In Acts 2, God gives us a picture of what a Spirit-filled church looks like. Think about what these people had seen and experienced on the day of Pentecost: A sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the entire house where they were, tongues of fire rested on each of them, they were all personally filled with the Holy Spirit, and they then spoke (and heard each other speaking) in languages they did not know and watched as foreigners understood what they were saying! And, as if that wasn’t enough, Peter, a humble fisherman, stood and gave a powerful sermon, proving that what was happening there on that day in the name of Jesus was predicted in the Old Testament scriptures. His hearers were then “cut to the heart” and asked “what shall we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized and 3,000 souls were saved that day! 

This was a people who had not only personally experienced a filling of God, but had witnessed what he can do when he comes in power! And it changed them entirely!  As a result, they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer, etc.,” not out of duty (i.e., because they knew they should), but out of an overflow of God’s love and power in their hearts and lives. This work of the Spirit in them is what gave birth to this amazing and supernatural church! 

Throughout this week, we will consider some of the activities of this first church outlined in the passage above; but we will do so while affirming and acknowledging that this kind of church is not something we can achieve in our power. It is only as we seek the Lord and his filling, understanding that what we need comes from him alone, and dying to ourselves so that we might live for him, that we will begin to look like this miraculous church!