“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all 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.” Acts 2:46-47 NLT
Yes, the beginning of the Church started with a big event! The powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit and Peter finding his voice and the converging of his purpose brought thousands to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, the Savior. Then the Church got to work doing what? Running outreach events and evangelistic campaigns? No, the Church got down to creating simple rhythms of gathering together and doing life together. Of course there will always be opportunities for big events where hundreds, maybe thousands come to follow Jesus. But the Church’s most powerful witness is found in the members being like Jesus and living in unity.
In the very next chapter, Luke shows us that Peter and the other Apostles began doing the same miraculous works that Jesus did. And, the Church continued to meet in simplicity.
The Church today finds itself in a disruptive, disunited state. Trust in all sectors of society has plummeted and the Church is no different. People have lost confidence in leaders because of too many lies, too many broken promises and too much social news-spin to make reality and themselves look to good to be true. And with that the Church has lost its foundational simplicity of gathering to worship, meeting in homes for communion and meals and being in the Word of God together.
God is still at work to bring about the same endgame that Peter spoke of verses 17-21. Today, we too must be at work to return to what is healthy for us as followers of Jesus. To be resilient in our faith, restorative in our reconciliation with one another and un-offendable to focus on Jesus and not our faults.
Prayer
Dad,
Wow! What a day that must have been. Amidst all the social and political chaos of those days, your Word went out in power and transformed people’s lives as you launched the Church. We have similar local and global problems today. And we need you to pour out your Spirit on all people once again. But we also need help, as your Church, to be who we were destined to be; your bride without spot or wrinkle. Help us come home, returning to the original plan of simple gatherings and doing life together.