Acts 2:42-47; the Fourfold Gospel

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved."

Introduction

This passage first entered into my consciousness when I was an eager college student. I think the idyllic picture of early Christian life, at least as Luke described it, appealed to me. There is a certain orderliness and disicpline within the obviously experimental nature of the earliest Christian community. Life was about worship, praise, learning, fellowship and God's blessing of the life of the community. I suppose the fact that I first focused on this passage in the early 1970s, with the explosion of communal movements--Christian community movements included--added to its intrigue.

But now it is 38 years later, and the spirit of those times has quite disappeared. Yet, the Scripture remains, and it challenges us to try to learn from the earliest Christian community and apply its lessons to our lives today. In that connection, I think that the fourfold focus in v. 42 helps us today. In this essay I will argue that those four things: (1) apostolic teaching; (2) fellowship; (3) breaking of bread; and (4) prayers, should characterize the living church in our, or any, age.

I. The Apostolic Teaching

It is interesting that the fourfold list begins with the emphasis on learning. Education in faith is not considered very important in most of our churches today; indeed, it is difficult to get people out to "education hour." One pastor I knew years ago suggested that if he could get 10% of worship attendance in adult education, he would be happy. Of course, the passage isn't talking about "adult ed" as we know it today; the focus is on the apostolic teaching. Learning the basics of faith can happen in a number of contexts outside of Sunday morning, but the living church has people who not only study the faith but do so with regularity and eagerness. Scripture study and mastery; learning of the tradition of the church; studying the development of Christian beliefs; trying to understand how faith speaks in our complex world--all of these would be the contemporary equivalent of the "apostolic teaching." In order to have good "apostolic teaching" in church you need to devote resources to the task as well as have good teachers. Indeed, you probably have to "pay" for some of the teachers. Expenses should not be spared in this task. Take your time to find good curricula; to plan how best to teach material; to train teachers; to create attractive settings where education can take place; to expect a lot from your congregation on this score. And, don't be surprised if it takes some time to get this done; the Scriptures use the verb which is best translated "devote oneself to." We need to model this learning through our own devotion. Others will follow. You will be glad you did this.

II. Fellowship

The second category of activity is "fellowship." "Fellowship" translates the familiar Greek term "koinonia," which stresses the "commonness" of faith. Fellowship draws on different skills than teaching or learning of apostolic teaching. It rewards those people who are eager to learn about, support and understand what goes on in each other's lives. Fellowship is based on principles of hospitality, and hospitality is rooted in an ability to know how to welcome people to a place or situation. Welcoming derives from a theology that believes in the value of each person and in the reality that a united group of people exceeds in power the efforts of that same number of people working independently of each other. Those who understand fellowship know that the lifeblood of the church is in efforts to create occasions for sharing, understanding, and human sympathy. Those committed to fellowship know that it is in the collective that some special gifts to the community of faith emerge--gifts that may never emerge unless fellowship is also made central to the community's life. That the earliest community devoted itself eagerly to fellowship shows that it knew that the essence of Christ's continuing life with the community was found and experienced when people were gathered for fellowship.

III. Breaking of Bread

If "fellowship" communicates the idea of the community together to care for each other, "breaking of bread" emphasizes the community together for worship. I am glad, in fact, that the earliest Christian services were known as "breaking of bread" services, for it stresses the basic reality of faith--that the community celebrates the presence of the living Lord when it meets in worship. Pastors and worship leaders certainly have to be skillful at knowing how to set a tone so that worship can take place. Some of this "tone" in our day has to do with welcoming people, establishing a community "sense," and humor, but the bottom line of worship is its celebration of the risen Christ in the "breaking of bread." Worship takes the focus off of ourselves and places it where it ought to be--on God. One of the people today who is most active and able in setting a good "tone" for contemporary worship--both in theology and music--is my brother, Chris Long, whose article on moving from a "noun" to a "verb" in worship is here. Make worship central, and you won't go wrong.

IV. The Prayers

The text doesn't really tell us what is meant by "the prayers." Are we to think of these as "set prayers" or "free form" prayers? Is worship or private devotion primarily in view? We dont' need to answer this question to realize that prayer, an opening of the self to God and to each other, is crucial to Christian faith. The fact that it comes at the end of the list might be suggestive--that only after we study, fellowship, and worship are we truly ready to enter into the holy of holies of faith through prayer. A person who prays knows his/her vulnerabiiity as well as the sources of power that deal with that vulnerability. To pray with a person is to get to know them.

Those who follow the fourfold Gospel will build a strong church in our day--a church is vital for people's lives.

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