But we just don't have anything in common.....

Acts 2:42-47

New International Version (NIV)

The Fellowship of the Believers

 ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ 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, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This section of scripture hit me like a ton of bricks this weekend.  Sure, I've read it plenty of times, (what church worker, let alone any person, hasn't heard dozens of sermons from Acts chapter 2?)  But for lack of a better way to put it, I've always kind of by-passed this last part of the chapter.  Until now.

Christianity in today's world is a tricky thing.  It seems that so many people have in their minds that as long as we go to church once a Sunday (or every other Sunday) we should be good.  But yet, have you looked at the churches and Christian faith of the Western Civilization compared to that in places like Africa?  Why is it growing in leaps and bounds in 3rd world countries when it seems to be stumbling in places like Europe and America?  I'll give you a hint.  I believe the answer is in the passage.

I'll get back to that in a minute...

What is one of the biggest excuses/reasons you might hear when it comes to a relationship ending?

"We just don't have anything in common"

How about when it comes to someone leaving the church?

"They just don't play the music that I like" or "I just don't like the Pastor who may be there"  All having to do with stuff in common with yourself.

Have you ever noticed that the people who seem to be the most reliable people in the church are the ones who have the desire to be a part of many different things?  Ever wonder why that is?

I think it is because they try to be in fellowship with the fellow Christians as often as possible.  Have you ever noticed that they just seem to be happier, and have an easier time dealing with situations that life might seem to throw their way?  Do people like that just seem to bug you?  Have you ever thought that maybe there is something more to it than them just having an "annoyingly perky personality"?

Verse 44 says "All the believers were together and had everything in common"  Umm, this is Acts Chapter 2, and the same chapter where “all of a sudden” all the disciples could speak in tongues that were not natural to them.  This means that people from all backgrounds, nationalities and ways of life were all together at this point in time.  Jews, Greeks, Romans, Samaritans, all people who didn't get along before, and now, all of a sudden, we read "all believers were together, and had everything in common."  

Wait, Huh?  How could that be?

If we believe that God/Jesus is greater than all things, then how come we don't act like it?  How come we don't want to spend concentrated time with him?  Western culture has set the standard that you only need to worship/Fellowship with believers once a week.  Actually, you don't even have to do that, it's perfectly o.k. to go to the beach on a Sunday instead of church, as long as you are focusing on the creation that God has given you to enjoy.  Right?

Why do we in Western Culture dread going to church?  Why do we not want to join a Sunday School class?  Why do we "forget" to pray before or after a meal?  Or even pray at all?  Why is that Pastor or that "one crazy guy" always so overbearing to me when it comes to getting right with God?  That's just not the kind of Christian I am

No, I'm not saying going to church is going to save you (hopefully the 3 people who might read this know me better then that) But I am saying, there is something to this "church thing" How many times have you caught yourself wishing over the course of the week that you wish you were doing something with a group of people rather than sit in an office by yourself?  How many times have you spent a Friday or Saturday evening at home by yourself because there was "nothing going on"?     How many times have you found yourself at church on a Sunday morning, wishing you were at home lying in the sun instead of at church?

Why the sudden reversal on Sundays?  All week long we spend our time wishing we were hanging out with our friends.  Why do we wish that?  Because we have spent a lot of time with them and have discovered a lot that you have in common!  But then Sunday comes along and you may be with 200 people that you only see for an hour on Sundays (or every other) and you can't wait until you can get out of there. 

"...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...."

Amazing huh?  You want your church to really mean something to you?  You want to make it be "worth it"?  You need to put the work into it.  Put a desire into it.  Because when you do, you will discover that when it comes to defining the relationships, that any personal differences you may have with one another, doesn't mean squat, when it comes to the fact that we are "all one in Christ"

Let’s stop cheapening the idea of worship and fellowship, believe it or not, it really is worth quite a bit, someday, maybe we will figure that out...