What's Next? Living Out Acts 2 in 2026

“Don’t leave, wait.” This was Jesus’ final command to his disciples right before he ascended back to heaven after his death and resurrection. This is an unexpected and unlikely command. Try to put yourself in the disciples’ situation. How would you respond to this command? Would you have wanted to wait or take action? In this moment, Jesus has been raised, and sin and death have been defeated. Now is a time for action, right? A time for movement, not a time for waiting. The disciples are ready to bring the Kingdom of God to earth (Acts 1:6). Jesus is ready, too, but not in the way the disciples are thinking. The Kingdom is not going to come through military power, political freedom, or earthly prosperity, so Jesus tells them to wait. They need to wait because the Kingdom of God is going to come not through their power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells them to wait because the Kingdom will not come through a powerful military, but through a power-filled church and people of God. Jesus says to wait and they “will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, CSB).

This is exactly what happens in Acts chapter 2. The Holy Spirit comes on the day of Pentecost in an incredible and powerful way. There’s a loud rush of wind (think of the sound of a tornado or hurricane), tongues like fire descending down on the disciples, the disciples speaking in foreign languages, and a crowd of people gathering to witness all of it. In the midst of this crowd, Peter stands up and declares the gospel. He tells the people all about Jesus–his works, his miracles, his death, and his resurrection. All of this confirms that Jesus is the true Messiah, the one Lord and Savior. The crowd is cut to the heart, and Peter invites them to respond by repenting of their sin and trusting in Jesus through faith. Over 3,000 people do, and in that moment, the church is born. In this post, we’re going to look at what happens next. What happens after thousands of people are saved and the church begins? What do these early disciples do as the church, what does it mean for us today, and how does FaithOnline fit into Acts 2?

Who is FaithOnline?

We will begin with that last question: how does FaithOnline fit into Acts 2? At FaithOnline, we are deeply committed to the vision given to us in Acts 2:42-47. We started this organization with the hope of continuing the work of the early church and providing a digital space to live out our devotion to Jesus. This is the first in a series of posts sharing all about who we are and what we will accomplish through FaithOnline. We start with Acts 2 because this is our foundation. We want to provide an online environment that, just like the early church, is devoted to Scripture–a place where you can find trusted, biblically faithful content that will deepen your faith and relationship with Jesus. We want to provide a space where you can gather with other believers–a place to find encouragement and prayer. We want to help you gather outside of the digital world by connecting you to a solid, biblical church. And we are praying for God to use all of this to advance his Kingdom, to use us as his witnesses, and to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).

The Focus of Our Devotion

Towards the end of Acts 2, thousands of people are saved and begin a new community called the Church. What are they supposed to do now? We are told in Acts 2:42 that the church “devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (CSB). This not only describes what the first church did, but also gives us a pattern for what believers and the church today should be doing as well. The word “devoted” means to do something with intense effort and to continue doing it despite any difficulties or challenges. What are we (the Church) supposed to be devoted to? According to this verse, we are to devote ourselves to four things. 

1. The Apostle’s Teachings

First, we are to devote ourselves to the apostle’s teachings. This is a reference to Scripture. In the early days of the church, the apostles only had the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus. Today, we have the completed Word of God, the Old and New Testaments. We are to devote ourselves to the Bible. The Bible is God’s very words spoken and given to us (2 Tim. 3:16). It reveals who God is, showing us his heart and character. It shows us who we are and how God wants us to live. It is the most important and valuable way to connect with God and grow in our faith and relationship with him. We need to spend time reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and correctly understanding and applying it to our lives. Devoting ourselves to Scripture (the apostle’s teaching) means each day we are digging into our Bible to spend time with Jesus and his Word. 

2. The Fellowship

Second, we devote ourselves to the fellowship. “Fellowship” is the Greek word koinonia, and it means to participate in or share with, to partner with something or someone. When speaking about the church, it refers to a group of believers committing themselves to each other and building deep relationships with one another. It’s a word that invites us to live our lives with and around other believers, to serve, help, and encourage one another. This is what the early church did, and it’s something God invites us to continue doing today. We do this by committing ourselves to a local church (a local group of believers), where we can build relationships, serve, give, and be on mission with other believers in our area. 

3. The Breaking of Bread

Third, we devote ourselves to the breaking of bread. This phrase has a couple of different meanings attached to it. First, it refers to the early church sharing meals together in each other’s homes. In Jewish tradition, a meal would start by breaking bread and sharing a blessing of gratitude for God’s provision. This devotion of the early church shows us the importance of being in each other’s homes and sharing meals together (this is how deep relationships are formed). It also shows us the importance of giving thanks to God for everything he blesses us with. Second, the phrase is used to refer to the Lord’s Supper, or communion. Jesus instituted this practice the night before he went to the cross (Luke 22:14-23). He breaks bread and tells his disciples it is a symbol for what will happen to him on the cross. He called them to continue doing this in remembrance of his death and resurrection. As the Church today, we are to devote ourselves to the practice of communion and remember all that Jesus has done for us on the cross. 

4. The Prayers

Fourth, we devote ourselves to the prayers. In this verse, “the prayers” could refer to these early Jewish Christians keeping the practice of specific prayers and prayer times at the temple, or it could refer to these new believers gathering together and praying with each other. Either way, it shows the early church was committed to praying with and for one another. This commitment to prayer should continue in our lives and communities today. Paul writes in Colossians 4:2 that we are to “devote ourselves to prayer” (CSB). The word for “devote” here is the same word in Acts 2:42. Prayer is vital to our personal spiritual health and the health of our church communities. Every time we gather, we should go before God in prayer–giving him praise, bringing our requests, and lifting up the needs of others.

The Fruit of Their Devotion

As Acts 2 continues, we see the result of the early church’s devotion to these 4 things. Acts 2:43-47 says:

“Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (CSB)

In these verses, we see 5 results or fruits of their devotion:

1. Worship of God

Verse 43 says they were “filled with awe,” and verse 47 says they were “praising God.” When we devote ourselves to Jesus, and His word and work, praise, worship, and adoration of God will always be the result. It will deepen our affection, reverence, and gratitude for all that Jesus has done and is continuing to do. It will keep our hearts, minds, and eyes focused on him. If our love, gratitude, or awe of Jesus is ever lacking, we can always trace it back to a lack of devotion to him in some area. In some way, we have given our heart or life to something or someone else. 

2. Unity

Verse 44 says that “the believers were together and held all things in common” (adjective form of koinonia). They were unified. This does not mean that everyone was the same or had the same opinion on every matter. It means they were committed to one another despite any differences and were committed to helping and caring for each other. This is the aim of the church that we are given throughout the New Testament. We are to be unified. The beauty of the church is that God gathers together believers with different gifts, skills, backgrounds, experiences, and struggles, and calls us to be a united family together. This type of unity in a world filled with divisions at every turn can and should be a wonderful witness to the power and love of Jesus. 

3. Radical Generosity

Not only were the early believers united together, but they went over and beyond to care for one another’s needs. They sold possessions and property and brought the proceeds to the church so that no one was in need. This is the type of radical generosity we are still called to today. The church should be a place where we are fully known, where our fellow believers know what is going on in our lives, and where we feel comfortable opening up and sharing our needs. As those needs are shared, the church should be the first option to meet those needs through sacrificial, radical generosity. In a culture where taking care of yourself is top priority, the church should stand out where people are willing to sacrifice where we can to help one another.

4. Gathering together

Another result of the first church’s devotion is that they gathered together regularly. In verse 46 we are told they were meeting together corporately every day at the temple and informally in each other’s homes. This sets the pattern for believers today. Believers today should be gathering consistently with a body of believers. The picture we are given throughout the New Testament is that believers would commit themselves to a local church. We are not meant to live our Christian lives alone. We need a group of Christians caring for us, discipling us, holding us accountable, and praying for us. We all need a church home. As we gather corporately with a church body, we are also to open up our homes and invite other believers in to deepen our relationships with one another.

5. Evangelism

The last fruit of their devotion we see in this passage is the early church’s commitment to evangelism. Verse 47 tells us that God used the first church to save more and more people every day. When we devote ourselves fully to Jesus, that devotion should always lead to mission. It should always lead us to seek out those who are lost and bring them to Jesus. It should lead us to go into the dark places with the light and hope of Jesus and his salvation. Jesus told his disciples that the power of the Holy Spirit was going to lead them to be his witnesses all throughout the world. That calling to be Jesus’ witness in this world is the same for believers today as it was back in Acts 2. We have been given the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, so that we will go out into the world sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. 

What’s next?

What does Acts 2 have to do with us? What does it have to do with believers living in 2026? The devotion of the early church was never meant to stay in Acts 2 or in the first century. It shows us what believers and the church are to be committed to today. We are still to devote ourselves to Scripture, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. That devotion should lead us to the same fruit as the early church. It should lead us to deep worship, unity, radical generosity, consistently gathering together, and evangelism. Let us use this as an opportunity to examine our lives. Are we devoted to Scripture? What does our time in the Word look like? Where are the opportunities for growth? What does our prayer life look like? Are we committed to a local church, where we are known, loved, cared for, and use our gifts to serve others? Are we living lives of generosity and commitment to one another? Are we actively building relationships with those who do not know Jesus so that we can introduce them to Jesus?

Take some time to examine your heart, life, and walk with Jesus. Acts 2 invites us to live in full devotion to Jesus and watch him work in and through us in powerful ways. No matter where you are, Jesus extends his grace and invitation to you. There is always grace, mercy, strength, hope, and love for those who come to Jesus. He wants to use you. He wants to grow you. He wants to challenge you.