You’ve probably heard this story before. It’s been around for a long time. This story deals with a rather old fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of weeks vacation in Florida.
She also was quite delicate and elegant with her language.
She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for reservations. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but didn’t know quite how to ask about the “toilet” facilities. She just couldn’t bring herself to write the word “toilet” in her letter.
After much deliberation, she finally came up with the old fashioned term “Bathroom Commode,” but when she wrote that down, she still thought she was being too forward. So she started all over again; rewrote the entire letter and referred to the Bathroom Commode” simply as the “B.C.”. Does the campground have its own “B.C.?” is what she actually wrote.
Well, the campground owner wasn’t old fashioned at all, and when he got the letter, he couldn’t figure out what the lady was talking about. That “B.C.” really stumped him.
After worrying about it for several days, he showed the letter to other campers, but they couldn’t figure out what the lady meant either. The campground owner finally came to the conclusion that the lady was and must be asking about the location of the local Baptist Church.
So he sat down and wrote the following reply:
“Dear Madam: I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take pleasure of informing you that the “B.C.” is located nine miles north of the camp site and is capable of seating 250 people at one time.
I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along, and make a day of it..... They usually arrive early and stay late. The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there. It may interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats.....They plan to hold the supper in the middle of the B.C., so everyone can watch and talk about this great event.....
I would like to say it pains me very much, not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely not for lack of desire on my part....As we grow older, it seems to be more and more of an effort, particularly in cold weather..... If you decide to come down to the campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go...sit with you...and introduce you to all the other folks..... This is really a very friendly community.....
Now that leaves us with some image of the church, doesn’t it?
Here in the second chapter of Acts Luke gives us quite a picture of the very first Christian Church that ever was. His words, the way he describes the actions of these new Christians paint quite an exciting picture for us.
How did this first church come to be? Lets back up just a little and set the stage for our Bible story.
This church began 10 days following Jesus’ ascension into heaven. The disciples had gathered together to celebrate and worship on a great Jewish holiday, Pentecost. On that day, an amazing thing happened.
The Holy Spirit descended upon them and they began to tell this great crowd of people gathered for the religious holiday about Jesus. Each and every person was told and understood in their own language. It was an amazing thing...
Peter gave the first sermon we know of and have recorded. 3000 people were saved, and from there we come to this description of what life was like in the new church.
Luke tells us the following things about this fellowship of believers. They were:
• devoted themselves to:
• apostle’s teaching
• breaking bread together
• prayer
• they were filled with awe and the wonder of God as they experienced the miraculous signs and wonders performed by the apostles.
• they were together - banded and joined together - having everything in common and sharing all that they had
• they sold their possessions and gave to the poor
• Everyday they continued to meet together, gathering in the temple courts.
• they met in each other’s homes, eating together and praising God together
• and daily, the Lord added to their number, professing members of the faith.
Boy, this first century church sounds a lot like Grace Church in many ways. Did you pick up on some similarities?
The church we read about was a new church and Grace Church is a new church. Did you know that we will celebrate our 9th birthday next month on the 29th?
The first century church was devoted to the teachings of the apostles who told the people about Jesus, and the people of Grace Church are devoted to reading the Bible, to learning the meaning of God’s word for our personal lives in Sunday school, small groups, and Disciple Bible Study.
That first church broke bread together and prayed together, and we gather here every Monday night to break bread together when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and kneel in prayer.
Luke tells us the first century Christians had everything in common. I suppose they got along well together with very little disagreement. The people of Grace Church have everything in common in that there is no friendlier place I know of...no church more welcoming than Grace. This past week, through the death of one of our members, I have witnessed the ripping out of a part of the heart of this church. And I have everyone pull together, filling in to help members of our family who are hurting.
Those first Christians so long ago also sold all their possessions and gave the money to help the poor. I don’t know about selling all our possessions, but Grace Church is very generous and mission oriented. Our country has entered a recession. We were well on our way in a down turned economy and September 11 just hastened economic events. Yet this last quarter, the offering at Grace has gone up.
Every time a need has been shared with this congregation, giving has exceeded the need. Christmas presents for foster children, Easter baskets for sick children in the hospital...disaster kits...funds for a mission trip for our youth, funds for the recently unemployed in our church - the list could go on and on. Time and time again, the people of Grace have stepped up and supported and helped those less fortunate.
The new Christians met in peoples homes and ate meals together, praising God. I am reminded of the many potluck dinners and catered meals we have had together here at Grace, and I also thing about the dinner groups from our church who meet together once a month for a meal and for fellowship.
And the Lord has certainly added to the numbers of Grace Church, as the Lord added to the numbers of the first century church. Did you know that within the first 39 weeks of this year we have added 37 new members? Almost one person a week has come to be a part of this fellowship, and hardly a week goes by that there aren’t new pictures of new families who have joined with Grace in the newsletter.
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But as I read about this first century congregation, and thought about our “7 Holy Habits of Highly Effective Christians,” and in particular this week’s focus on worship attendance...
This particular statement describing this early church jumped out at me:
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”
Luke Acts 2:46
This group, this “new church,” knew how important it is to come together on a regular basis, to worship God, hear the Scriptures read, sing hymns, and pray together.
In fact, they recognized it as so important that they did it every day!
Why?
What inspired them to do that?
Listen again as I read our Bible story again
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Do you know what I see in that description of that church? I see a group of people coming together who are exciting and exhilarating to be a part of. When I hear them described in this way, when I experience such a group of people, it makes me feel I want to be a part of that group and I have experienced that sort of thing here.
Let me tell you a little bit of what I see happening here at Grace.
If you’ve attended the Pastor’s Coffee and Grace Basics, you’ve heard me tell this before, so bear with me.
Growing up as a child, my family was not one that was regularly in church every Sunday. We would go, but would often go with a couple of months or so between church attendance.
The result was when we would return to church, I always felt like I was starting over. Now new beginnings are good, but this kind of beginning wasn’t. I always felt like the new kid in town, like a stranger, visiting, imposing, never belonging.
But as an adult, with my family, we have discovered the sense of family that comes with being a part of the church. In some ways and some cases, we have found ourselves closer and more intimate with those we see here, gather together with here, embrace here, than those we are related to by blood relations so far away.
Perhaps it is because our society has become so much more mobile and spread out, that our connections and intimacies have grown this way, but I believe perhaps that God has been trying to get across to us that the only blood relationship that really matters, is the relationship we have through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Last year, during our focus on Salvation, the topic Brand spoke about last week, I invited you to consider your heart as a home for Jesus. My invitation was for you to invited Jesus in - onto the porch perhaps, if it was a first time decision - or into a different room, a new room you have never invited Jesus into before, if you had already made that initial decision.
Well Max Lucado tells a story about a home for your heart. Listen as he takes us through the living room of this home - not a house - a home:
“Jesus escorts us into the Great House of God. Every room reveals his heart, every stop will soothe your soul. Walk behind him as leads us into God’s living room
Sit in the char that was made for you and warm your hands by the fire which never fades. Take time to look at the framed photos and find yours. Be sure to pick up the scrapbook and find the story of your life. But please, before any of that, stand at the mantle and study the painting which hangs above it.
Your Father treasures the portrait. He has hung it where all can see.
Captured in the portrait is a tender scene of a father and a son. Behind them is a great house on a hill. Beneath their feet is a narrow path. Down from the house the father has run. Up the trail the son has trudged. The two have met, here, at the gate.
We can’t see the face of the son; it’s buried in the chest of his father. No, we can’t see his face, but we can see his tattered robe and stringy hair. We can see the mud on the back of his legs, the filth on his shoulders and the empty purse on the ground. The prodigal offers no gift or explanation. All he offers is the smell of pigs and a rehearsed apology: “Father I have sinned against God and done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21).
Though the boy is willing to stop being a son, the father is not willing to stop being the father.
We can’t see the boy’s face in the painting, but we can’t miss the father’s. Look at the tears glistening on the leathered cheeks, the smile shining through the sliver beard. One arm holds the boy up so he won’t fall, the other holds the boy close so he won’t doubt.
The child may have been out of the father’s house, but he was never out of his father’s heart. He may have left the table, but he never left the family. Don’t miss the message here.
Perhaps you have recognized a story Jesus told. It’s another story Luke recorded when he wrote of Jesus life. It’s one Luke couldn’t forget, and neither can we.
Coming home...to family...this family...coming home to my father, my Eternal Father’s house.
This is what I’ve experience here at Grace Church.
If you feel that excitement and exhilaration as we read about this new church in the book of Acts, don’t miss out.
If you feel a sense of longing, an identification with the poor prodigal son sobbing in his father’s arms, don’t stay away.
If you need a home for your heart, don’t let it go homeless. We have a place for you here at Grace Church.
If Grace Church is your home, then don’t stay away for so long.
Your family loves you and misses you.
Your father, your Eternal Father, wants you to come home.
Won’t you join me in growing one step in your faithful attendance this year?
Won’t you join me, and come home to your family?
In the name of Jesus, Amen.
