One of the greatest awarenesses in life... Is when we recognize that we do not need to journey this life alone.

It was God’s intent from the very beginning that we do Life Together!

Genesis 1:26-27

26 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12 “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Doing Life Together

Mark 1:16-20

16 “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

17 And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’

18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.

20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.”


Acts 2:41-47

41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

The early church...

• They shared everything in common...

• They spent time together eating

• They hung out in each other's homes

• They ate together

• They prayed together

• They studied Scripture together

• They gave generously to each other

• They served each other


Their number one priority in the early church was RELATIONSHIP!

• Relationship with God

• Relationship with each other


Matthew 22:36-40

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment.

39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

In this snapshot, the early church was free of conflict.

• They did not care about titles.

• They did not care about possessions.

• They did not try and “lord it over” each other.

The early church instead...

• Loved

• Shared

• Gave

• Served

• Helped


There are four key Devotion’s found in Acts 2:42...

The early church devoted themselves to being...

• Grounded in Scripture

• Grounded in Caring Relationships

• Grounded in the Breaking of Bread

• Grounded in Prayer

The early church got along pretty well!

Acts 2:41... We learn that 3000 people joined the church in one day!

Acts 2:47 adds that people were being saved by the Lord and added to their number daily.


What made the early church so attractive?

They shared Life Together!

• A New Life with God

• A New Life with Each Other

References:
Rom. 12:10
Rom. 12:16
Rom. 15:14
Rom. 16:16
1 Cor. 11:33
1 Cor. 12:25
Gal. 5:13
Gal. 6:2
1 Thess. 5:11
1 Thess. 5:11
1 Thess. 5:13
1 Thess. 5:15
Eph. 4:2
Eph. 4:32
Eph. 5:21
Col. 3:13
James 5:16
James 5:16
1 Pet. 1:22
1 Pet. 4:9
1 Pet. 5:5


THREE KEY things we must do... to experience community in Christ in our Life Together.

#1 The first fruit of commitment is time...

Those who love one another spend time with each other.
Time will either BIND US or it will DIVIDE US!

#2 Share space...

This may or may not mean living with one another under the same roof... But it will mean finding practical ways of becoming closer with each other.

#3 Being generous with what we have.

• Sharing a meal

• Giving away clothes

• Letting people stay in your home

• Loaning our your car

• Giving away your car

• Giving money

Three POWERFUL words sum up the early church:

• Unified ... The believers were unified

• Magnified ... Christ was magnified

• Multiplied... The church was multiplied