The Church’s Impact On The Community
They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:45-47)
With so much division, conflict, and hatred infiltrating our communities these days, the Church has an opportunity to be a bright spot in the midst of all the darkness. As described in the book of Acts, the Church set a great example for us on how to impact the community with the love and unity that comes from being a believer.
In Acts 2:44, Luke writes, “...and they had all things in common....” No one in this particular community felt that any among them was any better than anyone else. Status and financial standing didn’t matter. Appearance didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that these people all followed Jesus. That’s all they needed to have in common.
So with their faith unifying them, they all worked together and did whatever they could to meet the material needs of those in their church and in the community. People gave so their church could have an impact in the lives of those who were without. That’s what the Church is all about, and that mentality of helpfulness and generosity is the same mentality we should have today.
In the first century, the people had great respect for their church because it was a place where people could go and get help. That was true of the early Church and it should remain true today. We shouldn’t add to the division. Instead, we should be a picture of unity, of grace, of love, and of generosity. Church should be a place where people can go to get physical help, emotional help, and spiritual help. May we remember this as we strive to follow the example of the early Church.
With so much division, conflict, and hatred infiltrating our communities these days, the Church has an opportunity to be a bright spot in the midst of all the darkness. As described in the book of Acts, the Church set a great example for us on how to impact the community with the love and unity that comes from being a believer.
In Acts 2:44, Luke writes, “...and they had all things in common....” No one in this particular community felt that any among them was any better than anyone else. Status and financial standing didn’t matter. Appearance didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that these people all followed Jesus. That’s all they needed to have in common.
So with their faith unifying them, they all worked together and did whatever they could to meet the material needs of those in their church and in the community. People gave so their church could have an impact in the lives of those who were without. That’s what the Church is all about, and that mentality of helpfulness and generosity is the same mentality we should have today.
In the first century, the people had great respect for their church because it was a place where people could go and get help. That was true of the early Church and it should remain true today. We shouldn’t add to the division. Instead, we should be a picture of unity, of grace, of love, and of generosity. Church should be a place where people can go to get physical help, emotional help, and spiritual help. May we remember this as we strive to follow the example of the early Church.
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