9. The First Congregation in Jerusalem

9. December 2014

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2, 44 – 47 NIV)

The day before yesterday we read that the first congregation in Jerusalem appointed seven deacons who were responsible for distributing food and other goods. People had precisely done what Jesus had suggested to the rich young man. The had sold all their properties and distributed what they had among the poor.

Each day they met in the temple and prayed together, and each day they met in their houses had their meals together and praised God.

Many years ago I once was in Greece in a Southern Suburb of Athens. There I met a Greek Orthodox congregation. Several years before a group of young men from this congregation had bought a piece of land together and had built a house on it four stories high. On each level two families lived an up in the attic the pastor had his flat. In the basement they had built a big kitchen and dining room. They told me that every Sunday after the service they used to meet there, cook together and eat together. During the week each family lived in his flat but at leas on Sundays they wanted to live like the very first congregation. I had been very impressed by this.

But once more read this passage from the Bible. Here again it is written that people were being saved. What were they being saved from?