First Things First - Centering on Jesus
Acts 2:42
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
Devotional: It is easy to build your church experience around preferences — the music style you enjoy, the preacher whose personality resonates with you, or the crowd that feels familiar. But the early church began somewhere more essential. Before they organized meals or pooled resources, they anchored themselves to the teaching of the apostles — to Jesus himself. Biblical community that does not start with Christ at the center will eventually collapse under the weight of human preferences and personality conflicts. Today, examine what is truly at the center of your faith. Is it Jesus and his truth, or is it a set of customs and comforts you have made to feel spiritual? Strip away the preferences and return to the foundation.
Reflection: What is one preference you have elevated to the level of a spiritual conviction? How might releasing it open you to a deeper experience of genuine community?
Practical Application: This week, attend a gathering — a church service, a small group, or a prayer meeting — with the singular intention of encountering Jesus, setting aside any expectations about how the experience should look or feel.
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
Devotional: It is easy to build your church experience around preferences — the music style you enjoy, the preacher whose personality resonates with you, or the crowd that feels familiar. But the early church began somewhere more essential. Before they organized meals or pooled resources, they anchored themselves to the teaching of the apostles — to Jesus himself. Biblical community that does not start with Christ at the center will eventually collapse under the weight of human preferences and personality conflicts. Today, examine what is truly at the center of your faith. Is it Jesus and his truth, or is it a set of customs and comforts you have made to feel spiritual? Strip away the preferences and return to the foundation.
Reflection: What is one preference you have elevated to the level of a spiritual conviction? How might releasing it open you to a deeper experience of genuine community?
Practical Application: This week, attend a gathering — a church service, a small group, or a prayer meeting — with the singular intention of encountering Jesus, setting aside any expectations about how the experience should look or feel.
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