The Embassy

Have you ever been part of a tight knit group of people who gave you both a place to belong and a sense of purpose? For me, it was the sports locker room. Because I was part of the team, the locker room became the place where we knew and accepted each other deeply, but it was also the goal of winning that brought us together. In Acts 2, Luke allows us to peer into the inner life of that first church in Jerusalem. Instantly numbering over 3,000 people and growing daily, this church shows us the rhythms, community, and outcomes of this fellowship of people. We see that the church was a place to belong and a place to become. But the text, as it sits in Acts is more than just one glimpse. It is the model for every church that will be planted in Acts after this. In other words, whenever we find a church in the rest of Acts, we are to see the same rhythms, community, and outcomes taking place in those cities as well. Christ has redeemed a people for His glory and placed them in a community that becomes an outpost---an embassy of Christ's Kingdom in that city. This community is the church of Jesus Christ, and is still the hope for the world.