God's mercy and grace made it so our pastor could be back with us on this special Lord's Day!
Continuing our series on the Staying Power of the early church, we considered the work of the Holy Spirit. This Person of the Trinity wants to fill us with no less than the reality of God with all God's Life and Power and Love. If that indwelling is absent in us, the cause lies within, we are in the way, we are blocking the way.
Acts 2:42 doesn't merely list practices of the early church, but commitments. They were not just going through the motions and checking off activities each week -- they were wholeheartedly committed to the work of the Gospel and to each other.
"Koinonia" is one of those rich, Greek words that contains several layers of meanings that we might miss if we cursorily consider that they had everything "in common." The phrase has nothing to do with having similar backgrounds, similar goals, similar outlooks, etc. On the contrary, we, with all our varied backgrounds, come together in koinonia by the grace of the Spirit in our common life in Christ. Agape love set the early church apart from their wider communities.
Are we known by our enthusiastic fellowship and extravagant love?
