"Day by Day”

A meditation by the Rev. Dr. Hilary Barrett

Pleasantville United Church of Christ, May 15, 2011

Psalm 23; Acts 2:42-47; John 10:1-10

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. 
And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
(Acts 2:46-47)

We call these days and weeks after Easter, “Eastertide.”  The season of Easter lasts 50 days, ending on the day of Pentecost, and each year on this 4^th Sunday of Easter we are given the same texts to ponder: texts that remind us of the Good Shepherd that Jesus is.

It’s an important image in the life of the Church – this Shepherd of the sheep.  As we gather for worship each week, we are shaped by that very image before us. When we built this new Sanctuary, it was important to us to bring that image into this space where it would be a steady reminder to us of the care God has for all God’s people.

We see the image of the Savior as Shepherd and we know: we are the sheep of his pasture.[1]

We see the image of the Savior as Shepherd and we know: we are that one lost sheep that Jesus has gone off to find and bring home because we are that precious to Him.[2]

We see the image of the Savior as Shepherd and we remember: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.[3]

We see the image of the Savior as Shepherd and we hear His words of promise:  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  I know my own and my own know me.[4]

Even if we do not know all of these scriptural references; even if we do not know any of these stories by heart – still we are being gradually shaped by the conviction that God cares for us and leads us and protects us just as a good shepherd cares for every single one of His flock.

The text we heard this morning from the Book of the Acts of Apostles is a text about the early church and how it grew.

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. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

It’s a brief but beautiful passage and it shows us that that the early church grew by simple measures: teaching, fellowship, common meals (in particular, the Eucharist), prayers, sharing of possessions, caring for those in need, spending a lot of time together – particularly in worship. 

Long ago, in a land far, far away, our ancestors in the faith did the same things we do today -- at least these are the things that we are called to do: devote ourselves to the teaching of the apostles, fellowship with one another, break bread together (particularly the Eucharist), pray together, share our possessions with one another, care for those in need, spend a lot of time together – particularly in worship.  Day by day they did these things, and “day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”[5]

Today we have two very different texts to reflect upon: one which reminds us that we are like sheep – vulnerable creatures in need of a caring Shepherd.  And the other that teaches us how the early church grew by simple means, largely just by caring for one another. 

The thing these two texts have in common with one another is that both of them communicate that the Christian journey of faith is intended to be carried out in community with other followers. 

The sheep that Jesus refers to in the gospel of John are part of a flock; a flock that He watches over and protects.

The early church gathered day by day to hear the stories of the faith, to share in sacred meals, and to care for one another in such a fashion that others would look with longing and say: I want to be part of that.  It was communal, contagious, generous, and transforming.

These days, one of the more frequent comments that I hear from people as they talk about their spiritual lives is: “I’m spiritual; I’m just not religious.”  For many of those people, what that means is that they believe in God, or the Holy, or a Higher Power, but they don’t believe in being part of organized religion.

On one level, I can understand that. Organized religion has its down side. People can be difficult; we can be selfish; we can be mean spirited; we can lose track of the bigger picture and get lost in details that make us feel like we’re more in control – even if we aren’t.

But the thing is: being the church has always been about people.  It’s about worshiping together and praying together, eating together and sharing our resources with one another; it’s about digging deep to get along with that person that drives you crazy, and taking care of the ones who need it most. It’s about laughing together and singing together and showing up for each other day, by day, by day, by day.

It’s a slow process – this learning to be the Church.  It’s not always easy to be sheep in the same fold; tended by the same Master, listening intently together for the same Voice.  It takes practice to become the beloved community.

Thanks to be to God, for the grace that is given us, so that we may become a community of practice – practicing Christ-centered fellowship; practicing life-giving worship; practicing generosity and self-giving loving day by day by day.  Amen.