And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42
This verse contains the most complete, yet succinct description of what a New Testament church is about. The verse can be divided into six descriptions of what kind of place the Church is to be. Let’s consider the fourth of six.
4. The Church is a place of fellowship. There is a saying: “Next to the Lord Himself, we need each other most.” I believe that is true, not merely because we are socially inclined, but because that is how God created us. When God said, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18), He was, of course, speaking primarily of marriage between one man and one woman. But it is no less true that human beings are created to be interdependently together—even as the three members of the Godhead are to One God, while being three distinct Persons.(1) Remember how Jesus prayed that believers would be unified as “one” even as He and the Father are one? (John 17:20-21). This takes nothing away from personal responsibility, but it underscores how we are all our brothers’ keepers as well (Genesis 4:9-ff).
When the Church was born at Pentecost, and as 3,000 believers were added to the church (Acts 2:41), we read in the very next verse that they “continued steadfastly in fellowship” (Acts 2:42).
We’ll write more about what that fellowship looked like when we consider Acts 2:44-47. But for now just think of the words of those verses:
Acts 2:44-47 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 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 doctrine of the Trinity, simply stated, is that God is one in essence/being; while three in Person. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal. They are distinct, but never separated.
Next time: The Church is a place of the sacraments…