The Living Church.
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. - Acts 2:46-47 ESV
What does it mean to be “Alive”? A biologist would probably define a living organism as something having the capacity to grow, metabolise, respond to stimuli, adapt, and reproduce. These criteria are relevant to us as a Church because the Bible calls the Church a Temple made up of “Living Stones” (1 Peter 2:5). Scripture calls on us to evaluate ourselves to make sure that we are doing God’s will (Lamentations 3:40, 2 Corinthians 13:5). We should be evaluating ourselves as individuals and as a Church. Are we a “Living Church”?
So what should we look like as a Church, what are we aiming at? Acts 2:42-47 provides a vision of the very first Church, taking it’s very first steps.
There is so much to learn from this vision, but today let’s concentrate on just one aspect. The Lord was adding to the Church “day by day”, as the Church was meeting together “day by day” in public and in their homes. Living things grow, and so to be a “Living Church” we must grow in our homes and in the place we gather publicly. The lock-down has caused so much chaos and destruction, but it has also given us an opportunity to reclaim the home as the primary place of daily Church activity. The best way to grow as a Church is to make sure we are reading and applying Scripture, praying together, worshipping together, and reaching out to help others together, in our homes, day by day.
Prayer.
Dear Loving Heavenly Father, Thank You that You call us to be part of Your family, no matter where we are in the world. Please help us to make our homes the place You designed them to be. Help us to put time aside to gather together to hear Your Word, Pray to You, Worship You and to find ways of reaching out to those in need. We know that we can only do this by the power of Your Holy Spirit Lord. Thank You that we can ask You for the strength, wisdom and perseverance to do this Lord, In Jesus Name. Amen.
Worship.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting He passed,
and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conqu’rors we are!
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well;
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Listen to Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
Service.
Who do we have contact with in this lock-down time? Our neighbours, our family and friends, security guards, call centre operators, sales people, contractors, doctors, teachers and others are all struggling with some aspect of this difficult time. Let’s pray and seek God’s direction on reaching out to these people with His love. May the Lord bless you and your loved ones as you seek to be His Church in your home.