Visitors—Acts 2 and Ephesians 4

“Visitor.” I hate that term. It carries a sense of non-belonging or anti-kinship. I understand that they are called “visitors” because they “are just passing through” or “worship somewhere else on a regular basis.” Yet we would not dare call our own family members “visitors” when they come to see us! This term sends faulty, misguided, and unscriptural messages when used to talk about our transient brothers and sisters in Christ.

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

-Acts 2:46-47

God is making additions to His church every time a non-believer or a misguided disciple learns the way of Christ more fully and then puts on Christ in baptism. In Acts 18:26, Apollos stands as an example of a misguided disciple of Jesus who needed further teaching since he only understood the baptism of John the Baptist. God, not man, is responsible for adding this new person to the church. They do not transfer their “membership” to another congregation because they belong to the same “one Body” Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:4-6.

There is one Body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

In 2010, my family visited Melaka, during a tour of Malaysia during our summer break. We arrived in the city during the week and began to immerse ourselves in the local culture. We were very unimpressed with Melaka until Sunday morning. After a rough night’s sleep, we nearly decided to hold a little worship ourselves instead of meeting with the local family. Thankfully, we determined we were being “toonsies" as my dad would say (think wusses) about the lack of sleep and “girded our loins” instead. As we showed up to the store front (Malaysian churches are not allowed to have buildings of their own), we were engulfed by the local Christians. Since we were simply expecting to be greeted, this took us by great surprise. After the worship service was over, we were invited to lunch where the locals refused to let us even take out our wallet! After lunch, we received a breakfast invitation at a nearby restaurant and a supper invite for Monday night at one of their homes and a breakfast invitation for Tuesday! This congregation was saying, “You are one of us. You belong here.” In short, we were treated like FAMILY not visitors. Our outlook on Melaka changed literally in 1-day - a day with His people!

When Christians are traveling through, let us treat them as though they belong. These immersed believers are part of the same Family as Christians in the local congregation…God’s Family. As we treat them as such, we honor God, we send a message of solidarity to any non-believers in attendance, and we may just encourage everyone to walk with or closer to our Father.

In Good Company!

Christians often struggle in their walk with God. Sometimes this is related to things out of their control but sometimes this struggle has to do with the company they choose to keep. Paul says,

“If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE. Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’ Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”

-1 Corinthians 15:32-34

The Apostle Paul faced all sorts of challenges because of his faith in Jesus. The next time we consider following God “too difficult,” consider what Paul was forced to deal with in 2 Corinthians 11:18-33. After examining his list, our struggles take on a new light! He served God and endured these hardships with spiritual motives because of the resurrection of Jesus. How do we get this type of motivation?

Paul says the people we spend time with affect our attitudes and behaviors. If we choose to spend the bulk of our lives with “bad company,” their sinful practices and ideals in our lives are likely to show up in our lives. Paul says Christians need to be “sober-minded and stop sinning.” In other words, clear-thinking and right-doing.

King David put it this way:

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” -Psalm 1

David says if we want to be pleasing to God, we must do two things. First, we must constantly be aware of those around us including those we choose to take advice from. We must walk with, stand with, and sit with righteous, godly people. These types of people will help us to grow according to God’s Will.

Second, we must find delight in God’s Will. This includes both what He has written for us in His Word as well as what He desires for us to do in our service to Him. By staying in the Bible we learn more about God. By practicing what He says to do, we grow to be more like Jesus.

If we are willing to walk, stand, and sit with God’s people and seek to delight in the Law of the Lord, we will be firmly rooted and productive in God’s service. In other words, walking with Him will be our joy.