Friday, October 17, 2008

Meeting in Homes

Where should one meet for worship, community, and discipleship?  One of the places the bible speaks  about - are homes. Just in case you think I am just one of those new church kind of thinkers, I would say to you that I am just making myself in line with the New Testament.  Read the  passages are listed below. 

 Acts 2:46 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, Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 12:12-13 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. Acts 16: 39-40 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left. Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. Romans 16: 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.1 Corinthians 16:19 The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla[a] greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. Colossians 4: 14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings. 15Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. Philemon 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, 2to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:

 It appears the early church from Jerusalem, Rome, Philippi, Corinth, Ephesus, Colossae, and the letter to Philemon they either utilized a model of public worship as well as gatherings in homes, or simply did church in homes, which naturally because of size, were smaller. Some of these were churches, one was a prayer gathering (Acts 16:39-40), and the Acts 2 ones give the idea of community and worship in the home throughout Jerusalem. Obviously, Christ was the centerpiece of what they did both publicly and in the homes.   

Who are you inviting over this week?  Whose home are you going to where you will experience community and focus on the glory of Christ?  


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hallo.deine texte ermutigen uns sehr! habe dank dafür.grüsse an deine familie.
jacek und laura