FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 26 04 26
FIRST READING: Acts 2.42-end
NEW TESTAMENT READING: 1 Peter 2.19-end
GOSPEL: John 10.1-10
The Church is a great institution, an amazing institution that was constituted by God from the day of the Pentecost. It is wonderful that people come to church and when we come to church we are the church. While we are sad and disappointed that not many people are coming to church, we need to rejoice about the people who come to church to be the church. What does it mean to be the church, to be the church is to respond to God to be the body of Christ in the world. We are concerned about people who could have been here but are not here but that should not take away the joy of celebrating ourselves as people who are here. It is really a very big thing that we are here as people who have said yes to God. It is important for us to constantly remind ourselves what it means to be a church and what should a church be doing as a church?
Today we heard a very special reading from the book of the Acts of the apostles. The writer Luke tells us what the church did as the church was born, he writes, ‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.’ There were these four things that the early church did and these four have become the agenda of the church all these 2000 years or so.
Listen to the teaching of the apostles, be in fellowship with one another, break bread together and pray together.
The life and mission of the church is shaped by these four components. All these four are historical and reflects our essence as a community of God’s kingdom on earth.
Why do we listen to the apostles teachings? The apostles teachings build us up personally in our faith and remoulds us to be Christlike in character.
To be in fellowship with one another is to grow together as a body, Christ’s body. We are very different individuals but are brought together to be one body. All are important and we support each other just as the different parts of the body support and each other and works together.
To break bread is to share what we have with others. We do it as individuals and together as a church.
And we are a church, people at prayer. Holding ourselves and other people before God.
We heard Jesus say I am the gate for the sheep. If there is a gate there should be a premises or a building. Jesus is not a gate for a facility or a building. He is the gate for the life he offers. He is the gate to himself. We go to Jesus to find peace, to find meaning, to find healing, to find joy.
I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.