Going the Extra Mile

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Dr. Tkach draws a connection between a 98 year old woman helping her friends and the way the early church helped each other.

Program Transcript

Let me read you a headline
from an article I recently came across – “98 Year Old Woman Regains Drivers
License to Help Friends.” Did that catch your attention? I know it caught mine.
As soon as I read it, I wanted to know more.

Her name is Evelyn and she
lives in a really great retirement community. Each week, a bus would drive her
and her friends to the grocery store where they could shop for food and enjoy a
nice lunch out. The whole community cherished this opportunity to socialize and
share life together. But all that came to a stop when their bus broke down and
could not be repaired. As a result, the members where forced to rely on their
families to bring them groceries. But for one of Evelyn’s friends, that strain
proved too great.

If there wasn’t an
alternative, Evelyn’s friend would have to move to another home and their little
community would be shattered. Well, that was all Evelyn needed to hear. She had
a perfect driving record – never even had a ticket in her life! So she went to
the DMV, passed her tests and got her license back. Because of her effort, the
community was able to stay together and continue sharing life with one another.

Isn’t that an amazing story?
I think it serves as a perfect illustration of what the early Church would have
looked like as it was getting started. Just like the retirees, these early
Christians were living and dwelling together in their own community. And just
like Evelyn, those who were able to give – gave what they had to strengthen and
serve the body. See how Luke records it in the second chapter of Acts: “All the
believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and
possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad
and sincere hearts, praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44-47).

I love what this looks like.
This is true Christian community. And I know we here at GCI have already
experienced this and are ready and willing to continue caring for and building
each other up in love. This week, I want to encourage you to think about what
your community around you might need. See if you can’t help them out in some
way. Who knows, you might just end up helping out someone who really needs it
and sees a little bit of Christ in you.

I’m Joseph Tkach, Speaking of
LIFE.

Program Transcript

Let me read you a headline
from an article I recently came across – “98 Year Old Woman Regains Drivers
License to Help Friends.” Did that catch your attention? I know it caught mine.
As soon as I read it, I wanted to know more.

Her name is Evelyn and she
lives in a really great retirement community. Each week, a bus would drive her
and her friends to the grocery store where they could shop for food and enjoy a
nice lunch out. The whole community cherished this opportunity to socialize and
share life together. But all that came to a stop when their bus broke down and
could not be repaired. As a result, the members where forced to rely on their
families to bring them groceries. But for one of Evelyn’s friends, that strain
proved too great.

If there wasn’t an
alternative, Evelyn’s friend would have to move to another home and their little
community would be shattered. Well, that was all Evelyn needed to hear. She had
a perfect driving record – never even had a ticket in her life! So she went to
the DMV, passed her tests and got her license back. Because of her effort, the
community was able to stay together and continue sharing life with one another.

Isn’t that an amazing story?
I think it serves as a perfect illustration of what the early Church would have
looked like as it was getting started. Just like the retirees, these early
Christians were living and dwelling together in their own community. And just
like Evelyn, those who were able to give – gave what they had to strengthen and
serve the body. See how Luke records it in the second chapter of Acts: “All the
believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and
possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad
and sincere hearts, praising
God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44-47).

I love what this looks like.
This is true Christian community. And I know we here at GCI have already
experienced this and are ready and willing to continue caring for and building
each other up in love. This week, I want to encourage you to think about what
your community around you might need. See if you can’t help them out in some
way. Who knows, you might just end up helping out someone who really needs it
and sees a little bit of Christ in you.

I’m Joseph Tkach, Speaking of
LIFE.

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