“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:42-47
Last Sunday we wrapped up our Christian Household series, where we spent the last two months walking through different facets of the household and the vision God has for how we live and relate to one another. If you missed any of these sermons, you can access them here. If you’d like to continue thinking through the Christian Household, follow up with this paper that the pastors provided us with to provide further clarity to many issues we weren’t able to cover together.
These verses from the early chapters of Acts give us a beautiful picture for the fellowship of the church – and it’s a vision that I’ve seen carried out in the face of the storms that have swept through the city.
“And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
There are seasons that come our way where our needs feel more tangible, and the past few days many of us have needed specific help – clearing yards, storing food, opening up homes to those without power, sharing meals, and just checking in on one another.
It’s a beautiful thing to see the body of Christ walking together and stepping into one another’s lives when needed. And the thing is, the need is always there. There is not a season we go through in life where we are not in need of the ministry of our brothers and sisters.
So as we step into what can feel like a different time, with shifting rhythms and schedules – let’s not forget the plea from Sunday to avoid siloing ourselves off from the body God has grafted us into in Christ, and miss the fellowship that is offered to us. Every season provides us with opportunities to carry out the vision of fellowship held out to us in Scripture, and thankfully God’s Spirit continues to prod us forward and push us together – all for our own good and His glory.
As the season changes – there are a number of opportunities to look forward to! We have a DIY Family Day this Saturday, a few different public readings of Scripture for our women, two different meeting points for students this summer, and a gospel conversation training open to all. We hope these events will create meaningful space to spur us on as disciples and bring us together as a church family.
This weekend we will kick off our summer series in the book of Proverbs called Wisdom & Witness. I’m looking forward to this because it will connect two of the needs and desires we all have – prayers for more wisdom and a longing for the Lord to add more to our number through our witness. Pray with us that the Lord would continue to use His word to shape, convict, and guide us forward as we walk in the way of Christ together.
See you Sunday.
In Christ,
Jonathan Gentry
