FOUR HABITS OF HIGHLY DEAD PEOPLE

Living the Resurrected Life | Acts 2:42–47

What does it look like to live as someone who is truly dead to sin and alive in Christ?

Acts 2:42–47 gives us a practical picture. The early believers were not simply attending meetings or observing a new religious movement. Their lives had changed, and that transformation showed up in what they continually devoted themselves to.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Acts 2:42

As you watch this week’s message, follow along with these four habits and consider where God may be calling you deeper.

1. DEVOTED TO THE WORD

The early believers were continually devoted to the apostles’ teaching. God’s Word was not something they visited occasionally. It became the foundation for how they lived.

Jesus has called us into a new life, and that begins with understanding who we are because of what He has done.

READ:

Romans 6:2–6

Galatians 2:20

THINK ABOUT IT:

Am I allowing God’s Word to define who I am, or am I still defining myself by my past, failures, fears, or old identity?

2. DEVOTED TO FELLOWSHIP

The word koinonia speaks of sharing something in common. For the church, that common bond is not age, background, interests, or personality. It is Jesus Christ.

The early church gathered in the temple and in homes. They shared life together, cared for one another, worshiped together, and demonstrated the love Jesus said would identify His disciples.

READ:

John 13:34–35

Acts 2:44–46

THINK ABOUT IT:

Do I simply attend church, or am I building genuine Christ-centered relationships with other believers?

3. DEVOTED TO BREAKING BREAD

Breaking bread continually brought believers back to Jesus and what He accomplished for them.

Communion reminds us that our new life was purchased through His sacrifice. His body was given and His blood was shed so that we could be reconciled to God and walk in newness of life.

READ:

1 Corinthians 11:23–26

THINK ABOUT IT:

Has what Jesus did for me become familiar, or does remembering His sacrifice still move my heart toward worship and surrender?

4. DEVOTED TO PRAYER

Prayer was not an emergency button for the early church. It was part of their way of life.

Think of prayer like a faucet. The faucet is not the source of the water. It simply opens the way for what is already available to flow.

In the same way, prayer positions us to receive, hear, surrender, and participate in what the Holy Spirit desires to do.

READ:

Acts 1:4–8

Luke 24:49

THINK ABOUT IT:

Where have I been trying to live in my own strength instead of depending on the Holy Spirit?

DEAD TO SIN. ALIVE IN CHRIST.

Romans 6 tells us that our old self was crucified with Christ so that we could walk in newness of life.

Galatians 2:20 says:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.”

That changes the way we see ourselves.

We do not have to continually identify ourselves by the person we were before Christ. We can learn to live from the identity He has given us and walk in the righteousness, freedom, and new life He purchased for us.

ARE YOU RUNNING ON YOUR STRENGTH OR HIS POWER?

Before Pentecost, Jesus told His disciples to wait until they were clothed with power from on high.

They waited. They prayed. They surrendered. Then the Holy Spirit came.

The Christian life was never meant to be lived through human strength alone. The Holy Spirit empowers us to become who Jesus has called us to be and to accomplish what we could never accomplish on our own.

ASK YOURSELF:

What has God called me to do that I cannot accomplish without the power of the Holy Spirit?

TAKE IT WITH YOU THIS WEEK

Don’t just watch the message. Put it into practice.

WORD

Spend intentional time in Scripture.

FELLOWSHIP

Reach out to another believer and intentionally share life together.

BREAKING OF BREAD

Take time to remember and thank Jesus for what He accomplished for you.

PRAYER

Set aside distractions, open the faucet, and spend unhurried time in God’s presence.

Finally, ask the Holy Spirit:

“What am I still holding onto that You are asking me to surrender?”

The early church was marked by devotion, fellowship, worship, prayer, surrender, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

What could happen if those same things marked us?

Watch the message, open your Bible to Acts 2:42–47, and follow along.