Caring Christians SHARING God's message of Grace.
What does it mean to be caring Christians sharing God's message of grace?
As parents and grandparents, we teach the children in our lives to share their toys. This seems like a gargantuan teaching task at Christmas time when the gifts are so new and exciting. Sharing may also conjure up the image of sharing a ride into town to run errands or sharing a cup of coffee with the neighbor.
We also think of sharing as a mutual commitment. We share a load in order to make it lighter. We share the peace with one another on Sunday as a sign of our mutual affection in Christ. Sharing should indeed characterize the Christian community. In the second chapter of Acts we see it at the very heart of the first believers' conduct after Christ's ascension.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need." -Acts 2:42-45
For the early Christians to live in community, they found great joy in sharing their commodities, so that everyone had access to everything.
We remember that God chose to share his son, Jesus, with us. God took on frail flesh in order that we might receive the joy of knowing God as a human being.
Jesus shared his life with others. He shared meals with outcasts and sinners. He shared his gift of healing with all who called upon his name. He shared his time with the disciples, teaching them what was about to happen to him, and how to interpret it in hindsight.
At Grace and Glory, we are called to "share" our lives. That involves working together to establish a unique Lutheran congregation here. We share our valuable time setting up for worship, making decisions at leadership team meetings, sitting in the hospital with a friend whose spouse is having surgery, and volunteering with a whole host of community organizations. The list is long, if not endless.
Why do we share of ourselves? Because we know the upside-down nature of Jesus' kingdom. When we pour ourselves out, we are filled up. When we share, we receive back what seems a double portion more than we gave. We know that when we hoard bread it goes stale or moldy, but when we break it with others, there is always enough.