Series Title: We Are...
Message Title: We Are DEVOTED
What would Destiny Church look like one year from now if every person moved from simply attending church to living as a devoted disciple of Jesus?
1. Devotion Begins With Surrender
Acts 2:37 NLT
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Acts 2:38-40 NLT
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away[a]—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
Acts 2:41 NLT
41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Before these people devoted themselves to the ways of Jesus…they first surrendered their lives to Jesus.
Their devotion wasn't an attempt to earn something from Jesus. It was a response to what Jesus had already done for them.
2. Devotion Is Evident In How We Live
Acts 2:42 NLT
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[a]), and to prayer.
I'm beginning to wonder if what many of us have come to accept as Christianity today actually resembles the life of a devoted follower of Jesus that we see in Scripture.
Luke 9:23 NLT
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
I wonder if we've sometimes made following Jesus more about what we do on Sundays than how we surrender to Him every day.
They weren't simply devoted to a list of religious activities. They were devoted to JESUS.
Religious activity isn't the same as devotion to Jesus.
A surrendered heart produces a devoted life.
Does Jesus truly have my heart?
Because when Jesus has our hearts, He begins to change what we desire.
3. God Works Through Surrendered People
Acts 2:43-47 NLT
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[a]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
They weren't simply trying to create the appearance of a healthy church. They were becoming a people whose lives reflected Jesus.
I believe the greatest thing we can offer our community isn't simply another church program.
It's a church filled with people whose lives genuinely reflect Jesus.
Does MY life resemble the life of a devoted follower of Jesus?
Is there evidence that my life belongs to Jesus?
When Jesus truly has our hearts, He begins transforming the way we live.
What part of my heart have I not fully SURRENDERED to Jesus?
Talk It Over Questions
Key Scripture: Acts 2:37–47
1. Growing Beyond Sunday: At Destiny Church, we offer several resources to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus throughout the week—including our 5-Day Devotionals, Bible Reading Plan, and 11:1 discipleship groups. Have you been engaging with any of these resources? If so, how are they helping you grow? If not, what's one resource you could begin using this week?
2. Devotion Begins With Surrender: In Acts 2, before the believers devoted themselves to the ways of Jesus, they first surrendered their lives to Him. What's the difference between simply believing in Jesus and living a surrendered life? Is there an area of your life where you struggle to fully surrender to Him?
3. Allowing God's Word to Shape Us: We talked about the importance of not just reading God's Word, but allowing God's Word to read us. What does that mean to you? How can we move beyond simply gaining biblical knowledge to actually allowing Scripture to transform the way we live?
4. Devoted to One Another: The early church didn't simply attend gatherings together—they shared life, encouraged one another, and cared for each other's needs. How does that compare to the way we experience church today? What could we do differently to build deeper, more meaningful relationships with other believers?
5. What Could God Do Through Us? Imagine what Destiny Church could look like one year from now if every person moved from simply attending church to living as a devoted disciple of Jesus. What might change in our families, relationships, and community? More personally, what's one area where you believe God is inviting you into deeper devotion right now?
Ask Your Kids
God Can Give Me Hope
1. Can you think of a time when you were given a second chance? What was the situation, and how did that second chance make a difference for you?
Read all or parts of Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14-17 from your Bible
2. In the Bible story, Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the bronze snake to save the Israelites, Jesus would be lifted up so that anyone who believes in Him can be rescued from sin and enjoy life with God forever. How can what Jesus said give us hope?
3. When the Israelites were bitten by snakes, they could look at the bronze snake and be healed. What can we do when we make wrong choices?
