Remember and Refresh

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (Acts 2:44 NKJV)

The unity of this group is probably one of the most striking and notable virtues of the first church.  They not only spent time together, they actually were doing life together.  And there was nothing that they kept from one another.  They literally shared everything they had.  You can’t help but notice a stark contrast between this original church and what is typical of the Christian church today.  Most members of churches today can barely hang out with one another for even one hour a week and they certainly would not be open to sharing everything they had with someone else. 

So what makes the first church so different?  It could be the newness of their salvation.  We are only weeks away from the crucifixion and Pentecost.  They have had a life-altering encounter with God.  These people have are still in the “awe” of salvation and for them it is very real.  Most of them were personal eye witnesses of the resurrection and the events of Pentecost. Many may have actually known Jesus and witnessed the miracles, teaching, and touch of the Savior.  They no longer looked through the eyes of a worldly viewpoint, but enjoyed an eternal perspective.

So, how can we, as Christians who are decades removed from these events still keep the freshness of our salvation experience?  This is one of those things that God accomplishes that is hard to explain.  It is where we seem to tap into His timeless nature.  At the moment we fully realize the magnitude and meaning of what happened at the cross, at the tomb, and on the day of Pentecost, it is as if time is removed and the “awe” of the experience brings us full volume into the reality of the events.  So, the answer to the question of how to stay in the freshness of our salvation is by keeping our focus on the central point of Christianity, which is Jesus. 

It has been almost 30 years since I had my “ah ha” moment of who Jesus is.  Yet, even today when I set my mind on His Person, it is as if time disappears and His love, mercy, grace, and tenderness are as present and real as the moment I first believed. 

For me to keep a heart of unity that desires fellowship with other believers and that has a light touch on the things God has entrusted to me, I must keep my eyes and heart clearly fixed on Jesus so that I can see everything from an eternal vantage point.