June 24, 2025
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14 ESV). The gospel’s entrance into Europe began through an unexpected person: a businesswoman named
June 23, 2025
“But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:11 ESV). After certain Judaizers came to Antioch, teaching that circumcision was required for salvation, Paul and Barnabas were sent to bring the question to the apostles at Jerusalem. After much deliberation, Peter stood and
June 21, 2025
“The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him” (Acts 13:44-45 ESV). The ministry of Paul and Barnabas was marked by great results and great resistance.
June 20, 2025
“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers” (Acts 13:36 ESV). The apostle Paul described King David’s life with a powerful summary during his sermon in Pisidian Antioch. He said David “served the purpose of God in his own generation.” Though
June 18, 2025
“Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last” (Acts 12:23 ESV). There are many Herods in the Bible. This Herod is Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great, who sent soldiers to Bethlehem to try
June 17, 2025
“Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.” (Acts 11:1 ESV). This verse reports a historic and groundbreaking moment in the early church. For the first time, Gentiles—those outside the covenant community of Israel—had received the word of God. The apostles and
June 12, 2025
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35 ESV). When the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip about the identity of the subject in Isaiah 53, he “told him the Good News about Jesus.” For the eunuch had turned to where Isaiah wrote, “He was
June 10, 2025
“Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says.” (Acts 7:48 ESV). Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, bold and unflinching. He knew the price of truth might be death, but he would not remain silent. In his powerful speech, he reminded Israel’s leaders of a troubling pattern in
June 6, 2025
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13 ESV). Something extraordinary happens to ordinary people when they spend time with Jesus. When Peter, the former fisherman, stood before a council of
September 15, 2024 | Acts 2:42-47 |
When you visit another country or even another part of our country, you’ll notice several unique features to their community, to their culture. What they believe, whether they are relational, friendly or not, what kind of food they eat and of course what language or dialect they speak. A shared language is one of the key marks of any community.
The same was true of the first century church. They had their own way of greeting one another. They had a shared language–– it was the language of prayer. It was a shared focus, one that focused on spending time together talking to God in prayer.
We can experience this authentic community when we pursue the four devotions of the apostle’s teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers. Today, we’re going to focus on the 4th devotion, “A Shared Focus.”