Redeemed, Restored, Grace-Filled Reality
Church isn’t about having it all together. It’s about being held together by Christ.
“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:45).
Nostalgia has a way of airbrushing the past. It paints history in soft hues, where everything seems simpler, cleaner—better. But real life isn’t like that. And neither is church. Real community is rarely neat. It’s always in need of grace.
That’s why I’m so thankful the Bible doesn’t gloss over reality. It speaks plainly—and beautifully—about what Christian community really is. Look at Acts 2:45. Right after the resurrection of Jesus, when the gospel was freshly announced and thousands were coming to faith, a new kind of community was being born. A joyful, generous, Spirit-filled people. But it wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t without problems. Right in the middle of that powerful move of God, we find a four-letter word: need.
“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:45)
Isn’t that something? The church’s earliest days were marked not by self-sufficiency, but shared need. And it wasn’t a flaw—it was a feature. Why? Because need opens the door for grace. It creates space for generosity. It reminds us that we are not the source of our own provision—God is. And through His people, He loves to meet needs in ways that bring Him glory and bind us together in love.
The gospel itself is the story of divine generosity. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). God gave. We received. And in every true gospel community, that same rhythm continues. God gives. We receive. And then we give again—joyfully, sacrificially, freely—to one another.
Church isn’t about having it all together. It’s about being held together by Christ. And when the risen Jesus is present in a community, we get something better than idealism. We get reality—redeemed, restored, grace-filled reality.
ON THE HORIZON
Next Steps - If you are interested in learning more about membership at Immanuel, our Next Steps Seminar is for you! You can join us on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Immanuel Cafe for our next class. RSVP here!
Women’s Cohort Interest Lunch
Are you looking for women to walk with you as you follow Jesus together? Women’s Cohorts are a place where women, by the Spirit’s power, seek maturity in their daily practice of following Jesus through accountability and deep relationships, under the example of a mature, Godly woman. Groups will begin in September and space is limited. Join us for an interest lunch on Sunday, May 4 in Sadler chapel immediately following the second service. Sign up here. You can Abby Norris at abby.norris04@gmail.com with any questions.