Old Guard and Newbies – Acts 2:42-47

A text – Acts 2:42-47   

⁴² 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 through 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.

A reflection:

The person who wrote the Gospel of Luke wrote a sequel to it, called Acts of the Apostles, and began it with the story of Pentecost. Close following Pentecost, when Peter’s preaching and the Holy Spirit’s work created 3,000 new believers, the writer tells us more new people turned up each day. They did not all live together, of course, as many had come from out of town. But even the local ones, joining in community with one another, would have created quite a stir…and plenty of need for patience, space, and food, to name but a few things. “And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Think of it – new people added day by day.

When I was a consultant and teacher at Church Innovations Institute, we worked with churches that impatiently wrestled with the needs of long-time members and the needs of newcomers. Sociologists call this simultaneous presence of old guard and new folks the polarity of joining and belonging. Local churches are almost always dealing with trying to meet the needs of new joiners and old belongers alike. How did the first century church do that? Can’t you imagine the noses of those who had known Jesus while he was with them on earth being slightly out of joint to have to accommodate these hoards of new people? Is it even possible to imagine both old guard and newbies fitting together in a community of faithful people (while at the same time being persecuted by the Jewish authorities and a Roman occupying force that did not like anything unusual breaking out in the streets)? The situation boggles the mind more than these short verses show.

One of the answers was probably spending a lot of time together in the temple learning together. Another would have been eating together. And it’s true that thriving local churches do much the same thing. They encourage worship attendance and learning opportunities that bring both long-time members and newcomers together. And they provide eating time as often as possible, where people can sit and get to know each other over a donut and coffee or a pot luck supper. Maybe learning to live together, even with the polarity of new and old, is simpler than we think. Maybe the Holy Spirit binds us together, almost in spite of ourselves, when we learn and eat together.

So if you are feeling left out or disconnected, look for a chance to meet for a snack or take a short class. The Holy Spirit may work best through the chemistry of food and new ideas, using the action of learning and eating to form us into community. And if that’s what heaven will be like, practicing these things on earth may be quite worthwhile.

A prayer:

Lord God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for bringing the early church together through worship, learning, and food. Help us to remember that you still bring us together, in old and cherished relationships as well as new and vibrant ones, and that these are gifts from you for abundant life. Amen.