community

Good evening friends,
I hope you've enjoyed this beautiful weekend and found a moment to give thanks for the courage of our armed forces. The cost of war is staggering and we all have a duty to those who have served. Our reading today shows the depth of community shared in the early church. As God brought people to faith, God also knit them together into a new family, committed to God and to each other. It's important to remember this vision when we think about strengthening the community we share today.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 2:42-47

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

sharing life

Good morning friends,
Under the Holy Spirit's power, Peter told the story of Jesus and many people responded. Now we hear about life together among the disciples. There's a depth of community that is hard to imagine. The church shares prayer, meals, possessions and life together. It is a beautiful and challenging image for us. How would you like to deepen our community life now?

God bless,
Sam

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

43Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

interconnections

Good morning friends,
A passage like this one can feel like just a blur of names that don't mean anything to us. At the same time these "greeting" passages help us put together a picture of the early Christian church. One thing we notice is that even though Paul had never been to Rome, he knew a lot of Christians there. Some of them he knew because they had traveled for work or ministry, suggesting that many of the leaders in the church led very mobile lives. We also see a closely interconnected church with strong relationships even over large distances. Prisca and Aquilla, named here, worked with Paul in Corinth because they were tent makers like he was. Acts tells us that they had been living in Rome but were expelled by the emperor along with all the Jews. Apparently at this point they are back there.

Another thing that is important to notice in this passage is the presence of women in leadership. Many Christians have trouble with Paul, rightly, because of some of his teachings about women. While we can't erase those harmful words, we also read them knowing that Paul did support women in ministry. Many scholars believe that Phoebe was the person who delivered this letter to the Romans and would have read it publicly in the church. We also notice Junia whom Paul calls "prominent among the apostles" who was in prison with Paul. Over all, we see a strong role for women in the early church, a role that has continued to today, thanks to God's help and the faithfulness of generations of women. May we make the most of our ministry opportunities that God and the sacrifice of the Christians who came before us make possible.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 16:1-16

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, 2so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well. 3Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, 4and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. 6Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.


8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11Greet my relative Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; and greet his mother—a mother to me also. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.