URBAN LIFE CHURCH
  • Home
  • About
    • About us
    • Values
    • Values - Spanish
    • What we believe
    • Radstock
  • Blog
  • Communities
    • Urban Life Normanton
    • La Reunion
    • Hangout
    • International Supper
    • Basecamp
  • St Chads Centre
  • Contact
  • Gospel readings

A New Community - Acts 2:42-47

25/5/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
The power Jesus gave to his disciples at Pentecost, was for the purpose of making him known to the ends of the earth - to every people. It was not an end in itself. It was for a purpose.

Last week saw the beginning of that as many people of different nationalities came to believe in the message Peter declared - the message that Jesus was alive. What did these hundreds and hundreds of people do next? They heard the call to believe, to repent (change their minds) and to be baptised, and they responded with enthusiasm. But what was life like for them next?

​What did they do?

This little part of Acts (link: chapter 2:42-47) shows us a little of how they lived. Verse 42 especially tells us about 4 things they were really devoted to - things they made a priority above anything else.

Verse 42: They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

1. The Apostles' teaching - learning
The apostles were the ones who had been with Jesus before his death and resurrection so they knew the things he had taught. So the new believers were desperate to know all about this one they had decided to follow. You can imagine them saying... 'what did he say?', 'tell us about him', 'we want to what he said we should do'. And Jesus had explained how the whole Old Testament all pointed to him, so there would have been lots to teach. The people wanted to learn. They were devoted to what we now have in our bibles, and they were in awe of what they heard (v43)

2. Fellowship - belonging
This is much more than meeting together in a general way. This is all about being together as a family, having a common life, being a team, serving together, being together. This was so important for these first believers - they wanted to be together and share life - which they did, radically, wherever one of them had need. A great generosity and love (v44,45).

3. Breaking of Bread - remembering
They made a habit of eating together and remembering the death of Jesus as they did so, just as Jesus had instructed the disciples at the Last Supper, the night before going to the cross. They ate (another expression of the shared life) and made a point of keeping Jesus' death for them, right at the centre of everything. They were never going to forget the cross. (v46)

4. Prayer - depending
Emphasising prayer shows great dependence on God. When we don't pray, its because we are living our lives independently of God and think we don't need him. That's why people often turn to pray in extreme situations - because they know they are dependent on something higher and beyond themselves at that moment. But the reality is we are dependent on God for everything, and that's why we need prayer. These guys knew that, and so were devoted to prayer. They were passionate about their relationship with God. And as they prayed and praised, they saw God at work. (v47)

We spent some time thinking about what happens when one of these is missing from church life. A church community that moves away from the apostles' teaching, from common life together, from the cross, from prayerful dependence... what happens if one of these is neglected or abandoned?

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Urban Life  - followers of Jesus living life and bringing life in an urban setting! 

    The blog gives a snapshot of our life together as we post things we are learning about; things we believe; songs we love;  readings and prayers to strengthen and help us; and general information about what is happening in our community.

    So here are updates,  reviews, reminders and support for those who are part of our community, and a chance to 'look in' for those who are interested and wondering what we are all about.

    Archives

    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    Bible
    Bill Hybels
    Church
    City
    Community
    Discipleship
    Humanity
    Jesus
    Justice
    Prayer
    Remembrance Sunday
    Rend Collective
    Social Action
    Songs
    The Story
    Trinity
    UL Values
    Video
    War

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly