And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. – Acts 5:42
Following the same thought from yesterday, about learning new things each and every day, I’m drawn today to the story of the early church in the book of Acts. Early in this book, the words seem to be a continuation of the gospel story. The physician, Luke, who wrote the gospel of the same name continues the story for a friend whom he is trying to convince of the truth of God found in the person of Jesus Christ.
The continuation of the story in the book of Acts tells of what happens after the resurrection, of the calling of the disciples to an apostolic mission. To go forth and share the good news in which they know that Jesus is raise from the dead and offers life abundant and eternal for those who believe. Further we read early in the book of the coming of the Holy Spirit, God’s presence to lead and to guide, to offer comfort, counsel, and of course guidance to these new evangelists. The story after the day of Pentecost is close in to Jerusalem. There is much work to be done first in the city of God.
What amazes me about their story, is that the early church didn’t have buildings, or budgets. They didn’t have committee meetings (at least for a little while). When they did meet to discussed issues of the church for where they would go, to whom they would share the gospel, and what was acceptable behavior for a Christ follower. But here’s the greatest part – in the verse above. Every day they met in the temple and at home, and never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus was Messiah.
The very message that caused many of them to spend time in jail, yet they never stopped proclaiming. It was a message that filled their souls to the fullest, it gave them life, purpose, and they lived into their calling to spread the gospel every, single, day.
These days we live in now, they still seem to run together, every day we await new news, different news, hopeful news. Each day I await word about whether or not we can reopen the church building. However, I’m reminded that in our faith, though the building might remain closed to keep people safe, I still have a message to share. We still have the love of God in our hearts, and it is bursting to share forth to others. We might not be able to meet physically, but that shouldn’t stop us from sharing the gospel when we can, how we can. Just because we are in the house, doesn’t mean we can make a call, send a note, or any number of things to encourage one another, to spur on one another to do good works, and to continuously proclaim that Jesus is the Messiah.
Grace & Peace,
Sam