The first rhythm of church life we saw yesterday, today we're going to think about the second. They were devoted to fellowship. But Luke doesn’t just leave it at that. He’s already recorded examples of the church at prayer and the Apostles teaching and in his gospel we see examples of breaking bread. Now he focuses on what devotion to fellowship looked like.
v44-46 Fellowship is sharing in common. Doing life deeply together. The believers are united, they share what they have to such an extent that some seeing others in need sell things to provide for those needs. Their sharing is such that they don’t regard their property as exclusively theirs, they’re open handed with it. They are generous. Why? Because they’re God’s community loved lavishly to love lavishly.
And their devotion to sharing life together goes further than their bank balance, it impacts use of time and homes. They meet together in the temple regularly and repeatedly. And they spend time together in their homes; eating together, remembering Jesus together, and enjoying their new community. A community centred on Jesus, being transformed by the Spirit at work amongst them, where divides and divisions have been destroyed by the cross.
If we only go to church to hear the preaching, or for the structured part of our time together, for the singing, prayers, reading etc there is something wrong with our understanding of church and our experience of grace. Those things are important, they are a key part of the churches rhythm, but they are only part of the rhythm. God’s people aren’t just reconciled to God but to one another at the cross, to ignore fellowship is to miss a beat.
Our devotion to fellowship, to sharing life together will show in what time we get here on Sunday mornings, in what time we leave afterwards. If we only ever arrive bang on the start of the service and leave promptly at the end we have a missing beat. By the same token if we arrive early and leave late but never engage with others, never open up, never share life because we’re too busy we are missing a beat. We need to make the most of our time together, sharing life, it’s joys and sorrows, our good days and our struggles. As we do so aware that our fellowship is in and centred on Jesus.
But notice here it’s when they gather all together but also in homes daily. I know that to some of us that feels impossible, but we are no more busy than they were in Acts. But their devotion made their desire a reality. We need that reminder to refocus on Jesus in the week. We need the relationship that is deep enough that we are repointed to Jesus when work threatens to become what we live for, or heartbreak threatens to make us bitter.
How can we make the most of my week and commit to real fellowship. Gospel group is one way, meeting together again on Tuesday nights. The ladies and men’s bible studies is another way once a month. It was great to hear of people getting together to watch bake off, why not do the same with dour England games because misery loves company, or the 6 nations, or some other event? But what about making the most of meals, why not come along to our church lunch next Sunday? Why not try once a month having someone over? Or meet up for coffee, or to pray together over lunch if your offices are near each other. Or why not simply make the most of another opportunity. For example what are you doing or bonfire night, why not make plans and invite one or two others along. You have a Saturday trip out planned why not text a couple of people to invite them along?
But actually what makes fellowship distinctive from friendship is that Jesus is central. What unites us is the cross, these relationships are intentional those in which we can encourage and build one another up. Which are committed and intentional and keep Jesus central.
Being together, sharing life and experiences is part of the rhythm of church.
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