Tag Archives: the early Church

isn’t she lovely?

Holy Spirit discernment and a message that both offends and invites.  These are the characteristics of the early Church that were highlighted for me this morning as I read chapters 7 and 8 of Acts. 

Discernment ~ Go back with me to chapter 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Peter said to Ananias, “how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?”

There was no way for Peter to have known what Ananias was really doing without the discernment of the Holy Spirit. 

Now jump ahead to chapter 8, where we meet Simon the Scorcerer.  Again it is Peter who says to him, “You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. (v.21)…For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (v. 23)

You could argue that it doesn’t take much discernment to know that a man trying to buy the power of the Holy Spirit isn’t altogether right with God. But Peter saw more than that. The word for “bitterness” (bitter gall, in the King James version), means extreme wickedness.

Simon had offered money “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit”. I wonder if some of us today would have argued that his heart was in the right place, his intentions were good, he just needed some teaching…a little redirecting. Because we want to believe the best about people, that they really do have good intentions. I think calling people wicked makes us uncomfortable, unless they are “out there” somewhere, not in here, trying to be one of us, excited about what we’re doing and wanting to be a part of it. But God is not building His Church using our human tendencies or desires to believe that everyone is, deep down, good. To cover the weakness of our desires, He gave us discernment through the Holy Spirit. 

Discernment comes before the gate opens. Discernment came before Ananias and Sapphira were able to bring deception into the Church. It came before Simon could bring wickedness into the Church. Both would have brought injury and destruction, if not for the protection God gave through discernment.

Discernment is necessary to the Church as a whole, but no less necessary in our individual lives. Personally speaking, I have often discovered what the enemy is doing after he has brought injury to my life. Discernment after the fact isn’t discernment, it’s hindsight. So today, I have determined to seek God for discernment for myself and for my church, so that neither of us live in hindsight.

The Message ~ In Chapter 4, the Sadducees “were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.” (v. 2)

In Chapter 5, they “were filled with jealousy” (v.17), and said, “you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” (v. 28), and in verse 33, “they were furious and wanted to put them to death.” (That word “jealousy” in the Greek is really a “contentious rivalry”)

In Chapter 7, we find Stephen giving the sermon of his life to the Sanhedrin. Their response? “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.” (v.54). But Stephen kept going, and “at this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him…” (v.57) And they stoned him to death.

The early Church preached a message that offended and infuriated people to the point of murder.  It was a message that opposed certain people’s belief system and exposed their guilt.  The Church was never compelled to water anything down, soften it or try to make it taste sweet. The message is what it is.

On the other hand, 3,000 people accepted their message on one day (2:41), and more were being saved every day (2:47), and more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number (5:14).

A message both offensive and inviting, depending on who is hearing it.  Nevertheless, they preached the message.  We have the same message, and we preach to people who are no different than those ‘back in the day’.  Some will be offended and even furious. Some will say yes to the invitation to believe.  But we must remember that the message is what it is.

This is the Church.  Protected by Holy Spirit discernment, carrying an offensive, inviting message.  Emerging in the midst of the explosion of God’s miraculous power and the enemy’s fury.

For some reason, I hear Stevie Wonder in my head right now.

“Isn’t she lovely, Isn’t she wonderful…”

still building

I have just a few, scattered thoughts today after reading the fifth chapter of Acts.

Ananias and Sapphira (v. 1-11).  Right away God made something clear to the Church. He will not allow deception to prosper.  I think it was quite the ‘tone setting’ moment.  A look at the different headlines, just in my lifetime, tells us not everyone has heeded the tone.  The list of various scandals regarding deceptive practices by church leaders can be discouraging, except for the fact that they were discovered.  Because God is still building His Church, and deception will not prosper today, anymore than it prospered then.

The Apostles jailed (v. 17-21)  The miraculous signs and wonders performed by the Apostles led many more to believe in Jesus, once again landing the Apostles in jail. Funny thing about jails. They can keep us in, but they can’t keep God out. He sent in His angel who opened the jail doors and brought the Apostles out. Why? Because God was insistent that the gospel be told. “‘Go, stand in the temple courts’, He said, ‘and tell the people the full message of this new life'”. (v. 20) And that’s what they did.  Nothing that man does will stop God from building His Church. 

Gamaliel (v.34)  He was a Pharisee, and as it turns out, a very wise man. After the great escape, the Apostles are once again brought before the Sanhedrin, and, once again, explain that they are opting to obey God rather than man. The rulers are furious and want the Apostles put to death. Enter Gamaliel, who with great wisdom ends up making one of my favorite statements in the book of Acts. He reminds the Sanhedrin of all the other men who rose up to lead a revolt, and how those men, and the revolts they attempted, came to nothing. And then he said, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (v. 38-39) Profound, and stunningly prophetic. As you and I sit here today, carriers of the same gospel the Apostles preached, members of this beautiful Church that God began and continues to build, we are the evidence of the truth of Gamaliel’s statement.  It would be nice to travel back in time for just a short moment, to whisper in this wise man’s ear, “You have no idea how right you are!”.

And they rejoice (v.41)  Gamaliel’s statement persuaded the Sanhedrin to release the Apostles, with the obligatory order not to speak in the name of Jesus. By this time I can’t imagine any of the Pharisees actually thought that order would be obeyed. And the Apostles left, rejoicing. And here is what caught my attention. They weren’t rejoicing because they had been released, they rejoiced because they had suffered disgrace for the Name! They were thrilled to have been counted worthy of suffering for Him. I believe this rejoicing for suffering was a mark of the early Church.  I also believe the mark has faded in the Church today, at least in the western Church. At least in my own heart.

The suffering I do as a Christian is, well, not really suffering.  A few people probably roll their eyes at me, but always when I’m not looking. They may make fun of me, but never within earshot. Is it because I rarely allow myself to be in a position to suffer any more than that? Is it because I am not really proclaiming anything that actually produces anger or indignation, or at least makes people uncomfortable?

I have grown tired of all of this thinking. But rather than let me close the book and move on to lamenting the fact that I have run out of coffee (speaking of suffering), He gave me one final thought.

He is still building His Church, and I am still a part of that process. There is still time for rejoicing.

i want to be like them

A miraculous healing turned into an opportunity for the gospel, which resulted in persecution, which brought yet another gospel moment, resulting in threats, which compelled the Church into prayer, which brought an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the boldness they were seeking.  All that took place in the 3rd and 4th chapters of Acts, and I find it all very fascinating. But there’s more to this story that catches my eye and my thoughts.

“While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: ‘Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?’“ Acts 3:11-12

“By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”  Acts 3:16

Peter was adamant that only Jesus would get the recognition for what had taken place. He refused to be the star of the show, acknowledging that neither his own power, nor his own godliness was at work in the healing.  Humanity, and it weaknesses and tendencies have not changed over the centuries. If I am not careful, I too can find myself looking for a hero in the men and women of faith around me. I could find myself watching God’s miracles take place, and assume that it had something to do with the power or godliness of the person through whom His power flowed.  “Lord, remind me of the Name. The only Name that is to be lifted up in my heart.”

 “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”  Acts 4:13

It’s like a lightbulb went on for the rulers, elders and teachers that Peter and John now stood before.  They saw ordinary, unschooled men of courage standing before them, boldly proclaiming Christ to them. And then it dawned on them. These men had been with Jesus. The original wording of ‘been with’ means “to be privy to; to know”. Peter and John had not just “been around” Jesus, they had been with Him, they knew Him, and the rulers took note of that.  “Lord, I want to be “with” You, I want to have that intimate knowledge of You, so that no matter who I am speaking to, regardless of their title or their station in life, I will speak with courage, boldly proclaiming Christ. Produce in me the courage that comes from being with You.”

“Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'” Acts 4:18-20

They were compelled. Couldn’t help it. Had to do it.  What have we seen and heard? What have we been witness to that needs to be proclaimed? “Lord, I want the “cannot help it” that was in Peter and John to be in me. I want to be compelled to speak of You, of Your wondrous works, of all that I have seen and heard.”

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.”  Acts 4:29

I find this amazing. They had been told not to speak the Name of Jesus anymore, and “after further threats”, they were let go. (v. 18-21) What is so wonderous to me is what they didn’t pray. They didn’t ask God to stop the threats, or strike down the ones making the threats. They didn’t ask for anything that would make it easier on them. They asked for boldness to do what they had been told not to do. Proclaim the Name. “Lord, put these kind of prayers in me. I want to be a woman who will not pray for whatever will make my life easier, but will pray for the boldness to do what You have called me to do. I don’t want to pray threats out, I want to pray boldness in.”

This was the Church being built by God.  A place where the Name of Jesus is the only Name lifted high, where men are men, not heroes or superstars.  It is in His Church that being “with” Him, knowing Him intimately, produces men and women of courage and boldness, who are compelled to speak of what they have seen and heard.  Where both healings and persecution become opportunities for the gospel. The Church, made up of men and women who prayed for boldness rather than comfort. People to whom the Name of Christ is that important.

Beautiful, isn’t it? I want to see that beauty in the Church today. It’s there, because God is still building, I just need to open my eyes.

the ‘we’ of God

Exodus closes with the building of the tabernacle and the glory of the Lord filling it. As I turned the final page of that book, my mind immediately went forward to what God is building today.

“And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

So I will stay here for awhile in my blogging.  The building of His Church, and the detailed way He builds.  To start the process, I must go to one of my favorite passages describing this magnificant place of His habitation.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

Isn’t it beautiful? The pronouns are especially lovely. They, everyone, their, anyone. God is such a “we” God.  From the very beginning, the Church was about community, because God is about community…nations, tribes, clans, families…the Church.  We can’t be the Church by ourselves, it can only be done in community with other believers.  And the description of the first church indicates that it can’t be done by simply showing up to a building on Sunday and leaving in time for lunch, and it surely can’t be done by staying home and having only occasional interaction with fellow believers, mostly online.

I love the “we” of God. I love that I am not called to be the Church all by myself, but have been placed in a community of believers who, together, are being built into the dwelling for God’s glory. And like any other community, we have clashes and friction, issues with one another that must be dealt with, offenses to get over, and weaknesses to bear with as we become what He is building us to be. We also have love, compassion, fellowship, laughter, and tears together. We love, teach, and occasionally discipline one another’s children, celebrate and grieve together, hold one another up in battle, give what we have to the ones who need, and remind each other of just how very loved we are by God. It’s community. It’s the “we” of God. It is His Church, and it’s beautiful.