Last week I started a short five-week series based on our missional values: releasing, equipping, affecting, connecting, and honoring (follow the links for Polish versions, then click “Polski” in the upper-right or on the menu on mobile devices) which creates the acronym REACH. We started with “Honoring” as the foundation of those values and now we move onto “Connecting”. How are red poppies and a stormtrooper connected? – keep reading.
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
Acts 2:42-47 NLT
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Because of the overflow of grace given to everyone (forever) at the cross, and the deep connection made through the shared experience of being filled with God’s Holy Spirit, a deep sense of community is formed between disciples. A community that serves each other and beyond, a community that connected people to God in worship and service as an outflow of thankfulness as we see in the passage above.
At the center of who we are is the fact that Jesus has always been the same, and always will be (Hebrews 13:8). His life is the cornerstone and fulfillment of all the scripture and Jesus is the head of the Church. Jesus showed us this by showing us servant-leadership by honoring God and all others. Above all else, we (as a community/movement) strive for people to know, understand, and live a life that is fully accepted not because of anything they did, do, or will do, but simply because of Jesus’ sacrifice which allows all people to be right with God. In this freedom, we express the ultimate connection made because of the obedience, and single act alone, done forever by Jesus on the cross.
How do we connect people to God & others?
- By being real, authentic, transparent, vulnerable servant-leaders.
- Living in grace, this is how we hope to guide and direct people into a relationship with God that is their own. We are not Jesus, we are not perfect, and we will fail, but God does not.
- We have compassion for the faults of this world, the depravity of humanity, we ourselves struggle with all the same issues of the world.
- Our stories alone are a testimony to God’s grace and how we became connected to the Kingdom.
- Connecting together with times of spirit-lead worship through music, teachings, sharing our stories, and serving others.
- Ultimately we pray for what Paul asked of the Romans in Romans 1:12 “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”
For your journey…
- Reflecting on Acts 2:42-47, how do the believers connect?
- How can you implement last week’s idea of “honoring” as the foundation for “connecting”?
- Pray for the LORD to show you his grace to supernaturally connect with people, existing relationships, and new ones, to go deeper in His ways, and invite into community based on Jesus.
- What do red poppies represent, what does a stormtrooper represent? Is there another connection in the photo?