All Things in Common

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.