And they
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and the prayers. (Act 2:42)
The
first priority of this first Christian congregation was to “devote themselves”
to learning, fellowship and the Holy Eucharist. This group which was
distinguishing itself from the Roman world in which it existed realized that it
needed to continue to learn at the feet of those who had learned at the feet of
Jesus. These followers of the crucified one also realized that they needed the
support of the community if they were going to be able to resist the temptation
to fall back into the easy patterns that they had left to follow Christ.
Finally, the gatherings of these new brothers in Christ included regular
participation in the Holy Eucharist, through which they were nourished by the
Body and Blood of Christ, and reminded of the sacrifice that had been made to
win their salvation.
After
Pentecost, the apostles took on the role that had been modeled for them by
Jesus during his earthly ministry. They became the teachers to this new group
of disciples. And, the disciples were anxious to learn about the one who had
sacrificed himself so that they might become heirs of his eternal kingdom.
Luke, in his description here does not say that they met on Sundays to hear the
teaching, he says that they “devoted themselves”. In actuality, this group of
early believers lived together with the apostles, much as the apostles had
lived with Jesus for three years. They were so interested in learning more that
they did not want to leave the apostles’ side, so they moved in with them.
I
am not suggesting that we, in the 21st century, form a Christian
commune, or that we all go off to a residential seminary. I am suggesting,
however, that if we want to grow closer to Christ, we need to commit to
learning about him. We can do this through Bible studies in homes, or at
church. We can learn by reading good books, or even listening to preachers on
the radio. But, if we want to grow closer to Christ, we must be willing to make
a commitment to learning, and understand that learning is a life-long process.
We will never graduate from learning about Christ, even after we leave this
life and enter his nearer presence.
The second
thing to which this early congregation was devoted was “fellowship”, the Greek “κοινωνία”(koinōnia). This means much more
than talking about the upcoming football game over a cup of coffee in the
parish hall. This fellowship more like a family relationship where the members
share in the joys and pains of daily life. This is a deeply personal
relationship of love and caring. These early Christians had left friends and
family to follow Christ. In many cases they had become social outcasts. They
needed to be a part of a community that was able to replace these lost
relationships and support them through the difficulties of this new life. They
knew the cost of discipleship, and needed others who had the same experience
for support, they needed koinonia.
The culture
in which we live has become so very impersonal. We are constantly connected,
but lack genuine relationships. The church should be a place where genuine
relationships are nurtured and supported. The congregation must be a place of
safety and support for its members. If we do this, others will be drawn into
our fellowship.
Third in
this list is “the breaking of the bread and the prayers”. There are few who
will argue that this is referring to the regular celebration of the Holy
Eucharist. We know that the Eucharist was central to the worship of the early
church. Enough so that St. Paul is able to write, “For I received from the Lord
what I also delivered to you…” to the Corinthian church. By the time of Paul’s
conversion – within a year, or two of the birth of the church – the Eucharist
was a primary part of the practice of the church. The early church received the
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ at least weekly, gathering on the “first day of
the week”. This was much more than a memorial to these early believers, it was
their source of spiritual nourishment and a participation in the death that
Christ died to save us from our sins, “For as often as you eat this bread and
drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.“ (1 Cor. 11:26) If
it were a mere means of remembering, why would Paul have written, “Whoever,
therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner
will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord?” (1Co 11: 27) Paul
wanted the Corinthians to understand the gravity of the Sacrament in which they
were participating, and the consequences of receiving it without discernment.
We are the
inheritors of this Sacrament. It carries no less value today than it did nearly
2000 years ago. Every time we participate in the Holy Eucharist, we participate
in the saving crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and we receive his Body and Blood –
he becomes a part of us in a very real way. We must never forget the great gift
that has been given to us through this Holy Communion, and we must invite
others into this most intimate of relationships with our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. It is ours to share, not to keep locked up.
If we are
to follow in the footsteps of our Christian ancestors, we need to recapture
their commitment to Christian community. One first step toward this aim is to
recommit ourselves to the apostles teaching, koinonia fellowship within the
family and sincere participation in the Holy Eucharist. By doing so, we will
recapture the spirit that allowed the early church to flourish in a hostile
culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment