Friday 17 April 2015

Psalm: Psalm 138

Background

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts2:1-12) and subsequently Peter's inspired preaching (Acts2:14-36) had caused quite a stir in Jerusalem and an embryoniccommunity was forming, albeit quite a large one, with 3,000 peoplesigning up after Peter's sermon. And already we see a communitydisplaying the hallmarks of Church - teaching, fellowship, thebreaking of bread and prayers (verse 42). Extraordinary and awesomethings were happening in this community - signs and wonders - butperhaps what was most remarkable was the tangible commitment to thecommon good.

Here in this newly-formed community and quite volatile contextpeople were prepared to sell what they had and pool the proceeds,holding all things in common and providing for those in need.Clearly something profound and transformational was occurring andit is difficult to imagine it happening without the work of theHoly Spirit. God was sweeping through the hearts and minds ofindividuals and shaping them into a dynamic and radicalcommunity.

No wonder Jesus' followers were spending so much time togetherand enjoyed the goodwill of the people; it was intoxicating andinfectious. They met together in the Temple, which was a largecommunity space, and also in smaller groups in each other's homes.The exuberance was there for all to see but so was the care and theconviction. Glad and generous hearts overflowed in praise to Godalong with a deep commitment to one another.

The words and the deeds of this community were equallypersuasive and attractive - but there was something else here -someone else here who was lifting this experience onto a new planeand filling the people with a sense of awe and wonder. The HolySpirit of God was making this a Spirit-filled community, centred onJesus Christ - and it was the Lord who was inspiring them, and who,day by day, was adding to their number those who were being saved(verse 47).

To Ponder

• What hallmarks of Church can you identify in this passage andhow are they still being experienced today?

• How might this radical expression of community inform your ownunderstanding of how people live together - in Church and in widersociety?

• What makes a community attractive to you?