- Who is talking? Peter, an apostle of the Living God, stands up before throngs of people, from many nations, telling them that Jesus' crucifixion (over 7 weeks previous) had been their fault and that they had killed Him who, "God has made... both LORD and The CHRIST"...
- What was the response of the people? The people's hearts were pricked and they wanted to know what they should do about what they did to Jesus.
- What was Peter's answer? Peter said that they needed to first REPENT (be sorry and change their thinking/ways) and "BE BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
- Who was this directive for? Peter then told them that this promise was for them and for their descendants.
- Did people do what Peter said to do? Then, it says that those who accepted what Peter was saying "were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls."
- How many? 3,000 souls were the beginning of the first church!!!
- What did they do then? "they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
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It seems that once the people believed God... said they were sorry... made the decision to do what God required... that God (the gift of the Holy Spirit) came to live inside of them... they then became "kindred spirits".... having the same spiritual DNA... family...
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Maybe you have never considered your spiritual DNA before... for centuries not many people considered their physical DNA... it wasn't until the 1950's that Rosalind Franklin "cracked the code" that God had used to create mankind... she died before she was 40, but her discovery rocked the world of science. This summer our oldest son graduated from Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine in Chicago. Although he is able to wrap his arms around the concept of physical DNA, it is not for that reason that he stands out to me. You see, years ago, he wrapped his arms around the understanding that the most important thing in this life is his SPIRITUAL DNA...
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Let's go back to Acts:
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All the people, from so many different nations, with many different DNA profiles, had come together and after listening to Peter made a decision that they wanted to have something in common... SPIRITUAL DNA!!!! They trusted God... obeyed... submitted... were gifted with the Holy Spirit of God coming to live inside of them... (they wanted to look like their Daddy!)
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Then, the scripture picks up here. Be challenged by the reading... although the apostles no longer live on this earth, can you answer these questions after reading verses 44 through 47 -
- Do these verses describe the group of people who you worship God with?
- Is your fellowship like family?
- Does your church family's spiritual DNA, the Spirit of the Living God, make you all look like family?
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"43 And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders
and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had
believed were together, and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.".
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