Acts 2: 42 – 47 NLT
“The Believers Form a Community
42All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
43A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – 47all 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.”
That early church sure doesn’t look like the church today. I know we live in a different time and culture. First of all, God gave the apostles in that early church some incredible gifts to validate what they were doing. “A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders” (v. 43) God still does miracles today. I witnessed that when my husband recovered from cancer when the doctors said he would die within 2 weeks – and they never did understand what happened to make that cancer go away. But that is not the same as that early church where the great number of signs and wonders created a “deep sense of awe”. This was God’s way of making sure the church was deeply grounded and growing as it began.
But the incredible sense of community that existed in that early church is something we should really think about today. Again, just before he died, Jesus said: “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you” (John 15: 9 – 12).
There was no question in that early church that the people loved one another. They spent time together, and they made sure everyone had what they needed to live. They worshipped together with joy frequently. Do we do anything like that today? It’s something that makes me think.
We’re coming out of a long pandemic where we’ve been encouraged to stay apart, to keep our social circle small. Perhaps, like me, you missed those larger social occasions, but also find them overwhelming a little since we’ve gotten used to being alone. Community groups are a good way to ease back into meeting with other Christians. The groups tend to be no more than 10 people per group. Contact Deb Toth ([email protected]), our Community Group Pastor to find out if there’s a group that suits your schedule and location.
Is there a way to serve in the church? Ushering? Greeting at the door? Helping serve coffee? Volunteering as a leader in the various children’s and youth ministries?
Perhaps you can think of ways to help the sense of community grow at the church? Share your ideas with the staff and elders. Is there something you can do personally to increase the sense of community in your church?
Our song for today is Do Something by Matthew West.