Acts 2: 42 – 47 – Scenes from the life of Jesus

Imagine listening to the Apostles! I think I’d want to spend my days doing just that if I had the chance to meet those who had first-hand experience of Jesus.

What stories would they tell?   I wonder, what stories would enthral you?

Perhaps they would talk about the day Jesus took a small child onto his lap and said to all the grown-ups ‘You have to become like this little one to get into the kingdom’

Or perhaps hearing how a woman was made well because of her own faith that, even if she could only touch the hem of Jesus’ coat, she would be made well – such faith!

Or those riddles Jesus told; the one about the kingdom of God being like the mustard seed. Plant that tiny seed in your own back garden and watch how even that little tiny thing can unexpectedly surprise you as it grows into a great shrub, big enough for the birds to nest in. From even the tiniest seed of faith, you will be surprised, amazed, astounded even at the extent of what can grow.

Or perhaps the story about the rich man who walked away from Jesus sad and disappointed, because, when push came to shove, he could not give up everything he had and give it to the poor as Jesus told him he must.

But those earliest Christians that we heard about in the book of Acts, did give everything up! They responded to the Apostles, whose first-hand accounts of Jesus compelled them to want what the Apostles offered – a life lived in exactly the way that Jesus taught. as a beacon of light showing a better way to live.

So those first Christians sold their possessions and shared what they had. They met together and devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching – to fellowship, to prayer and to the breaking of bread.

Imagine them listening to the Apostles tell the stories and puzzle over what Jesus had said and what it all meant, especially following the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower them – all things that Jesus had promised.

And so, they re-membered Jesus, that is they put together in their meetings what they knew and had learned about Jesus.

You see, if you think about it, if you dis-member something, you take it apart, so if you re-member something it must follow that you put it together again. That’s what those first Christians did and it’s what we still do when we meet, we remind ourselves of the stories, we re-member Jesus in that way. When we break bread as we share together in Communion, we re-member Jesus – put him back together in our hearts as we break and eat bread and drink wine as Jesus commanded us to do.

If you aren’t able to meet with your Church family to share in communion, why not re-member Jesus as you eat and drink at a meal today?!  I wonder, what will you remember about Jesus as you eat and drink?

Revd Janine Atkinson