Fellowship and the Early Church

Fellowship

I’ve been shopping a couple of times already. Yes, Christmas shopping. I push back as long as possible, but when November gets here, it’s time. I start getting anxious. My calendar for December is already filling up, mostly with church parties, musical performances, and fellowship activities. Sometimes I sigh as I enter an event in my calendar.

We all have lots of “activities” we’re involved in. Sometimes they’re pure joy, and sometimes we’d rather not trouble ourselves to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

How do you think the members of the FIRST church dealt with fellowship? Here’s a passage that struck me yesterday from Acts 2:

⁴² They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services^[f] and prayer meetings.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe was on them all, and the apostles did many miracles.

⁴⁴ And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, 45 selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, ⁴⁷ praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.

Hmmm . . .

Do you think the lady of the house of a member of this church looked at her calendar and said, “Good grief, I’ve got to fix ANOTHER casserole to take to the potluck today? I’ve got to buy yet another inexpensive gift to play ‘Dirty Santa’ and laugh with my small-group?”

I don’t think so. The early church was where things were happening, and no one wanted to miss anything. They were about two months away from Jesus’ ascension at this point. Many of them had come to salvation when Jesus was still with them, and many on the day of Pentecost. It was still new. It was still exciting. Did you note that they didn’t just meet on Sunday. They met .

What about now? Can we summon up the enjoyment of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons with not only our earthly family, but also our church family?

The church isn’t just a holiday family. Many years a holiday is the only time we spend time with our earthly family, but our church family is there week after week.

If you do not have a church family, you’re missing an extension of your earthly family. For Christians, it is the family you will spend eternity with. Don’t you think we need to get used to enjoying fellowship with them NOW?

If the upcoming holidays make you feel anxious, think about what Paul said to the church at Philippi:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. Philippians 4:6

Now, go forth, shop with joy and not excess, fellowship with alacrity instead of anxiety, and love your family – all kinds of family.

Enjoy the holidays – REALLY!!