Infectious friendship

Notes from the Pastor…

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their  meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.

This passage comes at the end of the Pentecost narrative in Acts 2, and scholar Ben Witherington says, “These verses provide us with our first summary glimpse at the interior life of the early church.”
Throughout Church history, leaders, groups, and sects have attempted to alter the practice and theology of their congregations in an effort to match the practice and theology of the earliest church.  In some traditions, such efforts result in a cappella worship, and in other traditions  – the repeal of church facilities in favor of meeting in homes.  These efforts, along with countless others, are noble attempts at regaining the ecstatic growth documented in both numbers and devotion among the early Church.

Nevertheless, in the passage above, I find one predominate practice, forged by a theology of inclusive love:  FELLOWSHIP.  The early Church worshiped together in the Temple, as was their custom, but more striking the Christians fellowshipped in each others homes with “gladness” and “sincerity of heart”.  As the Greek proverb goes, “Friends share all things in common.”  The congregation of the early Church were friends, and apparently their friendship was infectious…

And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being 
saved.

I pray that First Christian Church would alter our practice and theology to match the early church as a fellowship of friends.  One way to accomplish this is for each of you to invite to dinner someone you see often on Sunday but you do not know very well.  At least, part of the task of discipleship is to learn from fellow believers, but how can you learn if you are not friends?

Happy Pentecost!  And may the Spirit of God be with you!

Grace,
Pastor Ryan