Latest / The Daily Word / October 13 – The Four Pillars of Our Faith
Transcript
- Robert Rosales: Hey friends, welcome to the Daily Word Podcast. I'm Robert Rosales, and along with my wife, Yolanda, I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor for our Gastonia location. Thank you so much for investing some time with me to get into God's word today. Whether you're listening on your morning commute, enjoying a cup of coffee, or beginning your day with the Lord, my prayer is that this time encourages you and draws you closer to Him. Now, as a reminder, as a church, we're reading through the Bible together using the Life Journal Reading Plan. And today we're going to focus on the New Testament passage. I want to remind us also we're using the SOAP method. Scripture, observation, application, and prayer. Out of the chapter, we're reading which scripture really caught your attention. What did you observe in it? How does it apply to your life? And what's your prayer now that you've caught something from God's word? That's what we're after. Taking the word from the pages into our everyday lives. Now pray with me before I share. Father, thank you for this new day and for the privilege of opening your word. Quiet the distractions around us and the noise within us. Give us hearts that are teachable, minds that are attentive, and lives that are ready to obey whatever you reveal. Holy Spirit. Illuminate the scriptures and help us not only understand them, but help us live them out today. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. Well, friends, today's passage comes to us out of Acts chapter 2, October 13th, Acts chapter 2. And I journaled on one of my favorite verses, verse 42, Acts 242. Let me read it out of the New King James and then the Amplified because it just kind of unpacks it. A little differently out the Amplified Version. This is how it reads in the New King James. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers, the amplified. They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers. I love that. They were continually and Faithfully devoting themselves. Let's pull our attention real quick to something that I think is important. In the New King James, it said they continued steadfastly. That word conveys unwavering commitment and single-minded devotion. In other words, this wasn't casual or occasional participation. It was persistent, disciplined commitment to their faith and to one another. Here's the title. Of my journal entry. The four pillars of our faith. The four pillars of our faith. So in my observation, I start with this. What is a pillar? Webster's dictionary says a pillar is a supporter, that which sustains or upholds, that on which some superstructure rests. In other words, a pillar is something. Excuse me, that provides essential support, strength, and stability. It's what helps hold something up. We might also describe pillars as foundational principles or essentials, things that are necessary for something to remain strong and healthy. Acts 242, we find four pillars that strengthen the early church, and these were essential practices. That helped believers grow in Christ and remain strong together. Pillar number one, doctrine. The Greek word for doctrine is Didake, D-I-D-A-C-H-E, and it means teaching, instruction, or simply what is taught. The believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. They were committed to learning who Jesus was, what Jesus. Taught and how to obey Jesus through God's Word. Simply put, they grew stronger by building their lives on the truth of God's Word. The second pillar is fellowship. The Greek word for fellowship is koinania, and it means a sharing, a partnership, a communion, a participation, even a brotherhood. And the word means much more than simply socializing or spending time together. It describes sharing something in common and actively participating in it together. See, the early believers shared life together. They built meaningful relationships, encouraged one another, met one another's needs, and lived out their faith in community. Simply put, they grew stronger by walking with Jesus together, not alone. The third pillar is the breaking of bread. This included sharing meals and remembering Jesus' sacrifice through the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion. As they gathered around the table, they remembered what Christ had done for them and they celebrated their unity in the faith. Simply put, they kept Christ at the center as they remembered his sacrifice and shared life around the table, his table. Here's the fourth pillar, prayer. The early believers regularly gathered to pray, seek God's direction, and depend on his power rather than their own strength. Prayer wasn't something they did occasionally, it was an essential part of their shared life with God. Simply put, they grew stronger by consistently seeking God's presence and depending on him in prayer. So here in Acts 242, we discover four essential pillars of our faith: God's word to ground us, fellowship to strengthen us, the breaking of bread to remind us, and prayer to deepen our dependence on God. These were not simply activities the early church participated in. They were essential practices, pillars that the believers devoted themselves to. And they remain essential for us today. Friend, if you had to rate yourself on a scale of one to five, one being the weakest, five being the strongest, how are you doing in implementing these four pillars of our faith into your life? Now that's just a rhetorical question, but think about it. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring you an answer of truth so that you can adjust and grow stronger in the pillars of our faith. So, Pastor Robert, how does this apply to my life? This is what I wrote down. As a follower of Jesus, I will continue to apply these four pillars of the faith to my life, ensuring that I remain strong in the faith and grow in my pursuit of God. I will also commit to encouraging teaching. And leading others to do the same. If the church today is to be strong and full of the Spirit and the Word and impact our culture, it must embrace the same four pillars that the early church embraced. Friends, again, ask yourself: how are you doing in these four areas? Come on, would you pray with me? Father God, thank you for speaking to us today through your word. Holy Spirit. Help us to live out these four pillars in our everyday life. Help us to lean into the teaching of your word. Help us to fellowship and encourage one another in the faith. Help us to celebrate around the Lord's table in covenant communion. And God help us to be people of prayer. We ask these things in Jesus' name. And everybody said, Amen. Lakeshore family, as you go about your day, My prayer is that you'll keep growing in your love for Jesus and his word. As you spend time with him, may he give you fresh insight, strengthen your faith, and guide your steps. Thanks for joining me today on the Daily Word podcast. I pray you've been encouraged to stay in God's Word and walk closely with the Holy Spirit. God bless you and we'll catch you again tomorrow.