I’ve been chewing on a particular Acts passage over the last several weeks.  It keeps coming back to me as I think about congregational life.

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.  44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.  And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-27, NRSV).

There have been numerous times when I’ve heard people proclaim “what we need to do is get back to the New Testament church!”  I’m not sure we can go back to that place.  I know we can’t go back to that historical time.  In fact, our context is shaped and influenced very differently than our friends in the Early Church.  And, unless we disengage from society, we participate in the capitalist and consumerist context, even if we may feel and believe it is at odds with our understanding of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

What, then, are we to make of our Acts passage?  Either we dismiss it as an unrealistic ideal or we wrestle with its implications for us.  (I opt for the latter!)  It seems to me that being a faithful exegete of Scripture requires we interpret the “truth of the Gospel” and embody it in our particular context.  The spirit of the passage suggests to us the importance of establishing a rhythm of shared life together and invites us to imagine such a way of being in the world!  Consider it: the very practice of sharing our lives together is a Gospel witness in the world.  As the very Spirit of God flows among us – in our shared life together – the Lord will add to our number those who are being saved!

The practice of establishing a rhythm of shared life together focuses our theological engagement with the biblical text and flows from the understanding that God is unleashing the Spirit as named in the chapters preceding verses.  Consider these points of convergence between the text and context:

  • “Devoting ourselves to the teachings and to prayer” will shape the way we think about discipleship."

  • “Devoting ourselves to the breaking of bread and to fellowship” will influence our acts of hospitality."

  • “Selling our possessions and goods and distributing the proceeds to all” will color the way we think about stewardship."

  • “Spending much time together in the temple and praising God” will elevate the importance of our Sabbath keeping."

  • “Being held in good favor among the community” will assist us in bearing Gospel witness in this corner of the world."

Responding to God’s work among us through the gift of the Holy Spirit, to live together in this way demands action and initiative on our part.  We are called to devote ourselves; to sell; to spend time; to break bread; to live visibly in the community.  We are invited into a very peculiar way of being in the world.

As we establish a rhythm of shared life together and give ourselves over to God’s purposes, “the Lord will add to the number those who are being saved.”  Simply put, God will “build His Church.”  The good news is that we don’t build the Church!  In response to God’s initiating grace, we are call to throw open our lives to one another and live in step with God’s way of being in the world.  God has taken on the responsibility of building His Church!  Impossible?

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

I would love to hear the ways in which your specific congregation shares life together!