Fourth Sunday of Easter: First Reading, Acts 2:42-47                        

Acts 2:42-47

Peter’s first sermon brings the Pentecost outpouring the focus on Jesus that must attend every genuine work of the Spirit. In fact, if the Spirit of the Lord is present, it is because in some way, some manner, He is bearing witness to the Savior. This day in the Scripture is no different. The church of God has taken in thousands. Then, the first statement following is a description for what followed. God’s people were not some rag-tag, fly-by-the-seat-of-thy-pants organization. No sir. It’s nearly a blueprint that follows that lets us know what brought that continual stream of life to the early followers of Jesus: true teaching and fellowship; the table of the Lord and the prayers passed to them from God’s long history with His people. God was in no way interested in pouring His presence into people only to let them go on their merry way.

And when the people claimed by Christ, the Crucified, went out with these four elements as their focus, the world took notice. Luke puts it on display this way: “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

You cannot miss it. The witness borne by the community of Christ was compelling in ways that perhaps we have lost sight of. Why? Because perhaps we are depending on other things. Things that don’t necessarily make for real witness. Acts 2:42-47 is a hallmark. Perhaps we need to revisit this passage more than we do. Perhaps.