A Church With Attitude

Luke uses a few words to describe the attitude of the early, Spirit-filled church. If we’re Spirit-filled, part of the evidence is not just what we do, but the attitude in which we do it! Look at these verses: 

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  Acts 2:42–43 (NIV84)

I see two attitudes here: devotion and awe. These attitudes are essential. They represent sincerity of heart. But these attitudes of the heart don’t preclude joy, and enjoying what God is doing!  

⁴⁶ 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, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  Acts 2:46–47 (NIV84)

Devotion

To devote yourself means to adhere to, to focus on, to hold fast to. When I was in 2nd grade I joined the Cub Scouts. One of the coolest things about being a Cub Scout is that you got to wear a uniform, with the patches, the neckerchief with the neat slide to hold it in place, and the Cub Scout cap. When our Scoutmaster was teaching us the proper wear of the Cub Scout uniform, he made this declaration: “When you’re wearing your uniform, you always have to wear your cap. Don’t take your cap off.” I still remember him saying that: “Don’t take your cap off.”

The next Cub Scout meeting day, I wore my uniform to school because the meeting was right after. I felt so official. It was cool! Then, my second grade teacher, Miss Price, told me, “Eddie, you have to take off your cap in class.” This would have been about 1966, so in that day it was really frowned upon to wear a cap indoors, and Miss Price was a very proper teacher. She was very polite about it, but direct: “You have to take off your cap.” But in my mind, I was hearing the scoutmaster say so emphatically, “Don’t ever take your cap off. when you’re wearing your uniform.” I was a very compliant kid, but I was compliant with my scoutmaster, not my teacher. I absolutely refused to take off my cap.

Instead of fighting me about it, Miss Price called home and told my parents. That afternoon, my mom said, “Eddie, you have to take your cap off in class.” “No!” I exclaimed, “Mr. Scoutmaster (I don’t remember his name) said I couldn’t take it off!” That evening, my dad said, “Eddie, you have to take your cap off in class.” “No! Mr. Scoutmaster said I couldn’t take it off!” It wasn’t until they called Mr. Scoutmaster and he told me himself that it was OK to take off my cap in class that I would agree. In other words, I was devoted to wearing that Cub Scout cap! 

I’m not suggesting we be legalistic about the apostles’ teaching, the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer, but I am saying that we have to make a decision that we are going to be devoted to these things. Last week we heard a great sermon on putting on the full armor of God–that includes a cap (a helmet). You have to decide that your are going to put that on!  

Awe 

They were devoted and they were filled with awe. Unfortunately, the newer edition of the NIV says the believers were in awe at the miracles done by the apostles. That’s not what it says, and no other translation that I could find says that. It actually says the believers were filled with awe AND the apostles did signs.  

It’s OK to be in awe of signs and wonders. God does awesome deeds. We are amazed by them. But the original Greek just indicates that the church was in awe, and miracles happened. In other words, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit as the early church was, you don’t have to see a miracle to be in awe of God. I actually believe that we will see more miracles the more we come under a sense of awe at the greatness of God, at the holiness of God, at the presence of God who is with us by the Holy Spirit! 

As a new follower of Jesus in college I felt like we needed a prayer meeting. I was a hugely influential person on campus, including serving as fraternity president, and so managed to get three other people to meet me in the little interfaith chapel on campus. Honestly, I had no idea what to do or what to say. I had no clue how to pray. So we four just sat in a circle and bowed our heads. No words–just bowed heads. As soon as we did, such a powerful presence came into that room that we couldn’t do anything else but sit there in awe of God for what I think might have been 15 minutes or so. Could have been longer.  

It’s good to live in the awe of the Lord. It’s the beginning of wisdom. I believe it will be the atmosphere for more miracles. There’s also something attractive about people who live in the awareness of the presence of God. When we live in devotion to the word of God, to the fellowship of God’s people, the breaking of bread and prayer, those moments of awe are much more likely in our lives. This is part of our witness. You see the results of all this, along with the signs and wonders, in our passage, the last part of verse 47: 

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” This was THE purpose established by Jesus. 

⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:4-5, 8 (NIV)

We are still living in the aftermath of Pentecost. It’s God’s plan to change the world. It will change your life, too.  

Hear the rest of this message on the podcast at https://edcrenshaw.com/podcast/