And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. – Acts 2:47b

Scripture reading: Acts 2:42-47 

For the church’s mission, the preaching of the Word is central, even as we are called to be witnesses in all of life. Another central component of our mission is our life together, our community life as the church.

Acts 2:42-47 describes the church’s life together and concludes by saying that their life resulted in having favour with all the people and in people being saved each day. Let’s look in more detail at the aspects of that life:

• Word and sacrament: “the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers”
• Real life fellowship and community: “And all who believed were together and had all things in common”
• Caring for each other in time of need: “And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
• Fellowship by way of hospitality: “breaking bread in their homes”

We are not called to be witnesses as isolated, individual Christians first of all, but together as the church. That means that, when the church is blessed with a rich life of fellowship, we must think of it as not simply being for our own sake, but as being for the sake of those around us.

Suggestions for prayer

That God would bless us with a rich life of fellowship together, and that He would make us eager and ready to welcome others into that fellowship.

This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Nick Smith is pastor of the United Reformed Church of Nampa, Idaho.