The narrator of this story tells us of the early church that, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles" (Acts 2:42-43 NRSV). They were "devoted" to their faith and to all that it required. They studied, maintained fellowship with one another, celebrated conununion, and were in prayer. There was a sense of God's presence among them. "Awe came upon everyone..." (Acts 2:43 NRSV).

Today, we still do those same things. We study, have fellowship, celebrate communion, and pray. But when we do these things, do we sense the presence of God? If not, why not? God is still present among us. Have we become so preoccupied that we just do not feel that presence? What can we do to bring back the feeling? When we worship, we should find something in the worship that takes our breath away. It could be the sermon (this is where you say, of course, it is the sermon), the choir anthem, the words or the music of a favorite hymn, or a ray of light shining through the stained glass window.

It is my hope that Christians everywhere today will regain that breathtaking feeling that the first Christians felt, and we will be motivated to "go into the world and make disciples.

The Shepherd's Voice (John 10:1-10)

The image of the shepherd and sheep is used through out the Bible to indicate the relationship between God and God's people. The shepherd was totally responsible for the welfare of the sheep (even to the point that the shepherd had to be willing to lay down his life to protect the lives of the sheep). The shepherd spent long hours with the sheep and a close bond developed between them. They would recognize the shepherd's voice and would respond to that sound, much like a pet dog or cat will come when we call.

In this passage, Jesus also talks about thieves and bandits. These were those who want to steal the sheep. The people that Jesus was talking about in this image were (and are) the people that have their own agendas within a faith community. They worry more about their own pride, care, and pocketbook than they do about taking care of those around them. They seek leadership positions not for the common good but for personal advancement.

Jesus is saying that we can tell the difference between the true leaders who want to do God's will and the false ones only if we learn to recognize "the shepherd's voice." That is the love of God coming through the words and deeds of those in leadership positions. To determine that we need to spend time with the true Shepherd—God.