“A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY”
YEAH! CHURCH - SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2022
"Doing Life with Jesus”
Today’s Lesson - “A Close Knit Family”
Video Story/Resource:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g74r8q9gjh4 (KidSpring Community Church – God Does Great Things Through His Church)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rms6KePjIZ8 (LifeKids – What is the Church?)
Always Together
Acts 2:42-47, NLT
“42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”
Can you imagine spending all your time with a group of people who weren’t your family? Well, that’s exactly what the early Church did—the people who had become followers of Jesus even though he had returned to heaven. They shared with one another, learned together, prayed together, had each other over to their homes regularly to share a meal and when someone was in need they were generous even at times selling personal property to take care of another. They treated each other as though they were family…and they were. They were spiritual brothers and sisters because they knew that God was their Father and someday Jesus would return to take them to be in heaven with him forever.
So, why doesn’t today’s Church live like that very often? One of the reasons may be because we have forgotten that Jesus could come back any day. The early Church thought Jesus would come back during their lifetimes and they wanted to be ‘caught doing good.’ Two thousand years have gone by since that time and instead of focusing on Jesus’ promise to return, we get too focused on life here on earth—getting an education, getting a job, getting married, getting children, getting grandchildren, getting retired… That’s a lot of ‘getting.’
It may have been two thousand years since Jesus promised to come back, but that just means we’re two thousand years closer to his return. Instead of focusing on ‘getting’ we should remember the early followers and how important they thought it was to ‘give.’ We should all want to be ‘caught’ doing good when Jesus comes back…which could quite literally be any day.
Engage:
• The early Church, Jesus’ followers, acted like a close knit family. How did they spend their time together?
• Jesus’ followers were serious about obeying Jesus, even selling their own property so that they could give money to someone else who needed it. Why do you think that was?
• The believers thought Jesus was coming back during their lifetime. How would we live our lives if we were convinced that he could come back during our own?
• Jesus’ followers took care of one another. What could we do today to take care of one another?
Weekly verse:
Matthew 24:44, NLT – “You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”
2022 Theme verses:
Colossians 2:6-7, NLT – “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Prayer – Dear God, help us to be generous and to want to spend time learning, praying together and showing hospitality. Help us to live as though we truly believed your promise that Jesus could back at any time and that it is important for us to be ready when he does.
~ Pastor Jane