Devoted?

Acts 2:37-42 NRSVUE

37“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” 40And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

As we move beyond Christmas season and Epiphany, we move into Lenten season beginning on February 18th. I am super thrilled at what God did at Sneads Ferry Presbyterian Church during 2025, but more excited about what God is doing right now and will do in 2026. I am literally witnessing the maturing of this congregation. It is evident in each and all of the ministries! We are literally moving in the rhythm of Christ!

The story found in Acts 2:37-42 addresses the first converts to the movement following the resurrected and ascended Christ. Those new converts “devoted themselves” to the what we would now call Bible study, fellowship time together, clearly practicing the sacraments of at least The Lord’s Supper and baptism, and then praying together. These worked to build a strong church in the first century. These still work today. Are you devoted?

In the days of the circuit riders a minister was out riding one afternoon and came

upon a man out working in his field. "Fine day isn't it?" the minister called out. "Its fine for you", the man replied, "All you have to do is ride around on that horse thinking about God all day long, while I have to sweat here in this field and then walk home afterward. I don't think it is right you should have things so easy while I have to work so hard." "On the contrary", the minister answered, "thinking about God is one of the most difficult things you can do. And to prove it, I'll give you this horse if you can think about God and nothing else for one minute." "You're on," said the man and immediately he sat down in silence. Thirty seconds later he looked up at the minister, and said, "Does that include the saddle?"

Pastor Steve Fitgerald