Are you normal? Most of us want to be considered somewhat normal. Perhaps we are proud of a few ways we are unique, but we don't want others to consider us weird. Do you think this impacts how we think about the practice of our faith? Are we trying to be like other Christians around us? I suspect we all too often are. Let me suggest to you a better measure of what it means to be a normal Christian.  The measure of normal should be the the New Testament description of the Christian life.

Let me suggest to you one characteristic of the normal Christian life. I find it in Romans 8:14 "...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." By that description a normal Christian life is to be led by the Spirit. 

​So let's expect God to lead us.

Acts 2:42-47 describes the brand new church birthed from the movement of the Spirit following Pentecost. It was wonderfully new. Bad habits and human institutions had not yet crept in. The qualities of this church as described reflect the work of the Holy Spirit. We can't go back in time but we can seek and pray for these same types of qualities in our church. What are they?

Well, before I describe the 5 qualities there is a verb used to describe several of them. That verb speaks of the intensity fired by the Spirit. These disciples were "devoted" to certain things. One definition of the Greek word for devotion is to be singly focused in attention. Have you ever witnessed a young man playing a video game? They are really focused in on what they are doing! The house could be on fire and they wouldn't notice. This intense focus describes the devotion of the early disciples. What were they devoted to?

They were devoted to...
1. hearing and living out the apostle's teaching (the New Testament)
2. being a part of a loving fellowship
3. worship and prayer
4. serving one another in practical and sacrificial ways
5. reaching people with the good news of Jesus.

Which quality will you begin to seek and pray for in your church?