One of the pillars of our church is community. Something that you all have probably heard a lot about and at this point might have become somewhat numb to the idea of it. However, it remains an incredibly important aspect of christianity and we can’t just let it become something we do because we have to.

Community is something that is talked about quite a bit in the New Testament and it is an integral part of the formation of the early church. We learn in Acts 2:42-47 that at the very beginning of the church forming, the most important part of their growth was their community/fellowship. They gathered together every day and shared everything with one another. They had all things in common. 

This was important to the start of the church for a number of reasons and today we can still learn from them as well.

1. Being of one mind

The early church devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles. Which was the good news of Jesus and what He had done for everyone who would believe. There were not dozens of denominations or disagreements about theology or misunderstandings of scriptures. And if there were, they worked it out so that they were united. They believed the same things, wanted the same things, and were devoted to the same things.

2. Unity

The early church knew everything about each other. In spending time with people constantly you learn who they are and how they act. They knew one another’s strengths and weaknesses. They knew when someone was happy or sad. When life was good or life was bad. 

And through that, they were able to encourage and lift one another up and to love and hold each other accountable.

3. Praise and worship

The early church prayed together, praised together, and learned together. This meant that there was no one judging each other or looking at each other funny. They just openly worshipped God together and did it cheerfully.

4. Deep Bonds 

Because they had spent all this time together and knew each other so well, it creates friendships and bonds that are so much deeper then what we know today. Many of us might have only one or two people that truly know every part of us. In many cases today, people don’t have anyone in their lives that they would say know every part of them.

The general idea we get from this section is that believers are made to be in community and they are meant to be with each other to lift one another up (see 1 Corinthians 12). Something that isn’t explicitly said here but the implication is that these people were very cheerful and joyful. Everything they did, they did joyfully.

This is where I think we differ and we have become desensitized to the idea of community in many ways. Most of us are pretty good about being in community with other believers, but how often are we only doing it because we know we should. Are we cheerful and joyful with one another or are we just there? I know for me, I can get so weighed down by life and I get so tired that when I get the opportunity to be with others, I am just there out of obligation and I forget that it is a blessing I get. I take those around me for granted and let my own life become too loud. 

I know this is a shorter lesson because we know what community/fellowship is and we know it is important. This week though, take a moment to reflect on it and see the blessing that it is and why it is so crucial.

Questions:

Read Acts 2:42-47 

• What do you see in the lives of the early church that differs from what you see today? 
• How could we be more like the early church?

Challenge: 

• As you are in community this week (church, youth, etc), be intentional. Be cheerful and joyful. Even if life is heavy, let these times be where you can let go and be present.
• At least once this week, find time to be in community outside of what you would normally do. This could be with people in this group, church, or any other believers you know. If you are unable to this week because you are already too busy, at least make plans to do so in the next couple weeks and post that you made the plans.