Daily devotion – Monday 20th September 2021
The Great Commission is Jesus command to His Church and it’s still a standing order for His Church today. Mar 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
As we look back to the power and purpose of the early Church through the eyes of the Book of Acts we see four clear marks of a living Church relevant for today.
Acts 2: 46 – “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
1. The Church related to the Apostles. They devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teaching. They sat at the Apostles’ feet and submitted to their authority. A living Church is an apostolic Church, committed to believe and obey the teaching of the Apostles.
2. The Church related to each other. They devoted themselves to the fellowship. Today sadly many, attend a Church but never actually commit to serve or minster to the body of Christ where they are taught the Word of God. They are spiritual gypsies going from Church to Church. Their children attend youth at one Church, their parents attend a Bible study at another and a Sunday service at a different Church. A living Church is a caring Church. They loved each other. This takes real fellowship and a servant’s heart.
3. The Church related to God. They worshipped God in the breaking of bread and the prayers, formally and informally, with joy and reverence. A living Church is a worshipping Church.
4. The Church witnessed to the world. They reached out to the lost in witness and mission. A living Church is an evangelizing Church.
Let’s summarise what are the marks again of a living Church:
The Bible is taught
There is a loving, caring fellowship
There is sincere and humble worship
There is a compassion to reach out to those in the world who are lost
You and I do not have to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. He did come on the Day of Pentecost, and He has never left the Church. But we need to humble ourselves before Him and seek His fullness, His direction, and His power.
Then our Churches will have the marks of being alive in Christ just as Dr Luke described the early Church.