This is an exciting day for our South Fork family. We begin our Shepherd Groups this afternoon after sharing a meal together following our morning assembly. I am excited about this great opportunity! It will be an ideal time for you to invite some friends, neighbors, co-workers, friends at school, etc. As these groups meet twice a month between now and the end of the year I hope that you will sincerely put out an effort to become involved and participate fully with your group.

For the rest of this year on Sunday mornings we will be going through the book of Acts and looking at some of the conversion stories. During our group meetings there will be some time for reflecting on some of these insights into the early church. Today we begin with the incredible events of the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 and the relationship that this initial group of believers shared with one another. These are great statements describing this new community of faith.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

We sometimes beat ourselves up because we don’t think our church is just like that. And certainly there are things that we can change in our lives to become more of what God wants us to be. Take another look at that passage, and what it says about these first Christians.

• They were devoted to Christ’s teaching and to one another.
• They were devoted to fellowship and prayer.
• They shared with everyone who had need.
• They met together constantly.
• They had glad and sincere hearts.
• They praised God.

We can do all those things. And we can reach out to others and let them see this same joyful, sacrificial devotion we have to God and to one another. And I believe that when we do that it will bring the same results.