Matthew 28:18-20
Acts 2:41-42, 46-47
Rev. Kristen J. Kleiman

Devoted. They devoted themselves to eating together, to fellowship, to prayer, to the apostles’ teaching. They were devoted because these practices, Christ’s way, helped them step out of the unhealthy status quo, and step into a new and renewing way of hope, healing and life. These spiritual practices helped them connect more deeply with God, with themselves, and with others.
And just as Peter’s words had invited them into this new life, their devotion to these spiritual practices invited others into this new life of peace, healing, community, and hope.

Right before Jesus left his followers to ascend to heaven, Jesus gave his disciples a commission, a purpose – to go and make more followers. To go and invite others to walk his way of peace and love, hope and joy. To walk with people, share with people, and invite them into a deeper relationship with the God of love we know through Jesus Christ and a deeper relationship with those around them – one that went beyond the superficial ‘hello, how are you’s’ to ‘share your hurts and pain with me, I am listening’.
Go and make disciples – not members, not worker bees, not clones, disciples. Go and invite your children and your children’s children and those strangers across the street and those strangers on the other side of town and those strangers across the world to know Christ’s love and be Christ’s love in the world. Go and make disciples because as they make their lives better, those new disciples will make our world better.
And here is where I’m pretty sure I’ve lost you. Eating together – wonderful. Fellowship, authentic relationships, a little intimidating to be that vulnerable – still, generally wonderful. Prayer – challenging at times – however possible for all of us. The apostles’ teachings, hearing God through God’s messengers – well all week long people have been sharing their stories and quotes with me.
However…….. However…. go and make disciples. That’s a stretch. For many a step way too far. And yet, we cannot ignore Jesus’ words, Jesus’ final words to his community. The good news was not just for them. The good news is to be shared.
The good news is to be shared – so that people’s lives can be transformed. So that people’s lives will be changed for the better – by community, by connection, by healing, by hope, by love, by unconditional love.
So many people, the whole world over, want to “get out of this sick and stupid culture” that is constantly pushing us to do more and telling us we aren’t enough (Acts 2:40). So many people, the whole world over, are searching for hope, for healing, for new life. Without even knowing it, they are searching for Jesus and the hope and healing that comes from following him and being a part of his community.
And it is right here. We are right here. They don’t know it though.
They are looking for more. They are looking for healing; they are looking for openness and acceptance; they are looking to grow spiritually, and it is right here, and they don’t know it.
Imagine someone was looking for a great apple crisp recipe and you had one. One you recently discovered. One that had been handed down to you by generations of faithful bakers before you. Imagine someone was looking for a great apple crisp recipe. Would you stay silent or would you share it with them?

When I host new member dessert at my house, I always ask “Tell me about a time when God was real in your life.” Powerful stories. Each and every time, powerful stories. Stories that inspire my faith and help me become more aware of God’s presence in my life and the world. Powerful stories that have the power to transform. Would I have ever heard them though if I had not asked?

The Acts 2 church was not going out and asking people about their relationship with God – like they were taking a survey. Nor were they passing out ‘way to better life through Jesus’ cards like we passed out stickers at the Mum parade last week. Neither were they hiding away, keeping this new way of life a secret either.
They openly devoted themselves to eating together, to fellowship, to prayer, to the apostles’ teaching. They allowed the light and love they had found in Jesus to shine forth from them.
And then they paid attention. They paid attention to when people were curious to hear more. They paid attention and listened when people wanted to share more. They paid attention and spoke up when people were looking for more.
As they devoted themselves to the way of Jesus Christ, they opened the doors of their community, the doors of their hearts, and invited others to know God’s peace, love, hope, and joy for themselves.

The good news of Jesus Christ, the good news of God’s unconditional love for all, is more important, more needed than ever. We are here because we need hope, because we need healing, because we need authentic community as we try to rise above. Others need that too. Our world needs more hope, more peace, more joy, more kindness.
As we seek to be the church God calls us to be, the community Jesus intended us to be, we take these lessons from the Acts 2 church. We devote ourselves to eating together, to fellowship, to prayer, to the teaching of God’s messengers in all the forms it comes to us – and we devote ourselves to Jesus’ commission – to go out into the world, into the grocery store, into the soccer field, into our own homes – and make disciples, inviting others to experience this new life – one of hope, healing, and authentic community, a life that helps us rise above and be our very best selves, the selves God called and created us to be.
Our world needs this. People need this. They are looking for more than a good apple crisp recipe, more than superficial ‘pass right by you and barely see you’ relationship, more than a “there, there, it will be okay” which doesn’t address, let alone heal the hurt. People are looking for connection; they are seeking hope; they want partners to help them heal and to help them heal the world. To quote Paul Nixon:
How long do we wait before offering a new generation ministries, relationships, and social witness through our churches that can help [people] to reclaim their best selves, to discover the joy of Jesus’s way, and to fall more deeply in love with God and neighbors? (I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church, Nixon, pg 85)
How long before embrace the ways of the Acts 2 church and offer to others the hope, healing, new life we have found in Jesus Christ?