True Fellowship

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  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.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 

Isn't that ideal?  This is the way the church started.  Now, we so often see churches separating, people leaving their church for another, disputes on the board, different denominations looking down their noses at another.  We, as a church body, need to stop and read this more often.  This is how God intended the church to operate.

Dedicated to the apostles' teaching which was the truth of the gospel, the truth of Jesus and the teachings of Jesus.  The Good News.  Can't get any more pure than that. 

All the believers were together.  They weren't in separate denominations with Catholics thinking they were better than Lutherans or Baptists thinking they know more than Methodists (Now, before you get your panties in a bunch, I am not trying to say anything bad about any denomination here, just using names for pure example reasons).  I have never really understood the need for denominations.  Shouldn't we just all read the Bible and teach what it says?  But, that is an argument for another day.

Giving to everyone as they had need, now this is something I am proud to say, can be seen rather well in current times.  With all of the recent natural disasters that have taken place, it is awesome to see how people are stepping up and taking care of those in need during these hard times.  But it is still so easy to see the poverty of some and the vast richness of others.  I heard on the radio the other day that if your household income is over $50,000 per year you are in the top 5% of wealth on the globe.  WOW!  (Now please don't direct quote me on that one, I heard it on the radio with three children in the car all trying for my attention and/or fighting over something and/or asking if we were there yet, so I might have it off just slightly, but it was something close to that and still awe-striking).  I think even our giving could be stepped up a little.

Meeting together every day with glad and sincere hearts.  Who has the time for this anymore?  We fill our calendars so full of stuff that we don't have time for true fellowship anymore, except on that special occasion you invite your Bible Study group over to your place for a BBQ.  Our days are full of work, running to swimming lessons, ball games and dance class rather than true fellowship and praise (and don't think I am just trying to point a finger, because the above list came from my calender just this week). 

And the Lord added to their number daily. . . Here is the real kicker.  Do the above reasons tell you anything about why today's churches don't see daily conversions.  Nonbelievers look inside and see fighting and hypocrites and people without time for each other and the poor still suffering.  I can't say I don't blame them for not wanting to jump right in.  But if they were to look in and see what was exampled in the first church how could they just walk away?  I think there is a big lesson to be learned from this short little passage here.

Now, this isn't to say that today's churches aren't doing anything good.  I see so many great examples from Christians and Christian churches everyday, but as a whole we are lacking.  What can you do to help improve it?  Is there a step you can take to move you or your church in a backwards direction towards how the first church showed us it should be done?