House Church Talk - the whole gospel - community

[Colin Thompson]

Hi all,
I've been drawn to the implications of the gospel of the kingdom of God as
accounted in Acts.
On the day of Pentecost (the day of the beginning - arrival of the kingdom)
the Holy Spirit came 'on them all'.
They all prophesied and Peter proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ.
Those who heard were pricked in the heart (the only place we start to enter
the kingdom).
They then responded being willing to hear what they had to do (actually -
externally - moving from the heart out into the soul, strength and mind.)
Peter told then to repent and be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ, and
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
He added many other words to this.
Then those who received the word obeyed it and were immersed, and
pressumably were filled with the Holy Spirit.
This is the only bona-fida beginning for anyone entering the kigdom of God.
If we dont receive whole heartedly the message of repentance, obedience to
immersion, and the promise of the reception of the Holy Spirit, how can we
then believe, obey and receive?
Those three thousand then continued steadfastly in the teaching of the
apostles (who were right there with them.)
And they continued in the community, and in breaking bread, and in prayers.
This was the conclusion, the ongoing consequence of what they had entered
into. This was highly inconvenient for the three thousand who were
temporarily in Jerusalem for the religious holiday only.
At this point is where we we may have received a different gospel.
The conclusion to the experience of hearing, beleiving, obeying and
receiving for many of us has been 'and they went along to a theatre style
lecture with religous songs and formal religous prayer as the program may
have dictated, but mostly they were left to their own devices.'
Any wonder if we struggle?
The kingdom has concrete expression in the community of the saints. Those
converted on that day of pentecost could only continue in the
fellowship/community if they actually remained in Jerusalem. No matter how
inconvenient.
If any decided that they really had to go back to Lybya, Egept, Arabia or
wherever, then they would not have been able to continue in the apostles
teaching, the community, the breaking of bread, or the prayers (communal
prayers.)
Being together matters!
Surely community is the final point of the gospel of the kingdom. It is the
conclusion, the manifestation, the fruit, the proof, the glory of the new
covenant of the Spirit.
In community we benefit from each others gifts of the Spirit that are there
for the benefit of all.
In communty we can serve as we are commanded.
In community either Christ is the head indeed or there ends up being no
community worth having.
How pleasant and how good it is, when brethren dwell together in unity -
there the Lord commands the blessing.
Of course it is inconvenient.
I may have to move location.
But this treasure (which is hidden in an ordinary field) is worth selling
the lot for.
Why do we tarry any longer?
All the best,
Colin Thompson,
Gateshead, England. www.cthompson.org.uk/colin.html
 
 



 
 
 
Colin Thompson, Gateshead, England.
http://www.cthompson.org.uk/colin.html
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