Doubling Down: Acts 2:42-47 - Fourth Sunday of Easter

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 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, 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. (NRSV)

Food bank 1 by Bread for the World. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Any time I read Acts 2, I always think of the times when people have tried to create utopian communities, where everyone lives in harmony and no one is in need: everything from cults, hippie communes, to communist countries. But it always ends in disaster

You wonder why it never works out—and I have a few thoughts on that. For starters, you can’t force people to do the right thing. Inevitably, the human captivity to sin creeps its way into the community as the strong and vicious force their will on the weak, the meek, and vulnerable.

And yet, we mustn’t dismiss what God really accomplished in the Body of Christ at Pentecost. This is God’s will—and not just for the Church, but for all the world: everyone living together in right relationship, with goodwill and generosity ensuring that no one is in need. Now that we are in the middle of a pandemic, this is an ideal occasion to rethink this godly vision and ponder how we can live it out

We certainly have our work cut out for ourselves! For one thing, we’re not together! We’re a scattered church!. We can’t break bread together or gather in person for fellowship. We can’t open the clothing closet; we can’t have GriefShare; Vacation Bible School is being transitioned into a Vacation Bible Show; even Camp Lutherlyn is closed until July.

Never before have the ties that bind us been stretched this far toward their breaking point. Even though some restrictions will be lifted this week, there will still be more pain and more loss.

Covid-19 has brought devastation—but not the destruction—of our common life together. We are One Body born of One Baptism. Our common life is built upon the foundation of faith practices that have stood the test of time: teaching and fellowship; breaking of bread and prayers; generosity and goodwill; worshipping and praising the crucified and risen Savior. If you read further into the book of Acts, you will find that the more that the Body of Christ struggles, and the more it is attacked, the stronger God becomes—as God’s people answer death and evil with fervent love, persistent prayer, and passionate testimony.

If the mighty Roman Empire couldn’t take down Christ or his Church, then Covid-19 doesn’t stand a chance.

But that’s not permission for you to hunker down and sit idly by for life to go back to normal. There will be no going back to the life we knew before Covid-19.

We’re all in this pandemic together. Therefore, we must double down on the faith practices and disciplines that keep us rooted in the promises of God.

Today, we need the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance in finding new ways to be present with each other. We need the Spirit’s help in maintaining our common life in this uncommon experience. We need the Spirit’s help to persevere in the promise of resurrection.

There are signs that the Holy Spirit is working powerfully in our midst: the little free pantry overflowing with donations. You’re sending cards and letters which are uplifting weary spirits. You’ve lovingly assembled and delivered care packages. All around us there is a renewed concern for the neighbor’s need; a greater hunger for worship and fellowship.

Still, there are members of the Body of Christ who are feeling disembodied—because church family is the only family they have.

Still, there are members of this congregation who aren’t worshipping because they don’t have access to the technology.

Still, there are neighbors who’ve lost their livelihoods.

Still, there are neighbors who’ve lost loved ones and cannot grieve publicly for them.

Farmers are forced to destroy their crops and livestock while people go hungry.

Government safety nets are failing; relief programs aren’t bringing relief.

When then, shall we do?

The only time God’s promises are empty is when people don’t act on them! Hope isn’t a passive thing. It’s an active thing. Hope is action directed in love for the other.

Now is the time to renew your commitment to the practices and the disciplines that are the foundation of the Christian life. Now is the time to renew your commitment to the common life of all the people of God.

We can’t break bread together, but we can make sure everyone has bread to break!

Now is the time to finally break out of yourself and allow Christ to work through you to help restore a fellow child of God to life. If someone you know is struggling to pray or hold onto the faith, help them! Intercede for them! Believe for them.

And if you’re still not feeling restored and renewed, God’s grace may await you in that faith practice for you say, “that’ll never work,” “what’s the use?” or, “I’ve done that before and it didn’t work.”

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome this ordeal feeling closer to God and to each other. We can be strengthened in our mission to see the lives of God’s children transformed by Jesus’ love.

If you don’t see resurrection happening, this is your wakeup call! You don’t have to save the world—but be faithful in your corner of the world. There is amazing grace for our common life in these uncommon times.