God is already at work....

Have you ever heard a message preached or been at a conference, one that has made you so excited you are frustrated to keep sitting in your seat? I have, and I also confess to the other side of that experience; heading home and to normal life, forgetting to put into practice that I had heard.

It's interesting to consider how Jesus communicated with those that were following him. Firstly he did indeed bring impacting messages, they were profound and challenging. He confronted the Jewish people with a new understanding of living God's way. He challenged people with harbouring things in their heart which was not good or God's way, on occasion he completely confused them as he turned their understandings and assumptions on their heads.

Consider the story of the 'Good Samaritan', the very idea that someone as awful as a Samaritan would do good, be good and serve another was shocking. The pre-existing prejudice the Jewish people had for Samaritans was unearthed and challenged.

What Jesus did though was share widely, the good news of the Kingdom of God, everywhere he went he shared. Interestingly though, sometimes by speaking broadly the truth would fall on deaf ears.

For the twelve though, Jesus communicated in a more intimate and relational way. He spent time in their homes, he travelled with them and ate with them. It is this part of the model we see the disciples replicating in the early church, in Acts 2.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Spending time with people who are further along the faith journey, eating with them, praising God and praying together were core factors of Jesus' ministry and the disciples embraced this, not as another thing to do, but a way of living as people who love The Lord.