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Written by Aaron Sparks
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Sunday, 19 April 2009 09:40 |
I’ve been thinking a lot about how the first century church was in Acts 2:42f.
”They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.“ -Acts 2:42-47
When I look at these verses and then compare them to how we are today, I see a few differences. Some of them we can’t help (we don’t have any apostles running about doing miracles), but some of them we can help. Yes, I think we can contribute alot of what they were doing to that initial excitement of something new, but how much of that are we just excusing away so that we can feel satisfied with the way things are.
Have we made “Just as I am” an excuse to remain as we were? Have we stopped singing verses 3 and 4 of “None of Self and All of Thee”? When did we begin to turn around to God and say, “This much of my life you can take... but no more.” Why are we beginning to look more and more like the world, and less like the Christ we were meant to model?
As I write this, I’m sitting in my living room full of stuff. Stuff I don’t really need, but somehow along the way of life... I was convinced that I did need it. Somewhere else in the world (even within our nation), there are Christian brothers and sisters who are less affluent than even me. Some out there have real legitimate needs.
Then I am reminded of the Rich Young Ruler and how difficult Jesus said it would be for him to enter the kingdom of Heaven. The American way to preach that lesson, is to say it’s okay to be rich. It’s okay to own stuff as long as it doesn’t rule over you. The truth is, Jesus didn’t backtrack on that point like we do.
Every tax season we complain about paying our taxes, but in our complaining... is that glorifying God? Or are we stuck trying to yet again serve the two masters. Maybe we really need to take an inward look at ourselves and examine our attitudes toward stuff, money and compassion towards others.
-Aaron✌♥n☧ |
