“We have to get back to the way the early church ran things!”
exclaimed Ralph to a group of bible students who had all gathered at the campus
coffee shop to study before class.
“Yea, they all shared everything and were always filled with
the Holy Spirit” added Jenifer confidently.
“But the church today has become big business, selling
books, bibles and T shirts. They are all about the latest and greatest gimmick to
draw people in but have lost the power of the Holy Spirit” said Mark while they
all sipped their lattes, espressos and assorted refreshers.
“We need another out-pouring of the Spirit like on the day
of Pentecost, when the church was born, where we can get back to the basics and
just love one another” replied Ralph as several others sat down to study the
third chapter of Acts.
Why do things always look greener on the other side of the
fence? While the notion of going from house to house to fellowship and study
the bible is a grand idea there will always be problems to overcome no matter
the venue. In fact, those in the early church had sold all their property to have
all things in common and distribute their funds to the people in need because
they believed Jesus Christ was returning any day. However, looking back in
retrospect we see they missed that mark by at least a couple thousand years.
However romantic it sounds to walk to a home fellowship in
leather sandals or tear off bread from a freshly baked loaf while pouring wine out
of a goat skin bag, the fact is the first gathering of believers had their own problems
to overcome.
One couple in the early church, Ananias and Sapphira, lied
about how much money they had given in an offering and God took them home. Many
members of the church wanted to be waited on and served but in doing so missed
an opportunity to give to others. Stephen, the first martyr of the church, was
stoned to death for telling the truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Simon, a known sorcerer, wanted to pay for the gift of the Holy Spirit so that
he too could work miracles just like the apostles.
The truth is in every situation God will work out all things
for the good to those who love Him and are called to His purpose. His purpose is
to send us out into the world to show others His great love for them and explain
the way into His kingdom. His ways are perfect and His timing unique, He doesn’t
make mistakes so nothing God does is an afterthought or anything you do is insignificant
to His purpose.
An example of this is the story of Philip who is told by an
angel of God to go out into the desert toward Gaza where he would find a man
from Ethiopia. Philip went and found the man sitting in his chariot reading
from the scrolls of Isaiah. When Philip asked the man if he knew what he was
reading he answered and said “How can I unless someone guides me” so Philip takes
the seat next to him and begins to explain the section of scripture he was
reading in Isaiah.
It’s interesting to see
how God choreographed this encounter with the traveler from Ethiopia where he was
reading this specific section of scripture Isaiah 53. This section of scripture
is a prophecy describing Jesus Christ some 700 years before his birth in Bethlehem.
Philip was directly in God’s will as he
begins to explain the scripture, successfully leading the man into the kingdom
of God.
So while we all have
the choice to discuss the latest worship songs we like or don’t like, argue
about scriptural interpretation or what the next church program will be about, we
might be better off to make ourselves available to serve others from our church’s
kitchen. We might better spend our time praying with someone, comforting someone
or just being available for God to direct us into the path of a complete
stranger.
And in the end the
love you take is equal to the love you gave…
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