4th Sunday Of Easter, Year A. Series

Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23:1-6, 1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10.

A). A PATTERN OF DEVOTION.

Acts 2:42-47.

Three thousand souls ‘gladly received (Peter’s) word’ and ‘were baptised’ that day (cf. Acts 2:41) - yet the revival of Pentecost was not yet over. To substantiate that we should realise the significance of the verse at the end of our present passage: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). In other words, God is at work through the normal everyday devotion of His church.

These people who had so recently ‘believed’ and ‘been baptised’ (Acts 2:41) were now “devoted” to their new faith (Acts 2:42). “They continued steadfastly in” (persisted in their adherence to, intently engaged in, attended constantly to) “the teaching of the apostles and in fellowship, and to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42). These are four distinguishing marks of the New Testament church.

1. They were devoted to the teaching of the Apostles. This is fundamental: it is the Apostolic faith which we share. The equivalent today is the reading and studying of the Bible, which is a basic element of all truly Christian worship.

2. They were devoted to fellowship. This is expressed in the “holding of all things in common” (Acts 2:44) - manifested in the voluntary selling of possessions and distributing to those who had need (Acts 2:45). It is also seen in the sharing of meals in their houses (Acts 2:46) - (so not everyone was expected to sell their house!) Acts of charity, and hospitality, still mark out the church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. They were devoted to the breaking of the bread. The use of the definite article is significant: “the” breaking of the bread has sacramental overtones, pointing here to the Communion, or Lord’s Supper; whereas “breaking bread from house to house… with simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46) seems to point to a more informal practice.

4. They were devoted to the prayers. Again, the definite article. “The” prayers, may indicate their attendance at the Temple (Acts 2:46) - perhaps at the regular Jewish prayers, or in a rented room within the Temple, set apart for specifically Christian prayers.

What is perhaps strange here, is that we are NOT told that the church was ‘devoted to evangelism.’ Perhaps it was their whole lifestyle which spoke the loudest to those outside the group. Awe came upon the people around them, and signs and wonders continued at the hands of the Apostles (Acts 2:43).

It was as they were praising God, that they had favour with the people. And it was THE LORD who added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47).

B). THE SHEPHERD PSALM.

Psalm 23:1-6.

I. The LORD is my Shepherd.

Psalm 23:1-3.

When King David was a boy, he used to look after his father’s sheep - so he knew what he was talking about when he spoke of the LORD as his shepherd. As we all know, a “shepherd” looks after sheep. David led the sheep, but the LORD led David.

Yet one day the LORD called David away from that life of looking after sheep, and after many adventures David became king of Israel (Psalm 78:70-71). Instead of leading sheep, he was to lead God’s people. Now, more than ever, King David needed to follow the leading of the LORD God.

King David could look back on his life as a shepherd boy, and remember the times when God had helped him. One time a lion tried to steal a lamb. Another time a bear tried to steal a lamb. Both times the LORD helped King David rescue the lamb (1 Samuel 17:34-35).

Psalm 23:1. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not lack anything.”

Another Psalm tells us that there is ‘no good thing that the LORD will withhold’ from the people who walk in His righteous way (Psalm 84:11).

Jesus said that when we seek God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, He will provide for us all that we need (Matthew 6:33).

Psalm 23:2. “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” For a sheep, this means delicious green grass.

“He leads me beside still waters” – rather than scary noisy fast-running water in which the sheep might drown.

Sheep sometimes do silly things. I can remember seeing a sheep that had wandered onto the shore because it saw a nice piece of grass in the shallow water. When the tide started to come in, that silly sheep nearly got drowned.

God does not give us permission to go into silly places.

Psalm 23:3. “He restores my soul.” The shepherd rescues the sheep from dangerous and forbidden places. The LORD restores the life of His people.

“He leads me in the paths of righteousness” – the shepherd knows where the right paths are, and leads the sheep there. The LORD has given us His Word, the Bible, to guide us and to teach us in His ways.