The Characteristics of true community (part 2)
In my last article entitled, "Characteristics of true community (part 1)" I stated, "If we today, are going to experience (i.e., live out) real, sharing, caring community, the same characteristics that described the early Christian community must be true of us also". According to Acts 2, verses 37-47, there are at least four key characteristics that described the early Christian community, so far we've looked at two:
1. They were a saved community(2:22-41)
2. They were a committed community(2:42)
a. They were committed to Scripture
b. They were committed to fellowshipc. They were committed to communiond. They were committed to prayer
The remaining two characteristics are found in Acts 2:44-46:
3. They were a together community(2:44-46) "...now all who believed were together...."Listen! A healthy, sharing, caring Christian community is impossible to experience once a week or at a distance. Believers must spend face to face time together. Brothers and Sisters, facebook, twitter, myspace are NOT substitutes for quality time spent together with other believers. Notice with me some of the things the early Christian community did to foster quality and quantity time together:
A. They shared together (vss 44b-45) The last part of verse 44 states that they, "....had all things in common". This phrase means that these believers shared their, "property and goods" with each other. In fact, verse 45 declares that these believers would sell their goods and give the proceeds to needy believers within the community. Boy! this is a far cry from what goes on in today's Christian community.
B. They worshipped and celebrated together (vs 46a) "Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house....". The early Christian community spent alot of time worshipping and celebrating the person and work of Christ. The Breaking of Bread is a way of referring to communion (cf., Luke 24:30; Acts 2:42; 20:7). The heart of true community is the person and work of Christ. True community cannot be experienced when Christ is not the main attraction. Again, notice something about the early Christian community, they focused on Jesus in the Temple (i.e., the official place of worship) and in the home. This means that whenever and wherever the Christians gathered, Christ was the focal point. Not so today, when Christians gather it's about everything but Christ (Can I get a witness!!).
C. They ate together (vs 46b) "....they were taking their meals together..." The early community would eat a common meal in connection with communion (cf., 1 Cor 11; Jude 12).
Again, let me say it, if we are going to experience real, sharing caring community, we must spend meaningful, quantiful time together.
4. They were a Spirit-filled community (Acts 2:46c-47a) "....with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God..." The evidence of the Spirit's control of these believers is seen in their attitudes toward the Lord and each other. The text states that they were full of joy, sincere (i.e., not fake and phoney) and praising God. All of these things give hearty evidence that the Spirit of God was in full control (cf., Eph 5:18ff & Gal 5:22-23). Nothing kills the experience of true community faster than being in the flesh. You may recall recently hearing in the news of members of a local church in North Carolina who got in a physical fight with each other over some issue in the congregation. The oil that makes the machinery of community run smoothly is the Holy Spirit.
In Summary:
As I stated in part one (see last weeks article) True Christian community is not something that can be conjured up or produced by some curriculum or program. Community is something that is organic to being a Christian. When I was born again by the Spirit of God, I became part and parcel of THE Christian community called the Body of Christ (in other words, we don't become a community, we are a community), but here's the rub, just because I'm part of the Christian community by new birth, does not mean that my experience of community is that wonderful. Again, if we today are to experience the kind of God glorifying community that existed in the early church we must possess the same characteristics that they possessed. So if you are hanging out with a group of frustrated believers trying to figure out why your community experience is not that that great, ask yourselves the following questions:
1. Are we saved? Does everyone in our group truly know Jesus as Lord and saviour? Remember! true community can't happen with non-christians.
2. Are we committed?
a. To Scripture
b. To Fellowship
c. To Communion
d. To Prayer
3. Are we spending meaningful time together?
4. Are we Spirit-filled?
In my next article from Acts 2:42-47, I want to look at the Impact of true community on a lost and dying world. When the church acts like the church is suppossed to act, the world is different.
For His Glory,
CoolImprov
No comments:
Post a Comment