“They Devoted Themselves”
Acts 2:42

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Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Fourth Sunday of Easter—May 7, 2017

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Our text is from today’s reading in the second chapter of Acts, recording the faithfulness of the first Christians: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”

A few years ago Reader’s Digest related some unusual and amusing—but true—tombstone epitaphs.  The great singer Bing Crosby wrote his own epitaph, which says simply: “He was an average guy who could carry a tune.”  A New York dentist’s tombstone amusingly rhymes: “Stranger tread this ground with gravity, dentist Brown is filling his last cavity.”  The tombstone of the famous cartoon voice Mel Blanc features his most famous line: “That’s All Folks.”  Perhaps the most well-known amusing-but-true epitaph is really found in Georgia on the gravestone of a hypochondriac: “I told you I was sick.”

My great-great-grandparents, Johann and Katherina Windler, were pioneers at Block Corners in 1865, and members of this congregation when Trinity was founded in 1868.  But, in 1870, at the age of 43, my great-great-grandmother passed away, and her body lies in the first row of our cemetery.  The Bible verse on the side of her tombstone is nearly worn off, but I made a rubbing of it last week and figured out it is from 1st Corinthians, chapter 15.  I wonder if it refers to some debilitating illness she had, to die at such a young age: “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in brokenness, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”

I spent a few hours reading and translating, as best I could, the lovely inscriptions in the mostly German front part of our cemetery.  Many of them are familiar Bible verses and hymns.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” [Psalm 4:8]

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.” [Revelation 14:13]

“And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love him.” [Romans 8:28]

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” [Psalm 23:4]

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live, even if he dies.” [John 11:25]

“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” [Philippians 1:21]

“I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” [Philippians 1:23]

“The dead in Christ will rise.” [1 Thessalonians 4:16]

“The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Romans 6:23]

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.” [Psalm 62:1]

“All his saints are in his hand.” [Deuteronomy 33:3]

“Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” [Matthew 25:34]

There was one hymn verse I struggled with, but when I finally figured most of it out, and then located in my grandmother’s old hymnal, I discovered she had it marked as one of her favorite hymns:

I have overcome life’s crosses,
Grief, pain, and sorrow cease;
For through His five wounds most holy,
With God I am at peace.

[Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book (1927), #529, st. 3]

What a beautiful testimony those epitaphs are to the Christian faith of our pioneer forebearers.  Our text is, in a way, also a beautiful epitaph, for another group of pioneers, spiritual pioneers.  A beautiful epitaph testifying to the faith and devotion of the first generation of Christians, the pioneers of the Christian faith itself: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”

“They devoted themselves” to the “apostle’s teaching”—the Word of God; “they devoted themselves” to the “fellowship”—assembling together for worship; “they devoted themselves” to the “breaking of bread”—another name for Holy Communion; “they devoted themselves” to prayer.  “They devoted themselves;” a beautiful epitaph testifying to the faith and devotion of the first generation of Christians.

But what about us?  What do you think would be an appropriate epitaph for our generation?  How about this: “They devoted themselves—to themselves.”

Not like the first Christians; devoted to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.  But rather, the epitaph for our generation: “They devoted themselves—to themselves.”

St. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians, “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him, who died for them and rose again.”  Jesus died for you, to pay for all your sin; for his sake you are forgiven.  Jesus rose again, and because he lives you also will live with him in heaven.  Jesus gives you his Holy Spirit, who works faith in your heart to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.  And with the help of the Holy Spirit, you will respond to Jesus’ love for you by living no longer for yourself, but for him; by being devoted no longer to yourself, but to him, who died for you and rose again.

Like those first Christians, who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,” you will be devoted to the Word of God, coming to hear his Word read and preached on in worship, studying his Word in Sunday School and Bible Class, and reading and meditating on his Word in your own private devotions.  As St. Paul says in Colossians, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Like those first Christians, who “devoted themselves” to the “fellowship,” you will be devoted to fellowshipping together with your fellow believers here in this house of God.  As the book of Hebrews says, “Let us not give up meeting together.”

Like those first Christians who “devoted themselves” to the “breaking of bread,” you will be a regular, frequent guest at the “breaking of bread” here at this table of the Lord.  As Jesus says, “This do in remembrance of me.”

Like those first Christians who “devoted themselves” to prayer, you will take it to the Lord in prayer, as St. Paul says in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”  What is it that motivated those first Christians to devote themselves to Jesus? What is it that motivated our own pioneer forebearers, in the midst of the enormous struggles they faced settling here in this wilderness, to so faithfully devote themselves to Jesus?  What is it that motivates you also to devote yourself to Jesus? 

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday.  “I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus says. “And I lay down my life for the sheep.”  You will devote yourself to him because your Good Shepherd devoted his very life to you.  “He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him, who died for them and rose again.”  Devote yourself, not to yourself, but to him, “to the apostles’ teaching, and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”

Then that simple epitaph for the first generation of Christians, and for our pioneer forebearers, will also be fitting for us: “They Devoted Themselves.”