Life Together: A Simple Faith in A Complex World
This week's texts from Scripture are:
Sermon Outline:
Four Devotions of the Early Believers
a. The Apostles’ Teaching
Rooted in eyewitnesses of Jesus and the Old Testament fulfilled in Christ.
Scripture forms, challenges, and encourages believers.
Still central today—read in worship, life groups, and personal devotion.
b. The Fellowship
Not just “fellowship” but the fellowship (koinonia).
Christ-centered relationships beyond ordinary community.
Unique to believers who share salvation, hope, and mission.
c. The Breaking of Bread
More than meals—points to Holy Communion.
Gathering at the Lord’s Table connects teaching, fellowship, and worship.
Tangible reminder of Christ’s presence and sacrifice.
d. The Prayers
Corporate prayers, rooted in Jewish tradition but centered on Jesus.
“We” language, not just “me” language.
Encourages unity and sustains believers when they feel weak or alone.
Application Questions…
Comprehension
What are the four things the early church devoted itself to according to Acts 2:42?
How does the sermon describe the difference between “fellowship” and “the fellowship”?
Why does the preacher emphasize that Luke says “the prayers” instead of simply “prayer”?
In what ways did the early Christians’ devotion stand out to the watching world, as seen in the Letter to Diognetus?
What connection does the sermon make between the breaking of bread and Holy Communion?
Theology
How does the teaching of the apostles (before the New Testament was written) point us to Christ and the gospel?
Why is Scripture not only for clergy or “professional Christians” but for the whole church?
What does koinonia (“the fellowship”) reveal about the nature of Christian community compared to other types of social groups?
How does participating in Holy Communion shape our understanding of God’s presence and the unity of the church?
What does praying together as the church teach us about our identity as the body of Christ?
Life & Application
Where in your life are you currently engaging with God’s Word, and how could you deepen that devotion?
How can you both give to and receive from the fellowship of the church in practical ways this week?
What keeps you from prioritizing gathering at the Lord’s Table regularly, and how might you address that?
When you feel spiritually dry, how might leaning on the prayers of the church (corporate prayer, liturgy, or communal worship) sustain you?
In what ways might God be calling you to simplify your faith—returning to these four devotions—so that your life reflects Christ more clearly to a watching world?