Stained glass artwork is beautiful. There are so many different pieces that come together and create such a beautiful piece of art. Some are so intricate that it takes years to build, not to mention to create the whole piece in its entirety takes a ton of thought and inspiration.
So tonight I thought I was done blogging, but I got to thinking and the verse Acts 2:42 popped into my head, which is:
"They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (NIV)
The first thing I thought was "It's so simple!" Why I thought that? Well I don't know. I think it's because they did 4 things and that's just it, church was simple. And then, I wondered why they did those 4 things, and who 'they' where? So I did the logical thing, ran to my laptop, typed in 'they devoted' into Google and followed the search engine to biblegateway.com where I found Acts 2. I read through the entire chapter and cried. Amazed by the circumstance, I sat back and decided to get on here and throw all that was on my mind into a blog.
Confession, this is not the first time I have read through chapter 2 Acts, and that's why I was amazed by how hard it hit me tonight. You see, this past month or more (I guess I could just say a for a pretty long time) I have been dwelling on the idea of 'church'. The background of how it all got started wasn't anything new to me, but the present state of the church always confused me. Let's look at the facts of the present church:
- most Christians go to church (some non-Christians do as well)
- it's usually on a Sunday (some have services on Saturday, and the popular Weds)
- There's a pastor who's usually the go to guy (the guy in charge)
- Services tend to have the same order; worship, greeting, offering, message, end worship/leaving music
- there's usually music involved
- sometimes there are small groups or different meetings you can attend to be 'apart of the church' throughout the week
The biggest fact that I personally have an issue with is: There are 33000+ different denominations of the Christian Church (as noted by the Christian Encyclopedia). That's 33000+ arguments that Christians have among themselves. Now, if I were a non-believer that fact alone would turn me away. There are enough things in everyday life that I don't agree with why add 33000+ more to my plate? In our society/world today people throw the idea of 'acceptance' around as if by accepting things we are somehow showing love. So if I'm a non-believer to the idea of Christianity, by that fact alone makes me think that Christians do not love. I mean common!... with that amount of division and arguments something has got to be wrong! Truthfully if the world even considers that type of division wrong, that says something.
So back to the passage in Acts 2. The part that made me cry was in verse 44:
"All the believers were together and had everything in common." (NIV)
That is so powerful. Really. If you go back up to verse 41 you see that there were roughly 3,000 or so people. 3,000 people who were united and had everything in common. Where did we go wrong? Why is it that we are so divided now? That same verse states that those 3,000 people came about in 1 day! AND it didn't stop there, verse 46 states:
"And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."(NIV)
He 'added to' which means that they didn't break off and do there own thing after hearing about Christ, but they continued to grow and fellowship with the 3,000.
"And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."(NIV)
He 'added to' which means that they didn't break off and do there own thing after hearing about Christ, but they continued to grow and fellowship with the 3,000.
Verse 40:
"Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging his listeners, "Save yourselves from this crooked Generation!" " (NLT)
This verse made me think. What if we've spiraled backward? There's a crooked generation all around us. People claiming they know the truth, that they have what is right. Forgive me if I'm wrong but 33,000 or more arguments in Christianity doesn't sound at all like what God intended His followers to be like. Togetherness, having everything in common, doing life with each other everyday, that's what the church used to look like. So my question is this: IF we are the church, WHEN will we start acting/looking like the real deal? and Have we really come this far to where we've placed our personal opinions above God's desire for HIS creation?
It's your turn to read through Acts 2. Are you seeing what God sees? I think He wants to see a beautiful piece of stained glass, not the broken pieces we've created.
Acts 2 (NIV)
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God‑fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!
16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ” ‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.23 This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
25 David said about him:
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
my body also will live in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.” ’
a footstool for your feet.” ’
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.46 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,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
