ONE ACCORD!

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

ONE ACCORD!

Acts 2:46-47

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The phrase “with one accord” is found only twelve times in the New Testament and ELEVEN of those times it is to be found in the book of ACTS! I think that is significant! The fledgling church had been newly assembled and freshly empowered by the Holy Spirit. They had been given a very great commission which could not be accomplished without cooperation. For them to be in one accord was absolutely essential.

The word “accord” is a Greek combination of two words, homos which means “same” and thumos which means “mind”. Literally to be in one accord means to be of the same mind or to think the same thing or the same way.

The early church was thinking the same thing about Jesus. He was their Savior and Lord, the most important person in their lives. He had changed their destiny for all eternity. They were in love with Jesus and it showed in everything they did and in every opinion they expressed.

The early church was thinking the same thing about church attendance. They were meeting daily, all the time, both in the Temple and from house to house. They were a new community brought together from diverse backgrounds bound together by a common experience. All, no matter their station, had found salvation through Jesus Christ! They met together to talk about that experience and to share the joy of it with one another. They couldn’t get enough of each other. To say that they had become friends would have been to understate the situation.

They were thinking the same thing regarding their joy. Their mental and emotional condition was described by gladness! Gladness, in the original Greek, indicates exultation, to jump for joy! These were highly motivated members of a happy band.

Their unity and joy caused them to have “favor with all the people.” Not only did the church enjoy each other’s company but they became people of influence. Everyone enjoyed having these people around them because it was refreshing to see their unity and joy.

The result of all this was that “the Lord added unto the church – people were saved.” Could it be? It is possible that the reason we are not seeing many saved is because we are NOT in one accord and NOT sharing the same opinion.

Amos 3:3 asks an important question: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” The verse seems to indicate what we all know that unless there is agreement there is contention and there is a parting of ways. But the AMPLIFIED BIBLE gives shading to the meaning when it says: “Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?” Making an appointment would indicate commitment, perhaps to a cause that is larger and more important than either party, a cause in which both agreed.

Can today’s church, after the passage of so much time, be in one accord? Can we agree on a cause that is larger than any of our selfish interests? We hold the answer.

Dear Lord, I well understand what David meant when he said “restore unto me the JOY of thy salvation – and then sinners will be converted to thee. Lord please fill me with your joy! AMEN