The book of Acts-Jesus and mercy, Jesus and mercy

I have read the book of Acts quite often throughout my years of seminary and now over four years in ministry. In this reading I have often tried to make the book of Acts a "guide" to how to do church. Many times trying to make a blueprint of what the church should look like today. Although one can do this is very simplistic ways, this past reading pointed me to two VERY simple realities of Acts and in all reality the whole Bible: Jesus and mercy, Jesus and mercy, Jesus and mercy.

Throughout the beginning of Acts it is a continual movement with the apostles, disciples, and believers of proclaiming Christ and then serving with His mercy. At Pentecost they proclaim Christ in different languages, people are baptized, and then they start to have everything in common. Then after Peter and John proclaim Christ to the council, the believers with even more boldness worship and serve one another. In chapter six the disciples realize they need to proclaim Christ even more, but in order to serve in mercy the appoint Stephen and the others to serve. And continually from Philip to Simon to the Eunuch it is a continuous movement of Jesus and mercy.

What does this mean? The church should do two things above everything: Jesus and mercy. Proclaim Christ and keep on doing it until the resurrection. From that proclamation serve each other, the community, and the world and then continue until the resurrection. Pretty simple huh? Lord have mercy.