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Together in Christ: 'Unity and God's Blessing' — Acts 4:32-33 Sunday, August 11, 2024 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. — Acts 4:32-33 NLT Key Thought... After facing opposition and threats from those in power in Jerusalem, [1] Peter, John, and the early followers of Jesus in Jerusalem responded in three ways: With gathered, unified, passionate prayer. [2] With their committed proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior. [3] With their generous and loving care for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. [4] Our focus is on the importance of building healthy relationships as disciples of Jesus. These three responses to challenges in our church family are as essential to our health as a spiritual family now as they were then. Too often, we have lost our sense of Christian community and spiritual family to an often disconnected and fragmented life. Being part of a vibrant family of believers that lives with these three passions at the heart of our communal existence is essential for our passionate and compelling fellowship and strong individual discipleship. We were not meant to live our Christian lives alone, detached, and unsupported in a hostile world! [1] Acts 4:1-3, 18-21. [2] Acts 4:23-24. [3] Acts 4:19-20. [4] Acts 4:32, 36-37. TODAY'S PRAYER Father, thank You for Your gift of genuine Christian community, family, and fellowship. Forgive us for letting the challenges of pandemics, busyness, and distraction work their decay in our Christian fellowship. Help us refuse the artificial and corrupting influence of the world's cheapened versions of fellowship. We want to build our lives together in prayer, the proclamation of Jesus, and generous, loving care for each other. O Holy Spirit, please bind us together, empower our fellowship, and fill us with Jesus' love. In His name, we pray. Amen. RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS 1 John 3:16-20 Ephesians 4:1-16