She’s watched so many cousins play soccer, with their own cleats and uniforms. Big and little, each has been on a team. Since she was two, she’s asked when it would be her turn to play the beautiful game.
At four years of age, Kolly is on a team. Granted, it’s a small team: only four players, two girls and two boys. She’s already made friends with the other three kids, but that doesn’t yet make them a team. They must learn the game; it’s not just about making goals, kicking the ball into the net. It’s learning the basics: how to dribble the ball, pass to other players, and watch where they’re going so they don’t run into one another.
They don’t know much yet, but they want to learn. They want to play the game and be like the big kids they see on the field.
They want to win.
This is a similar attitude to what people were feeling in the first century, after Jesus’ resurrection. They had seen and heard Jesus preach; they’d watched His mock trial, and they observed the ugliness of His crucifixion. When Jesus rose from the dead three days later, people were amazed. Many saw Him in person after His resurrection. “He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, He was seen by more than 500 of His followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.” 1 Corinthians 15:5-6. When these letters from the apostle Paul were written, many of these folks were alive and could have denied these claims, but they didn’t.
Fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead was a celebration called Pentecost, the roots of which came from the Jewish festival Shavuot, or Feast of Weeks. It occurred fifty days after Passover, a celebration of the harvest and of God’s giving Moses the law.
On this particular Pentecost, thousands of people were in Jerusalem for this celebration. People from a multitude of nations, all speaking different languages. The miracle God provided was that each person heard the good news of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus in their own language.
Many chose to believe the gospel and received the gift of eternal life.
And these people wanted to grow in their faith. They wanted to win, to gain a life of hope.
So they worked together, in community. Like a team. And the team kept growing.
“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity–all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47.
The truth of the gospel is inviting and inclusive. Nobody needs to be left out. Just like Kolly’s new soccer team, these first-century followers of Jesus were learning together and growing together, becoming stronger in their faith. They were learning the basics of faith in Jesus, and they were so enthused about it that they were selflessly sharing their meals and what they had with one another. Community was being built and enjoyed.
Kolly and her friends are learning the basics of soccer, hoping to improve their skills so they can play well.
The more we understand the foundational truths about the gospel, the more we’ll grow in our faith and faithfulness.
It’s our turn to live in the joy of Jesus’ salvation.
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