Okay, I know it’s Tuesday.  But, I’m always a little late and the blessings remain the same!  The Acts 2 life is what I strive for, both personally and for our churches.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.  They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  Acts 2: 41-47

This passage of Scripture comes just after the miracle of Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples and allowed them to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ in many different language.  Over 3,000 people were baptized into the Fellowship of Believers that day and a new community was established.  The early Christians were a small renegade band of citizens, defying both Jewish and Roman authority to actively practice their faith.  They couldn’t do it independently.  They needed and greatly depended on one another.

Throughout his missionary journeys the apostle Paul always lived in communion with those he ministered to.  He worked side by side with fellow believers, helping them earn their daily bread.  He stayed in their homes, shared their food, bolstered their faith.  Paul was ministered to by those he came to serve as much as he ministered to him.

To me, this is what true Christian Fellowship should look like.  We, as a unified body of believers, come together and share what we have in order to spread God’s Word of Love and Peace to those in our communities.  We stand together, helping each other along the way.  If someone in our community is lacking, then we should step up and offer what we can in order to meet that need.

Our journey in this life is not one of isolation.  We are surrounded by others along the way.  We need to embrace mutuality in our relationships with others.  That’s what an Acts 2 life represents-mutuality.  It’s about seeing others as equal partners, regardless of their gender, political beliefs, ethnic heritage or sexual preference.  It’s understanding that we are part of something bigger and better than this temporal life.  We are Kingdom dwellers.  And that Kingdom has been created to last a lifetime.

The apostle John said that believers in Christ would be recognized by their ability to love.  To me, that love he speaks of is an active love.  We love others when we meet them where they are.  We love others when we give of ourselves to them.  And we love others because God, in His infinite Love and Mercy came down to his Creation and gave us what we needed.

Acts 2 living is my goal.  I’m not there yet.  I’ve got more work to do in order to get out of my “me” bubble.  I’m not always thoughtful, considerate or even open to others.  I go into isolation and self-preservation mode sometimes.  But God’s work is not finished in my life yet.  And so I will look to Him, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, to help me move more fully into living an Acts 2 life.

To see an Acts 2 life in person, go to my friend Amy Sullivan.  Amy dedicated her family to a year of living an Acts 2 life.  They focused on giving to others in everything they did.  And now, a few years later, Amy has grown quite a ministry and is publishing her first book on living generously this coming Spring.

Blessings and Peace,

Sara