Christians Under Construction – How Does God Build a Church: By Creating Compassion
Tony R. Nester
Acts 4:32-37
In 1918 the German pediatrician, Ernst Moro, made an interesting discovery about babies who have just been delivered from their mothers' wombs. Moro discovered that if you startle a newborn infant its arms will fly up and out and then come together as if trying to catch hold of something, or more likely, grasp someone.
It seems that we're born with the desire to touch and be touched, to have and to hold. We never outgrow the "Moro clutch" -- there's always something in us that wants to touch and be touched. [1]
One of the reasons God created the Church was to help us reach out and hold on to one another.
When God created Adam God recognized that something was missing. It wasn't good for the man to be alone. So God created Eve and put them into relationship with each other. That was better.
But it wasn't enough. So God created a covenant community called "Israel" in which to place all the "Adams" and "Eves" that had been born into the world.
We're not meant to live only as individuals, nor merely as couples and families. We've been created to belong to one another in a fellowship that's bigger, grander, and more inclusive.
When Jesus began his ministry he made a point of calling twelve disciples -- one for each of the tribes of Israel. This was a sign that his followers were to become a new Israel and connect themselves into a new community in his name.
(John 13:34-35 NRSV) "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. {35} By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.""
And so it came to be. Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, describes how the church very early in its life connected believers to one another.
They were of "one heart and soul." (Acts 4:32).
"Everything they owned was he ...
Tony R. Nester
Acts 4:32-37
In 1918 the German pediatrician, Ernst Moro, made an interesting discovery about babies who have just been delivered from their mothers' wombs. Moro discovered that if you startle a newborn infant its arms will fly up and out and then come together as if trying to catch hold of something, or more likely, grasp someone.
It seems that we're born with the desire to touch and be touched, to have and to hold. We never outgrow the "Moro clutch" -- there's always something in us that wants to touch and be touched. [1]
One of the reasons God created the Church was to help us reach out and hold on to one another.
When God created Adam God recognized that something was missing. It wasn't good for the man to be alone. So God created Eve and put them into relationship with each other. That was better.
But it wasn't enough. So God created a covenant community called "Israel" in which to place all the "Adams" and "Eves" that had been born into the world.
We're not meant to live only as individuals, nor merely as couples and families. We've been created to belong to one another in a fellowship that's bigger, grander, and more inclusive.
When Jesus began his ministry he made a point of calling twelve disciples -- one for each of the tribes of Israel. This was a sign that his followers were to become a new Israel and connect themselves into a new community in his name.
(John 13:34-35 NRSV) "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. {35} By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.""
And so it came to be. Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, describes how the church very early in its life connected believers to one another.
They were of "one heart and soul." (Acts 4:32).
"Everything they owned was he ...
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