acts dos

so the topics i want to write about keep getting delayed because more inspiration comes along. GOSH God why can’t you let me have my way. jkjk it’s all good in the hood. can’t do things my way because i don’t got the right way ….. i can only trust and follow.  ANYWAYS.

subject: acts two church.
why? well it’s not a matter of my recent revelation because small group with kera & heather last semester(s) was where realizing the importance of this ‘acts 2 church mentality’ came forth. that was a run-on sentence, but whatever. what i am trying to say is that it has been mentioned and brought up with other people in my life and i thought it was relevant to talk bout it here. because you know, something that one person learns can also be applied in other people’s lives because we’re all just going on the SAME journey here!

okay, before i get into my personal commentary, here’s the text.

Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) The Fellowship of the Believers

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

so what’s so great about the acts two church? WHATS NOT TO LIKE? this is the beginning, this is where it all started. jesus had just gone and now the followers are now without the [leader] but you know what? this is not sadness. it is celebration. because now the followers have the opportunity to actually follow thru the teachings that Jesus preached during his 3 years traveling the land. weak they were pre-cross and now here they are. post-cross and ready to claim victory for Christ on this earth.

but that’s not even the best part yet!

the best part of this conundrum is that they are doing this together. as Jesus began his ministry with the twelve, they eventually grew closer in faith, leadership, and spirit after He left the earth. as the followers grew in number and in spirit (earlier in acts 2 is the Pentecost), they are not doing it alone. they’ve got each other for support and reliance and accountability. their lives are communal. they are strong in faith. in each other.

to be relational … that is what God has created us to be. and here in acts two, we see a pretty darn close to perfect picture of when the relational body of Christ is done right. often, relationships, ESPECIALLY in the church and Christian community is questioned. “why did he/she/they hurt me? isn’t it supposed to be all good? after all he/she/they is christian. everything’s supposed to be good … flowers and rainbows!!!”

reality check: just because they are Christian does not make them perfect. actually, it might just put them at a bigger risk to be MORE vulnerable for an attack from Satan. more chances for them to stumble and fall — or when they do stumble publicly, it looks worse because they believe in God and oh, what? Christians are supposed to be these perfect do-goers.

okay. that was tangent-ed from the my main point – acts two church. point above is the perfect example when the acts two church ideal is not in place or being worked towards. conflict is only natural among human beings, after all it’s part of our nature. but in the acts two church we have truth and honesty. from where i stand, i see that there is the willingness to love the community — no matter what one’s background is or where their walk in life is at the moment.

when followers commune together daily — the breaking of bread and PRAYER, then acts two church happens? my personal experience with it is limited but joyous. chialpha might just be the closest for me in my nineteen years of existence. we may not meet daily, but wow the unlimited desire to strive after the Word and His plans is everywhere. we are so far from perfect, but we don’t deny the brokenness within us. and then, we embrace each other’s struggles and brokenness. not a perfect community, but one rooted in the spirit.