5 Smooth Stones

to build a strong and viable church by joining entire companies as building blocks of the church. A company might be a family. This is seen in Acts 16, when once the Jailer received the Lord his whole family also received the Lord. This company or fellowship became a strong building block for the church of Philippi. Likewise, we see this with the conversion of Cornelius the centurion and his whole family in Acts 10. Jesus built his ministry by understanding this principle. After Andrew met Jesus, he was so impressed that he had found the Messiah and went immediately to his business partner and brother, Peter. They both were asked to become followers of Jesus and were ordained as apostles along with ten others, most of whom were associates in fellowship with one another even before they were called to fellowship with the Lord. And even after the association of the whole group, it seems that within the fellowship of apostles there was a smaller company made up of Peter, James and John. These three, along with Jesus, experienced a number of unique events together as a company. In fact, a clear case can be made that only Judas did not seem to connect in close fellowship with a company within the twelve apostles. We also see this principle in the life of Peter. In Acts chapter 12 Peter was put in prison and condemned to death. James had recently been executed and Peter was next in line for Herod’s judgment. But God intervened and an angel divinely released Peter from the prison. Remarkably, what occurred next is that Peter did not go to any of the other apostles, or an eldership council to show himself as he did after he met with Cornelius in Acts 11. Instead he went to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, a relative of Barnabas who was very close to Peter (1 Peter 1:13), where Peter knew there would be prayer going on for him. And indeed, they were gathered there praying earnestly for him. Certainly, there were many believers praying for Peter, but he knew this company would be praying and would receive him there. He only remained brie fl y and told them what the Lord had done, and instructed them to pass this testimony on to the other apostles and then he left. The point to see in this is that Peter knew his company, those with whom he had close fellowship and whom he could trust to watch over him in the spirit and pray for him. We all need this. We are weakened as believers if we do not have a company of believers whom we have close 55