29 Mar An Unconquerable Fellowship
devotional by Jim Anderson, Lahash volunteer and child sponsor (page 80 in A Common Meal)
Everyone felt a deep sense of awe, while many miracles and signs took place through the apostles. All the believers shared everything in common; they sold their possessions and goods and divided the proceeds among the fellowship according to individual need. Day after day they met by common consent in the Temple; they broke bread together in their homes, sharing meals with simple joy. They praised God continually and all the people respected them. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were finding salvation. (Acts 2:43-47) (Phillips)
A long time ago, Englishman J. B. Phillips wrote a book he called The Young Church in Action. It is a translation of Acts, the story of the earliest Christian church. He wrote a preface for his book that I love, and I want you to hear some of it:
Here we are seeing the early Church in its first youth, valiant and unspoiled—a body of ordinary men and women joined in an unconquerable fellowship never before seen on this earth.
No one can read this book without being convinced that there is Someone here at work besides mere human beings. … The Spirit of God found what surely He must always be seeking—a fellowship of men and women so united in love and faith that He can work in them and through them. … Never before has any small body of ordinary people so moved the world that their enemies could say, with tears of rage in their eyes, that these men ‘have turned the world upside down.’ (Acts 17:6)
One of the most amazing things about this group is that they totally shared their belongings. “Indeed, there was not a single person in need among them.” (Acts 4:34) That’s incredible, to be so full of Holy Spirit that rich people share what they own, and poor people have all they need. A miracle!
That’s really what Rice & Beans Month is about, isn’t it? Maybe eating rice and beans has become a bit monotonous for us, even though we know that African kids eat simply all the time. Still, we keep at it, because the Holy Spirit not only reminds us to share, but also gives us the determination to continue sharing in this and many other ways, not only sharing the things we own, but sharing ourselves. It’s the way of the Holy Spirit, God’s way. May this journey of Rice & Beans Month be a small but important step in sharing our whole lives, until J.B. Phillips’ description fits us as well: “a body of ordinary men and women joined in an unconquerable fellowship never before seen on this earth.”
FOR KIDS:
These verses from Acts are a description of the very first group of Christian believers who decided to follow Jesus together. What parts remind you of your life today? What parts sound really different?
We live in a different time, place, and culture than those first believers many years ago, but the very same God they loved and worshipped is the God we love and worship today. They had the same Holy Spirit alive inside of them that we have. That means that even though our everyday lives might be different, God still wants us to love him and seek him and follow his guidance for how we live.
What are some things that God is guiding your family or your church to do to love and care for each other and to help people who are struggling in different ways?
PRAYER:
Loving God, we confess the sin of spending our limited time on pointless pursuits that draw us away from you. Help us to see with your perspective and feel with your heart. Let our words and actions flow from the love you have poured into us. Guide us in our attempts to compassionately care for your most vulnerable children. Awaken our spirits to the impact of our daily choices, and receive our joyful worship even as we share this simple meal today. Amen.