They Came Together To Show Off Who Was Among Them
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.
No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
Acts 5:12–16 NIV Read More
There is a concept in cross-cultural missions that involves being an attainable person. There was a tribe in Africa that believed that this pale man got his power to fly by joining his mouth to the light-skinned, light-haired woman. Every time they saw him and the woman join their mouths together, the man would then get into his big white thing and fly into the sky for a few hours.
Many in the village wanted to join their mouths to the woman. Not because they thought she was beautiful. They didn’t think that. They thought she was kind of a freak. But how great it would be to fly! Without the power in that woman’s mouth, the ability to fly was unattainable.
So to be attainable, you try to keep your lifestyle in check and do things that anyone around you could also do. If they can see you following Jesus and doing things that are the same things they could do, then they can picture themselves following Jesus.
If they think the Christian life that you live is something that they could never do, then they might not.
That was the case of many believers at the beginning of the church. It was far too intimidating to join them. What was this new group? Some of them had died because lying about how much money they gave. Some of them were healed of blindness and paralysis! Are they wizards? Are they demons?
If even Peter’s shadow could heal people, then would I want to be seen with them? What would my boss think? What would my mother-in-law think?
But look what they did. They met together in one of the most public places they were able. They were highly visible in their community so people could see the wide range of people that had joined their ranks. No matter what kind of weirdo or outcast you thought you were, you could probably find somebody like you in that group that hung out around Solomon’s Colonnade.
And even if you didn’t, when you came up to that group they were attainable and accessible. You don’t add to your numbers every day by not greeting and welcoming people as they are, as they come.
The early church went where the crowds were, met together as often as they could, and welcomed as many new people as they could as God’s power attracted them.