Sermon - The Way, Part 4

 Hear these words from Acts 2:42-47 about the early Christian Church.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds[a] to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

This passage provides us with a beautiful image of the early church – a church that saw wonders and signs, that believed together and had all things in common, including their possessions. They gave to those who had need, they worshipped together, and they praised God.  And day by Day the Lord added to their number.  This community was referred to as men and women of The Way.

But how did they get there?  And how can we use that as a model to become pliable clay in the potter’s hands as a church?  What is the way we should live in order to be the church God plans for us to be?

Let’s look at verse 42 again. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

First, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings – I think we could see a parallel in our life in the church when study the Word of God.  Maybe we read devotionally at home, we attend Sunday school, Book Study on Mondays, the Reconciling Ministries study on Wednesdays, Great Decisions in its season. We hear the proclamation of the word on Sunday mornings.  In all of these ways and more, we learn about the apostles’ teachings, and hopefully, as a church, we allow the word to guide what we do, together.  We learn the way we should go.

Secondly, they experienced fellowship.  Gail Neal Hansen says, “A mark of authenticity and vitality in a congregation is the quality of peoples’ relationships and their efforts to include others in those relationships.”  How do we do that? It’s more than feeling that we are a friendly church – truthfully, those who haven’t found us to be friendly are probably not here anymore.  How do we offer radical hospitality? Greeters are a start – when someone comes in our doors on Sunday morning, a church volunteer says hello and directs them to worship. Works to make everyone feel welcome.  We can reach out before and after worship to those we do not know.  But there are more ways.  Maybe when we hand out water on hot days on the sidewalk – talk to Debbie McGinnis if you want to volunteer. Radical hospitality is providing children with food in a backpack for the weekend – hospitality is not just a welcome into the church building, it’s a welcome into community.  You are hungry, and we have noticed.  The church in fellowship is working outside the walls to make a difference.  What more can we do? Where is God leading us?

Thirdly, by breaking of the bread.  I think this is an obvious communion reference, and when we next share the bread and juice, I hope you will remember that this is part of how we prepare ourselves for transformation – it is a means of grace offered by God. But how else do we break bread together? When people come into the church on Thursday evening to share a meal during Common Grounds, we are breaking bread with the community. When we bring food for the Thanksgiving harvest altar, or donate the food of the month (tuna this month) to Cridlin Food and Clothing Closet, we are breaking bread together.  But if we as a church on are The Way together, who else should we break bread with?