"They Devoted Themselves…"
Psalm 23 & Acts 2:42-47

This fourth Sunday of Easter’s readings brings before us the community that the resurrected Lord has gathered, i.e. the Church.
The Church is given birth by the Spirit’s power. The scene in our text gives us a picture of the things that comprised the Church’s foundation; the apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer. These are the things that the early believers devoted themselves to. These four things are at the foundation and they are what gave the church its constitution and character, its connection and continuity. It is these four things that kept them grounded during trials that came later. They are what guided them when the trouble ended.
This devotedness was their lifestyle and lifeline. The discipline also yielded fruit as it resulted in praising God and having favor among all the people.
Ultimately, it is the things to which our hearts are tied that determines if we sink or survive the times in which we live. The question to answer is; "What are you/we devoted to?”
In both our OT reading and NT reading it is the Lord who is at work in the midst of our devotion. For David, the Lord is his shepherd. For the early believers it is God at the center of their praise and the Lord who added to their numbers. The Lord fills up our devotion!
This sermon will show us how what we are devoted to will aid us in trials and keep us moving forward when trouble ends.