The very first group of believers were Jewish, about that there is no doubt.  So, for a time they remained devout in adherence to Jewish law and practices.  This no doubt helped them have some level of security while they remained in Jerusalem.  The original group included Jesus' mother, Mary, as well as others from His family, and it included the apostles: Peter, James and John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.  This group had chosen a disciple named Matthias to be the 12th apostle, replacing Judas Iscariot.

As we discussed in the events during the Pentecost feast, this original small company began to mushroom in size.  The new movement was then referred to as "The Way."  Sometime during this period, they adopted the Greek word ekklesia (which translate to "church" in English) to describe their community or assembly – a gathering of people, God's people.

Under the leadership of the apostles, this earliest church maintained its unity by two special ceremonies that kept them connected to the reality of Jesus' death and resurrection.  These were baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Baptism was nothing new to these believers.  However, baptism in this new apostolic community, this new church, was different than the former baptism of John the Baptist.

• John's baptism was a baptism of repentance and a profession of faith in a kingdom yet to come
• Baptism in the newly formed church, on the other hand, marked entrance into a spiritual kingdom already proclaimed

The Lord's Supper, of course, symbolized and connected the people in Jesus' death and new life in the Spirit.  What a beautiful process the Lord had provided for this remembrance.  The elements were and are exactly those that were always available in the most simple of Jewish meals

• Bread, to represent the body of Christ broken for us
• Wine, to represent Jesus' blood, marking the new covenant of forgiveness for our sins

 
^{Mt 26:26}While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

²⁷Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

²⁸This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

This simple meal allowed them to join together in remembrance of the Lord, just as it still today allows us to renew our covenant with God and with one another as Christ's church.

Next post – the Hellenists.

Blessings,

Larry