Community of Word and Spirit

COMMUNITY OF WORD AND SPIRIT 

An Exposition of Acts 2:42-47

By Pastor Brian Wilbur

Date: March 16, 2025

Series: The Book of Acts

Note: Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION

What difference does Jesus make in the lives of His people? What happens when people come to Jesus and start following Him as part of a community of disciples? What is a faithful community of Jesus-followers supposed to look like? When people believe the gospel of God’s grace, how does God’s grace change and rearrange their lives? When people receive the Holy Spirit, what kind of fruit does the Holy Spirit produce in them? Acts 2:42-47 is a passage where the rubber meets the road, where the truth of Christianity gets lived out in the practical, everyday lives of believers.

In Acts 2:4, the Holy Spirit came upon those first 120 disciples. The Holy Spirit then empowered these disciples, and especially the apostle Peter, to proclaim God’s message of salvation to several thousand Jews in the city of Jerusalem. Peter told them the good news of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Peter promised them that if they believed in Jesus, then they also would receive the Holy Spirit. When all was said and done, out of the large crowd of thousands, three thousand people heeded the message, trusted in Jesus, were baptized into water as an expression of their faith, and thus became part of God’s forever family. In just one day, the church grew exponentially, from 120 disciples to 3,120 disciples.

Now we come to the end of Acts 2, which tells us what life was like in this new community of three-thousand-plus believers.

THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT

Holy Scripture says:

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.(Acts 2:42-47)

WALKING THROUGH THE TEXT

As we begin to walk through this passage, let’s be clear about who the “they” are. “They devoted themselves” (v. 42); “they were selling their possessions” (v. 45); “they received their food with glad and generous hearts” (v. 46). Who are “they”? Well, it is obvious that “they” are the “three thousand souls” (v. 41) who received Peter’s message and were baptized, plus the original 120 disciples, for verse 41 says that the three thousand were added. In verse 44 this group is referred to as “all who believed”.

Now the reason why this is so important is because we need to remind ourselves that this remarkable experience of community in verses 42-47 is not something that these Christians achieved in their own strength. They were not master builders of community life. Instead, they had gotten caught up in something much bigger than themselves. The Lord had called them to Himself (Acts 2:39). They had called upon the name of the Lord and been saved (Acts 2:21). They had turned away from their own mistaken ideas, and they turned to Jesus and trusted in Him (Acts 2:38). They were putting their confidence in the Lord, not in themselves (Acts 2:21, 38, 44). And they had received “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). So when we look at verses 42-47, we need to understand that this snapshot of their community life is showing us what it looks like when a community is governed by King Jesus, when a community is shaped by God’s Word, when a community is guided by the Holy Spirit.

Peter declared that Jesus is “Lord and Christ” in Acts 2:36; so Acts 2:42-47 is the community that the Lord Jesus Christ is building, blessing, and ruling over. These disciples had received God’s Word (v. 41) and they kept devoting themselves to God’s Word (v. 42); so Acts 2:42-47 is the community that is being informed and fueled by the Word of God. These disciples had received the Holy Spirit (implication of v. 38 and ongoing fulfillment of Acts 2:17-18); so Acts 2:42-47 is the community that is being directed and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

There are no clever gimmicks here. No brilliant programs. No high-control leaders. No extensive checklists. No external pressure. No sophisticated game plan. They enjoyed true freedom. They were only compelled by divine grace, by the Holy Spirit, and by love for one another. And that is freedom indeed. So, as we ponder this snapshot of community life, we shouldn’t feel any pressure to manufacture an imitation of their experience in our own strength. We can’t manufacture beautiful community. But we can discover it! We can be caught up into beautiful community through God’s blessing, freely given to us in Jesus Christ.

With these things in mind, let’s ponder what their new life in Christ was like on a practical, daily basis.

They were steadfastly devoted to the best things (v. 42)

First, they were steadfastly devoted to four foundational commitments (v. 42). The word translated “devoted” conveys the idea of continually devoted, steadfastly committed.[1] This wasn’t a flash in the pan. This wasn’t a small piece of paper that burns quickly and disappears. This was a long, steady burn, an inward fire of devotion that wouldn’t die out.

SOUND DOCTRINE

The first foundational practice to which they were steadfastly devoted was learning and absorbing sound doctrine: “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”. Jesus entrusted the twelve apostles with the task of sharing, explaining, and applying His words to the community of believers. The teaching of the apostles would eventually be written down in the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. They taught about Jesus. They continued to proclaim the gospel. They explained what it meant to belong to Jesus and to follow Jesus. What is happening here in terms of the teaching and learning, is exactly what you would expect to happen in light of Jesus’ instructions to the apostles in Matthew 28:18-20 –

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”” (Matthew 28:18-20)

True to their commission, here in Acts 2:41-42 the apostles were teaching the newly minted, baptized disciples. Note well that devotion “to the apostle’s teaching” doesn’t only mean learning the content of the teaching, but also means putting the teaching into practice. And it is evident from the whole context of Acts 2:42-47 that they were making strides to obey the teaching that they were receiving. A healthy church community is devoted to God’s Word.

THE COMMON LIFE OF THE CHURCH

The second foundational practice to which they were steadfastly devoted was the common life of their community: “they devoted themselves to… the fellowship”, the koinonia, the collegiality, the brotherhood. These disciples weren’t just dropping in to hear a lesson, take notes, and be on their own individual merry way; they were deeply committed to one another, to be involved in each other’s lives, meet each other’s needs, work together in ministry, support one another in personal and practical ways. Simply put, they mattered a great deal to each other. They were a team now, and they were utterly committed to sticking together, journeying together, growing together, and serving together. To be part of God’s family is to be family to each other. In a healthy church community, members link arms together and function as a unified team.

BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER

The third foundational practice to which they were steadfastly devoted was breaking bread together: “they devoted themselves… to the breaking of bread”. This phrase “the breaking of bread” can actually refer to two things. First, it can refer to the ordinance of Communion, when we partake of the bread and the cup and thereby remember the Lord’s broken body and shed blood, given for our salvation. Second, the phrase “the breaking of bread” can also refer more broadly to the simple act of eating meals together. It is difficult to prove the intended meaning in verse 42 and verse 46, but I am inclined to think that Communion around the Lord’s Supper is intended or at least included in verse 42, and that eating meals together more generally is intended in verse 46. It is also helpful to remember that the Lord’s Supper itself, as originally instituted, was part of the larger Passover meal, and the early church often celebrated Communion as part of a larger festive meal. Assuming that the Lord’s Supper is included in the scope of verse 42, these early disciples were committed to remembering the gospel, for the bread represented Christ’s body, which was broken for His people, and the cup represented Christ’s blood, which was shed for His people. A healthy church community continually remembers that it exists because the Lord gave His life for her.

PRAYER

The fourth foundational practice to which they were steadfastly devoted was prayer: “they devoted themselves… to… the prayers.” In referring to “the prayers”, it sounds like there were designated times of prayer at the temple, and they were devoted to showing up at the designated times in order to pray. But whether or not there were designated times, the larger point is that they were a praying people. God communicated to them through “the apostles’ teaching”; they returned communication to God through prayer. They poured out their hearts before the Lord. They made their requests known to their heavenly Father. They called upon His name, that He might work in their midst and help them to grow into spiritual maturity. A healthy church community relies upon the Lord, and expresses that reliance through prayer and supplication.

They were steadfastly devoted to God’s Word, to the common life they shared in Christ, to the common meal, and to prayer. They devoted themselves to these things together, as a community. Are we following in their footsteps?

They were struck with awe at God’s presence in their midst (v. 43)

Second, they were struck with awe at God’s presence in their midst (v. 43). Verse 43 begins: “And awe came upon every soul”. It is entirely possible that “every soul” also included people outside the church community who were being impacted by the community of believers (see Acts 5:11).

The Greek word phobos (related to our word phobia) means “Fear, terror, reverence, respect”.[2] Whether phobos is a bad paralyzing fear or a godly awe-inspiring fear depends on the context. When we recently came across 1 John 4:18 which says that “perfect love casts out fear”, the meaning is that God’s love casts out the bad type of fear that arises from a broken relationship with God. But godly fear, the fear of the Lord, reverence and awe – this is a healthy attitude to have toward God. If we have the sense that the living God, the Creator of all things, the Holy One of Israel, is standing in our midst and manifesting His power and grace among us, the proper response is to be gripped by the greatness and gravity of God’s presence.

In light of verse 42, this phrase that “awe came upon every soul” teaches us that they were sober-minded and reverent as they studied God’s Word, connected with each other, partook of the Lord’s Supper, and offered up prayers. They weren’t doing these things casually. They weren’t doing these things as an outlet for entertainment. They were engaged as those who were treading on holy ground.

In light of the rest of verse 43, this phrase that “awe came upon every soul” also teaches us that they were overwhelmed by the “many wonders and signs [that] were being done through the apostles.” (v. 43) These wonders and signs were a visible intensification of God’s active presence in their midst: the sick were healed, the handicapped were restored, the demon-possessed were set free, the dead were raised up.

It is worth pointing out that in the context of Acts 2:42-47 these wonders and signs were taking place “through the [twelve] apostles”. It’s not as if all 3,120 disciples were working miracles. Although the New Testament doesn’t limit the operation of wonders and signs to the twelve apostles, there can be no doubt that one primary purpose for these wonders and signs was to verify the message that the apostles were proclaiming. Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us that God’s

“great salvation… was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:3-4)

What a profound encouragement it would have been to know that God was actively revealing His power in their midst, that God was actively revealing His goodness in their midst, that God was bearing witness to the truth of His Word, and that God was showing them that those twelve apostles were His authorized spokesmen. Even though those twelve apostles have faded from the scene, the God of wonders and signs is still with us, and He may stretch forth His hand at any time in order to get our attention, display His fatherly goodness, and create new opportunities for the gospel message to go forth to more people.

Before I leave verse 43, I want to point out that although wonders and signs were only being done through a relatively small number of people, the overwhelming and humbling sense of God’s presence was felt by all: “awe came up every soul”. It wasn’t a few devout souls who were overwhelmed by God’s majesty. Every one of the 3,120 disciples was in awe of God’s greatness. Every believer was under the influence of God’s holy presence. What about us?

They demonstrated comprehensive unity and practical care for each other (v. 44-45)

Third, they demonstrated comprehensive unity and practical care for each other (v. 44-45). Verse 44 says, “And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” These believers in Christ were not isolated from each other; they did not keep their distance; it wasn’t every man for himself. Instead, they were with each other as a matter of course. They lived the reality that when Jesus calls you to Himself, He calls you to His people, and you have to follow Jesus as part of a community of Jesus-followers. When you are with each other, you matter to each other: you see one another, you weep with those who weep, you rejoice with those who rejoice, you serve your brothers and sisters according to their needs. Their togetherness is underscored by the phrase that they “had all things in common”. The focus, however, is not on things, but on everything. The Greek phrase literally says ‘having all in common’.[3] Everyone was ‘all in’ to the common life of the group. No turf wars. No selfish agendas. No consumer mentality, that mentality where you show up to consume what someone else is producing. They didn’t function like that. They understood that they belonged to the Lord, and in belonging to the Lord they belonged to each other, and they understood that they were all active participants, contributors, and stakeholders in the life of the church.

Of course, this would all be a matter of cheap talk if it didn’t express itself physically and financially. The spiritual unity of all believers being devoted to the Lord and the social unity of all believers being together must be expressed physically and financially, as we see in verse 45: “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” This generous sharing was not the result of external compulsion. A communist government mandates sharing and enforces it through the coercive power of the law and of threatened punishments. The gospel of Jesus Christ inspires sharing and facilitates it through the internal compulsion of love.

When you are in a close and genuinely caring relationship with other people, other people’s tangible needs touch your heart, and you do something about it. You develop this mindset: other people having their basic needs met, is more important than me having possessions and belongings that I don’t need. Other people, especially my Christian brothers and sisters, are more important than my possessions and belongings. People are more important that my stuff. People are the most important asset. And so, if we are faced with a choice, we would much rather serve our fellow believers than hold onto our possessions. We would much rather meet their pressing needs than protect our earthly treasures. Selling our earthly treasures in order to meet the needs of our fellow Christians is a great way to store up treasure in heaven. It is also a great way to show the world that we love Jesus a whole lot more than we love material possessions.

Their daily life involved eagerly worshiping God together, joyfully connecting with each other, and positively impacting unbelievers (v. 46-47)

Fourth, their daily life involved eagerly worshiping God together, joyfully connecting with one another, and positively impacting unbelievers (v. 46-47). The word translated “attending” is actually the same word as “devoted” in verse 42. The idea is steadfastly devoted. Further, the word translated “together” is literally ‘with one accord’.[3] So the idea is that they were ‘steadfastly devoted with one accord in the temple’. But the centralized location of the temple wasn’t the only place where they connected; they also connected regularly in one another’s homes: Day by day, steadfastly devoted with one accord in the temple and “breaking bread in their homes”. Hospitality was a church-wide practice: many people opened up their homes to many others in the church community all throughout the week. They shared meals together frequently: “they received their food with glad and generous hearts”. In God’s economy, food is meant to bring us together in an attitude of thanksgiving and joy, and the more often we do it, the better.

GODWARD FOCUS, NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT

Their daily experience of gathering at the temple and in each other’s homes had both a Godward focus and a neighborhood impact. On the one hand, their gatherings were characterized by “praising God”. And on the other hand, they were “having favor with all the people”.

This phrase “having favor with all the people” could just as easily be translated ‘having grace or goodwill toward all the people’.[4] If the translation “having favor with all the people” is better, then it means that the unbelievers that they were coming into contact with were positively impressed and favorably disposed to these Christians. If the translation ‘having grace or goodwill toward all the people” is better, then it means that the Christians themselves were intentional about showing kindness to the unbelievers that they were coming into contact with. In either case, however, notice two things. First, these early Christians were rubbing shoulders with non-Christians on a regular basis. How couldn’t they? They were gathering at the temple, where thousands of non-Christian Jews were also gathering. And if you have a movement of 3,120 people in which these people are scattered about in dozens of homes all throughout the week, neighbors and friends are bound to take notice. Second, these early Christians were not proud and stand-offish to the wider group of people around them. They were present, down to earth, accessible, sharing with others the love that they themselves had received.

It comes as no surprise, then, that their “having favor with all the people” or ‘having grace toward all the people’ resulted in many more people coming to faith in Jesus, as verse 47 concludes: “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

This final phrase at the very end of chapter 2 tells us something very important. Earlier in chapter 2, the Holy Spirit used the 120 disciples speaking forth God’s message in dramatic fashion and Peter faithfully preaching the gospel in order to bring “three thousand souls” to Jesus in verse 41. But here in verses 42-47, the Lord is using the entire transformed community of disciples to make an impact on their neighbors, in order to bring additional souls to faith. Preaching the message remains essential, of course, for people have to understand the message of the gospel before they can become Christians. However, our transformed lives, our steadfast devotion, our sacrificial love to one another, our kindness to all people – these things are also an important part of what the Lord uses to get the attention of lost people, and to draw them to Himself.

Do we see ourselves in verses 42-47? Has the gospel of God’s grace laid hold of us in such a way that we are steadfastly devoted to the Lord, that we are struck with awe, that we enjoy being together, that we make sacrifices for each other, that we have a gracious impact on our unbelieving neighbors.

LESSONS

Lesson #1: Realize the significance of what is taking place

In light of Acts 2:42-47, I would like to conclude this message with two important lessons. First, I want you to realize the significance of what is taking place here. In the Old Testament, Israel’s exodus out of Egypt took place on the fifteenth day of the first month, the month of Abib. According to Jewish tradition, the Israelites received the law exactly 50 days after the original Passover and the exodus out of Egypt. Scripturally, I’m not sure that the exactness of the 50 days can be proven, but it seems like a plausible timeline from the Scriptural data that we have. According to this Jewish perspective, 50 days after the Israelites were rescued from Egypt, they stood at the base of Mount Sinai and received the Ten Commandments directly from God. What did the people do with the law that they received? They broke it. Only a matter of weeks after receiving the law, the Israelites had a golden calf set up as an idol in their midst, and they worshiped this idol and brought God’s anger upon themselves. As part of God’s judgment upon Israel, the sons of Levi were authorized to take up their swords and slay the idolaters. Do you know how many Israelites fell by the sword on that day? “[About] three thousand men” (Exodus 32:28).

Now fast forward to Acts 2. The ultimate Passover had taken place when our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was crucified on the cross for the sins of the people. And sure enough, exactly 50 days after the ultimate Passover, on the day of Pentecost, those first 120 disciples received something greater than the law; they received the Holy Spirit. And those first 120 disciples weren’t the only ones who received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. How many additional people received the Holy Spirit after Peter’s sermon? “[About] three thousand souls.”

These comparisons and contrasts cannot be coincidental, but invite our serious reflection.[5] At Mount Sinai, the children of Israel received an external law that they could not keep. They broke it, time and again, and as a result experienced God’s displeasure. But God had promised something better. God had promised a new and better exodus, not out of bondage in Egypt, but out of bondage to sin. God had promised a new and better covenant, not a covenant with an external law that couldn’t be kept, but a covenant that brought with it a change of the person’s heart, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and a newfound capacity to fulfill the law in a life of Spirit-empowered holiness and Spirit-empowered love. And this is what is becoming reality in Acts 2: a renewed Israel, God’s new covenant community, is receiving the Holy Spirit, and as a result, they aren’t rushing to the next golden calf so that they can prostitute themselves one more time. If your relationship with God is nothing more than the knowledge of an external law, you’ll keep breaking the law and you’ll keep falling into idolatry. But when God the Holy Spirit comes upon you and writes His law on your heart, He will empower you on the path of loving obedience. He will shape your lives into a dynamic community of Word and Spirit, a vibrant community of worship and love, a fruitful community of fellowship and mission.

Have you entered into this community of Word and Spirit? Do you see yourselves in the mirror of Acts 2:42-47? It isn’t something that happens through the strength of your own will, as if trying harder is the way to succeed. Trying harder is not the way to succeed. The only way to genuinely live the beautiful community that is illustrated here, is to have your sins washed away through the blood of Jesus and to receive His Spirit as the new operating principle of your life. Lean on Jesus, and live in the strength that He supplies.

Lesson #2: let the entire picture of Acts 2:42-47 protect us from harmful imbalances

The second lesson I want to make is that we must let the entire picture of Acts 2:42-47 protect us from harmful imbalances. Because we are imperfect, we are prone to serious imbalances which, if left unchecked, lead to a complete distortion of the Christian way. Here are several possible distortions – it would be nice if these distortions were merely theoretical possibilities, but the reality is that all of these distortions actually exist in so-called Christian groups:

• Knowledge is everything. As long as you are studying the Bible, you’re good!

• Moral conduct is everything. As long as you are enforcing the right rules, you’re good!

• Social compassion is everything. As long as you are feeding the hungry and tending the sick, you’re good!

• Evangelism is everything. As long as you are sharing the gospel and handing out tracts, you’re good!

• Miracles are everything. As long as signs and wonders are taking place, you’re good and you’re part of the right group!

• Spiritual gifts are everything. As long as you’re plugged in and contributing your unique talents, you’re good!

• Individual devotion is everything. As long as you’re personally enlightened, you’re good!

• Worship services are everything. As long as you show up for the weekly worship event, you’re good!

But isn’t it obvious that the church of Acts 2:42-47 cannot possibly be reduced down to even two or three of these things. Instead, we must embrace the total transformation that the Lord seeks to bring about in our lives. Learning the Word and living the Word. Doing what is right and exhibiting kindness. Ministering the Scriptures and showing compassion. Praising God and having grace toward the lost. Spiritual gifts, and even signs and wonders, have their place, but how valuable would these be without sacrificial love? Individual devotion is to be encouraged, but God’s plan is clearly for a transformed, unified community in which the believers are moving together in one accord. Attending worship services at the centralized meeting place is important, but so is connecting with one another and sharing meals together in each other’s homes. 

In the new covenant community, what is prayer without practical action, what is holiness without hospitality, what is witness without worship, what is loving the Lord without loving your neighbor, what are song services without soup kitchens, what is personal devotion without peace with your brothers and sisters, what is the power of the Scriptures without the power of the Spirit? We must always and only be a community of Word and Spirit, living under the gracious rule of King Jesus, and bearing all the good fruit that He has planned for us. Don’t settle for anything less than the total transformation that the Holy Spirit brings!

ENDNOTES

[1] See Bible Hub entry for “4342. proskartereó”. Available online: https://biblehub.com/greek/4342.htm.

[2] See Bible Hub entry for “5401. phobos”. Available online: https://biblehub.com/greek/5401.htm.

[3] See Bible Hub’s Greek-English Interlinear presentation of Acts 2:44, available online: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/2-44.htm; and also see Bible Hub entry for “537. hapas” (the Greek word meaning “all” in Acts 2:44), available online: https://biblehub.com/greek/537.htm.

[4] See Bible Hub’s Greek-English Interlinear presentation of Acts 2:47, available online: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/2-47.htm; and see Bible Hub entry for “5485. charis” (the Greek word meaning “favor” or “grace” in Acts 2:47), available online: https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm; and also see Bible Hub entry for “4314. pros” (the Greek word meaning “with” or “toward” in Acts 2:47), available online: https://biblehub.com/greek/4314.htm. It is evident that the phrase charin pros can just as easily mean grace toward as favor with. This line of thought was put on my radar screen many years ago from David Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles (The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009: p. 164.

[5] I am indebted to Patrick Schreiner, Acts (Christian Standard Commentary). Holman Reference, 2022: p. 108-112, 139 for seeing the connections between the giving of the law at Sinai and the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost, how they relate to Passover, and how they relate to the judgment of about 3,000 men in Exodus 32:28 and the salvation of about 3,000 souls in Acts 2:41.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles (The Pillar New Testament Commentary). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.

Patrick Schreiner, Acts (Christian Standard Commentary). Holman Reference, 2022.

Ben Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.