“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”
What gives you a deep sense of awe? Perhaps the perfect sunset, or the crashing ocean waves. Those things that inspire awe are the ones which appear untouched by the mess of the cursed world. And here in the early church we see something so beautiful and profound and it cultivated that same depth of wonder: community.
We try to experience community in a variety of ways. Potlucks, prayer meetings, and even intentional shared living spaces. While certainly many a casserole dish has been praised on a Sunday night, I don’t think that quite registers on the “awe” scale. And sadly, many shared housing situations do not go well for long. So what went so right for the early church? Simple: they were operating in a specific move of the Holy Spirit.
Some have become so disillusioned by divisions and conflict within the church that they have decided that the early church was a one-shot deal. Sure, the Holy Spirit was moving then, but now we’re in some type of dead zone. Jesus is still on the throne, but the Spirit has gone silent.
Ephesians 1:14 says, “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” If God’s Spirit is not withheld, then there is always room for him to move. The harder we try in our own strength, the more we will fail. Embracing true humility and in every way devoting ourselves to prayer, teaching, and the miracles of God is the only path to re-living the community life of the early church.