Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“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.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, September 7, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
It sounds so simple. The disciples were just living their faith—gathering together to worship and pray, to eat and drink, to praise God—and the people around them were filled with good will and wanted to be a part of their community.
At a time when so many of us lament the declining numbers in our congregations and denominations, this might feel frustrating. After all, we’re well aware that we can’t just sit in our sanctuaries full of people who are just like us and expect people to pour into our doors looking for God.
But maybe there’s something to learn from these early Christians, something we’re missing. If you read the whole passage you’ll see that they weren’t just worshipping in the temple and eating at home. They were living a very different life than what people were used to. They shared all things in common, they took care of each other, they demonstrated their faith publicly through action. They didn’t wait for people to come to them. They went out and welcomed everyone they met. As with most things, their actions probably spoke louder than their words. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of such a glad, nurturing community?
How does my faith community embody the work of the early Christians?