"A MOVEMENT, NOT A MONUMENT"

"And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,"

Acts 2:46

"The church is not a monument; it's a movement." That's what a Christian writer once wrote.

When our church in the Philippines agreed to leave our place of worship, some of us, especially those who invested their lives in taking care of our old facility, were heartbroken. And I couldn't blame them; they were the ones who genuinely cared about our gathering place—in terms of improving, decorating and every other activity involved in maintaining the church building.

However, the separation anxiety caused by the fact that we were leaving the building was replaced by immeasurable joy when we moved our stuff to the new place. I observed the people’s joy and excitement while we were moving and cleaning the church’s instruments, chairs, and other things. This scene makes the truth mean more to me: that the church is a living spiritual entity, not a dormant box made of bricks and cement.

Interestingly, there were no buildings during the church's first three centuries. Instead, they learned together and ate together in homes.

Today's verse shows how the first Christians still met at the Jewish temple. Why? Because they understood that their faith in the risen Lord is the fulfillment of the OT Law (Matthew 5:17).

On the other hand, devout Jews honored their temple more than they glorified God. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, delivered a speech saying how the temple doesn’t mean as much as the people’s hearts in worship. In fact, their forefathers didn't have one. While their kings David and Solomon desired to build the temple, they knew that God could not be contained in a building (1 Kings 8:27).

The early Christians found joy not in a physical building but in the spirit of brotherhood they shared. In fact, gratitude for receiving their daily food is a form of worship in itself. They didn't have to gather in an aesthetically impressive building to experience joy and contentment. God was with them regardless of the place.

Beautiful church buildings may serve as historically significant places or top tourist destinations, but the church's gladness and thankfulness have nothing to do with man-made structures. Instead, we rejoice in the Living God, who called us from a miserable past to a meaningful and purposeful future. To us, it doesn't matter if we meet at a multi-million dollar building or in the comfort of a barn. What's important is that we worship the risen Lord who loves us. Again, we're a movement, not a monument.

Pursue the Savior today!