Tuesday: Unity of Fellowship
In response to Peter’s sermon and appeal for repentance and salvation, about three thousand people made a decision to accept Jesus as the Messiah and the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises to Israel. God was at work in the hearts of all these people.
Many had heard about Jesus from far away and may have traveled to Jerusalem with the hope to see Him. Some may have seen Jesus and heard His messages of God’s salvation but had not made a commitment to become a follower. At Pentecost, God miraculously intervened in the lives of the disciples and used them as witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. Now they know that, in Jesus’ name, people can have the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38).
Read Acts 2:42-47. What activities did these early followers of Jesus do as a community of believers? What created this amazing unity of fellowship?
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It is remarkable that the first activity this community of new believers engaged in was learning the apostles’ teaching. Bible instruction is an important way to facilitate the spiritual growth of new believers. Jesus had given the commission to His disciples to teach them “all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20, NKJV). This new community spent time learning from the apostles all about Jesus. They likely heard about Jesus’ life and ministry; His teachings, parables, and sermons; and His miracles, all explained as the fulfillment of the Hebrew Scriptures in the writing of the prophets.
They also spent time in prayer and the breaking of bread. It is unclear whether the breaking of bread is a direct allusion to the Lord’s Supper or simply a reference to sharing meals together, as Acts 2:46 seems to imply. The mention of fellowship certainly infers that this new community spent time together, often and regularly, both in the temple in Jerusalem, which still served as the center of their devotions and worship, and in their private homes. They shared an intimate life. They ate and prayed together. Prayer is a vital element of a community of faith, and it is essential to spiritual growth. This new community spent time in worship. We are told that these activities were done “steadfastly.”
This steadfast fellowship generated good relationships with others in Jerusalem. The new believers are described as “having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:47, NKJV). No doubt the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives made a powerful impression on those around them and served as a powerful witness to the truth of Jesus as the Messiah.
What can your local church learn from the example set here in regard to unity, fellowship, and witness? |
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The importance of the notion of "community" to Christian life cannot be underestimated. We sometimes use the "community of believers", but we need to ensure that we put that into practice. One of the strengths of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in my youth was that church community was who you turned to when you needed help, where you had your social life, where your best friends were. Sadly, some of that social community focus has been lost now and we tend to live more isolated lives. (That is a whole community issue and not just a church issue)
The church is much more than just an organization where doctrine and policy is discussed or decided and must be a living breathing community to be an effective Gospel witness.
The key to unity is Christ. I believe we need more of Christ and less of "me". At Pentecost time, christians spent time learning about Christ and that's basically what made them stick together.
Christ is love! God is love. Thus we need more love!
Life seems to become so complicated lately, and we are all too busy. But I am very positive that God can bring us back together in faith so that we will be much more powerful passing on the Good News. We just need to keep the lamp on! And search for Christ daily with all our hearts.
I really wish I could have had fellowship/community with fellow believers, however for most of my life we have had to travel 30-60 minutes to attend church and so that was the only time I saw the church members.
I understand that one of the reasons that the new Christians gathered together and shared everything was because by becoming Christians they would be excluded from the Jewish system of caring for the poor, widows & orphans.
Interesting that they still went to the temple daily as well as studying the Apostle's doctrine, I am sure as they gathered together they would discuss how Jesus the Messiah was a fulfillment of the prophecies and the fact that all the temple services pointed forwarded to Him, that now as Peter said that Jesus would forgive their sins and that they no longer had to take sacrifices to the temple.
In those who repent and believe, a transformation will take place, and the welfare of their fellow man becomes their priority. The Divine nature is liberal in giving, and there is even delight in sacrificing for the good of others. This leads to fellowship with a purpose of bringing true benefit to those in need, with joy found in serving. Such a soul will need no urging from others to be benevolent, and their time and means will be under the control of the Holy Spirit as their life is dedicated daily to meeting the needs of others while watching for their own soul with vigilance in a life of devotion, prayer and study of God's word, gaining daily a right concept of God character, government, and purposes.
Fellowship for the sake of filling some perceived obligation will not bring the benefits that a true conversion and transformation will bring to all who take the yoke of Jesus upon them. Their fellowship will be blessed by a sanctified life and partaking of the Divine Nature.
I am thinking of the STRONG foundation that Messiach laid while here, mostly unacknowledged. But He kept doing it, each day at His Father's direction.