STAY CLOSE!

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

STAY CLOSE!

   

Acts 2:41-42

41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

           The recent demands of social distancing necessitated by, we are told, a global pandemic has scattered and isolated the church. We have grown accustomed to staying away from church because we wanted to be good citizens. This social distancing has been discarded by all but the most faithful believers in the pandemic and especially those whose agendas are aided by it.

           Ministers are forever encouraging regular, steady, and even fierce attachment to the church. On the surface it would appear that the motivation is the pastor’s own ego. If the pews are full then he can boast of his eloquence and leadership. If the offering plate is full then he will enjoy more economic ease. The reality is that drifters, whatever their reason for drifting, withdraw from four essential elements of Christian life.

           Doctrine is the first essential mentioned in verse 42. The word used is didache and simply means instruction. Simply put, drifters are more ignorant of the Bible and spiritual things than those who stay closely attached to the church. Just as truancy makes for a dunce in school, so absence makes for an ignorant churchman.

           Fellowship is translated from the Greek word koinonia which basically means participation and communication. The idea is community! Just as a child picks up traits more or less simply by dwelling in the presence of his or her parents, so the Christian develops tenderheartedness, compassion, humility, forgiveness, joy, and hope through fellowship with God and God’s people. Drifters become less and less like Christ. Gradually they slip back into their old habits and unsaved lifestyle.

            The “breaking of bread” mentioned in verse 42 probably needs some explanation. “The Syriac renders this "the eucharist" or the Lord's Supper. It cannot, however, be determined whether this refers to their partaking of their ordinary food together, or to feasts of charity, or to the Lord's Supper. The bread of the Hebrews was made commonly into cakes, thin, hard, and brittle, so that it was broken instead of being cut. Hence, to denote "intimacy or friendship," the phrase "to break bread together" would be very expressive!” (from Barnes' Notes.) The drifter abandons the opportunity to partake of the body and the blood in communion as well as the bonding which takes place in the communion meals. The result is a casual and careless attachment to the church and its people.

            Prayers! Certainly, we have a clear understanding of what this means, don’t we? Our prayer requests presented at prayer meeting usually consist of requests for healing of the sick, and that is not wrong. However, there are many more things for which the church should be praying. Adam Clarke says that the early church prayed for “an increase of grace and life in their own souls; for establishment in the truth which they had received; and for the extension of the kingdom of Christ in the salvation of men.” (from Adam Clarke's Commentary.) They prayed for revival and that’s why it came.

Dear Father, anchor us to the church so that we may increase in understanding, enjoy fellowship, remember you in communion, and bond together in prayers. Help me not to drift. AMEN