I Know It When I See It

Scripture: Mark 2.13-17; 1 Samuel 14.1-11; Acts 2:41-47



Jesus is on the move again.

“As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed.” Matthew 2.14

Matthew moved with Him. Maybe Matthew didn’t have a lot keeping him there in one place. Who knows? But I love what happened next.

Jesus came to Matthew’s house and so did many of Matthew’s friends and associates – tax collectors and other sinner types. Jesus was attractive to them. They wanted to hear more.

I am reminded of something Don Miller wrote in regards to St. Paul. Miller is talking about how Paul spoke to the people of Athens at Mars Hill. Mars Hill was a meeting place where philosophers and other academics as well as common folk met to discuss and debate ideas. Paul went there and spoke about Jesus. The people there were so intrigued by his talk and ideas that they invited him to come back another day and speak again.

Miller wrote, “This never happens in America today.”

What Miller meant was, Christians are not invited into non-religious contexts to discuss their faith and ideas. This almost never happens.

Why not? Why aren’t Christians invited to talk about their faith in nonreligious settings? We could discuss that question from many different angles, but I think the best answer is – Christians don’t try. We don’t try to talk about Jesus with others because we have forgotten who we are.

In this very sparse, simple message, it is matter-of-factly stated that once Matthew decided to follow Jesus, it naturally followed that Matthew’s friends and coworkers, his circle of influence, if you will, would get an opportunity to hear about it.

And this makes sense. When any of us make a major, life-altering decision, why wouldn’t we tell our friends, our coworkers, and our neighbors?

A couple weeks ago my family took a trip to the Cooperstown, N.Y. We left on a Sunday evening and returned that Tuesday evening. To make that trip, we called the kennel to care for our dog; we called a girl in the church to look after our cat; we called our parents to let them know we would be away; we wrote notes to the school saying the boys would be out two days; I told my secretary (I think), Jennifer requested off work; we told at least several of our friends. . .you get the idea. We decided to go away for just two days and it involved many people in the telling.

How come, when we decide to make the journey of a lifetime, the trip into eternity, the journey that will change us forever, we tell almost no one?

Maybe because our journey our faith sometimes happens without the dramatic decision moments that Matthew had. But I think a more complete answer is that we are lacking the quality of community around us that even someone like Matthew the tax collector enjoyed.

In the words of sociologist, Robert Putnam, we are “bowling alone.” We are living in a self-imposed isolation. We wrap ourselves in a cocoon of schedules and technology and entertainment. We watch a lot of television. From our recreation to our meals to our community projects, we have to schedule what used to happen more naturally. Community organizations from Kiwanis to Lions, to Little League beg for volunteers. We have few friends.

Listen, however, to what the first church was like:

“So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Acts 2.41-47


Notice that just like with Matthew, the early believers told others about Jesus, quite naturally. They showed others Jesus by the way they lived their lives together. The first Christians found that Jesus was very attractive to others. As long as they let Jesus shine in their lives, “they had the goodwill of all the people.” And more people came.

Something very special happens when people come together in Jesus. People grow. Lives are shared. Needs are met. People don’t go to church out of duty; they go because they love being there together. They humbly sense that God is doing something special among them. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s awesome. It’s hard to put into words what exactly it looks like, but I know it when I see it. It’s true community.

I served a church some years ago that had this kind of experience. There was a joy that the Lord was adding to our number. We were happy because we were loved by God and we loved being together. We had a common mission and purpose. Of course trouble came, just like it came for the church in Acts. We tried to deal with it as best we could. But for different reasons there were some leavings that had to take place.

I remember one woman remarking during that time, “We’ll never have again what we had here.”

I knew what she meant. She meant community. Real community – the kind that only God can make. I hope she’s wrong. Well, in fact, I know she is.

In I Samuel there is a passage where Jonathan and his armor-bearer, all by themselves challenge the whole Philistine army. The rest of the Israelite army in secure in their caves and strongholds, afraid to go out and fight their mighty enemy. As Jonathan and his companion bravely march toward their enemy, the enemy takes notice. The Philistines can’t believe their eyes.

“Look, the Hebrews are coming out of their holes!”

It’s time to come out of our holes, not so much to fight an enemy, as to be together and to engage other people will the life-changing message of the Gospel. This really can happen in America today. This really can happen in this church today. Real love. Real community. Real purpose – Jesus calling many to the Kingdom.