Sometimes we need to step back and rediscover what we’ve always had right in front of us. Just like finally appreciating the beauty of Colorado’s mountains after living in their shadow for years, we can lose sight of the incredible gift of Christian community that God has placed before us.
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What Did the Early Church Do After Pentecost?
After witnessing Jesus’s death, resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the early believers found themselves at an incredible crossroads. Three thousand people had been baptized in a single day. The power of God was evident everywhere. But what did they do next?
Acts 2:42-47 gives us a clear picture: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This wasn’t a complicated strategy or elaborate program – it was four simple fundamentals that became the foundation of everything else.
Why Going Back to Basics Matters
The Football Lesson
In 1961, legendary coach Vince Lombardi walked into a room of discouraged Green Bay Packers players holding a football. His first words were: “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Before diving into complex plays and strategies, he knew they needed to master the fundamentals.
The Church’s Need for Fundamentals
Today’s church often gets caught up in programs, marketing strategies, and elaborate services. While these aren’t necessarily wrong, they can overshadow the basics. We can forget the simple power of prayer, community, and devotion to God’s Word.
What Made the Early Church Different?
They Did Everything Together
The key to understanding Acts 2:42-47 isn’t just what the early believers did – it’s how they did it. Everything was done together:
- They learned together
- They ate together
- They prayed together
- They shared their possessions
- They met daily in the temple courts
- They broke bread in their homes
More Than Individual Faith
American Christianity has largely turned faith into an individual pursuit. We focus on personal Bible study, individual prayer time, and private spiritual growth. While these are important, we’ve lost the power of community that defined the early church.
How Have We Individualized Faith?
The Lone Ranger Approach
Too often, our approach to new believers is: “Congratulations on your baptism! Here’s a Bible and a list of Sunday school classes. Good luck!” We send people off to figure out faith on their own instead of embracing them into genuine community.
Missing the “One Another” Commands
The phrase “one another” appears 100 times in the New Testament. It’s not an afterthought – it’s central to what it means to be the church. We’re called to:
- Build up one another
- Pray for one another
- Love one another
- Teach one another
- Encourage one another
What Does True Christian Community Look Like?
Beyond Sunday Attendance
Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to give up meeting together, but this isn’t just about Sunday attendance. It’s about recognizing that we need each other. You need to be present because someone else needs you, and you need others to grow in your faith.
Doing Life Together
True Christian fellowship goes far beyond potluck dinners and occasional coffee meetings. It’s about doing life together – sharing struggles, celebrating victories, praying through difficulties, and growing in faith as a community.
Why Community Matters for Spiritual Growth
We Were Designed for Togetherness
God didn’t design us to be spiritual lone rangers. The body of Christ metaphor isn’t just poetic language – it’s a practical reality. Each member needs the others to function properly and grow spiritually.
The Power of Encouragement
When people sit down for genuine conversation about life and faith, they often express how rare and valuable such connections are. People desperately need community, and the church is called to provide that deep, meaningful fellowship.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to move from “me” to “we” in your faith journey. Instead of focusing solely on your individual spiritual growth, actively seek ways to “one another” someone in your church community.
Consider these questions as you apply this message:
- Who in your church community could benefit from your encouragement this week?
- What would it look like for you to prioritize gathering with other believers beyond just Sunday morning?
- How can you shift from viewing church as something you attend to something you actively participate in as part of the body of Christ?
- What barriers prevent you from experiencing deeper Christian community, and how can you begin to remove them?
The early church’s power didn’t come from perfect programs or strategies – it came from believers who were devoted to the fundamentals and committed to doing faith together. When we rediscover this kind of authentic Christian community, we position ourselves to experience the same kind of transformation and growth that marked those first believers.