The day of Pentecost lights up the pages of the second chapter of Acts. The Holy Spirit comes down like fire. The apostles speak in languages others could understand, even when they have no idea what the Spirit is saying through them. Afterwards, Peter speaks to the crowd and about 3,000 more people get baptized. Miracle upon miracle! Then the miracles continue. At the end of the chapter we read, “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.”
Does it seem an exaggeration that thousands of people could be together and have everything in common? They could eat together in their homes, commune with the Lord’s Supper, share life with glad and sincere hearts. We can hardly get three people together without a disagreement these days. But the Bible is true. It’s recorded that ALL the believers had EVERYTHING in common. Not only did they share resources, they were “of one heart and soul” (Acts 4:32). This is fascinating and inspiring, isn’t it?
One Hebrew word for love mimics breathing in and out. God fills His new Christians with love as natural and necessary as breathing. Why isn’t this unified love natural for us as Christians in 2025? I should add, living in love is a natural way of life for some, but not all believers are of one heart and soul. This is something to ponder. This is something to strive for. Granted, the early church could not hold on to this type of engulfing love for long. But Jesus commands it and prays for it, even as we all struggle to accomplish it. If we could love that way, master the way of the Master, our world could light up with the Gospel, couldn’t it? Amen, Lord Jesus, make it happen! Light and unite hearts and souls, with You and with each other. Amen, Lord Jesus, make it happen! ~Tracy