God is a God of relationships. He sent Jesus so we could be reconciled to Him and be in a relationship with Him. Our vertical relationship with our Savior is our primary relationship, but the horizontal relationships we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ are also important.
After Peter preached and 3,000 people believed and were baptized, they immediately formed a community. They devoted themselves to fellowship. They were learning, sharing communion, worshipping, and praying together.
Notice what they did not do. They did not take their newfound salvation home and attempt to live it out on their own. They did not just pop in occasionally to visit their brothers and sisters in Christ. They did life with them. And as they lived in authentic relationships together, more and more people joined their family.
Jesus desires perfect unity among His followers.
The Church is a group of believers who love the Lord and serve Him together. It is a group of imperfect people each on a journey of transformation with their Savior. They learn together, serve together, encourage one another, and hold each other accountable.
Jesus foretold the coming of His Church and the power it would have over the enemy. He prayed that His people would experience perfect unity so the whole world would know of His love for them.
“I am in them and you are in Me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent Me and that You love them as much as you love Me.” – John 17:23 NLT
The Christian life must be lived in community. We need each other. Time spent in fellowship with like-minded followers of Christ from all walks of life is a glimpse into eternity. It is the ultimate expression of unity. No matter who we are, what we look like, or where we came from, we are all one as we serve and worship our Savior together.
