Sunday’s text, Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-37, can be troubling to
read. Seeing the fervor and love
expressed among believers in the early church often makes us question what has gone
wrong with the church and us. It is easy
to write their experience off as a bunch of newly saved Christians living a
spiritual high together, and dismiss this as the way we ought to live
today. There is no question the church
is a different animal today than it was then.
But I’m not sure that it is better.
Sometimes I think we have formalized and codified the modern church to
the extent that many churches have become more like businesses with a weekly
meeting of interested shareholders than a true fellowship of believers. Additionally, our society is radically
different than in the day Luke wrote this.
Then people were significantly less transient and church members would
generally have lived in close proximity to each other and naturally seen each
other regularly. The church would have
been a neighborhood gathering rather than a group commuting to a central place.
Our mobile society also makes it difficult for the church in many ways,
including how we fellowship together and deal with problems. Instead of being stuck together like family
and working through problems. Our fellowship
usually takes place in the context of worship, and we typically deal with
problems by bolting to another church at the first sign of trouble. What is lacking is a true sense of community
where people live, love and grow together.
This lack of community not only hinders our personal growth,
it hinders church growth as well. Notice
at the end of the Acts 2 passage Luke writes, “And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved.”
The early church did not grow because of well-designed programs or high
powered gospel presentations. The church grew because life in the community of
believers was so extraordinary that people were drawn to it, wondering what
made these people so different. While I
think this kind of community is rare today, I don’t think it is impossible. However, in view of societal obstacles, it
requires intentionality, hard work and sacrifice; but the benefits are amazing.
Do you desire more out of your life? Do you find your spiritual fervor and/or
growth lacking? Are you open to having
the Spirit guide you in another way of living?
Read through our passages and come prepared Sunday to challenge your
presuppositions of what the Christian life should look like. It could change everything!
Blessings,
Scott
