ALL THINGS
IN COMMON
42 They devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many
wonders and signs were being done by 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 being saved.
– ACTS 2:42-47
A
Canadian, Fin, Swiss, American, Frenchman and some Germans walk into a room and
sit down together.
No,
this is not the beginning of an awful joke, but an actual thing that happened
to me just over a month ago.
Before
I knew I would be preaching on this text, I was invited to study and reflect on
it with a group of complete strangers, about 5,000 miles away from here at the
Taize community, 3 ½ hours outside of Paris, France. I was the American of that group mentioned,
and the diverse group was my Bible study group for the time I spent at
Taize. Our smaller group was the “older young
adult group” out of the sixty or so adults participating in the Bible study.
For
those who aren’t familiar with the Taize community, let me share a very brief
statement describing the community from their own website:
“From its beginning the community has been
inspired by two aims: to live in communion with God through prayer and to be a
leaven of peace and trust in the midst of the human family. A stay at Taizé is
an opportunity to seek communion with God in prayer, singing, silence and reflection.
Experiencing a simple life shared with others reminds us that daily life is the
place where Christ is waiting for us.”
A
bit of a broad statement, but I think it does explain in a “kind of sort of
way” what exactly Taize embodies. My
bible study group that week was composed of people who had years of experiences
at Taize, as youth, as young adults, and now, as “older young adults”. When those of us who were first timers would
ask for them to explain what Taize meant to them, the answer was this:
{Exasperated
sound and eyes looking up to the heavens and waving of the hands}
For
many – time at Taize isn’t something easily articulated. It truly is something experienced – some of
us might liken it to a week spent at Mo-Ranch, Montreat, Ghost Ranch, or even
General Assembly.
But there we were – a group thrown together for the
week just because Brother Andreas asked who wanted to be considered the “older
young adults”. Bible study came
mid-morning in our days. We began our
mornings with worship, followed by breakfast, then with Brother Andreas leading
us in a lecture of sorts on a text and theme. We were then asked to reflect on
our own and later came together with our group for sharing and reflection. My group was about as random and as diverse
as you could get – language, careers, schooling, family life, and more. Some
were Protestant, some were Catholic, and some were just believers.
When
Brother Andreas introduced this text as our scripture lesson on day five, my
first impression was a bit of eye rolling and a “hrmph” type noise of the
semi-ridiculous images that came into my mind.
I mean, doesn’t this sound a bit too good to be true? Devoted people who break bread and pray, full
of awe by the wonders and signs? People who have “all things in common” and
sell all they have to give to the poor?
These people spend all their time together and are glad and generous,
and have goodwill of all the people.
Does
that mean they don’t ever think those thoughts I sometimes think towards
people, you know – the thoughts that normally creep in when I’m in a rush and
have lost my patience and no one around me seems to notice that – those
thoughts? And come on, really – they have “all things in common”? Even on my seminary campus this statement is
a stretch to say! We actually celebrate
more what is different about us!
This
image given in Acts of the early church – of these early believers-it doesn’t
look exactly like what is happening in my church, or my life.
Yes,
I break bread, and prayer is a daily part of my life. And there are times I am
filled with awe but I’m not sure if I’d say it is because of “wonders and
signs”…and as much as I love all God’s children in this world, some days I feel
at my limit of loving!
I
also cling to my worldly possessions; yes, I donate on regular basis things I’m
no longer using, but I still have a closet full of clothes, and some tubs full
of crafting tools, and more books than I have time to read! And looking at the numbers of church growth
right now isn’t something I do on a regular basis due to the steady decline.
What
are we supposed to be looking for in this passage from Acts? Is it meant to be a report card of sorts to
hold yourself or church accountable to, like I just did, and feel a tinge of
guilt?
I
wonder.
I’m
grateful for the reminder from Beverly Gaventa, Distinguished Professor of New
Testament at Baylor University, that this community of believers didn’t always
live up to this ideal presented (Gaventa 2003) . What is stressed in this passage isn’t what
or what not the individual is doing, but what the community embodies – worship
– fellowship – prayer – breaking bread – being together. Maybe it isn’t so much they “have all things
in common” but are explaining their sharing of “all things in common”.
One
theologian reminds us that this book of Acts is an open ended story – because
it continues today in our own churches. (Willimon
2010)
I
read this with a sigh of relief, and too with a bit of humbleness. I am relieved that this idealized burgeoning church
isn’t a report card check list for my ministry or church.
This
is an active community. This church
community is IN fellowship – not only in the temple, but in their homes. They break bread together and gather at the
table. And we know things happen at the table. When a
community eats together, it is a mark of unity, solidarity, and deep friendship
– a “visible sign that breaks down social barriers”. When this community blesses and breaks bread
together, the table is transformed into a holy place – and eating becomes a
sacred activity. The Spirit is alive and
well and at work through the teachings, through their fellowship, through the
breaking of bread, and finally, through their prayers. This is a community of believers who are
embodying gospel centered living.
In
addition to the relief, I mostly am humbled.
It seems in my first reading I completely ignored what this text speaks
to – I made it about myself and my own interpretation of the church community,
and less about the community itself. This
is a vision of a community committed to mutual support – as Timothy B. Hare
says, “a group gathered in one heart and one soul”. It isn’t about what I bring into
the community (!), but it is about how the community is “empowered by the
Spirit to inspire radical and hopeful change in the lives of others” (Hare 2010) . This
community has repented, been baptized, and they have received the gift of the
Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and now they are responding to the divine work of the
Spirit.
Awe
and wonder. Devotion to teaching,
fellowship and prayers. Breaking bread
with glad and generous hearts. People responding to the divine work of the
Spirit. People, empowered by the Holy Spirit, who are able to inspire radical
and hopeful change. People who respond.
There
is a man who so fully believed in this radical and hopeful change that could
come from a community that spoke of God’s love that he worked to build such a
community. He found it essential to
“create a community with men determined to give their whole life, and who would
always try to understand one another and be reconciled, a community where
kindness of heart and simplicity would be at the centre of everything”.
It
is a community where many stand in awe and wonder. It is a community devoted to the apostle’s
teachings, to fellowship, and to prayers.
It is a community where bread is broken often and in abundance, with
many glad and generous hearts. It is a
community that strives to be a presence of love among all the people of the
world, those present in bodies and those present in spirit.
It
is a community about 5000 miles away in the French countryside, established by
Brother Roger. It is a community that
many believers, questioners, and wonderers can journey to and witness the
Spirit at work. It is a community where
a Canadian, Fin, Swiss, American, Frenchman and some Germans can be a community
devoted enough, or at least curious enough, to spend time in worship and
fellowship. It is a community where
ancient words are spoken with new life, where the breaking of bread breaks down
boundaries, and where church becomes a tangible, visible expression of the work
of the Spirit.
My
week of worshiping in the wilderness with my group of new friends in Taize shed
some light on this text. Much like those early believers in the book of Acts,
there we were sitting and listening to teachings and fellowship, participating
in the breaking of bread and prayers.
Our teachings came not only from the brothers and scripture, but also
from each other.
Our bread was
“gingerbread” from the Taize kitchen, or chocolate from our home countries,
with cups of coffee from Brother Clicks – the vending coffee machine. This bountiful feast was for all and shared
with glad and generous hearts. There was a humbling awareness of God’s presence
in the midst of human mortality – in shared stories of sorrow and pain but
peace in the silence and prayers that followed.
Have
you seen this?
Have
you stood in awe because of wonders and signs being done? Have you seen such devotion to teaching,
fellowship, or prayers? Have you been a part of a community such as this?
This response is not limited to this
beginning church in Acts, or a community in the French countryside, but for the
ever changing and dynamic church that continues today.
I
see this church, this community at work today – in HANDS for Cambodia, a
non-profit organization dedicated to providing health care, health education,
clean water, and community development to those in need in Cambodia. Addressing not only the physical and mental
health but also the spiritual health of the people they serve, this community
works to transform killing fields into living fields. I’ve been privileged to
watch this group develop, and I can tell you, this is a community that is
inspiring radical and hopeful change and responding to their being claimed by
God through their baptism.
I see this church alive and thriving
especially on bus rides back from a place called Mo-Ranch. On busses full of sweaty, exhausted, and
sometimes smelly middle schoolers who cannot help but grin giant grins when
reflecting on a week of worship, fellowship, teachings, breaking of bread and
prayers with other youth their age. And you can bet there is awe and wonder
during those weeks, found at Vespers on the tennis courts looking at the stars,
or by sponsors witnessing a sharing of all things in common - from a box of Oreo’s to hugs. These memories I have of the bus rides back
embody for me this blossoming church, this community where something that can’t
quite be articulated has taken root and is changing not only those where it has
been planted, but those around them.
This
passage from Acts invites us to continue to nurture what has taken root, not
only within us, but among us, as a community of disciples of Christ. We’re called to live out this community and
bear witness to this community. This community will call us into a room full of
strangers, but we’ll leave knowing we are loved, claimed, and called.
Praise
be to God.
Bibliography
Gaventa, Beverly Roberts. The Acts of the Apostles.
Nashville: Abingdon, 2003.
Hare, Timothy B. "Acts 2:42-47 - Homiletical
Perspective." In Feasting on the Word: Year A, Volume 2, Lent through
Eastertide, by Barbara Brown Taylor and David Bartlett, 424-429.
Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010.
Willimon, William H. Acts: Interpretation: A
Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preachin. Louisville: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2010.