The Book of Acts (a.k.a. The Acts of the Apostles) gives us some of the best glimpses into the life of the early church. All through the Easter season we have been hearing readings from Acts, and on Pentecost Sunday, we will hear about the coming of the Holy Spirit from Acts 2. Acts will also be the focus of much of our reflection on what it means to be “in mission for others” at the MNO Synod convention in Dauphin.

In Acts we discover what life was like for followers of Jesus once they were living with his Spirit rather than with Jesus in the flesh. We also discover what was most important when they met together each week in the midst of a world that was hostile to their message.

In Acts 2:42, four things are mentioned that were important in order for the believers to be strengthened for their life and ministry in the world. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

First of all, the teaching: Those who believed in Jesus continued to learn. They learned from the Scriptures and they learned from the apostles – the ones who had been with Jesus and had first learned from him. They didn’t study for a while and then graduate. They were adults, and they continued to learn, for God is constantly doing new things!

At the same time, fellowship with other believers was important. How come? In the midst of a hostile world, they needed each other. They needed the prayers and support of other believers. They needed to share their joys and concerns with others who believed in Jesus. They needed the strength that comes from gathering together with others for worship and learning and prayer.

As for the breaking of bread, it is likely that this took at least a couple of different forms. It is clear from Acts and from many of Paul’s letters that the Lord’s Supper was celebrated every time they gathered together. They needed the unity with Jesus and the renewal that comes from sharing this sacrament together. At the same time, they also shared meals together. There is a unique connection between those who eat together, and much of their fellowship and sharing probably happened at the same time.

Finally, they prayed together. They prayed in the Temple. They prayed in each other’s homes. They prayed when they broke bread together, and they prayed when they were making decisions together. For them, prayer was a constant thing. They had learned how to pray from Jesus, and they knew their need to “plug in” to the Holy Spirit in this way.

In her book Reclaiming the “C” Word, Kelly Fryer uses many passages from Acts and asks us to reflect on what we can learn from them for today’s church. It seems to me that the same four things that were important in the first century are still important today. We do not grow in our faith, and neither are we able to engage in God’s mission in the world without gathering together for Word and Sacrament, prayer, learning and fellowship.

“Our mission is to build a caring community in Christ. Through Word and Sacrament, this community is healed and nurtured to go into the world to embody the love of God in daily life.”

In Christ,

Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore