In Discipleship Lesson 12, Garrett Bookout examines the spiritual disciplines of the early church in Acts 2 and shows how their daily practices shaped them into true followers of Jesus. This week we focus on their wholehearted devotion to the apostles’ teaching and how we can cultivate the same devotion today.

After opening in prayer, Garrett explains that becoming like Christ doesn’t happen by accident—it happens through consistent “spiritual disciplines,” the regular practices that molded the first Christians into the devoted disciples we read about in Scripture.

Focusing on Acts 2:40-47, Garrett walks through the powerful habits of the early church: devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, prayer, awe at the work of the Spirit, radical generosity, daily worship, table fellowship, and thankful hearts. He then spends the heart of the lesson unpacking the first discipline—devotion to the apostles’ teaching—showing what it looks like for us today.

You’ll be challenged and encouraged to approach Scripture with humility, read it regularly, study it deeply, memorize it, meditate on it, and learn from others, so that God’s Word shapes every part of your life rather than the other way around. Whether you’re a new believer or a seasoned disciple, this lesson will help you move from admiring the early church to actually living like them.

1. **Opening Prayer** (0:00)
- Gratitude for the blessing of gathering to study Scripture
- Request to grow as true disciples who glorify God and make more disciples

2. **Introduction to Spiritual Disciplines** (1:02)
- The goal of the Christian life: to be like Christ
- Why the early church, apostles, and Jesus seem “unreachable”
- The solution: consistent practices (spiritual disciplines) that shape who we become
- Illustration: weight loss, language learning, and daily habits (you don’t see change day-by-day, but it compounds)

3. **The Early Church’s Practices in Acts 2:40-47** (9:22)
- Quick reading of the passage
- List of the key disciplines practiced by the first Christians:
• Devotion to the apostles’ teaching
• Devotion to fellowship
• Devotion to the breaking of bread
• Devotion to prayer
• Filled with awe and the Holy Spirit
• Radical generosity and self-sacrifice
• Daily worship at the temple
• Daily table fellowship in homes
• Thankful and generous hearts
• The Lord adding to their number daily

4. **Main Focus: Devotion to the Apostles’ Teaching** (24:48)
- What “devotion” really means (not picking and choosing, but wholehearted commitment)
- Practical ways we devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching today:
a. **Humility** – Approach Scripture as if you don’t already know everything (Sermon on the Mount test)
b. **Regularity & Consistency** – Make it a daily/weekly priority (not occasional)
c. **Reading** – Read large sections or whole books at a time (example: reading 1 Corinthians as one letter)
d. **Studying** – Slow down, reread, dig deeper, use tools to understand the original meaning
e. **Memorization** – Hide God’s Word in your heart so it travels with you (road rage, conversations, decisions)
f. **Meditation** – Ponder and think deeply about what you read throughout the day
g. **Listening to Others** – Learn from faithful teachers and fellow disciples in community

5. **Closing Prayer** (38:21)
- Thank God for His Word
- Ask for hearts that are truly devoted to the apostles’ teaching so it shapes us into the people we ought to be

**Key Takeaway**
The early church didn’t become strong disciples by accident. They devoted themselves daily to the apostles’ teaching—and that same devotion is available to us today. Start small, stay consistent, and watch God transform you day by day into the likeness of Christ.