The Gospel of Luke closes with a fascinating scene. For three years the disciples have been with Christ. They’ve witnessed His life up close and personal. They’ve seen the miracles, the power over demons and the authoritative teaching. Added to this, they’ve seen Him betrayed, arrested and sentenced to death by crucifixion. The disciples watched as Jesus died on the cross. But they also witnessed the risen Jesus Christ. At this point, as the Gospel closes, Luke could have focused on many things. Perhaps we would expect him to focus on God’s greatness or the majesty of the risen Christ.
Instead he focuses on the disciples. Luke records for us that they were blessed by Him. Then Luke allows us to zoom in on the disciples and to see them constantly in the temple praising God. We are left pondering the group of disciples committed to the risen Lord Jesus Christ but also committed to each other.
As we turn to Dr Luke’s second volume, the Book of Acts, we see that the disciples are still together and are praying together constantly. In Acts 2 we see that the disciples are still together. Their commitment to each other hasn’t waned, it had grown and strengthened. In fact, the disciples are so transformed by the love of Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit that they love being together. Worshipping God and praying through Christ appears to be their main priority. They love each other so much that they share their possessions. They sell their assets and give to anyone who has need. There are no needy persons in the Church. In fact, the love of Christ was so prevalent among them that the Lord added to their number daily the number of those being saved. By the time we are at Acts 20, we see that the early church is still meeting together to break bread among other things. This is a reference, most likely, to celebrating the Lord’s Supper and fellowshipping together. The practice of the early church was clear - they continued steadfastly to meet together each Lord’s day.
Praise God that there’s still a believing remnant that loves fellowship and wants to worship God corporately. It’s this kind of love and togetherness that will show the world that we are Jesus’ disciples. It’s this kind of love that will communicate our priorities to a lost and hopeless world. It’s our commitment to Christ and to each other that will draw the world into the love of Christ. Half hearted church attendance, apathy, diminishing love for the brotherhood at church and misaligned priorities will communicate to the world that Jesus really doesn’t matter that much to us. But as we love one another and sacrificially serve one another the world will truly see Christ in us.
Prayer:
Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
- Pray that God would grow love among your congregation. Pray that He would allow members to reach out to each other in love, to forgive each other as needed and to really enjoy being together on Sondays. Pray that God would draw others into Christ through this love.
- Pray that God would bring numerical growth to your congregation through conversions. Ask God to bring opportunities for everyone in your congregation to share their faith and to make disciples in Jesus’ name.
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