A Bond Between Christians

Acts 2:42,46-47, 1 John 3:14

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Our devotion today comes from Acts chapter two. I’ll read various verses from verses 42 to 47.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42,46-47)

It’s interesting that becoming part of a Christian congregation is really a wonderful blessing from God. Once we learn to know Jesus Christ as our Savior and what it means for us that he paid for all of our sins so we can go to heaven. There’s a bond that starts to establish between us and fellow Christians. We are now citizens of heaven. Years ago, I was talking to a friend who became a Christian as an adult, and she said to me when I joined the congregation, I had no idea that I was really joining a family.

And that’s an interesting way to think of it, isn’t it, that there’s a bond there that is established by the Holy Spirit because of our common love for Christ. And all of a sudden, all the other things that might separate us, whether it’s our nationality or our language, whether it’s where we work, our economic status, all of that becomes irrelevant when we sit together and worship our Savior and listen to His Word.

The Holy Spirit is the one that creates this love for fellow Christians inside of our hearts. And it’s interesting just to note a few things here from this text. First of all, notice that our membership in God’s Church of Believers is because of his work. We’re told the Lord added daily to the church those who are being saved. Notice they didn’t decide to do it. God is the one who adds Christians through the work of the Gospel in people’s hearts. Secondly, he draws believers together, despite all the differences they might have in the world. And if you go to a congregation, you can find people from different walks of life and different backgrounds, sometimes with different accents, a lot of differences that we have, earthly differences, but that all becomes irrelevant when we love Christ. And it suddenly bonds us all together. That common love for Christ and for each other then as Christians is actually a sign of faith.

Listen to what Saint John says.

We know we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. (1 John 3:14)

And that’s one of the indications that we’re truly believers in Christ, that we love to be with fellow Christians. The Holy Spirit unites people together around God’s Word and sacraments. It’s those places where God comes to us and brings us His grace. And so He gathers people around these means of grace. We sometimes call them the marks of the church, because where those are found and being used properly the way Jesus wants, there will be true believers there. And we notice that there’s an immediate love for one another. The disciples here that gather together doesn’t take months and months and years. There’s an immediate bond that begins to take place.

And finally notice also the great joy that is present. We’re told that they did all of this with gladness and simplicity of hearts. Being a member of a Christian congregation is is not drudgery. It’s not difficult. There can be some work at times, but it’s really a joyful thing. It’s something that uplifts us and edified us and builds us up because that’s really what the work of the gospel is all about. As we look forward to the day in heaven when all of us will worship around Christ and His throne, and think of all the people from all around the world that will be joined together with us. What a glorious day that will be. Amen.