Scripture: Acts 9:31
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. God strengthened the church, and its life was marked by reverence for the Lord. Encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the church continued to grow in numbers.
Thought for the Day: The Greek word we translate as church in the New Testament is Ekklesia, but let’s be clear, it never described a building with stained glass or theater with a sound system. In general terms, it described an assembly. In Ancient Greece, the word described the central assembly of the democracy. The idea was for this assembly to both do the hard work of democracy, but also for the assembly itself to be an expression/embodiment of the highest ideals of the democracy. As the Roman Empire came to power, the notion of democracy slipped away as did the notion of the Ekklesia as a political assembly. It’s interesting how the followers of Jesus took this historic word that was losing its cultural meaning and repurposed it. As they did so, they held to the ancient notion of the Ekklesia doing the hard work of Christ-following, while also having the Ekklesia itself express/embody the highest ideals of Christ-following as it lived together. Our outward work should be the work of Jesus, but how we live and interact within the church should also clearly express the life of Jesus.
Prayer: For every group, small and large, that gathers with a desire to honor you by living the love of Jesus, we give you thanks, Merciful God. No matter where we meet or who shows up, let us be the Ekklesia of your loving kindness. Amen.
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