Vazquez Counseling

Today, I was drawn by our Precious Holy Spirit to Acts 2:46-47:

“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, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (New King James Version)

There is so much to unpack in these two verses. First, I want to point out that the early Christians continued daily with one accord in the temple. Well, the Jewish temple was the only Church they knew, and isn’t it amazing that they continued “daily” in it and with one accord, agreeing with each other and without division. Wouldn’t it be great if we could recapture this unity? I say it’s enopossible, but only with God’s leadership. The first Christians could not get enough of God’s Word and of being in fellowship with one another, so much so that they practiced their faith everyday. If this seems daunting to you, then I would submit to you that you may not be walking as closely with God as you should. This is not a judgment on my part, as I know that I’m not as perfect in my faith practices as I should be, either. But I know that I always strive to improve in my fellowship with not only God, but also with my fellow Christians. For me, our LORD is always at the forefront of my mind. He is the first One on my mind when I wake up, and He is the last One on my mind when I go to bed. This is not drudgery, Friends. Remember how closely Adam and Eve communed with God in the Garden of Eden before they fell. And that is exactly what keeps us from God, our sin. Again, I’m not judging you, for I am a sinner, as well. Once God saves you,though, He removes the veil of sin from us, and we can see clearly, and yes, we can commune closely with Him, just like Adam and Eve did before they sinned. That is the promise of Salvation in our LORD Jesus. Here, I am going to pause and give you the opportunity to go back and read my previous post “Our LORD, our Shepherd” so that you can have another chance to say yes to God, as I walk you through the sinner’s prayer in that blog, that you would know the Truth, which will set you free. Go ahead, go to that previous post. I’ll wait…

Ok, so we’re back here talking about the Ancient Church and how they practiced their new faith in Christ.

The second thing I notice in these two verses of Scripture is that the early Christians broke bread from house to house. Back then, there were no church buildings. I would submit to you that they’re not needed today, either. I heard of a church that was meeting on a beach here in Southern California, and the city did not want to allow them to do so anymore. Well, they fought for their right to meet there, and they won their court case! And they won it easily. These Christians had no building because they understood that the Church is the people, not a building. So, that’s why the early Church met in various homes. Today, there are many Bible Study Groups and home Churches who meet in homes all across the world. I believe these home Churches are most like the Ancient Church was in the 1st century. One final word on what the early Christians were doing when they went from house to house. They were “breaking bread,”according to the Word. This is most definitely a reference to Holy Communion. I want to point out something that should be obvious, but that most people probably miss. At that point in Church history, there were no trained priests to administer Holy Communion to God’s people. So, these 1st century Christians had the leaders of their home Churches lead them in Holy Communion, and obviously, none of them were trained in some complex liturgical practice. These were ordinary people leading others in an extraordinary practice that was helping them remain in Communion with our Blessed LORD Jesus and with His people.

Then the verses above talk about the first Christians “eating their food with simplicity of heart.” This means that when they gathered, they had a meal, to enjoy fellowship with one another. Eating with someone is a very intimate act. When Jesus was about to be crucified, he had a meal, the Last Supper, with His disciples. Before Jesus faced the Cross, he sat across from his Friends at the dinner table, and at that meal, he instituted the greatest reminder for us of what he was about to do, Holy Communion, practiced to this day, over 2000 years from when Jesus initiated it. Christians ate together often in the 1st century, and I’m sure their meals were fabulous.

The verses then talk about the first Christians praising God and having favor with all the people. When the people of God praise God, and not only praise Him, but live out their worship daily in their walk with Him, people will notice. I’ve met many people who are from different walks of life. I never judge anyone because the LORD says in his Word that whatever measure I use to judge someone, He will use that same measure to judge me. But, I have had some people, not a lot, but some, who come at me with animosity, simply for claiming that God exists. Even though I don’t judge these people when they come at me with such hostility, in my discernment, I wonder about their spiritual state. I’ve always wondered about atheists who get angry at us for teaching about a God who doesn’t exist in their view. Most people who are lost should be drawn to faithful Christians, for we proclaim the Gospel, which brings people joy and peace. If you’re reading the Word of God, and you feel a hatred for God, then you need to do some serious soul-searching. The Word of God should attract the non-believer, just like Jesus did, and just like the Christians should. And that is why the early Christians had favor with all the people. They were attractive by virtue of who they were as children of the living God.

Finally, the verses above speak about the LORD adding daily to the Church those who were being saved. Why was that? Christians in the 1st century, by their preaching and teaching of the Gospel, and also by their loving behavior, were drawing people to join with them. When people truly consider the Gospel of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, it draws them to Him, and He regenerates their hearts through the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, who helps us understand the Word of God.

And there you have it, two verses of the book of Acts, a few words but words that hold such rich meaning for us over 2000 years later. In 2014, the LORD spoke to my heart that, as a Church, we needed to get back to the ancient practices of the 1st century Church. My Wife and I had been a part of a Bible Study that the LORD led us to in 2005. We briefly disbanded around 2012, and then my Wife and I reconvened them in 2014. I fondly call our Bible Study Group the “Family Project Bible Study” because we first studied Focus on the Family’s Family Project video series when we resumed meeting. After that, we studied the Gospel of John, followed by the Book or Romans, which I will also do when the LORD allows me to preach and teach His Word. This Group is like Family to us. We share our joys, our sorrows, and we pray fervently with and for each other through these things. My Wife and I have now led this Group for 12 years. Our LORD has blessed all of us abundantly. As we grow closer to the LORD and to each other, we know that this Life Group was brought together by God, just like He launched His Church over 2000 years ago. We are humbled to be a part of a worldwide movement that our LORD Jesus and His Apostles started, a Church that not even death can slow down or stop. Amen.