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My first experience playing a team sport was in the second grade. I joined a Little League baseball team. We were so bad, we only won one game all season. And we won that game because the other team was short a player and had to forfeit! Maybe that’s why I focused on football after that!

Many sports rely on the teamwork of the players. In football, everyone must work together to run the same play. The more unified the team, in general, the better their play. If teammates bicker with each other off the field, it usually impacts their play on the field. That’s why a lot of professional teams consider how a player will fit into the locker room before drafting or trading. They know unity is important.

Following Jesus is also a team affair. Our relationships with others must display unity. Acts 2:42-44 says this about the first church, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.” (NIV)

Doesn’t that sound like a unified team? All believers were together. All believers had everything in common. Relationships with other Christians matter. Remember, the words of Ephesians 4:3, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (NIV)

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 3.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

Have you played the telephone game where a group of people whisper a message to each other?  The last person then says the message out loud. It is amazing how a message will change as it goes from person to person!

Messages are not the only things that can change over time. Organizations and institutions can also change. Take the church. How much has the church changed since it began after Jesus resurrection centuries ago?

Let’s look at how the first church acted. Acts 2:42-47 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he 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, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (NIV)

Does that sound like your church today? If not, remember the followers of Jesus are the church. If it has changed from the original pattern, we can restore it by following the example of the first church. Let’s devote ourselves to bible study, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper and prayer!

How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/

Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/

Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.