Everywhere I go, I hear about how communities are changing. Even families, it seems are changing. Most families have so much going on, that it is rare to see all the members together at anyone time. Where once, families would gather around the dinner table; sports, school, clubs and other activities now fill that time. And yet studies show that the one factor that is key in keeping kids out of trouble is the family dinner table. Study after study show the same results. When families sit down to eat a meal together, kids and parents connect and share themselves. The family dinner table is the place where parents can catch up on what their kids are thinking. They get to share family values and mostly they show their children that they care. So, why is it that so many families have broken down and apart? Why is it that many families choose to spend their time in pursuing activities that do not bring about this vital connection that we all need?

The same could be asked about our churches as well. We can surmise from the studies just how imperative it is for the church family to spend time together. Our society is overflowing with people who lack a sense of connection. Too many of us, experience a life where no one really knows what is going on with us. We run from one superficial interaction to another. We know many people and may even be in many groups and yet it is rare to find folks who are intimately connected to one another. The sexual revolution has even taken away the intimate connection that was intended to exist between two people in love. Instead of experiencing this sacred union, our society promotes sex as a recreational activity that is engaged in indiscriminately. And yet folks are crying out for intimacy. People long for meaningful connections in their lives and in their spiritual relationships. Studies of the unchurched relate that millions of folks are longing for meaning and connection in their lives. They have not found this in their families and they do not think that they will find it in their churches either. We have seen a rise in children running to gangs because at least in this setting they feel a sense of belonging. Others loose themselves in drugs, food, alcohol and other mind erasing activities.
And yet the answer is right in front of us. Two thousand years ago, a new church was begun and this church, led by our Lord Jesus Christ, showed us the anecdote to disconnection and isolation and depression. And we know that it worked because thousands were led to join. Can you imagine thousands joining us here today?
The church that we read about in Acts this morning shares with us four activities that brought them together. I believe that if we were to immerse ourselves in these activates, we too would be bringing in many of our unchurched community members. The scripture tells us, “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and to prayers. The scripture goes on to tell that the community had all in common. This community helped each other in times of need and they spent their lives together as they gathered for meals and worship. This was the beginning of pot luck suppers and coffee hours!

The scripture is clear that folks were attracted to this new church because they felt a sense of connection. Let’s face it, life is hard. It is very difficult to make it by ourselves. We need each other to share this journey and folks are still hungry for that today. We all need a place where we feel that sense of belonging. We need a place where folks notice when we are doing well or when we are not. We need people in our lives who will be there in good times and in bad; people who will spend less time judging and more time accepting and supporting.
How would our lives look if we were fulfilling the example of the Acts church? We know that the church members gathered for prayer, study, common meals and fellowship. Since they had all things in common, it seems as if they spent most of their time together. I imagine that this was true of small communities in the fifties. I believe that our society at that time, encouraged communities to be together for worship. And those same folks that you sat with in church were the folks that you saw at school and work and around town. Your Sunday School teacher was as much a part of your life during the week as he or she was on Sunday morning. Times have changed.

And yet, society today is not so different from the society that existed when the church first began. The Romans were equal opportunity worshippers. There were gods for everything and religious diversity was readily accepted. The society was fairly diverse, culturally, and commerce was a big draw for folks. Not so different from today. And yet the church members knew that if they were to survive, they needed to huddle together. They knew that they had to break free of some of the prevailing mores and live a life that focused on Christ and his teachings. They gathered together because they knew that they would need to support each other if they were going to make it. We are not so different today.

The church that scripture tells us drew in thousands, was modeled after Jesus’ life and ministry. We know that Jesus and his disciples basically lived together. They spent their days doing ministry as they learned from their teacher. They spent all their time in fellowship, they studied, prayed and ate. They were a family and what happened to one affected them all. This is the model for us today and that is the good news because we have a very clear example for how to live together and how to grow. Many times, I have heard people ask how we could add members. We live in an era of declining church growth. We live in a time where churches all over America are reducing their ministry. Many denominations have large buildings that cost a fortune to keep up and are only half filled on Sunday mornings. And folks ask what do we do? How can we survive? The answer is right before us. We need to live our lives in connection with one another through Christ.

Knowing the answer should be cause for celebration. We do not need a fancy consultant to show us a great marketing tool. We just need to live the common life. Bible study, prayer, fellowship and breaking bread together. I am pleased that Norm has asked us to have weekly coffee hours. That is godly leadership which is why he is the chair of the PPRC. I am also encouraged when I hear of folks who are asking other members to their homes to share meals, to share holidays and other activities. I am encouraged when I meet with my six faithful Bible study members or when I attend weekly youth group with the dedicated adults and kids who are there. Day by day, we are strengthening our selves and our faith. This type of fellowship is contagious. This is the Acts church in modern day.
And yet I ask myself why more of us are not gathering together for this common life. Why are our churches and even our families so distant and isolating? We have the answer right in front of us. Shouldn’t we all be clamoring to do the right thing? Here is the rub. It is easier to stay isolated than to join in fellowship. It is not good for us but it is easier. We find it is so much easier to have superficial relationships with one another becasue when we truly live the common life, we have to rub up against each other and that often causes friction.

It is not easy to be a church family. It is not easy to be any kind of family and even our wonderful fairy tale weddings have a hard time surviving the day to day married life that ensues. Living the common life in our families and in our churches takes a lot of work. It seems that familiarity can breed discontent as the saying reminds us. After all, when we spend time together, we will come up against those habits that we all have that annoy each other. We need to put up with each other’s idiosyncrasies. We need to agree that the our own needs or desires are not as important as the relationship between we share. We need to agree that when disagreements arise, we will stay together anyway and we need to agree that forgiveness is going to be a key in that decision. Judging and critical comments are not helpful. Looking at our won agendas are not helpful. We have to care for own another more than we care about ourselves.
How is it possible to live this way? How can we as a church try to live this common life so that we too can grow and flourish? Certainly, not on our own merits. But surely we will see this church flourishing when we stay connected to the One who draws us together; Jesus Christ. Jesus is the glue that keeps us connected. Jesus is the light that keeps us reaching for holiness in our own actions and our interactions. If we can truly place our lives in Jesus’ hands, we can achieve the church that He calls us to be.

I am not going to try to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge this morning. Living the common life is challenging at times. I have had many times when my own family members have hurt me to the core. I have had times when church members who I loved and respected treated me poorly. These situations are painful. You can only be betrayed by those whom you trust. And betrayal is a human tendency. And still, we cannot truly live unless we are in connection with one another. There is no more powerful healing medicine than the healing that we give when we love and care for one another. God made us to be partners in this journey. God thought this was so important that he placed our relationship with each other along side of our relationship with God as the most important commandment.

This morning, we have heard the key to growing this church and the key to having a healthy family. We have heard the key to living a life that is vibrant, adventurous and joyful. That key is found in living the common life; studying, praying, sharing meals and fellowship together. I invite you to take stock of your actions. Have you been living the common life? Are there ways that you could invest more of yourself to this endeavor? Joining with each other during coffee hour is a great start. Joining in a Bible study or prayer group is another. And even more basic than that would be to inviting folks to sit at the table with you for a meal. The studies are clear that if we want to be healthy church family, we need to sit around the table. And I invite you to look at your won family as well. Do you have daily prayer together? So you share in devotions? Friends, it is not always easy to change and it is not always easy to look at ourselves the way that God does but it is vitally important. I pray that each one of us will listen for God’s voice this morning. We are all being called upon to live the common life. Are you willing to answer God’ call?