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Inside us, there is an intense desire to be connected to other people. We need each other and cannot thrive on our own. The Lord, in His wisdom, created us for community, to be connected to others. Yet, many today struggle to find it. Even with the internet, which can unite us with people that share our most obscure interest, people feel alone now more than ever. Often the type of community available to us is unhealthy, such as fixated on a mutual hatred. This unhealthy community is based on the lies of society and not God’s truth. So, we must ask ourselves: What does it mean to be part of a God-honoring community? What is community according to the Word of God? Acts 2:42-27 teaches us that a God-honoring community will be persistently devoted to teaching God’s Word and fellowship with one another, demonstrated through the breaking of bread and prayer. Let’s first read this passage and then explore it together,
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 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 favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
We begin with Acts 2:42, which lays the foundation for Messiah’s community. This verse continues the narrative of Acts 2, which recounts how many people were saved on Shavuot, now celebrated as Pentecost:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Think of a healthy community as a building. This verse presents us with four pillars supporting it. Each of these pillars is planted on a foundation of devotion. The devotion described in Acts 2 is not momentary; it is not just for a moment or a year. It is a persistent and consistent devotion that guides every day of our lives. Real community is built on action, Believers working together to live intentionally for the Lord. This intentional living is defined for us through these four pillars.
The first is the Apostles’ teaching, the teachings of the Apostles given by God Himself. A God-honoring community is focused on teaching, reflecting on, and applying all of Scripture. The core of this teaching is understanding and sharing the Good News of Messiah Yeshua. We learn who Yeshua is and how He has provided us with salvation and then we share these truths with others. But understanding the Good News is just the beginning. We continue to devote ourselves to learning Scripture so that we can apply God’s truths to every area of our lives and receive His blessings. Everything in our lives flows out from the teachings of Scripture. In every situation, God’s Word will shed light on our confusion. If I want to know how I am to live my life and be in the community, the answers must be based on God’s teachings.
If we want to have a healthy community, then we must, as a group, be committed to learning, applying, and sharing Scripture. We are united when we share the same values and beliefs. This is why false teachings are so dangerous. False teachings like the Book of Mormon, so-called modern-day prophets, and other dangerous teachings are more than just bad information. By sharing these twisted teachings, we undermine our community and seriously harm our relationships. Often these false teachings lead people to abandon God’s community, isolating themselves or joining a new community that leads them further away from the Lord and closer to an idol.
The second pillar of a healthy community is the fellowship itself. We create local fellowships, but we are all connected to the larger fellowship. Messiah has only one community of disciples that is made up of many members. Through our fellowship, our local congregations, and churches, we share our time, talents, and treasures. During the time of the Apostles, Believers would meet at the Temple, and also in houses. But these small house communities understood they were part of a larger whole. Disciples would help one another locally and those who were farther away.
By helping one another, we create deep and lasting connections. Think of your closest relationships with family, spouses, or friends. Why are you so close to them? When you think of them what moments immediately come to mind? Those moments are times we shared our time, talents, or treasures with them, and they did the same for us. Think of a time when a friend sat with you for hours after you lost your job, offering comfort and practical advice. Or a time you helped someone move, or when you were in need and someone gave you food, clothing, or money without expecting anything in return. It is these moments, big and small, that connect us and create lasting memories. God wants our communities filled with these moments.
The third aspect is the breaking of bread. Through the Lord’s Supper and sharing meals, we draw closer to one another. When you share a meal with someone, you get to know them. Some of my best moments with friends and family have been around a shared meal. Eating together allows us to connect. The Lord’s Supper is a way to intentionally draw closer to Messiah Yeshua and one another. There is power in doing something together as a group. There is even greater power and connection in drawing close to God through the Lord’s Supper together.
The fourth aspect is prayer. Praying together as a community is found in biblical Judaism and the New Covenant. Part of the power of prayer is how it changes our hearts and minds, turning us toward the Lord. By praying together, we unite ourselves in our faith and community towards the Lord just like with the Lord’s Supper.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
When our communities are healthy, we experience more of God’s power. When God is at work, others notice and want to know more. Those who are in unhealthy communities can see that the Lord is doing something special, and are drawn to us, even if they do not understand why. The transformation of our lives, individually and as a community, are amazing signs and wonders for a lost and dying world. Sometimes when this passage is read, there is an emphasis on the numerous sign miracles of the Apostles. Then there is a desire to see numerous visible miracles like healings and prophecy today. Wanting to see more of God’s power is not wrong, but we must make sure that our desire for miracles is not exploited by false teachers promising us signs without true teaching and fellowship. The truth is that there is no greater sign of God’s power and love than when a person has their life completely changed through the Good News. When someone can deal with addiction, anger, despair, and so many other sins because of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. If you are a disciple of Messiah Yeshua, I am sure you can tell me how you have been changed through encountering Him.
And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
One aspect of living purposefully together is taking care of one another. In a healthy family, when one person is going through a difficult time, other members of the family come together to help them. Every situation is different, but the guiding principle is to help those who are in need. The same is true of our spiritual family. We see in Acts 2 as well as Acts 4:32-35, that this community helped one another. Some may see this as a form of biblical communism, but this is not based at all on Marx’s atheist worldview. These believers were selling their possessions as their hearts and situations led them to. It was completely voluntary. They all still had property and personal possessions. But as needs arose, others took the initiative to help, and the money was properly distributed.
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 favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 2 concludes with a beautiful snapshot of what our communities should look like. We should intentionally spend time together and experience joy. Being in a community is not meant to be a burden or a chore but should be something that excites us. One of the many things I love about Shema is that I have many great friends here and I hope it is the same for you as well. At Shema, we have people we enjoy seeing and spending time with beyond a Saturday morning. Together we praise God and show kindness to one another which is a powerful witness. For as long as I can remember when I talk to new people who join our congregation, they tell me they were moved by our emphasis on God’s Word and how kind and loving we were to them. Genuine love and kindness are rare in our world and draw people to us. When people see us being kind it creates curiosity and longing to experience that blessing as well. As our Messiah taught in John 13:35, people will know we belong to Him through our love for one another.
So, Acts 2 gives us the principles for a God-honoring community, but how do we do it? Many resources give plans for creating an intentional community and while they can be useful, they are not necessary. God-honoring community is determined by whether we are persistently devoted to the four pillars given in Acts 2.
Do we care about growing in our knowledge of Scripture? Is reading our Bibles and discussing it with our brothers and sisters something we spend time and enjoy doing? At Shema, we have a men’s study, women’s events, Bible studies that take place in people’s homes, and a weekly reading of Proverbs early in the morning. Are any of these ministries something you want to be a part of and consistently do? Is there something related to growing in God’s Word that is on your heart? For years I have wanted to start a book study at Shema but have always felt too busy to get it started. I am hoping this year it may happen! But if you have ideas of your own related to God’s Word, I encourage you to pray and consider bringing your ideas to our leadership.
Acts 2 also asks us if we are devoted to our fellowship. Do we actively look for ways to do good for others around us? Are we willing to bring our needs emotional, physical, and spiritual, appropriately to our brothers and sisters? This is a call for each of us to actively look for ways to get close to others and be a blessing. One way you can do so today is through our Oneg. Between bites of chicken and noshing, I encourage you to spend time talking with people at your table. This means sitting with some people who are new to Shema or just new to you! But one way you can cut through the small talk is to ask someone if they have anything they need prayer about. So today, if Acts 2 in any way touched your heart, then I ask you to be bold and ask the people near you at the Oneg if you can pray for them and to do so right then. We should also keep those prayers on our minds after the Oneg and follow up with them about the needs they share in the future.
Connected to our fellowship is sharing meals and praying together. We should want to spend time in contact with our community outside of just Shema-specific events. My encouragement to you is to spend more time with the people God has drawn you close to at Shema and to look to expand your circle. I am sure you can remember when you first started coming to Shema or when you first became a believer. Meeting new people and having your life changed can feel very overwhelming. By opening our lives and homes appropriately to others we not only honor the Lord but receive the blessings that come from being in fellowship. Sometimes we may feel like our homes are not good enough or we do not know how to reach out to others. But the Lord gives us the power and wisdom to do so if we are willing to step a little out of our routines and interact with others.
So many great works at Shema have been started and maintained because of devoted people in our congregation, like our kitchen team for the Oneg today or the Men who serve as part of the Lord’s Supper. We cannot do everything, but I believe right now there are people in our congregation who have amazing ideas, and the talents God has given them to make these ideas a reality. All of us can and must grow our community through spending time with one another and through prayer. My hope today is that each of us will think more deeply about our community and look to the Lord to reveal ways He wants us to grow together. If we do I know we will be blessed with the best kind of growth, deeper personal transformation and the Lord adding to our number wonderful people who bless us and allow us to be a blessing to them.
If you have yet to place your trust in Messiah Yeshua or are looking for a local community, it is my hope today that our Shema family can be that community for you. That there is a yearning in your heart to grow in God’s Word and in fellowship.
May each of us be persistently devoted to the Lord and to one another. May we all experience the awesome power of the Lord transforming our lives together. May the Lord add to our number day by day those who are being saved.