Nougat 3

We often hear people on social media referring to ‘my tribe’ or greeting each other as ‘my peeps’. By including the possessive pronoun, these terms convey deep familiarity and kinship. It’s the kind of familiarity that exists in some worship contexts and should be the norm in all. Yet, it has room for others. Not sure how that works – consider Today’s Holy Nougat

Acts 2:38-39 CEVDCI

[38] Peter said to them, “Turn to God and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[39] This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live.”

Sent to Create a Community

In Luke 9 and 10, Y’shua sent His disciples out on a practice run to share the Gospel. None of them travelled alone, they went out in pairs, which is the smallest form of community. In previous Nougats, I proposed that they provided each other with companionship and accountability. As a group of people who had common interests, beliefs, and geography, it would be easier for them to fulfil their mission in Christ. The mission was revealed in Jesus’ instructions: cast out demons, heal diseases, and preach about God’s reign to everyone (see Luke 9:1b-2). Luke 10 adds another dimension: they were sent as forerunners – to prepare the way before Christ visited. They were helping to expand the community.

Self-Check

To what extent do we enjoy adding others to our inner circle? Are we challenged by communicating God’s love to outsiders?

Digging Deeper

While they received the gift of God’s Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples were also radically ‘sent’ to expand God’s empire. Their first assignment: diaspora Jews visiting their city. This aligned with Y’shua’s instructions in Luke 9, 10 and Acts 1:8. Luke 9 and 10 provide us with the basis for expanding God’s empire, creating a new community of believers. [We could consider them ‘low-hanging fruit’, using the harvesting metaphor in Luke 10]. Acts 1:8 established the parameters of that community – the outermost part of the earth – while proposing possible phases of the expansion.

Peter’s assertion that all people (regardless of age, distance, or country of origin), were welcomed in God’s community confirms the prior activities in Luke 9 and 10. But this first phase of Y’shua’s Acts 1 plan involved people coming to where the disciples were, laying the foundation for them to go out.

This assures us that being sent to create community doesn’t always involve travelling on our part. The people may be sent to us. In light of global insularity that borders on xenophobia, the need for believers who are willing to welcome and embrace the stranger is great. We desire a positive welcome when we go out into the world, let’s pattern what we hope for.

This is more than just offering food to the hungry. It includes making room in our homes and communities for the stranger who doesn’t look like us. And yes, I agree that these are not necessarily believers – like us. But those firstfruits diaspora Jews were not believers until after Peter spoke. It was the radical hospitality that provided the signpost to the new community.

Interestingly, this new ‘Jerusalem community’ was created while the disciples were adjusting to God’s Spirit outpouring in their lives. They were not yet seasoned apostles. It doesn’t require us to be nutrition, hospitality management, or even immigration experts. What God requires, Y’shua desires, and God’s Spirit inspires are willing hearts.

So, let’s think carefully about the implications of this Nougat for our time. Are there diasporic people living in our immediate vicinity? Have they visited our places of worship, or our schools, markets, homes, and workplaces? Are they the ‘outsiders’ and displaced people amongst us? Could Christ be calling us, through God’s Spirit, to help them get situated in God’s community? Who knows, one day, they might become ‘our peeps’.

Point to Ponder

How are we ‘harvesting’ the low hanging fruit that Y’shua has sent us to collect?

—

May all we seek be found in Christ