A Devotion That Shows

By Dean Collins

I have noticed that often in obituaries, the deceased is described as being devoted to someone or something. We have both likely read, “She was a devoted wife and mother,” or “He was devoted to his church,” or maybe even to his favorite sports team. When we read a sentence like that, it tells us that this particular person made that person, role, or thing a priority in their lives. What it doesn’t tell us is how they did that.

If you are described as a person devoted to your family, we would assume there would be indicators that reflect that devotion. We might assume that you prioritize spending time with your family, providing shelter, food, and clothing for your loved ones, and regularly demonstrating affection and support for those in your family.

In Acts 2:42, Luke gives us a description of what the devotion of the early church looked like:

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Instead of simply calling the new believers devoted, Luke gives us examples of the activities that demonstrated and sustained their devotion. First, they were committed to learning from the apostles. The early church initially relied on hearing directly from the apostles as they taught in and around Jerusalem. They no doubt retold those sermons and lessons to one another. We have the wonderful gift of a collection of the things Jesus said and did in the Gospels, along with the letters and books that the apostles and others wrote.

The first converts’ devotion was also expressed toward one another, or as Luke said, “and the fellowship.” This devotion was expressed not only in how they spent time with each other but also in how they shared their resources with others in the community.

Luke continued by telling us that the early church ate together and often shared in the Lord’s Supper together. Again, there wasn’t a handbook for churches since this was the first time there had been such a thing. Certainly, we can imagine that this culture of relational commitment had been learned by the disciples as they lived and worked with Jesus for three years. It was the obvious thing for them to do—to practice discipleship by repeating that behavior with one another.

And I suspect that the early converts were so aware of what Jesus had done for them on the cross that they couldn’t help but band together in love and service to everyone who confessed faith in Christ.

Finally, Luke tells us that the devotion of the church was expressed through their commitment to prayer. They prayed for each other. They prayed for their friends and neighbors to come to know Jesus. They prayed because they faced strong opposition from both Jewish and Roman leaders.

This wonderful description of the early church prompts us to consider how we express our devotion. We can be devoted to the same things as the early church. Our challenge is often that our lives have become so filled with distractions and activities that we struggle to find time to read the Bible, to pray with and for each other, and to pray for the spread of the gospel.

Yet if we have been transformed by the love of Christ, then the priorities of how we spend our time and resources must be impacted. We can’t have Jesus as a side activity. We are called to life with Christ, and if we are living with Christ, then we are also called to life with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with a world that so desperately needs to hear of His love and mercy.

If someone were writing your obituary, what evidence would they point to as proof of your devotion to Christ? Would they simply say that you were a devoted follower of Jesus, or would they be able to describe the ways your devotion was demonstrated through how you lived, how you loved, how you served, how you gave, and how you prayed?

Father, today we stop to read and reread how the early followers expressed their devotion to You. Grant us the courage to ask ourselves hard questions about our priorities. Open our ears and hearts to hear from You. Show us where and how to express Your love generously to those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Acts 2:42–47 ESV

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