The Church - But not as we know it! (Acts 2:42-47)
Billy Milton - May 30, 2004
Over the past few weeks we’ve been looking at the birth of the early church. The disciples have regained their courage after witnessing the resurrected Jesus; Jesus has now gone to heaven; The Holy Spirit has been poured out on them in an extraordinary and visible way at Pentecost and Peter has just preached a very direct and pointed sermon that resulted in the salvation and baptism of about 3000 people! These are heady days and day after day it continued that way.
The apostles were doing many miraculous signs and wonders. People are being saved every day; they are sharing everything; they are rejoicing together. This is church … but, if we are honest, not as we know it. Can anything spoil the party? Well, as a matter of fact, yes!
Look at the obstacles to growth in the way of the early church. If ever a new venture survived against the odds it was the early Church that got started on that fateful day of Pentecost in AD. 30. Think about it:
- Just 50 days earlier their founder had been executed as a common criminal.
- Now they were supposed to go tell an unbelieving world that the Christ that they had all seen crucified was resurrected from the dead and that he demanded their repentance and complete allegiance. Not an easy prospect.
Consider some of the obstacles in their way:
- It started out in Jerusalem, the centre of Jewish persecution.
- How on earth could it move out to become the dominant faith of the mighty Roman Empire, an empire steeped in traditional pagan religions.
- The Church was considered a religio prava, an illegal and depraved religion. Rumours of cannibalism abounded.
- Wave after wave of persecution, general and official, was unleashed to squash it.
- They had no buildings.
- No access to public media, such as we now enjoy and take for granted.
- After the Apostle Paul there were no big name missionaries.
How then did the church grow against all these, seemingly impossible, odds? Two major reasons, both of which still apply today:
- The Holy Spirit. The apostles, and indeed every single believer, lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. With the odds stacked against them as they were, this fledgling religion should have been obliterated within months - but it refused to die. Why? Because God had determined that it should grow and thrive and be a witness for him throughout the world. Let me remind you just in case you’ve forgotten - this is still God’s desire and this is still the same Holy Spirit who works amongst us today. He has not changed so perhaps the reason why the Western church is not seeing the incredible growth of the 1st century is because of reason number 2;
- That every member lived their ordinary days for Jesus. The blameless conduct of the ordinary Christians was a powerful witness in a Roman world darkened by sin and depravity. Jesus, talking about the light given out by a powerful lamp, said in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”. The early church didn’t analyse the best and most appropriate way to fulfil his command - they just did it.
Paul would later write in Philippians 2:15, “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe”. Each and every Christian in the early church was a powerful, shining witness to a changed life. They didn’t treat Christianity as a hobby to be slotted in when other demands allowed it. This was their life! Yes they still held down jobs and enjoyed their hobbies, I’m sure, but everything they did was done as a saved and forgiven child of God. And what an impact this had on the community around them.
One of the early church fathers, Justin Martyr, wrote to Emperor Antonius Pius about the believers:
“We formerly rejoiced in uncleanness of life, but now love only chastity; before we used magic arts, but now dedicate ourselves to the true and unbegotten God; before we loved money and possessions more than anything, but now we share what we have and to everyone who is in need; before we hated one another and killed one another and would not eat with those of another race, but now since the manifestations of Christ, we have come to common life and pray for our enemies and try to win over those who hate us without just cause.” Christians were known as those who cared for hurting people and prayed for those in need. Put simply, “They walked the talk”.
When Emperor Julian (the Apostate) wanted to revive Pagan religion in the mid-300’s he gave this insight into the spread of the church. He says of the Christians:
(Christianity) has been special advanced through the loving service rendered to strangers and through their care of the burial of the dead. It is a scandal that … the Christians care not only for their own poor but for ours as well; while those who belong to us look in vain for the help we should render them.
It appears that Christians were the first “do-gooders”! Again Paul said in Galatians 6:9-10, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
So we can see then that the amazing growth of the early church was as a result of a partnership between God and man. It’s the same today. Its not all about us and let me say reverently as well, its not all about God either. In his divine wisdom God forged a partnership with us. We matter in the spread of the Gospel and in growth of the church.
What can we expect when the two parts of the equation are working in partnership? Well in v42-47 Luke tells us about the teaching; fellowship; breaking of bread and prayer. This list quite noticeably doesn’t contain “outreach” or “evangelism” - why? I would suggest that it was because the Christians were just so full of what was happening in their lives that it didn’t even have to be stated in a formal list. They just bubbled over with the gospel message in every area of their lives. They hadn’t a fixed “Gospel Meeting” or “Family Service”, they just went out to where the people were - and lived. They came together for the prayer, fellowship, breaking of bread and teaching and then bubbled over in public. It was “Contagious Christianity” at its very best.
Luke goes on to tell us about the “wonders and miraculous signs” that were performed by the apostles and how the people were in awe. What an evangelism strategy! Perform a miracle, explain that it’s God who really enables such power to be displayed and then invite people to join such an awesome God. Brilliant and simple. Take the example of Brother Yun in China. Folks, I can’t explain these events in China but wouldn’t it be thrilling if God moved again like this in Berkhamsted? The Holy Spirit has not changed; He is still every bit as powerful and we need his power in our church today - don’t we?
Luke continues to describe how, quite simply, the early believers loved each other and it was obvious to anyone looking on. The way they cared for each other regardless of any social or gender differences was a powerful witness. It still is. And the result was a daily adding to their numbers of those who were being saved. This almost seems like a fairy story doesn’t it? But it happened - and it can happen again.
Today, Rosie by being baptised has indicated her desire to live wholeheartedly for Christ. You may not have stood up front as she has, but will you join with her in a prayer of committal as I pray for God to meet with us as he met with the early church? Let’s pray.