Scripture
42All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. Acts 2:42-44
Observation
I have studied the blue print of God’s church in Acts over and over again. There’s not a single time that I’ve read this passage where my heart doesn’t rejoice with the description of what the gathering of Jesus followers looks like. I’ve seen glimpses of this. I’ve experienced the joy of the true koinonia (fellowship) described here. According to Biblical scholar Longenecker the Greek verb describing how the believers “devoted themselves” means “a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action.” Eugene Peterson describes this kind of Biblical discipleship as “a long obedience in the same direction.” Notice it says “all the believers devoted themselves”. There was no such thing as a consumer Christians. They were not independent of each other. They didn’t just leave it up the “professionals” to read God’s Word for them. They did not see scripture, fellowship, hospitably or prayer as optional. Every man and every woman devoted themselves to continue steadfastly in their corporate pursuit of Jesus and His ways. Then, and only then, do we read of the description of the Fear of God falling on them, the continuance of miracles and the spontaneous spirit-led generosity that met every need. What’s first determines what’s next. They knew that true devos was a steadfast devotion to living out God’s Word no matter what the cultural norms or pressures were pushing. They rooted themselves in God’s Word. What happens when we leave true devotion to scriptures behind? “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). According to “Got Questions”, “Itching ears” is a figure of speech that refers to people’s desires, felt needs, or wants. It is these desires that impel a person to believe whatever he wants to believe rather than the actual truth itself. When people have “itching ears,” they decide for themselves what is right or wrong, and they seek out others to support their notions. “Itching ears” are concerned with what feels good or comfortable, not with the truth—after all, truth is often uncomfortable. Paul’s warning is that the church would one day contain those who only opened their ears to those who would scratch their “itch.” Those with “itching ears” only want teachers who will assure them that all is well, teachers who say, “Peace, peace . . . when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). Where there is a demand for something, the suppliers are not far away. Paul says that not only will there be great demand for watered-down, personalized messages, but there will be “a great number of teachers” willing to provide such pap and steer people away from “sound doctrine.”
Application
As a pastor my messages should be wholly unoriginal. Sure, I like to find creative ways to present the truth, but it should always be His truth, His Word, His Way. If people are hearing something they’ve heard before that’s a good thing. True devos prevents the deviation that has led to deviancy we see all around us. Recently, California’s governor posted billboards encouraging people to come to and kill their babies in our state. Then, he had the gall to quote Jesus as if somehow this was an appropriate application of Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves. The sad thing is that many read that blasphemy as an accurate application. How is this possible? Because, somewhere along the way we were no longer devoted to the authority of God’s Word but rather the authenticity of our words and feelings. So, many have tried to put words in God’s mouth and twist God’s words to match our cultural norms. When we don’t like what God’s Word says we just skip over it or leave to find a church where they teach what we agree with. We try to line God’s Word with our lives rather than our lives to God’s Word. Sometimes our devos can be more of a devotion to our authenticity over His authority. Recently I had a pastor friend of mine leave close his Foursquare Church and leave our denomination because he changed his theological stance towards same-sex marriage. As he explained his reasoned and well thought out process it came down to being “authentic” to what he “felt” was true. I still love him and pray for him and told him so, but I can’t go there because God’s Word doesn’t go there. I have to be even more devoted to God’s Word and then I am to my friend of many years.
Prayer
Peter’s call to the crowd of 3000 to repent and be saved from “this perverse generation” is resounding throughout the years to this moment right here. We need to repent for how we have perverted God’s Word to please our itching ears. I repent for the places where I too have twisted Your Word to match my feelings or to be more convenient to my preferences. It’s easy for me to stand and point out where others have deviated from their steadfast devotion to Your Word, but You are pointing to my heart too. I pray that the Fear of You would fall again on Your church. That we would love what You love and hate what You hate. That the mere idea of doing something that would contradict your Your Word or cause there to be distance between us would be abhorrent to me.
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