Day 24: The church mobilizes to care for needs
We live in the “go to church” culture. Church is a place we go and yet in Acts it was a people on the go! The first thing we see is that church is a people not a place! In reading through the book of Acts you can trace the use of the word church (ekklesia) and you will find it refers not to buildings but to people. The term actually means a “gathering of people”. In the Bible it refers to the people of God who have made Jesus the Big Deal in their life and in whom the Holy Spirit lives. This church that Jesus is building is one of living stones. We are all dead rocks till we come to Jesus and by connecting our lives to the Living Stone we become living stones in this building He is building, His church. We are also a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people declaring the praises of Him who rescued us out of darkness and brought us into the light! We also see that church is people who are equipped not simply a place to be entertained. Much of the way we judge church today is based on its entertainment value, yet if all we do is entertain and never equip we will be in big trouble! Paul clarifies that the apostles then and pastors and teachers now are to equip God’s people for works of service (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Read Acts 6 and 1 Peter 2:4-12
Q: What does this chapter in Acts tell us about challenges in and on the church?
Q: Why did the apostles find it important to mobilize other people to meet the needs of the widows and how did it impact the impact of the church? How is this instructive for us today?
Q: In Acts 6:3 it says the disciples turned over this responsibility. Are there responsibilities of ministry that you could begin training and turning over to others so that they can share the joy of serving with you?
Q: What happened as a result of others being involved in the ministry? (v.7). Do you believe the same thing would happen today if more people became mobilized for ministry? Why or why not?
Q: Why is it significant to think of ourselves as part of the priesthood? What was the role of priests? How can we often miss this truth today?
Q: Do you see yourself as a stranger/alien to earth? What is different for those that call Heaven their home?