Greetings from the shadow of the empty and broken Memphis Bridge! I am tempted to dive into the cornucopia of analogies that present themselves when there is a crack in a beautiful ornate bridge connecting to states thus rendering it useless. Preachers rarely get such easy illustration material but I am going to fight off this temptation for more important matters.
As I sit and think about all that is before us as we slowly, optimistically, and cautiously emerge from the Covid-19 Pandemic, I continue to be drawn back to Acts 2:42-47.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 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. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
In short, this passage falls directly after the narrative describing the events of Pentecost. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit was made known to all, Peter proclaimed boldly the Gospel, and thousands were baptized and added to the community of believers. We get a glimpse into the work of God in giving birth to the community of those who would be forever united with and in Christ. After this, Luke gives us a description of the ongoing life of the newly birthed community. We can assume these are the basic and most essential acts of the church setting a foundation for health and vitality in Christ.
In the last year, we at First Church as well as pretty much every church have been forced to strip what we do together down and we have been unable to gather and be together to share in even the most basic functions of community life. Learning together, sharing life together, praying together, worshiping together, giving together, breaking bread together, and serving together, these are the things we are called to experience together so we can all grow more deeply and be strengthened in our life in Christ. These are the things that give us abundant life together.
As we begin to come back together as members together of the community of Christ, we have the opportunity to make sure these things are put before all other in our community. We must make sure we do not just piece back together our preferred and favored activities and leave any of these things aside. We must not treat these things as menu items where we pick and choose what we like most. For each of us individually and as a community to once again grow and be full of life, we need to put these things to the forefront of who we are and what we do.
If we are persistent and intentional about these things, we will see growth and new life in our community and in our own lives. Let's not settle for less than the full abundance of life God desires for the people of First Church.