For me, the crescendo point of
Acts 2 is found in the last verse ... verse 47. The first century followers of
Jesus, those, when gathered, we refer to as the early church, had ... quote ...
“the goodwill of all the people”. They were respected – they were appreciated.
Why?? We know from historians, that the members of early church communities,
not only looked after their own number, but also looked after impoverished
people in the general community as well. Social responsibility was an
inseparable component of their spirituality, and rightly so. But also these
followers of “the Way”, as Christianity was known then, were people of peace,
hope and purpose, and thus were attractive throughout general society.
As they associated with other
‘believers’, and general members of society, they supported and helped one
another in a variety of ways. Obviously their words and their lives were well
aligned. They were making a significant impact as we can see from verse 47.
“Day by day” they met together in some form or another (v.46), and “day by day”
the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (v.47). God brings
the increase as God’s people create a stir!
What were they up to? Well these
Jesus-followers continued to attend services at the temple in accord with their
Jewish traditions, for there had been no break yet from their customary
religious habits. But on top of this, the Jesus-followers met regularly (“day
by day” we read in verse 46) in their various homes, dedicating themselves
thoroughly to learning what it meant for them to now follow Jesus and have the
Holy Spirit abiding with them. They listened intently to those among them who
would teach, they got to know one another, they ate together, and they prayed
together (v.42,46). The two references to “breaking bread” probably refer to
sharing in a remembrance of the “last supper” as they had been asked by Jesus
to do. This all formed the environment in which many remarkable things happened
(v.43).
We can only
assume that there were healings of body, mind and spirit, with people once
opposed to the way of Jesus, now coming on board expressing faith.
Opportunities were opening for all these new ‘believers’ to find community
within a growing number of house churches. People who were once likely to have
been selfish, were now sharing with one another on an unprecedented scale. What
one was lacking, another provided (v.44)! There was a transformed view of
possessions, where they were seen to be far less important – rather than being
something to hang on to, they were seen as a vehicle for helping another person
out of poverty (v.45). In all this, they expressed “glad and generous hearts”
and praised their God (v.46-7). All this in the most natural atmosphere of
hospitality and care! Newcomers would have been warmly welcomed and accepted.
And let us not forget the difference and diversity that would likely have
existed, so this would not necessarily have been easy.
Such
grateful, generous and cohesive people were noticed ... and in a good way. This
was a highly positive representation of the gospel. Some of the representations
of the gospel we have seen over subsequent centuries up to the present time
have not been so helpful! We have seen judgementalism, support for violence and
racism, and covering-up for abuse. The community will not respond well to
defensiveness, triumphalism, superiority, exclusion or hypocrisy. What gained
the early church “goodwill” was their sincerity, faithfulness, generosity,
sacrifice, commitment, integrity, honesty (and maybe even vulnerability like we
see in James 5:16). They were ‘fair dinkum’!!
No matter how individualistic and
apathetic people appear to be, I think a really clear presentation of a
socially responsible and ethically challenging alternative will be noticed.
Just like Jesus’ incarnation, it will either be understood and embraced over
time, or there will be attempts to kill it off, or both – but it will be
noticed!! In our presentation of the “good news” we would be alerting people to
the value of all life. This is such a meaningful message in a time of
dislocation and despair. We then just have to back up words about value with
deeds that unleash that value.
Also members of the early church
were well connected to their neighbourhoods. Apart from the time spent at the
temple, they were active in each other’s homes in terms of providing a
worshipping and practical witness to their faith in Jesus. It is one thing to
have a church building up on the hill that is attended once a week, and another
thing altogether to have a constant active serving worshipping community
dispersed through the streets and lanes. Eventually the Jesus-following church
would break from the temple as it became clear that their primary (or singular)
focus was Jesus as their Saviour and Messiah. Thus all their activity was
centred right where people lived, worked and socialised. No wonder they had
influence!!
There is something to be said for
a church body scattered around a community like this. The church certainly
loses some of its significance when it regularly extracts people out of their
neighbourhoods into one central location. The church is the gathered followers
of Jesus working together for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth, yet can
only achieve its purpose by being involved back in the neighbourhoods where
people live. The church, as the Apostle Paul would have it, is the body of
Christ Jesus in the world, his representative, where the various members of the
body, and the gifts of the Spirit that they have been given to them, are
brought together for the common good. This “common good” is the good of the
whole creation, a creation which can only be cared for as each human being is
given the opportunity to move from brokenness toward wholeness. It will take
the collective gifts of the Holy Spirit in action to bring about such mass
transformation. The whole creation is groaning waiting for the revealing of the
children of God (Romans 8:19,22).
So as we look
at the activity of the early church, consider their effectiveness, and look at
our own situation, what should we do? Here are thoughts from three books I’ve
read recently:
Ø James Thwaites – Renegotiating the
Church Contract (2001)
Being the
church, not going to church. Being the church, not church as an institution or
organisation. Being the church in the community, not removing oneself from the
community. Being the church, not a club for insiders. Being the church –
released in all of life. Being the church – God’s people living, serving and
impacting in every sphere of creation ... answering creation’s cry.
Ø Alan Roxburgh – Missional: Joining
God in the Neighbourhood (2011) – Alan repeatedly asks these two questions:
What is God up to in our neighbourhood and community? How do we join with
what God is doing in these places?
Get out and
about in the neighbourhood. The Spirit is out there ahead of us, inviting us
to listen to the creation groaning in our neighbourhoods. Meet neighbours,
offer and receive hospitality. Be vulnerable enough to be the stranger who
receives the hospitality (Luke 10:4 – “carry no baggage” – partly meaning, not
claiming to have all the answers). Engage as a fellow human, initially putting
our own agenda to one side (so no one feels an object of our ends. Sit
at tables and hear stories and connect with needs. Listen for areas of
“disconnection”. Discern where God is working and become involved there.
Ø Craig Van Gelder – The Ministry of
the Missional Church: A Community led by the Spirit (2007)
His four point summary on what churches
should be concentrating on (which could be placed in a different order) reads
...
(i)
the stewardship of creation
(ii)
the redemption of persons
(iii)
the redemption of communities
(iv)
the forming of faith communities.
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