We

learn a lot about what community looked like in the early church. It

included things like sharing meals, caring for one another,

worshiping together, and praying together. The early church took

community seriously. It wasn’t just an occa­sional event or

gathering. It was regular and ongoing. They valued spending quality

time together, and they did it often.

We

see in the early church a focus on what matters—the Word of God,

fellowship, worship, and prayer. We see who matters—the body of

Christ doing life together. And we see that it isn’t just a

once-a-week event. It also isn’t about being a church in one place

or even in a building. The Bible says the Lord added to their number

every day. There was room for others—more and more.

In

our culture of focusing so much on individual desires, biblical

community can seem a bit strange to us. But it’s all about

relationships, and that is something we can grasp even in this “me

first” world. Relationships always involve sharing—time,

experiences, material goods, and more—and sharing requires an

ongoing personal investment. It endures through joys and struggles

over the long haul. Doing life together is one of the strengths of

biblical community. The gift we share

always has room for others, even when it is messy.

In

what ways can you invest more in your relationships with God and

others today?