David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 2:37-47

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

You may or may not be aware that my main purpose for writing this blog is for my own devotional discipline. I write knowing others will read it. But I’ve never really tried to publicize it or expand my audience. Once in a while people will stumble on it and subscribe. But I don’t have that many subscribers. I’m happy if you are one of the few, and pray that you are edified by what I write. But I try intentionally to write for myself. If I touch a nerve or highlight a need, so much the better.

I typically use the Dietrich Bonhoeffer method of taking 10-15 verses and pondering, praying, and meditating over them for a week at a time. I disconnect this from my preaching preparations whenever I am preaching these days. And sometimes these writings do unfold because I know if I don’t post at least one or two of you will let me know, “You didn’t post today. Are you well?” [insert smile here] This discipline is only one part of a devotional life that had for many years been sporadic.

The early Christians give us a broader view of what it means to be devoted to Jesus, or as I like to say (quoting Luther), “to live under Christ in his kingdom and serve him.” Luke tell us that these new converts,

devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Being a devoted follower of Jesus is a full-life experience of reading and pondering God’s word, joining with others in food and fellowship, seeing (and looking for) God’s work in the world – sometimes miraculous, sharing in the needs of others, worship (“the prayers”), the Lord’s Supper (“breaking of bread”) living a compelling life, and seeing God’s kingdom grow. It’s not just one thing. Devotional faithfulness is a way of life.

Jesus embodied this perfectly. Giving attention to God’s word, praying regularly, offering us his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Altar, doing the work of God, healing, forgiving, and raising the dead. He gave all glory to God. And in doing so, he did it for us as well. He is not just an example of how to live, but an embodiment of a devoted life with God. And he is our righteousness.

I am thankful to God for those who read or listen to this blog. You are a part of the fellowship that strengthens me. I do this for myself, but hope you are blessed by it as well. I encourage you to look for God’s work in the world around you. I urge you to pray and worship, and will join you whenever I can. I pray that you have friends with whom you can gather for food and fellowship. I hope you read and meditate on God’s word. I rejoice in knowing that you join me in praising God for all his good gifts and blessings. That’s the kind of devotion we all need to model. And it is only a dim reflection of Jesus’ devotional life and a reflection of his salvation which is ours through faith.