A classmate in fifth grade came to school in a suit and loafers, and went to the potato harvest with mice in his jacket pockets. Something good, but used for the wrong purpose, looks strange. This story opens a sermon about what God gave us the church for, and leads to the description of the first community (Acts 2). The first Christians devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer, and left the growth to God. Listen if you want to check whether church is, for you, only a place you come to on Sunday.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- What four things did the first Christians do according to Acts 2:42-47, and what does that mean for their daily life?
- Why does the speaker point out the word "devoted"? What might it mean to stay committed to a community when it turns out there are no angels in it?
- Do you ever treat church like a gas station, a counseling office, a theater or a store? Which of these pictures is closest to you?
- Who in your life knows you well enough to tell you the truth in love? How do you react when someone corrects you?
- What can you do this week to get to know better the person who sits next to you during the service?
- How can the people around you see Jesus in your home, at work or in your neighborhood?
