This sermon explores what it means to be the church through the lens of Acts 2:42-47, examining the early church's devotion to apostolic teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. The message emphasizes that the church is not a building or organization, but people called out by Christ to follow Him passionately. True discipleship is marked by devotion to knowing Christ through His Word, which then transforms how believers relate to one another in sacrificial love and fellowship.

The sermon challenges believers to examine whether their lives reflect the same devotion seen in the early church, where transformation in Christ led to radical generosity, unity, and witness that caused God to add daily to their number. The focus on communion highlights how remembering Christ's sacrifice should reshape our thinking and living, conforming us to His servant-hearted mindset as described in Philippians 2:5-8.

Discipleship Questions

1. How does understanding the church as 'ekklesia'—people called out of the world—change the way you view your identity and purpose as a believer?
2. In what specific ways does your devotion to Christ resemble the passionate loyalty described in the sermon, and where do you find yourself falling short?
3. The early church in Acts 2 devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching—how central is Scripture to your daily life, and what practical steps could deepen your engagement with God's Word?
4. What does it mean for your life that Jesus 'emptied himself' and took the form of a servant, and how should this mindset shape your relationships within the church?
5. How does the practice of communion move beyond ritual in your life to become a transformative remembrance of Christ's sacrifice that changes how you treat others?
6. The early believers sold possessions and shared with those in need—what would sacrificial generosity look like in your life, and what barriers keep you from practicing it?
7. Pastor emphasizes that Christ grows the church, not human strategies—how does this truth challenge modern church growth methods and your own expectations?
8. When you examine your life before taking communion, what sins and areas of unfaithfulness does the Holy Spirit reveal, and how are you responding to His conviction?
9. How does the statement 'all people will know you are my disciples if you have love for one another' challenge the way your church community demonstrates Christ to the watching world?
10. In what ways is your life being 'molded around Christ' like Plato being shaped, and where do you still resist conforming to His image?