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“Let us look at what the Word of God says.”
> “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
> Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.”
> — Acts 2:42–43 (NIV)
These two verses give us one of the clearest pictures in the New Testament of what normal Christian life is meant to be. Not exceptional. Not for a special elite. This is the pattern God Himself set for the Church from the very beginning.
The lyrics you have before you simply echo and expand this pattern:
This is not just a historical description. It is a divine blueprint. If we reproduce the same conditions, we will see the same results, because God has not changed, the Holy Spirit has not changed, and the Word has not changed.
The key word is devoted. Not casual. Not occasional. Not when convenient. They *devoted themselves*.
Everything that followed—fellowship, awe, miracles, growth—flowed out of that one fact: their steadfast, deliberate, ongoing devotion.
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To understand Acts 2:42–43, we must see where it stands.
### The setting: After Pentecost
Acts 2 describes the Day of Pentecost:
Then we read:
> “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)
Who are “they”? These are brand-new believers. Many were Jews from different nations (Acts 2:5–11). They have just been saved, baptized, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Now, what does the Holy Spirit do with these new converts? He does not lead them into a mystical, isolated spirituality. He leads them into a community with a clear pattern of living.
Luke is not giving us a romantic picture. He is giving us a pattern inspired by the Holy Spirit.
### The atmosphere: Awe and the supernatural
Verse 43 adds:
> “Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.”
Here we have:
Many Christians long for verse 43 (wonders, signs, awe), but neglect verse 42 (devotion to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer). God’s order is clear: verse 42 leads to verse 43.
The lyrics capture this: “Devoted hearts, together as one… This is the life of the early church—growing strong in faith and love.”
They were not simply having experiences. They were building a life.
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Two key Greek words in Acts 2:42 open the text for us.
### 1. “Devoted” — *proskartereō*
The phrase “they devoted themselves” translates the Greek verb προσκαρτερέω (*proskartereō*).
It carries the meaning:
This is not a casual interest. It is persistent, ongoing, focused commitment.
The same word is used in:
So when the lyrics say, “Stay devoted every day—teaching, fellowship, bread, and prayer,” they are echoing this Greek idea of continual adherence. Not one meeting. Not one conference. A lifestyle.
Where there is this kind of devotion, the Holy Spirit has a stable platform from which to work.
### 2. “Fellowship” — *koinōnia*
The word “fellowship” is κοινωνία (*koinōnia*).
Its meanings include:
It appears in:
So “fellowship” in Acts 2:42 is not merely refreshments after a service. It is spiritual partnership: sharing life, burdens, resources, and purpose in Christ.
When the lyrics speak of “Devoted hearts, together as one—learning, sharing, eating, praying,” they reflect true *koinōnia*:
This is the atmosphere in which the Church grows “strong in faith and love.”
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Let us walk through the themes of the lyrics and connect them to Scripture.
### A. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”
The first priority mentioned is teaching.
This is significant. The Church was born in supernatural power (tongues of fire, rushing wind, prophetic speech), but it was built on apostolic doctrine.
Jesus commanded this:
> “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
> — Matthew 28:19–20
The apostles’ teaching was not human philosophy. It was:
This teaching was the standard. It protected the Church from error. It shaped their thinking and behavior.
Notice: they devoted themselves to this teaching. They did not treat it as optional. They reordered their lives around it.
The lyrics echo this as a constant refrain: “Devoted hearts, together as one—learning…” The first word is “learning.” A disciple is, by definition, a learner.
Spiritual warfare always targets doctrine. If Satan cannot keep you from being saved, he will try to keep you uninstructed, unstable, or deceived.
Paul warns:
> “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…”
> — Ephesians 4:14
The early church avoided this by devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching. It was the first line of defense and the foundation of growth.
### B. “…and to fellowship”
The second priority is fellowship (*koinōnia*).
This was not occasional socializing. Acts 2:44–45 shows what it looked like:
> “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
Their oneness was practical, costly, and visible. They were not independent units but members of one body.
John testifies:
> “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship (*koinōnia*) with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”
> — 1 John 1:3
Fellowship is first vertical (with the Father and the Son), then horizontal (with one another). But the two cannot be separated.
> “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other.”
> — 1 John 3:14
The lyrics say: “Devoted hearts, together as one—learning, sharing, eating, praying.” “Together as one” is not a sentimental phrase. It reflects a spiritual reality: one body in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13).
Isolation is dangerous. It makes believers vulnerable to deception, discouragement, and attack. Fellowship is protection and supply. It is also the context in which the fruit of the Spirit must be lived out (Galatians 5:22–23).
### C. “…to the breaking of bread”
The third priority: the breaking of bread.
This expression in Acts usually points to a shared meal that includes the Lord’s Supper.
Acts 2:46 clarifies:
> “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
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