Stay on Mission – 19th November 2017

2. Acts 2:42-47 – Devoted to the fellowship.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
In a world that is becoming increasingly distant from, and, in many ways even hostile towards the gospel, it is really important to consider: “What should church be if it is going to help Christians to stay on mission?’
I was speaking recently at a young adult’s conference in the United States and asked a question that I believe passionately we have to answer, that is – “If we, as Christians, were meeting together so that we could be envisioned and equipped to reach the world, would we meet in decorative buildings, sit in rows and only connect once-per-week?”. My answer to this question is: “No!, We would be an empowering community that stood shoulder-to-shoulder, looking out for each other as we each seek to make Jesus known – gathering together to be equipped so that we can be effective when we are scattered”.
This is the church that I see in the New Testament!
The church that gathered in Jerusalem after the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost was ‘devoted to fellowship’. What this looked like is outlined a little in the verses that follow:
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
‘Church’ for them was not a place that they visited, it was a people that belonged to one another and had a purpose that was beyond themselves.
When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he described ‘fellowship’ in the following way:
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” (Philippians 2:1-2).
At the heart of what he is saying is ‘all pull in one direction, and make that direction the mission of Jesus’.
As you and I seek to stay on mission with Jesus it is critical that we ‘devote ourselves to fellowship’, make it a priority to build deep relationships with Christian brothers and sisters that we can both empower and be empowered by as we seek to Join Jesus in His Mission.
This week, please pray for the church across the world! Please pray that there will be an awakening and that we will remember our purpose and ‘be the church’ that is needed for this time.
Dennis