Small Shifts, Big Faith: The Family Life of the Early Church (Part II)

Sermon Title: Small Shifts, Big Faith – The Family Life of the Early Church

Good News Statement: Jesus encourages his church to be alive

Summary: The church isn’t perfect but yet is willing to grow in faith, practice love, and be alive today and tomorrow.

Preached: Sunday, June 14^th, 2026 at Dogwood Prairie UMC & Seed Chapel UMC

Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.

 

Scripture (NRSVUE): Acts 2:42-47 Today’s scripture passage comes from the Book of Acts. At the end of Chapter Two, we are reminded that the church is a family: a family that meets together, a family that shares together, and a family that thrives together. Our scripture reading comes from the Book of Acts Chapter Two, Verses Forty-two thru Forty-seven. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.

 

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Life among the Believers

⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were.

 

This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”

 

 

Introduction:

The ministry of Jesus Christ has been shared. Healings have been performed. The blind were able to see and the lame able to walk. Those demon possessed were set free. The chains of the oppressed were broken. People began to believe and prayed to have their “unbelief turn into belief” (Mark 9:24). Some were even raised from the dead to breathe again. And some were welcomed home after being outcast to the dark, damp, tombs outside of the city walls.

Then, after riding into Jerusalem on a never before ridden donkey and being praised as the people laid their cloaks on the ground as shouts of “Hosannas” filled the air, Jesus is turned over to the religious leaders of the day. Jesus is questioned and tortured by the Roman soldiers—beaten nearly to death—prior to receiving a crown of thorns and a purple robe as a sign of earthly mockery. He was presented to the people in the presence of Pontius Pilate, who said, “But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free” (Luke 23:22, GNT). To which the people responded, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (Luke 23:20, GNT). Luke 23:24 states, “So Pilate passed the sentence on Jesus that they were asking for.”

Jesus is marched from the palace to Calvary, bearing the weight of the cross—most likely the horizontal beam—as excruciating pain shot through his body with every step, as blood dripped from his head to the ground, soaking the dirty road beneath his feet, and as both cries and shouts surrounded him. On Calvary, he hung on the cross for six hours before taking his last breath and proclaiming “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then he was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Three days later he rose from the dead to prove that death does not have the last word, that a tomb sealed by a large stone could not withhold him, and that an instrument of death—the cross—is a promise of hope and salvation. And now, after 40 days of walking this earth in his resurrected form, he has ascended to heaven; but before leaving this earth, he gave his apostles and disciples a challenge: to keep the church alive.

This is where the Book of Acts comes into play. For those that are unaware, the Book of Acts (or sometimes called the Acts of the Apostles), written during the time of 33AD to 62AD, is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke. Luke was a physician back in the day and has been credited to write the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. The theme of Luke’s writing after the ascension of Jesus Christ is focused on how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to declare the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles. In doing so they establish the church, which is the fulfillment of God’s promises from the beginning of time. Jesus states in Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Luke’s purpose for writing the Book of Acts—the journey and testimony of Paul and the rise and growth of the early church—was to give an orderly account of the early church after Christ’s resurrection; and to highlight the notion that keeping the church alive was not, is not, and will not be easy. But keeping the church alive is necessary. So, for the next several weeks, we are going to explore certain themes sprinkled throughout the Book of Acts which I believe remind us of how important it is to keep the church alive today for tomorrow. And the question I propose to you is this: “What are we doing and could be doing to keep our church and the whole Church—the body of Christ—alive?”

 

Body:

“Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight…. And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there…” These are the words found in The Star-Spangled Banner  which was written by American lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814. He was inspired to pen the poem—originally titled “Defence of Fort M’Henry”—after witnessing the American flag still waving over Baltimore’s Fort McHenry following a relentless 25-hour British bombardment during the War of 1812.

Today, I want to begin by honoring what Francis Scott Key wrote about—The American Flag—since today is Flag Day. Every year on the 14th of June, the United States celebrates the Stars and Stripes with the annual holiday of Flag Day. Though Flag Day may not be quite as popular or widely celebrated as Independence Day or other patriotic holidays (such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day), it does commemorate an important day in history. It celebrates the birthday of the Stars and Stripes, the American Flag, or “Old Glory” as some call it, which was officially adopted as the national flag of the United States on this day in 1777. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson unofficially declared June 14th as Flag Day. Coincidentally, Wilson also proclaimed The Star-Spangled Banner the U.S. national anthem that same year. Nonetheless, Congress did not designate the song as the national anthem until 1931, and only in 1949 did President Harry Truman sign the legislation that made June 14th of each year Flag Day.

I was thinking about Flag Day this past week, and although it is a symbol of freedom, independence, liberation, glory, pride, and courage, a symbolic marker of the United States of America, there is actually a religious meaning embedded into the flag that waves proudly in the wind. As you know, our flag is red, white, and blue. Have you ever stopped to think what those colors mean to you?

Red stands for courage. Many persons have had the courage to stand up and fight for our country. White stands for purity. Purity means to do what is right. Blue stands for justice. When we pledge allegiance to the flag, we end with the words: “With liberty and justice for all.”

The colors red, white, and blue remind me of our country, but those colors also remind me of Jesus. Red reminds me of Jesus’ blood that was shed when he died on the cross for my sin. That is very important, because the Bible says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). White reminds me that when I give my heart to Jesus, he washes me and I become as “white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). The Bible says, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:10). Blue reminds me of God’s faithfulness. The Bible tells us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and make us clean” (1 John 1:9).

From these colors that wave so proudly for all to see, I am reminded of our great country ’tis of thee, but more importantly, I am reminded of our great Savior, Jesus Christ, whose red blood set us free, who washes away our sins and makes us clean, and who helps us to do what is right. On this Flag Day, give thanks for the flag the waves for our freedom, but also give thanks for its colors as they remind us of the freedom and love we find in Christ. So, now, go wave those flags high and proud! Wave that flag that survived the bombs bursting in air! What does the flag, “Old Glory,” with its colors of red, white, and blue mean to you?

 

Movement One: Introduction and Recap…

Each of us has some sort of family. According to sociologists, a family is the most fundamental social unit, typically consisting of individuals united by marriage, blood, or adoption. It provides its members with emotional support, structure, and a sense of belonging. While family structures take many forms globally, they all serve as environments for nurturing and personal growth. At its core, a family is a group of two or more people who care for one another and regard themselves as a family unit. Sociologists and scholars classify families as a “cultural universal” because some form of family group has existed in every society.

Your family may consist of one or two parents, step-parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, siblings, in-laws, nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends that have become closer than kin (to quote Proverbs 18:24[1]). My family consists of my mom and dad, three brothers, one sister, a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, and uncles. It also consists of Emily and her family and as well as each of you. We all belong to some sort of family. And each family has a “family life.”

We had our family life growing up. We have our family life now. For those who are married, you brought two different types of family lives together, and then created a new family life. Some of you who are younger have ideas of what your family life may be like in the future. For some that have been building and watching your family grow for several years now, and possibly for several generations, may find yourself taking a step back and wondering “Did I ever imagine that all this would be my family?” We have family lives.

Well, did you know churches also have a family life? In the words of Gloria and William Gaither, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God; I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood! Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, for I’m part of the family, the family of God.” Not only are we part of the family of God but so is the church.

Here in the book of Acts, we’re continuing our study about what God did in the early church, and in the passage we are exploring today, we see the church as a family. Today’s sermon is entitled “The Family Life of the Early Church.” But before we get into what that means, let me remind you of what we discussed last week.

Last week, we were introduced to the Book of Acts which was written during the years 33AD-62AD. The Book of Acts (or Acts of the Apostles) is the second part of a two-volume work written by Luke, who was a physician. It details the dramatic birth of the early Christian church and the explosive spread of the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The entire theological and geographical scope of the book is outlined in Acts 1:8, where the resurrected Jesus commands His followers: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” As you may recall, in this series, we’ve learned how Jesus went back into Heaven, how the early Christians waited on the Holy Spirit to come, how the Holy Spirit, in fact, miraculously came, and then how Peter powerfully explained what God was doing through the coming of His Spirit.

At the beginning of the early church, Luke informs us by quoting Peter that the early church is to wait: to be patient, to trust in the works of the Lord, and to stand upon the promises of God. In our waiting, we are called to think about what God is calling us to do, what we can do as a church, and how we can make things happen as a church. Waiting is not an excuse to forget but to really embrace what it is that God is calling us to do (Acts 1:3-4). The church is also called to expect Jesus. In our expecting Jesus, as a church, we are called to make sure to include Jesus in what we do as a church: in our worship, in our fellowship, in our ministries, in our outreach, in the celebrations and sorrows of life. We are meant to be a church that expects and wants Jesus to show up (Acts 1:9-11). Lastly, the church is called to be accepting. The church isn’t composed of perfect, always righteous, people who have everything figured out. The church is composed of people who have pasts, who have made mistakes, who encounter failures, and who may not always triumph, who succumb to trials, and who sin. Jesus told his disciples, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; and Luke 5:32). The church is composed of people who simply want to change their life and receive Jesus into their heart.

As the church waits, expects, and accepts, it is still seeking to be alive. And today, we are reminded that a church that wants to be alive is a church that wants to be and acts like a family. Now, we’re at the moment right after all of that. We’re at the end of Acts 2, and we’re only covering a few verses today. However, these are very important verses, so let’s look at this passage and dive into them some more: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the ‘goodwill of all the people.’[2] And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47). There are three points from this text I want us to consider today.

 

Movement Two: The Church Met as a Family…

First, the church met as a family. A healthy family gathers together, right? By the way, I realize that not all of us come from a healthy family . . . not all of us have healthy family lives, but can we all agree that the church should have a healthy family life? So, we see here in Acts 2 that part of the family life of the church was that they gathered together. Let’s skip down to verse 46 first. It says, “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts…”

In this verse, the early church gathered “day by day” or every day and was committed to meeting regularly. Can you imagine if we met every day of the week? There are some weeks, depending on what is going on, that we do see each other more than once a week. But, gathering every day? According to the traditions of Catholicism, some parishes offer mass Monday through Saturday—about 25 to 35 minutes in length—to allow Catholics to receive the word of God and pray as a community several times a week.

In the Methodist tradition, we don’t gather every day for service, but did you know that in The United Methodist Book of Worship, there is liturgy to have service on Thanksgiving Eve and Day, to have service on Christmas Eve and Day, to have service on New Year’s Eve and Day, to have service on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Back during the time of John Wesley, being able to meet every day and on every holiday was part of the practice, but as times have changed, meeting every day or day by day as a church is not always easy or even possible. But, I have to wonder: What if we met every day as a church? What could we accomplish? What would our relationships be like? Would we get tired of each other?

Returning to our text, notice how they gathered in the temple. The temple was often where the people of God would gather. It was a community spot for the Jewish people. Also, don’t forget that the early Christians still considered themselves Jewish. They were Jewish believers who had accepted Jesus, their Messiah. So, they still practiced many Jewish practices, such as gathering frequently in the temple, honoring Shabbat, and washing their feet before entering a home. So, we see how often they met, and we also see what they did when they met.

In verse 42, we read these words, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Notice these four key ingredients of their gathering: receiving biblical teaching, fellowshipping, breaking bread together, and praying together.[3] Do any of these actions that were committed by the early church sound familiar? Each of these behaviors should still be part of the family life of the church today. What God did in and through His church in Acts 2, He is still doing in and through His church today. We should be committed to meeting together regularly for teaching, fellowship, prayer, and the like.

By the way, I don’t know if you know this, but we don’t have to have a formal worship service to gather. We can meet on Sunday mornings for worship as we are doing now. Some of us gather for Bible Study during the week where we learn about scripture, check-in with one another, and from time to time have snacks. We can also meet from house to house. We can meet in community gathering spots. We can meet in small groups. We can meet at restaurants. We can meet at the church for cookouts and work days. The women’s Bible Study met at Henpeck, a coffee shop, when it was still open. What the Book of Acts is suggesting is that we simply find time to gather together. By gathering together, we find ways to bring life into our church.

Emily’s home church, Covenant Church of Schaumburg, used to have a ministry where one person offered their home to host people from the church for a meal during the week. The church made it part of their ministry to give people an opportunity to gather outside of Sundays. Church, are there more ways we can gather together? As a family, the church should meet together.

 

Movement Three: The Church Shared as a Family…

Second, the church shared as a family. We see this in Acts 2:44-45: “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Before, I get to these verses, I have to admit something. Growing up, sharing did not come easy for me. When I got my drumset, I didn’t want anyone to touch it, sit next to it, or even look at it. I would hide my drumsticks and cover it up with blankets. My brother, Michael, would purposefully go and play it when I told him not to. Some people are really good at sharing; but growing up, I was not that person. I’m glad things have changed! A family shares, and the family of God should be the best at sharing with each other as we have need. Church, how are we when it comes to sharing?

Returning to our verses, what do these verses mean? Do they mean that before we leave today, we all need to empty our pockets into one pot and then distribute the total evenly amongst all of us and share everything that we own? No! That is not what this means. I believe that this passage means that Christians should be so motivated by God’s grace and they should be so united with other Christians that they consider all that they have as a tool to be used to accomplish God’s purposes and bless God’s people. Basically, I believe that this passage is speaking about biblical generosity and biblical sacrifice: calling the church to think about what it receives and what it gives.

However, we must keep in mind that what we see in Acts 2 is willing sacrifice and generosity, not forced. The people were so changed by God that they overflowed with generosity and sacrifice towards one another. They realized that they were one in Jesus, so they considered all their possession to be one. As our Communion Liturgy suggests, “One with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.”[4] The Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Ephesus, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). The early Christians, through their sharing, were becoming one church, one family of God.

‌ Notice also that the possessions were not blindly and evenly distributed. Rather, the possessions were distributed “as any had need.” Remember also that the early Christians were persecuted, and all the people of Judea were under the thumb of the Roman Empire, so some of them may have had trouble meeting basic needs. So, the Christians were there to look out for one another and help one another as the need was present. The church didn’t force needs on people to appear powerful and mighty. No! The church looked for needs and did it’s best to fulfill those needs knowing that it wasn’t going to be able to fulfill every need. Church, we are here to see a need and fulfill a need to the best of our ability. There will be some needs that we won’t be able to meet because we don’t have the resources. But, there will be needs that are in our “wheel-house,” inviting us to do something about them—at which, we will need to be generous and make sacrifices.

We also know from elsewhere in the book of Acts that even though the people held all things in common, it didn’t mean that they sold all things. Rather, they viewed everything as a resource to be used for the glory of God and the good of the church. For example, in Acts 4:37 we see that Barnabas sold a field and donated the proceeds to the work of the church. He didn’t necessarily sell everything he had. So, the picture here is that the early church seemed to be willing to sell all that they had if it was needed for the glory of God and the good of the church. Church, we don’t need to sell everything, as Jesus advised the rich man to do in Mark 10:17-31, and I’m not encouraging you, as an individual, to sell everything you have and to give your proceeds to the church. When it comes to giving your proceeds to the church, I simply ask that what you give is enough to help our church continue to meet the needs of those within our church and the community. Are you willing to give so that we can share what we have been blessed with?

Now, believe it or not, some wonder if this is something that we should still practice today in the modern church. Should the church today, with so many other organizations available to offer assistance in a time of need, continue to be a family that shares? Let me just make it clear for all of us: Yes, this is an attitude and practice that we need in the modern church. There are still people who are hurting, there are still people who are ill, there are still people who are crying, lost, and in the dark. There are still people who are alone. There are still people who are hungry, thirsty, and without an address attached to their name. There are still people who are blind, oppressed, held captive, and without anyone in their corner. Church, there will always be a need to fulfill.

No one who is a part of our family of believers should go without basic needs. If we have the means to help one another, we should consider all of our possessions as belonging to the Lord and as tools to help others. We should view ourselves as one family with any resources on the table when it comes to being used for the glory of God, the mission of God, and the good of the church of God. A family shares, and the family of God should be the best at sharing with each other as we have need. A family shares with one another.

 

Movement Four: The Church Thrived as a Family…

Third, the church thrives as a family. What was the result of the people of the early church coming together as a family? Well, the Bible tells us! Acts 2:43 says, “Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” When the Spirit of God inhabited the family of God, they were filled with awe at the work of God. God blessed the ministry of the early church. He accomplished signs and wonders through them. We see further that they had “joyful and sincere hearts,” and they were “praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” When the people of God were united as a family, we see that joy developed in their hearts and praise flowed from their hearts. Additionally, it says they were enjoying the favor of others. Apparently, others couldn’t help but see what God was doing amongst them. I bet they were shouting at the top of their lungs, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God!”

Wouldn’t that be something, church? What if we were so tight-knit as a family that as we were filled with joy and as we were praising God, people looked at us and showed us favor because of how greatly God was working amongst us? How great would it be church, if every Sunday and every day, we proclaimed, “I’m so glad to be part of Dogwood Prairie or Seed Chapel? Are you glad to part of this church?

Finally, on a practical level, we see in verse 47 that “And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” A result of the ministry of the early church was that the Lord added to their number every day. I believe that if we are doing gospel-centered, Spirit-filled ministry, the Lord will frequently add to our number those who are being saved, those who want to belong to our family. May we be found so faithful, and may we experience the favor of God.

The early church met as a family, they shared as a family, and they thrived as a family. Church, God designed the church to thrive as a family. Some of us may think it’s odd to treat our church as a family, yet this is the continual picture that the Bible gives for the church. For example, in Ephesians 2:19 we read, “So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household.” Galatians 6:10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” Galatians 3:28 tells us, “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.” You know, some may even think it’s crazy to think of other people as family when they have no earthly relationship to you. You may think it’s nuts to share your resources with other people.

However, when the grace of God gets ahold of you, when the gospel of Jesus Christ changes your life, and the Holy Spirit fills you with its power, you start doing things that may sound crazy to those without Jesus! You start living a sacrificial and generous life. You start realizing that those who are in Jesus are closer in relationship to you than anyone else in the world. You start committing to your church in a special way because you belong to a new family: the family of God. Church we are a family. We meet together. We share together. And we thrive together. The early church wasn’t formed to separate entities: it was formed to create a family.

Church, do you feel as if you belong to a family? When you look around this sanctuary, do you feel as if there are people here that you can lean on, reach out to, cry with, laugh with, joke with, and be yourself with? You know, mega-churches have a lot to offer people: ministries, outreach programs, flashing lights, worship bands, endless groups, events happening within their building every day of the week, numerous amounts of resources. Don’t get me wrong, mega-churches can do a lot for the community and the world, but sometimes I feel as if they are lacking family: I feel as if there is no real, genuine connection.

One of the things Emily and I love about this church is that if feels like family. We joke around, we laugh, we’ve attended ball games, cow shows, and pig shows, we’ve played pickleball with a few of you, we’ve gone out to eat with most of you, we’ve attended family gatherings where wearing a helmet should have been indicated on the invite, we’ve played games together, we’ve babysat a few times, and the list goes on. As a church, we may not be able to compete with large churches; we may not be able to fulfill every need. However, what we can offer is what many people need in their life and it’s what you have given Emily and I: people need and want to belong to a family. So, church, how can we continue to be a family that we need and that so many others need in their life?

 

Conclusion:

Bringing this message to a close, the early church that began in the Book of Acts began because people needed Christ, people needed a second chance, and people needed to feel like they belonged to something that saw them for who they were. The people needed a family! Today, the church is the family of God as it should be. But I have to ask you, are we representing what it means to be a family? There are many churches that can fulfill every need, but there are only a few churches that have the ability to make someone feel as if they a part of a family; and I believe that is who we are. We aren’t the biggest church and we don’t have all the resources, but what we do have is what can change someone’s life: we have a big heart and a loving family.

So, church, I end this message by asking you a few questions. What are we doing as a church to meet with those inside and outside our walls? What sort of gifts, resources, and ministries are we sharing? And what are we doing to today so that we thrive tomorrow? Church, what do we need to do to continue to be a family? What are you willing to do to make sure that this family exists tomorrow and for the next generation? Although this church family has been round for many years, there is always room to grow the family of God. In the words of Sister Sledge, “We are family. Get up everybody and sing.”

Let It Be So…

 

Closing Prayer:

Let us Pray… Dear Jesus, help us to be a family that meets with each other; help us to be a family that shares what you have given us; and help us to be family that thrives for you, for those in our pews, for those outside our walls, and for those who remind us to take time to celebrate the small things in life. Lord, we are glad to be part of your family. In your name we pray. Amen.

Benediction:

            Church, we are a family; and we are a family with a big heart! What do we need to do to grow the family of God? May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth being the church God needs all of us to be. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

[1] Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) states, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

[2] Luke 2:10, But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…

[3] By the way, most biblical scholars think “breaking bread” probably includes both eating together AND receiving the Lord’s Supper together.

[4] “Service of Word and Table 1,” The United Methodist Book of Worship, Nashville, Tennessee: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992, pg. 38.