisions – both big and small – a constant exchange of listening and response on our part.”

“We both grew up with this sense that we needed to be willing at all times to act, go, do, and be the hands and feet of Jesus.”

“There is a sense of ‘all-in-ness’ that is part of our spiritual heritage.”

I would simply say “AMEN!” to all of that!

What would it take for you to live more fully in the context of what we’ve read this week about being “Pentecostal People”?

Is there anything Kate and Paul shared that prompted a reaction in you?

Ask God to open your heart and mind even more to receiving His power and being His witness as you live out your calling on mission with Him.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!