I grew up in the church.  No, seriously, from birth, I grew up physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually inside a church building surrounded by people who made up what we call “church”, a group of family and friends.  My parents’ lives revolved around what was best for the church, how we could tell others about Jesus, with devoting their lives to prayer and communion with God.  This passion for Jesus was passed down from their parents.

As a young child, living among this group of believers, I assumed we were all related because of my grandpa, Jesse Lacquement.  He was led to gathered his relatives and all their friends and family just before I was born to begin this group.  Being a carpenter by trade, he found an old building to renovate as a meeting place.  He called and visited everyone he knew and encouraged others to do the same.  Because he was a man of wisdom and always ready to help the down and out, everyone went to him for advice and help it seemed.  They all called him “Uncle Jesse”.  This is one of the reasons I thought we were all related.

THE CHURCH PLANT

Upon moving from his farm to the city to find work to support his family, he missed his church at home.  He noticed many others had also come to city to find work like he did.  I am certain that God laid this idea on his heart.  For Jesse Lacquement, the logical thing to do was to gather a group of people to fulfill that need to learn and grow together in Jesus. So, he did.  The term for that now is “church planter”.  Grandpa never claimed to be a preacher, he was only a song leader, who loved Jesus and wanted others to love Jesus, too.  His wife, my grandma, Blanche Lacquement, loved to cook meals for people which was her way of leading people to Jesus.  She never met a stranger that didn’t become her friend within moments.  Together, they made quite a team.  As soon as the group was formed, Grandpa “ordered” a preacher from our denominational office to lead us.  And they obliged.  My legacy in Jesus.

Like Peter in our passage today, Grandpa pointed people to Jesus, not him.  Grandpa urged people to meet together for learning more about Jesus, not for impressing other people.  Meager beginnings resulted with long lasting rewards—souls saved.  Lives changed in subsequent generations.  Maturity in God’s love grew in each one who came.  And I was one of them.  This precious legacy of “meeting together regularly” to find and follow Jesus is in my DNA because of one man who obeyed God’s leading, in Jesus Name, for God’s glory.     

We find this legacy of meeting together, doing life together in Jesus Name, began with Peter, the one Jesus proclaimed, “upon whom I will build my church”.  It is amazing what God continues to do in obedient men and women.  This is yet another “act” of God—church—a group of believers, doing life together, to grow in Jesus Name.

ACTS—God Acts through His Disciples

Acts 5:12-16, The Message

They All Met Regularly

Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done. They all met regularly and in remarkable harmony on the Temple porch named after Solomon. But even though people admired them a lot, outsiders were wary about joining them. On the other hand, those who put their trust in the Master were added right and left, men and women both. They even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on stretchers and bedrolls, hoping they would be touched by Peter’s shadow when he walked by. They came from the villages surrounding Jerusalem, throngs of them, bringing the sick and bedeviled. And they all were healed.

POINTS TO PONDER—The Basics

They all “met regularly” in remarkable harmony.

What mattered to the believers was not admiration but that others would put their trust in Jesus.

Because of their trust in Jesus, they brought the sick to be healed—and they all were healed.  God’s acts through Peter and Jesus’ disciples.

“So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”  Hebrews 10:22-25, The Message

Lord,

I took for granted far too long what was given to me as a legacy—All trust, hope and faith in You.  I do not take your love, care, mercy and grace for granted no longer.  You are my life.  You are my way of life.  All of my life belongs to you.  I want what you want for even this day.  Show me your ways and I will follow. 

In Jesus Name, For His Glory, Amen.  I believe.