What the early days were like

After Matthew 2:38-47 

What was it like,

those early days when

every morning was new

and every season was spring,

and they woke each say and

looked at each other as

newborn children,

because they were?

From the light shining

within themselves

they devoted themselves

to teaching

to fellowship

to bread breaking

(which assumes bread making)

to prayers

together and holding

all things in common

to serving each other

often at great cost

which was no cost

to worshipping together

to praising together.

Their song was head

over and over, and

the voices grew.

Photograph by Rob Schulz via Unsplash. Used with permission.

They heard the words

After Acts 2:38-47

They heard the words

as he moved among

the crows, simple words

from a complex history,

words they understand

in their own languages,

their own tongues of fire.

What do we do? they ask.

He walks among them,

following the example set

before him, and he says

repent, and he says

be baptized, and he says

the spirit will come, and he says

you will receive it, and he says

the promise for you, and he says,

and for your children, and he says

and for those far away, and he says

for all who are called.

And 12 became 3,000.

Photograph by Erika Giraud via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The power of speech

After Acts 2:38-47

A few words, a single speech,

spoken as the crowd grows,

the curious and the mocking,

wondering at the noise

and tongues of fire

and fishermen speaking

languages they do not know,

a few words spoken

by the one who denied him

three times.

They listen, they hear,

they recognize the truth

about themselves, the truth

that wields a sword, the truth

that cuts hearts in two.

Reeling, they say ok, but

what now? what next?

When hearts are split

open, what do we do?

Photograph by Miguel Henriques via Unsplash. Used with permission.