Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Breaking Bread in Fellowship and Faith

Bible Reading:   Acts 2: 42 – 47

Key verse: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2: 42)


DEVOTION

Acts 2 records the birth of the Church through the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The apostles, gathered in one place, got filled with the Holy Spirit, started speaking in various tongues and drew a huge multitude of gentiles from many nations.  Peter’s unflinching sermon proclaiming Jesus as the risen Messiah, cuts into the hearts of around 3,000 people that are baptized in a single day and the Church begins to grow.
 
Verses 42 to 47 describe the immediate result of this spiritual awakening.  When there is a spiritual awakening, a deep rooted, devoted and Spirit-filled community is raised. These believers committed themselves to the (i) teachings of the apostles' (ii) had a genuine relationship with each other (iii) broke bread together and (iv) spend time in prayer.  This was not a name-sake association but a life shared and marked by generosity, unity, and in absolute adoration at God’s work.
 
The believers embraced the spirit of mutual love, reconciled with each other, shared possessions, met in homes, and lived in joy and unity.  It reflects the foundation of the Kiss of Peace that we exchange every Sunday before accepting the Holy Qurbana.  Are we today in a position to gracefully accept this Kiss of Peace and pass it warmly to one another?
 
They continued to meet in the temple courts praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people (verse 46-47). Intercessory prayer is an important aspect of our worship liturgy reflecting a deep concern for one another and for the world.  The acronym PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens) should become a part of our personal and communal intercession.
 
Next Sunday, we celebrate the 11th week after Pentecost with the theme “Holy Qurbana: The Food for Eternal Life.” Every Qurbana should take us back in time, to relate and be part of participating in Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of mankind. Through the act of Kiss of Peace and Intercessory prayer, may our life be an example to build a Spirit-filled Church, grounded in teaching, sacramental worship, fellowship rooted in love and peace, now and until His soon to happen second advent!
 

PRAYER

Father God, we thank You for the early church and the living, Word, written millenniums ago.  Help us to live with the same devotion, unity, and joy that the early church enjoyed. Fill us with Your Spirit, that we may open our hearts to one another, our hands generous, and our lives rooted in Christ for the extension of your Kingdom in the land we live in.  Break us, mould us and use us as instruments of peace and grace, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“If you are more fortunate than others, it is better to build a longer table than a taller fence.”

Samji John
St. Thomas MTC, Vancouver, Canada.

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