Trinity
Lutheran Church

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The First Reading: Acts 2:42-47

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.

The Gospel: John 10:1-10

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The Sermon

The reading of Acts is such a nice description of this very early Christian community and how they lived together in this ideal way – sharing everything, worshiping together daily, being completely devoted to each other, having the goodwill of all people. This community grew daily and there was even a day when Peter baptized about 3000 people.

Everything was still fresh – the resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As exciting as everything was, they were at the very beginning of understanding what had happened to them and around them, what it meant to live as followers of Jesus Christ. They were learning how to think, how to act, how to be in the world as people shaped by this whole new reality. And what we see in Acts was their best attempt to describe that life together. It is a portrait, painted in very bright colors, of a community where faith was not a private matter, but something lived out together, day by day, in very tangible ways.

It is a lovely picture. But it can also be a challenging one. We may find ourselves looking at this early Christian community with a mix of admiration and discomfort. On the one hand, there is much to admire. Who would not want to be part of a community where everyone is cared for, where generosity flows so freely?

And yet, when we look a little more closely, we realize that this level of devotion and sharing asks for a lot. Selling possessions, holding things in common, shaping daily life almost entirely around the community and worship. It is not only difficult to imagine living that way in our world; it is also something that not everyone would necessarily want. The idea of giving up private ownership entirely, for example, may not sit well with everyone.

So, we may be very much inspired, but also aware that this is not something we can simply copy and paste into our lives today. The reading from Acts is not a blueprint to be followed step by step in a modern congregation.

And it is important to remember something else as well. Even in the early days of Christianity, this picture in Acts is not the whole story. It is very much an idealized version of the Christian life. Later in Acts, there is the story of Ananaias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of property but gave only a part of the proceeds to the apostles. Peter confronted Ananaias, and then Ananaias dropped dead. Three hours later his wife came by, Peter confronted her, she dropped dead and the whole church was seized by fear. This does not sound any longer like the ideal church.

Rather, we are reminded that from the very beginning, the church has been made up of real people. People with good intentions and generous hearts, but also people who struggled, who fell short, who sometimes got it wrong. The early Christian community was not perfect.

However, despite this little reality check, Acts represents the values of this early Christian community. Sharing a common belief in Jesus Christ, worshiping together regularly, looking out for the well-being of others, coming together in fellowship – that was their profile. Had anyone asked them to describe their community, these points would have been listed.

And even though our world and our lives are so different, there are parallels that still connect us to these early Christians. We share the same belief, we worship, we help and serve others. It is not as intense as this idealized description of Acts, but the foundation is there.

Not right now, but in the coming months Trinity will think intentionally about its own profile. This is part of the call process for a new pastor. You will reflect on important questions, like who you are as a community, how faith is expressed in tangible ways in this place, what matters most to you, where you sense God calling you next. Creating this profile is not just an administrative task. It is an opportunity to pause and to reflect.

And in some ways, you will be doing something very similar to what those early Christians were doing. They reflected on what it meant to be Cristian in the real world, they made intentional choices which required faith and attention. The passage from Acts is an invitation to reflect on the values that shaped them and to consider how those values might take shape here, in this context, in this time.

As you think about your profile, as you look ahead, there will be choices to make. About what you want to emphasize. About how you want to serve. About how you want to be present in your community. There is no single answer to how this might look like. But there is an invitation to be thoughtful and intentional.

There may be moments of uncertainty. There may be questions without immediate answers. That is part of any transition. But there is also an opportunity here. An opportunity to rediscover who you are. To name what matters. To step into the future with intention and hope, and most importantly, the trust that, just as in those early days of Acts, God is present in the midst of it all, guiding, sustaining, and leading you forward. Amen.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.