Becoming Church
Peter has finished his Bible-based explanation of what happened when the Holy Spirit came. People have responded, and three thousand were added (v 41) to... what exactly? The NIV and other translations (quite wrongly) say “To their number.” The AV says “unto them.” Luke speaks of this mysterious entity, without mentioning what “it” is... What is “it”?
When more are added (v 47) the NIV again says “to their number”, and the AV says “To the Church”. No doubt it's the right answer, but it wasn't Luke's answer: sneaked in by a scribe making a copy of Acts, years later. Luke keeps us in suspense as he tells the story. The first time he uses the word Church is in chapter 5. The words Luke actually uses in verse 46 are a slippery wee phrase which is translated “in one place” (v 1) and “together “ (v 44). In the NT that phrase is about being together, not just in one place but “as a body”. (That translation works in vv. 1 and 44 too!)
What is “it”? It's the Church. But like the very first Christians, like those who were added on the day of Pentecost and the days following, we are not always very sure what it is that we have joined. But there is this thing, this entity, that is emerging from the suffering and triumph of Jesus, the empowering presence of the Spirit and the proclamation of the Gospel: we call it the Church. It's not a number; it's not a statistic. It's a body. It's not institutional; it's not first and foremost a “purpose-driven” business-like organisation; nor a religious institution; it's a body, a family, an organic reality. It's always in the process of becoming, growing, taking shape and form as we share our lives together.
That implies a couple of practical things...
You can't have the new birth, the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, and opt out. And it's got to be local. You can't claim to be part of the worldwide church yet opt out of the local Church. The one and only way in which ordinary believers in the earliest days of the Christian faith, experienced the universal church, the worldwide Church, was through their participation in a local church. If you separate yourself from the local, you are weakening your connexion with the worldwide. This is why I believe in membership, which means simply, the practise of being visibly, intentionally added to a local expression of the Body of Christ.
But what kind of Church.? Luke goes on to give us what Barclay calls “a lightning summary of the characteristics of the early Church”.
The Gathered Church
They devoted themselves (were constantly giving attention) to four things. This is most likely describing what happened at their gatherings. This was their programme; this was what occupied their time and energy.
The Apostles’ teaching. The original core of 120 people included those who had been with Jesus since the very start, and from those twelve were designated “Apostles.” What gave the apostles' teaching authority was their experience of “Companionship with Jesus”. The “Apostles' teaching” would eventually become the set of beliefs the early church accepted – the “Apostles' creed” - but at this point in time, is was simply the activity of being taught by men who knew what they were talking about because they had experienced the companionship of Jesus himself. Where do we get our ideas from? Much of our belief system is fed in through TV, films, Facebook and just what we pick up from society around us. We still need to focus on god's word – the Bible takes us right back to the apostles. And we need to learn from those who know what they are talking about because they have an experience of the companionship of Jesus.
Fellowship. The Greek word means literally “Having something in common” and suggests not some vague “feeling” of friendship, but the sharing of something concrete and visible: either fellowship meals or spiritual experiences – or both! There is no reason why sharing testimony or having an intense sense of God's presence – such as they had shared when the spirit came – should not spread over into shared meals (what Jude calls “love feasts”). We need to share what we are given of spiritual experiences. If God speaks to you through his word, or gives you a picture, or lays it on your heart to pray for someone, share that. And it's right that we treat times such as our party next Saturday and a fellowship meal on Sunday, as a sharing that is part of our worship.
Breaking of bread. This means quite simply, the act of sharing bread and wine to remember Jesus' sacrifice for us. It is Luke's expression for what Paul calls the Lord's Supper. Every Jewish meal began with breaking bread, and is was quite natural that the “Breaking of Bread” was something that would fit easily within a shared meal.
The Prayers. The Church was a praying community. As good Jews they continued to attend the temple to see the sacrifices being made and to join in the prayers. But it was also important that the Church had its times of prayer, times to be in God's presence, to seek forgiveness, to offer praise and to ask for help.
Connected Church...
There is always more to “Church” than the gathered community, although the gathered activities are important. Luke continues to describe the life of the as a connected people.
Connected with God
- in the power of the Spirit (v. 41) The apostles were enabled to do the miraculous: they were the ones who had experienced the closest companionship with Jesus. The teaching of Paul and James indicate that power ministry was something to be shared. But remember the thing about the Apostles was companionship with Jesus: that's what both releases the power, and maintains a safe environment for its use.
- and in praise. They were “continually praising God.”(v. 47) Praise releases God's power. He is “enthroned on the praises of Israel”. (Ps 22. 3) When the musicians gave praise to the Lord the glory of the Lord filled the temple. (2 Chron 5. 13f) It was singing God's praises that Paul and Silas were released from prison in Philippi. Praise isn't a Sunday activity. It's a lifestyle.
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| Photo Michael Haferkamp. Used under GNU license |
- in proximity. “Together” (v 44) is that body-life phrase again. It suggests they were always seeing each other. They spent time together. We need to develop a sense of connectedness., of togetherness, of proximity in space and time, not just meeting to get a job done or fulfil a commitment to worship. Did you know that gannets pair for life. They fly off to fish in warmer waters in the winter, returning to the same place – like the Bass Rock – to breed. When they come back they find exactly the same nesting spot, and exactly the same mate, every year. When a pair meet up, they have an elaborate ritual of head-lifting, tapping each other’s beaks, to re-establish the bond between them. Now if birds need to do it, so do we. We need to give time to building relationship with each other. Church isn't church, if it only involves a passing acquaintance on a Sunday, or if we only get together to fulfil some purpose. If that's your experience of “Church” you're missing out. We need each other. We need to connect during the week.
- in practical caring. They shared their material goods. Now we need to read these verses carefully. It's not true to suggest that every Christian shared everything they owned; it's not true to suggest that every Christian sold every piece of spare property. It's not true that every local church shared their goods in the way the Jerusalem Church did. But the attitude that prevailed, was that nobody looked on what he had as his own. There's a principle to be discovered here. The notion of being a Church, where we don't know each other, or where we don't see each other, or where we don't look out for one another, or where we can allow one another to struggle without helping, or where we can take advantage of one another or exploit and use one another, is foreign to the New Testament.
Connected with the world. What they were could be seen by the world, and gained the approval of their world.
- Positive community. “Enjoying the favour of all the people” . Others could not help liking the first Christians. They didn't go looking for favour. They didn't buy popularity at the expense of truth or faithfulness to what the Spirit was doing. But they were good neighbours, good citizens, life affirming friends and people liked what they saw.
- Persuasive community. “Those who were being saved.” God was at work. The miracles being worked in their midst, the attractive quality of their community life, and way they were with their neighbours were persuasive. Without being worried about numbers, the earliest Church grew: the Lord added those who were being saved – together, as a body.
© Gilmour Lilly June 2013
