So, I’ve been reading lately in Acts. You know, the first happenings of the Church after Christ rose with Peter and John and those guys. I’ve noticed a few things in my reading. But before I get there, I want to tell you guys about a book I’ve been slowly working my way through a book since Big Stuf called UnChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. It basically a book full of very in depth research from the Barna Group about what the world really thinks about the Church. What they found is that if you look at what the Church is supposed to look like, as individual people and as the collective body of Christ, we apparently don’t match up.
People don’t see a bunch of good people who get up early on Sunday to listen to stories and worship God. They see, according to the reliable and vast research, hypocrites who only care about converting people and telling people that “being gay sends you to hell”. The see a group of people who are sheltered from the culture around them, who are too politically minded and who are just waiting for opportunities to judge and point out wrongs in people (that’s all without looking within themselves).
Not pretty, is it? This hit me pretty hard. I know all of us, at one time or another with most of these, can admit to have had these be things in our lives. Maybe, if we dared to be honest enough, we are too comfortable with some of these things to let them go. We don’t like change, yet we love normalcy. We love finding what’s easy and coasting with it. However, this one question stands: Who ever said living like the true Body of Christ was going to be easy or comfortable?
So, this leads me back to Acts. I wanted to see and read for myself what it looked like to be the Church, in it’s truest form. Like I said, the book of Acts follows the story of the Apostles and the early followers of Jesus immediately after Jesus rose. Think about that. We’re in a time where, not very long ago at all, quite a lot of people were witness to some of the most amazing things in history. Healings. Miracles. True Love. People had first hand contact with Him and His personal ministry. I’ve made a few observations about the first Church that we should take heed to today . . .
1. They were Selfless - These people were truly a body. If someone had a need, it was met. It wasn’t recognized as in “Bob gave Ted a mattress for his son. How great is Bob for doing this?” These people understood that it is about community, and not individual efforts. They were motivated by something greater than themselves, and not by pride or a desire to be known. Thats because they all knew from the deepest parts of themselves that the One who rules the universe cares for them deeply and they are known there more intimately than they could ever know (redundant, ehh?).
2. They were Bold - Several times in the early part of the book, the Sadducees confronted and imprisoned the Apostles and other followers for speaking about Christ and His life. One time, (after they all had been taken to Jail, only to be let out in the middle of the night by an angel) Peter and John were called back to go before the Sanhedrin. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, then proceeds to bring the heat to the council. This caused a man named Gamaliel to take a step back and think about all of what’s happening. What he said blows my mind, “Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Peter was bold enough to speak the life of Christ, no matter what. His word never returns to you void when you preach the truth. God is faithful to be true to what he has said, and that seems to be all the confidence we need.
I could go on, but I’ll stop there for now. But I’ll leave you with this question:
What needs to be different in YOUR life for you to look more like the true bride of Christ?
One.Love
cd
NOTE: Be on the lookout for the 200th post, which is the 2nd Super Fun Big Centennial Contest! If you don’t know what this might look like, check out the last one here. The prize is gonna be sweet. Thanks for being awesome.